During this Easter 2025 I have chosen to link the Question and Answer section within Explore to Inspire to my other website Inspire2Achieve. I want to ask a simple question as to why ‘gravity’ pulls us down in life and how when we ‘praise the Lord’ it can lift us up beyond our present life situations.
Christian Tradition
Having considered in recent weeks what is the Relevance of Lent in the context of Easter, we find ourselves coming to the end of Lent and Holy Week. We have encountered the sadness of Good Friday with the Crucifixion of Jesus and the great celebration on Easter Sunday with the Resurrection of Jesus. As a result of Easter all peoples of the world have the opportunity to enter into a personal relationship with a God that we all seek to get to know and worship in many and various ways.
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In any exploration of faith, philosophy and the meaning of life there is Mystery that requires aspects of faith and Majesty wherein we may feel overwhelmed and have to concede to our limited knowledge and understanding of the world we live in?
In regards to the question about Gravity I am referring to one particular song and then a second song that helps us to apply greater faith when we encounter many difficult life situations. Both secular and sacred songs can cause us to be melancholy but also uplifted.
Consider for a moment when you listened to your favourite songs at home or out and about? Often they might include elements of reflection around topics of love and loss. Alternatively they would set us free to laugh, dance and feel that sense of fun and freedom of daily living.
In my Inspire 2 Achieve website I have published Two Easter Poems entitled Windswept and Winsome and Still There by the late John Noble. The latest blog Two Easter Songs – Gravity and Hallelujah is reflected in this Question and Answer and the intention is that all three articles are connected and bring a renewed sense of hope and faith during yet another Easter celebration 2025.
On the 14th April 2025 the Blue Origin Mission comprised of a crew of six women. They all safely completed its 31st trip to the edge of outer space and back on a commercial flight funded by Jeff Bezos. The rocket had to push through gravity and then navigate a safe landing back to earth.
First Easter Song
The first song I want to share with you is one that I was very impressed by when recently conducting a funeral for a family friend. The closing piece of music was Gravity by the English band Embrace. The lyrics were written by Chris Martin and his British Rock Band Coldplay gifted the song to Embrace for them to use and it is included in the album Out of Nothing.
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The purpose of gravity is to gather together and push all matter on earth downwards so that all the energy in the universe is maintained in some form of order. Gravity also keeps the moon and the planets around us in place without escaping to other galaxies!
The song is like a lament and even a prayer that might include a measure of regret in personal relationships and life in general. It suggests that when we are facing difficult times and feeling pushed down it can be helpful to look up to the sun that shines in the sky. In so doing it may bring to us new aspects of hope and a realization that in any ‘push down, we can find an uplift’ to embrace a renewed purpose and strength.
- So give yourself a few moments to listen intently to this beautiful song Gravity and to consider your own interpretation of it and how it might apply to your own life situations.
Second Easter Song
The second song is entitled Hallelujah, originally written and sung by Leonard Cohen. He was a Canadian born singer-songwriter who was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in 1934. He wrote lots of poetry, novels, songs and so much more. The song was initially released in 1984 with limited acclaim and success.
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However, versions by Jeff Buckley and John Cale elevated the song to a wider audience full of its mystery and majesty. There has been hundreds of cover versions such as Alexandra Burke but the one I like best is by Bon-Jovi that includes clear lyrics which are helpful to understand the song in its wider context.
The word Hallelujah is a Hebrew word that means to “praise the Lord” and appears many times in the Old Testament book of Psalms (For example Psalm 150) and is used by Jewish and Christian believers and those of other faiths or no faith!
The song refers to secret cords from the 4th to the 5th that King David may have played that fell down and lifted up. The song includes references to the relationship between David and Bathsheba and that of Samson and Delilah. It refers to faith and love and a looking for proof of faith that can be tested and restored.
Cohen sought to affirm his faith background but not necessarily in any formal religious practice. He agreed that there was a religious aspect to the refrain Hallelujah but that it also can be embraced by the listener in a wider framework of belief.
- So for a second time give yourself a few moments to listen intently to this beautiful song Hallelujah by Bon Jovi. It hassome added and accompanying lyrics so consider for yourself your own interpretation of it and how it might apply to your own life situations.
- You might want to listen to the original version Hallelujah Live at Glastonbury by Leonard Cohen?
Take Away
What may we gain from the Two Easter Poems and the Two Songs for Easter? My prayer is that for all of us, particularly during these confusing and turbulent times nationally, internationally and locally we may we find some spiritual comfort and peace during this wonderful Easter 2025 however you are relating to it? “Hallelujah”.
Selah: (Pause to think calmly on what has just been read) and check out A Time to Worship
Check out exploretoinspire.uk for further Encouragement for Daily Living
Graham
Explore to Inspire 