August 2001

What it must have been like to be the mother of the Son of God! Knowing that the baby at your breast is the one that will save the world. Hearing Our Lord say His first words.

I often imagine Mary and the angels looking out for Baby Jesus as He crawled around the house, picking up St. Joseph's carpenter tools. I'm sure the most awesome site for the Blessed Mother was watching Jesus look up at her as He took His first steps. A child walking has that determined look, those arms outstretched, trusting that you will catch them if they fall. Imagine being the ONE on whom Jesus depended! His eyes looking at her, knowing that if He would have tripped Mary would be there. Thoughts like these leave no doubt about the Assumption of Mary. Jesus would have wanted to be the one there to catch Mary before she fell.

Now it is God our Father who watches us as we walk in His path everyday. We should have our arms out, looking at His face as we walk towards Him. Sarah Hart has captured this excellently in a song from her new CD, Obvious. The song is called "I Will Look Up" and tells how "we stumble day by day" over sins, yet "Our Lord is ever lifting me". Sara has really done an superb job on Obvious. The 12 original songs on this recording direct the listener to a discovery of the obvious God who moves among us and with us in everyday life. Songs like "I Will Have Faith In You" and "You Know The Way" talk about the trust you must have in God. Sarah Hart has been called a "modern-day poet" for her lyrical melodies and deep words. Acoustic guitar and subdued percussion mesh with Sarah's lilting voice for a sound something between Twila Paris, Mandy Moore and Jewel. Sara's own version of "The Breastplate of St. Patrick" is so awesome! She takes the words we know and love--Christ with me and before me, Christ behind me and within me--and mixes them with her own to make a new song. One of my favorites on the CD is her cover of "Make Me a Channel (The Prayer of St. Francis)". It's a prayer of letting go and letting God take over.

Helen McMonagle echoes the letting-God-take-over theme in her new CD, In God's Time. The title track is the best example. With Helen's strong vocals and beautiful piano in the background, she tells how all things will be answered in God's time. "Through His word He's shown there's more and His truth tells us what is in store..." "New Eyes" is a song about how we should all feel after we have received the Eucharist. It's a praise song for the Body and Blood of Christ. A professional vocalist and guitarist, Helen holds several positions involved with liturgical music and this can be heard most in her touching song, "Love Personified." This is not just a song of praise but almost a personal prayer by Helen. Her vocals shine not only in her singing but in the spoken prayer that she meshes with the song to make to it hers. Helen McMonagle says of "It is I," the first track the CD, "I feel uncomfortable saying I wrote this because I actually took dictation, words and music from the Holy Spirit after praying for inspiration before my performances at the yearly Vigil for Victims of Serious Crime and the Divine Mercy Mass. Both events require a type of music that will bring comfort to people in who are in some type of intense emotional pain, and the Spirit made it clear to me that the song 'It is I' was a personal message from the Lord to both these groups of people."

I think the thing that most impressed me about Immanuel, the new solo CD by artist Charlie M is that it rocks out without missing a beat and still has a message in every song that will touch your spirit. Charlie M is from "the land down under", Australia. When I think of Australian music, I picture Midnight Oil, Split Enz or Crowded House (or my favorite,The Swingers). But with Charlie M it's U2 meets Eric Clapton or Santana. (Yes, his guitar licks are that good.) Charlie has played in many a rock band before his return home to the Catholic faith. Immanuel is a great CD full of praise and worship songs. The CD starts with the rockin', "The Hour," a song about the time when will all be drawn up to heaven: "…The hour is drawn near, for the Lord to appear..." The song, "Lord Of Abraham," explains true faith and how we must embrace it to know God: "Faith is believing, what you cannot see…what you cannot touch.." "Forever" is the signature song of this CD. It rocks! It shows off Charlie's talent as a guitarist. If you like rock music get this CD for this song, "We walk this narrow road for you." "A Time For Love" is Charlie's personal praise song, thanking God for his family and his life. If you or anyone you know loves guitar music, get this CD!

I have raved about Sal Solo here before. We have him in our CMN Profiles library—if you haven't heard it, don't miss it! So what do you say about a brand spankin' new CD by Sal Solo called simply, I Worship? First, I will say, you have NEVER heard a praise CD like this before.This CD is the praise and worship equivalent of the Beatles', "Abbey Road," the entire B side of the LP. I Worship is simply magnificent!  A work of art! I should leave it at that for a review. Would you let me? Sal Solo does a great job weaving together different types of music. Black Gospel, Classical, World, Modern Rock, even Hip-Hop and Industrial are in there.  It's music candy!  The most outstanding song is a medley of known worship songs, including "Holiness," "No Other God," "Lord I lift Your Name On High," "Gonna Lift His Name," and "Awesome God." Sal blends them all together as one song without missing a beat. Sal throws in soundbites of different ministers to hammer the message home. These soundbites continue in "The Battle Is The Lord's"--"If God is on our side, who can be against us"--an extraordinary song that tells you that God has never lost the battle, so who do you want on your side? Now I can go back to listening to this CD. I haven't taken it out of my player and you won't either! I Worship is great CD to take back to school!