And May Christ Be In Our Midst

Today is a day of powerful, overwhelming emotions for many of us — a day when words feel hopelessly inadequate. For me, that means today is a day for music. (For as long as I can remember, music has helped to guide me through moments just like this, when my thoughts and the words I would use to express them fail utterly in matching the intensity of my emotions.)

Today, I have found myself drawn to Morten Lauridsen’s setting of the traditional “Ubi Caritas.” I suppose that attraction should not come as a surprise, since his name and music will always remind me of that life-altering day. Sitting on the floor of our tiny apartment that evening as his “Agnus Dei” rose Heavenward from our little boombox remains my most powerful and most hopeful memory of that still-incomprehensible time.

Peace.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur:
Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus.
Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.
Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul quoque cum beatis videamus,
Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:
Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum,
Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.

Translation:
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ’s love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

Where charity and love are, God is there.
As we are gathered into one body,
Beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,
And may Christ our God be in our midst.

Where charity and love are, God is there.
And may we with the saints also,
See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good,
Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.

Image Credit: Anne Bybee