When Sarah Hart was writing original songs for her new Advent and Christmas album All the Earth Alive Rejoicing, she was struck by how complicated Mary and Joseph's situation must have been in light of Mary's pregnancy and the scandal it would cause. Sarah felt inspired to write a beautiful duet, titled "By Your Side," in which the two reveal how much they mean to each other.
Mary sings to Joseph: "In a world of judging eyes and whispering tongues / I'm aware that it may all just be too much for you to stay. / I know this burden isn't light / But I want to be by your side." Joseph responds: "I confess I wrestled with such doubt / But as soon as God and I had had it out / I saw the light. / How could I run from where Love resides / So I'll stay right here by your side."
The Holy Family's humble love, which reflects the humble love of God, runs as a thread throughout Sarah's album. For instance, the track "As You Are" was inspired by Sarah's visit to the Mansfield Correctional Institution. Sarah performed a concert at a parish in Mansfield, Ohio, so they invited her to take part in their prison ministry program. Having never played in a prison before, she agreed to lead the music for a Mass among the inmates.
During a Christopher Closeup interview, Sarah noted she has likely sung at 3,000 Masses in her life, but this was the most beautiful: "The men sang with such gusto, they had a choir, they had instruments. Afterwards, we were all able to talk. . . . Some of them told me why they were there. We talked about music, they talked about their struggles. . . . A lot of times, I think, when we as Christians go into charitable situations, we think, "I can't wait to bring Jesus to these people.' But I'm here to tell you, those guys know Jesus better than I do. They brought Jesus to me that day."
"I wanted to write a song to assure them and anyone who's struggling," Sarah continued. "There's so many people in this world who feel on the outside of church . . . so many people who feel excluded and outcast. Here comes Jesus again in this little form literally speaking to us, [saying], 'Come just as you are. I don't need anything from you. There's not a thing you can give me except your heart.' There's no more beautiful concept than that. I wanted to write a song to thank [the inmates] for opening my eyes to that. . . . It allowed me to hear the voice of God saying, 'You see, Sarah, nobody is excluded. My desire is that all come to Me.'"
Though Christmas is a season of joy, some people are going through grief and hardship. Sarah prays that All the Earth Alive Rejoicing speaks to them as well. She concluded, "Christmas for so many is a difficult time because we've lost people that we love. Statistically, suicide rates tend to go up during December and post-Christmas because for some who are alone, it is a very difficult time. But I hope that the messages contained in the record [reach listeners]: [God's] love is for all, all are welcome, come as you are, and especially, you aren't alone. Even though we can be lonely, it is not the same thing as being alone. In Christ, in God, in this gift that He's given us, we aren't alone."
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle"
column by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of
weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current
events.
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