Joyful Noise

As I type this reflection in my study at the church, I'm listening to Charles Gounod's Symphony No. 1 in D Major, which is streaming on WQXR, New York  City's classical radio station.
I remember listening to WQXR when I was a kid growing up outside of New York.  Back then, the only way to listen to the radio was with a radio, and one within transmitting distance of midtown Manhattan.  Now, I can listen to this station anywhere in the world as long as I have internet access.  Of course, as I reflect on this marvel of technology, it's worth taking a moment to consider the fact that this music could actually be recorded!  When I was a kid, people listened to LPs (and now seem to be doing so again!), then tapes (including flash in the pan 8 tracks), followed by CDs and MP3 files. Now it's just a bunch of data streaming from the cloud.  But all of that marked a sea change from the experience of most people through history, who could only enjoy music performed live.

Though live performances are still best in my opinion, I give thanks for the wonder of technology that allows me to listen to music at all hours of the day and night.  And as I celebrate this blessing, I remember its ultimate source: the One who has made the universe and all in it, including men and women who discover and invent all of the things that contribute to the richness of daily life.

Advent is a time to step back, to peel back the layers, to see the mundane anew, and in so doing, reorient ourselves to the mystery and wonder that is coming our way in the form of the Christ child.

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