Keeping it simple this time. No pic or drawing. No reflections other than I really wish I had more time/money/etc. to record more…

Called                  (Tefft)

 1)         He calls us like the shepherd calls the lamb. / He longs to hear us say, “Lord, here I am.”He wants us all to listen and to follow where He leads. / He wants us all to hear Him and believe.

 Chorus:            Called to give all we have for the Lord! / Called to be holy! / Called to live as an example to the world! / Called to be holy!

2)         He calls us. Can’t you hear His gentle voice? / He longs to hear us make a holy choice. / He wants us all in heaven, for all eternity. / He wants us all to hear Him and believe.

 Bridge:             Can’t you hear Him call us? / Can’t you hear God call us? / Can’t you hear Him call us? / Can’t you hear God call us?

Help My Unbelief

I need to stop reading the news. Especially anything political. It’s just too darn depressing… One could easily get overwhelmed with all the bad news that’s published over and over. Murder, theft, attacks, anarchy, coruption… Where’s the good news?

Take this story, and the many variations of it out on the web. Read the many comments and Despair, ye people! What to take away from this? I’m apalled by the downright meanness of people. It sickens me that a so-called anti-bullying advocate could bully people in such a manner and be praised by so many for it. It’s also sad, on so many levels, that we even need anti-bullying advocates.

However, just as I was sitting down to write this post, I had a revelation. I’m looking at it the wrong way… Reflect instead on the hundred or so students displaying amazing courage to stand up to the unjust societal norms, the derision and ridicule of their peers and classmates, and quietly walk away from the foulmouthed jerk. Would I have had that kind of courage in high school? Do I have that kind of courage today?

I wrote a bit about courage here. I watch movies about heroes and read about the martyrs and I like to think I’d have the conviction and personal bravery to do what’s right… But I don’t know. I tend to get caught up in my failures and failings. I get bogged down in all the bad news and suddenly it’s all “poor me!” I need to refocus my thoughts and attitudes to see not the darkness but the coming dawn. Lord Jesus, quickly come!

HELP MY UNBELIEF                  (Tefft)

1)         Do not fear, the Lord has said. / But I just cannot make this stick within my heart and head. / I must admit that I still fear. / When I try to hold to peace the whole world interferes.

 Chorus:            Why am I afraid if He is with me? / Why am I afraid of what may be? / Why is it my faith is incomplete? / Lord, You know that I believe… / Help my unbelief.

 2)         I know He heals with but a word. / I’m listening so hard but it seems nothing’s ever heard. / I know that I should learn to trust / But the whole world is against me and I can’t seem to adjust.

 3)         Do not fear, the Holy Father said. / Our Savior is beside us always, heaven’s just ahead. / But still I find it difficult to hope. / And it’s so hard to see God at the end of my poor rope!

So… I read this this morning, and it’s got me down. Kind of depressing to be told your efforts “stink” without the critic even bothering to listen to it. I’m trying not to take it personally, trying to look at it dispassionately and objectively, but it’s hard.

Some background: I am almost completely self-taught as a musician, guitarist and songwriter. I do not have any college degrees in anything. After writing  over 1100 songs, I still get people who will look down on me and disregard my work because I don’t have a piece of paper from some school telling me that I can do what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years. I’ve had people tell me, “You can’t write songs that way!” To which I usually reply, “I already did. You’re looking at it. See? It’s right there.”

Back to the article in question. With all due respect, I find it completely snobbish, elitist and presumptive. “Who hasn’t had to endure a Christian rock band or sit through a worship with some aging trendy strumming a guitar and inflicting folk music or light rock on everyone?” it says. “Endure,” it says. “Inflicting,” it says. Already the bias shows through and we’re only into the second sentence.  “The first [problem] is that the musicians and their audience mistake a worthy message for talent.” So, because the writer doesn’t like whatever type of music, that means the artists lack talent? Is he Simon whatever-his-name-is that he can judge talent? “The second problem is that the audience are often either totally uncritical or they haven’t the ability to criticize intelligently. Too often the audience actually like the crap that is being dished up.” Now it’s not just the artist being untalented, it’s the listeners who are unintelligent because they enjoy the “crap.”

So let’s all just go ahead and redicule the efforts and members of “Sonseed” for attempting to praise the Lord the best they can. Let’s berate Christian artists for not being Mozart or Palestrina. “BOO! Queen of slime! Queen of pu–trescence! BOO! BOO!”

Sorry, I’m not doing a good job of not taking this personally, am I?

It seems to me that if we are expected to give our time, talent, and treasure to the Church for the glory of God, the Church should be able to find a place for said time, talent , and treasure, even if it doesn’t live up to the expectations of some members of that Church.

You know, I don’t make any money for my songs. I’ve literally given away thousands of CD’s to people all over the world in the hopes that my meager efforts might draw them a bit closer to God. And most of the “Christian” musicians I’ve met along the way are the same. They’re simply trying to shine a little light into the darkness of the world. Just trying to proclaim the Good News using their God-given talents and abilities, only to be told that their efforts are “crap” and “stinky, ” and just plain “bad.” Ouch!

What’s more, I’ll be the first to admit that 85-90% of even my religious songs aren’t remotely worthy for the Liturgy. But they’re not meant to be for the Liturgy! I see my songs, and almost all of the “Christian” music out there as… supplimental aids. It’s like putting religious pictures up on your walls. It’s meant to be out there in your messy lives reminding you of what’s important. It’s there to constantly nudge your heart and mind to God. If you don’t like the picture, you won’t look at it. If you don’t like the music, you won’t listen to it. Then you miss out on the ”worthy message” entirely.

I’m sorry that some churches will use these supplimental aids in unintended ways. I don’t see that as a good reason to ridicule the artists. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. Don’t listen to it. But don’t call me unintelligent. Don’t call my efforts “crap.”

And all you artists out there: Keep making your music! Keep shining your light! Don’t let the critics get you down.

Only You          (Tefft)

 1)         So many curse the darkness yet so few will shine a light. / So many people lost in the shadows of the night. / I long to light a candle to show them all the way unto You. / What can I do?

 Chorus:            Make my life a window, Lord, to let Your light shine through. / That anyone who looks at me sees You, only You. / Make my life a window, Lord, in all I say and do. /  That anyone who sees me sees but You. / Only You.

 2)         So many will complain yet so few will buckle down / And take the seeds of love and help to spread them all around. / I want to be Your instrument, to help to make the world bright and new. / What can I do?

 3)         So lead me in Your ways so that heaven might be found. / Show me how to lead the whole world up to higher ground. / I long to be a beacon, and to show them all the way unto You. / What can I do?

As a reflection piece for this Sunday’s Gospel reading, I present this song: Doubting Thomas. (found here, but you really need to get the whole album.)

Featuring Jennifer Gaddie on harmony vocals and Joy McCurley (soon to be Montag, as I understand.) on recorder. I can’t recall if it’s Rick Smith on percussion of if that’s me attempting to be a percussionist, but you can hear him on other songs for certain.

You know, as I read various Catholic blogs and the comments put out there I am always amazed that we have to keep answering the same questions, objections and doubts over and over again. The so-called “new atheists” are really just the regurgitators of all the old silliness. St. Thomas is really THE patron saint of our age. We’ve put so much faith in “science” that we forget the great many things that cannot be quantified, measured and dissected. We tend to think that if it’s outside our own personal range of experience it must not be real. We are all doubting Thomases. The difference, I think, is that today we fill our ears, hearts, and minds up with so much noise, so much junk that we cannot hear the Lord call our name. We cover our eyes with so much distraction we cannot see the Lord acting in our lives.

Thomas said if I don’t see Him, I won’t believe, just like so many of today’s objectors. Kind of a “who ya gonna believe, me or your own lyin’ eyes?” mentality. The trouble is, our eyes do lie to us. Ever see a magician? It sure looks like that card disappears, doesn’t it? It sure appears that the lady is sawn in two, right? Our eyes, all our senses, can and will fool us. Contrary to what the jedi might say, we cannot and should not fully trust our feelings. Our fallen human nature WILL lead us astray time and time again.

I, myself, do wish that God might make Himself manifest to me in ways I can easily understand and accept. I struggle to see His grace and miracles and influence in my life. More often than not I fail completely in my search for God. Often I teeter on that thin line bordering despair and want more than anything to be able to just quit, throw up my arms and scream forget it, I’m through! Trying to learn and live the Catholic Christian faith is HARD! It would be so much easier to just float along on the currents of the culture and not worry where it is leading us. Much as it would be easier to balance my checkbook without all that mean, nasty math-stuff demeaning my bank account and hurting my poor feelings with its ideas of objective truth.

However… I DO believe. And though I will fall and I will fail, I have to try to live according to the Truth. St. Thomas, pray for me… St. Thomas pray for us all.

DOUBTING THOMAS                       (Tefft)

1)             I was never that special, just an ordinary man. / Never thought I would have a place within God’s special plan. / I never really thought much about it, just lived life day to day. / And when He told me to follow Him, I didn’t know what to say.

 2)             Yes, I was His disciple, followed Him wherever He led. / But I just could not understand all the stories that He said. / Still, I tried to catch on to what His life was all about. / But I couldn’t get my belief to replace everything I’d doubt.

 chorus:                   I believed just what I could see / Just the few things I could touch. / To me it never really seemed that odd. / Then He came and He spoke my name / And dissolved my mental crutch. / Now, His name forever I proclaim… / My Lord and my God!

 3)             I’d watched Him performing miracles, heal the sick, raise the dead. / But it just couldn’t touch my heart, got all caught up in my head. / Then, the day that He died, they hung His body on the cross. / I forgot all that He had told us, couldn’t see past the loss.

 4)             I know what history says about me, how you remember my name. / I know the things that I said and did only added to my shame. / But I was there with the others, saw Him ascending high above. / And I know I’ll be with Him once again, because of His love.

The lovely wife wanted me to post this song, as it was inspired by the reading of the day. From Luke 24:13-35, the familiar story of the road to Emmaus.

We Know Him In The Bread found here.

Also inpired by the writings and prayers of Aquinas. He was great at Eucharistic prayers and songs. I wrote this song to be an after communion reflection piece. And I’ve done it for that purpose many, many times. It gets to the heart of Catholic teaching on the Eucharist and is pleasant to listen to and catchy. I’ve gotten many compliments on it. I hope you listen, enjoy and perhaps learn something new. Grow closer to God…

WE KNOW HIM IN THE BREAD                       (Tefft)

Chorus:            Our hearts burn deep within us as the mystery unfolds. / We discern the Body in the bread that we behold. / More than just a symbol; it is more than just a sign. / We know Him in the Bread and the Wine.

 1)         We see what is hidden through our faith and not our eyes. / The Lamb of God, our Savior, present here in a disguise. / Appearing as just bread is the Body of our Lord. / Sing your praises. Worship and adore!

 2)         We cry out in praise to the wondrous mystery. / Present here the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. / Bread and wine no longer but our Savior and our Lord. / Sing your praises. Worship and adore!

 3)         Here the Bread of angels, a wondrous thing indeed. / That mortal man may come and on his Master truly feed. / Our angelic food given by the Christ, our Lord. / Sing your praises. Worship and adore!

Sing Alleluia                (Tefft)

1)         They ran to find but an empty tomb. / No body laid there within the gloom. / Our Lord is risen who once was dead. / He conquered death just as He said.

Chorus:            So sing alleluia. / Glory to the Lord on high. / Sing out your praises to the King. / Sing alleluia. / On His power we rely. / Lift up your hearts. / Raise your voice and sing!                 (your praises to the King.)

 2)         To the woman He did appear. / And Mary Magdalen lost her fear. / To her heart His joy outpoured. / And so she knew she had seen the Lord.

 3)         On the road two disciples walked / Listening to Him as He talked. / They were amazed at all that He said / But knew Him only in the breaking of bread.

 4)         Thomas stood in the upper room. / He did not believe in the empty tomb. / But the Lord broke down his façade. / And Thomas cried out “my Lord and God!”

 5)         And so because of the empty tomb / Within our hearts His grace will bloom. / Our Lord is risen who once was dead. / He conquered death just as He said.

Happy Easter, all!

God So Loved the World(Tefft)    based on John 3:16-17, 1:1-5

 1)         From the beginning, long before the world was made /             Eternal is our God of love. / And through eternity that love will never fade / It pours down, constant, from above.

chorus:             For God so loved the world / He gave His only Son / That all who might believe in Him might live. / For God sent not His Son / To condemn the world / But that the world might be saved through Him.     

 2)         All creation came to be through the Eternal Word / Without Him nothing would survive. / Through Him our sinfulness can finally be cured / So turn, all sinners, to the Light!

 3)         So through the darkness shines an everlasting light. /  All grace to fill our sinful hearts. / Trust in His love. Praise His glory and His might. / And He will free us from the dark!

This Is My Body            (Tefft/Mark 14:22-24; John 6)

 This is My Body. This is My Blood / Freely given up for you. / Eat of this bread and drink of this cup. / Remember Me in all that you do.

 1)         I am the living bread / That came down from heaven. / If you eat this bread you’ll live forever.

 2)                  The bread of life is that / Which gives life to the world. / Believe in Me and you’ll not hunger.

3)         No one comes to Me / Unless the Father sends you. / And I will raise you on the last day.

 4)         Unless you eat my flesh / And drink of My blood / You shall not have My life within you.

Gethsemene                  (Tefft)

1)            Father…  I never thought that it would be this hard. / Father…  These feelings are just tearing me apart.

 chorus:             Let this pass me by. / Before I have my fill. / But, Father, not as I would have it / But as You will.

 2)            Father…  See my blood is pouring out for them. / Father…  Bitter pain will wash away the sin.

bridge:     I am here.  By Your side. / I will be your strength and your guide. / I am here. Always near. / I will ease Your pain and Your fear

 3)            Father…  I will do whatever You will ask. / Father…  I accept this most difficult task.

The Arrest                     (Tefft)

1)         A crowd of men, led by the one / By whom the evil deed’s to be done. / The Son of God betrayed by a friend / With silver in his pocket to spend…. / A crowd of men, something’s amiss / And Judas offers his Master a kiss. / With no attempt to escape or deny / Jesus is led off to die! / Jesus is led off to die!

 chorus:                        He knew all the time this would occur / All the pain He would have to endure. / Still He knew He would accept the test / To do His Father’s will… after the arrest.

 2)         A sword is drawn, a man cries in pain. / Will all the teachings of peace be in vain? / But Jesus tells him to put up his sword / And heals the servant with a word. / All His disciples, the ones He held dear / Abandon Him, running off in their fear. / One even left all his clothes behind / And Jesus is led off to die! / Jesus is led off to die!

 3)         A little silver, a fateful embrace / How can he look in his Master’s kind face? / There’s no excuse and no alibi / As Jesus is led off to die! / Jesus is led off to die!

Behold The Man                   (Tefft)

1)         Beaten, battered, torn and bruised / Ridiculed, mocked and abused / Innocent, yet still accused / And sentenced to death. / He stands alone before the crowd / And listens as they scream aloud / Such an evil wicked sound / The curses and threats.

 chorus:             Behold, behold the man / For our sins He is to die. / Behold, behold the man / As the crowd yells out, “Crucify!”

 2)         A crown of thorns, a purple cloak / In sweat and blood His body soaked / But not a single word He spoke / In His defense. / On display for all to see / His anguish and His agony / Come to set the sinners free / From every offense.

 3)         Pilate gave up his command / Gave into the crowd’s demand / Turned and tried to wash his hands / Of innocent blood. / So they stretched His brittle skin / Nailed Him to the wooden limb / And His blood flowed free again / A painful flood.

Golgotha            (Tefft)

 1)            Walking down the road with a cross upon my back. / Such a heavy load to bear. / Every little pause earns me another slap. / And it is all because I care. / These familiar faces seem so different now / Not too many traces of love. / A few I see are crying, one gently wipes my brow. / They don’t know I’m dying for love…

 chorus:            I’m doing this for them. / And I’m doing this for you. / No greater love than this / What I’m about to do / I’m doing it for you.

2)         I hit the dirt again, I can’t stay upon my feet. / Every little sin pulls me down. / And they don’t understand, it’s victory not defeat. / Taken like a lamb with no sound. / They said they would follow, now they clamor for my death. / Seems so long ago in the past. / Soon the end will come to my heartbeat and my breath / Soon it will be done at last

3)         I feel forsaken, My Father far away. / But all the sins I’ve taken are gone. / Now time is moving slower. Night time comes to day. / Finally it’s over and done.

Behold The Wood     (Tefft/Isaiah 53 and The Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Behold, behold the wood of the cross / On which is hung the Savior of the world. / O come let us adore.

 1)         For our transgressions He was wounded. / Our griefs and sorrows He has borne. / For our iniquities they bruised Him. / Rejected and despised, bearing every type of scorn. / We all turn away, hide our faces from each fall / Although the Lord has laid on Him the sins of us all!

 2)         He was oppressed, He was afflicted. / And yet not one word did He say. / As, once, the prophets had predicted / To free us from our sins He was taken away. / The will of the Lord, our salvation is revealed / By His every wound our every wound is healed.

 3)         Cut off from the land of the living / For our wickedness He was chastised. / For us, His life was one of giving. / Even to His death, love for us was in His eyes. / It was for love of us that He suffered and He died / That heaven we might see, staying always by His side.

Pieta                   (Tefft)

1)         O Blessed Mother, like a sword to pierce your heart, / You watched your son from this earthly plane depart. / You stood and wept and yet you understood the loss. / As He was taken by the Cross. / All through the day you watched His agony / As He slowly made His way to Calvary. / And in your heart you could feel a painful chill / As He fulfilled His Father’s will.

 chorus:                         The child you bore, now a man. / Living out God’s holy plan. / From the cross into your arms they laid Him down / Then from your arms into the ground.

2)         O Blessed Mother, as the prophet had foretold. / As ransom for our lives His very life was sold. / There upon the cross, the lifeless body of your son. / But you accepted this, God’s will be done. / All through the day you had watched your only son / As painfully He poured His life out for everyone. / And still I wonder did you understand it all? / Before He could rise, He must fall.

3)         O Blessed Mother, as I stand here in distress / I see your example, how you always told God, yes. / Pray as I take up my cross in following your son / That like you I will say, God’s will be done.

He Will Rise Again                 (Tefft)

 1)            Darkness all around / Silence is the only sound. / Laid there in the cave / Our Lord laid in the grave. / His body beaten and bruised / His friends lost and confused. / Now He lay, cold and still / He fulfilled the Father’s will!

 chorus:             The Lamb of God, suffered and died. / They pierced His hands, His feet and His side. / Faithful to the bitter end / He will rise again….

2)         They stretched His arms open wide / For us He was crucified. / He breathed His final breath / For our sins embracing death. / Then they took His body down / Laid Him gently in the ground. / With a rock they closed the tomb / Leaving Him there in the gloom.

3)         For our sins He paid the price. / The Lamb of God: the sacrifice. / Never counting the cost / He died for us there on the cross. / The Father’s plan, at last revealed / By His wounds our wounds are healed. / Obedient until the end / His life an offering for sin.

The King’s Ransom            (Kash/Tefft)

1)         Don’t know why He’d step down from the throne / To take upon Himself a robe of frail flesh and bone. / He, who walked in glory up above / Came to walk the road of sacrifice because of love. / And we who should have bowed in loyalty / Remain in ignorance and offer but apathy. / Of who He was, of why He chose to live, / Of everything He offered, of the life that He would give…

 chorus:             Do you see the loss? / How He bore the cross? / How He paid the cost, / His Father’s will obeyed? / Do you see the gain / From His blood and pain / Washing clean the stain? / How for us all He paid / The King’s ransom?

2)         It used to be, in days of old, / When there was danger, people gathered all their gold / And of their own will would freely give / Everything they had so their king could safely live. / So, for the life of me, I cannot see / Why our King, for us, would suffer all that agony. / Why it is the roles should be reversed. / Why, for us, He’d take upon Himself the cross, our curse…

bridge:                         It was not with mere gold that our King had paid the price. / To Him we were so precious, He made His sacrifice. / In His greatest weakness, His greatest strength outpoured. / So, do you see His life and death, the triumph of our Lord?