on ragamuffins and sacraments

i believe that the grace of God holds us togheter. and i believe that the sacraments are the conduits of grace. as a young catholic schoolie, i was taught that there were seven sacraments, the names of which i learned by rote. during my lincoln years the number was trimmed down to two, one soaked your shorts and the other was merely a symbol.

as the years have passed, i've begun to see and receive sacraments everywhere. a consoling embrace, a pa pa's love and the eyes of a child are just a few of the sacraments that have held me together. i am thankful for the diversity of God's sacraments and pray for the eyes to see and receive more.

all of that to say, that the music of rich mullins is a sacrament that helps hold me together. i never met rich, never heard him play live and never listened to him until he died just up the road from lincoln christian. but i can honestly say that without his songs, i would be a holy mess. here are a few of the lyrics that have sustained me throughout the years. if you've been sustained by his work, i'd love to hear from you as well.

"here in your room where nobody can see, the voices are loud but seldom clear. underneath the confusion that's running so deep, there is a promise you must hear. the love that seems so far away is standing so very near." ~the verge of a miracle

"jacob she loved rachel and rachel she loved him, and leah was just there for dramatic effect. well it's right there in the Bible, so it must not be a sin, but is sure does seem like an awful dirty trick." ~jacob and 2 women

"surrender don't come natural to me. i'd rather fight you for something i don't really want, than take what you give and i need. and i've beat my head against so many walls, now i'm falling down, falling down on my knees. and the salvation army band is playing this hymn. and your grace rings out so deep, it makes my resistance seem so thin." ~hold me jesus

"if you make me laugh, i know i could make you like me. 'cause when i laugh i can be a lot of fun. but when we can't do that i know that it is frightening. what i don't know is why we can't hold on. can't hold on..." ~we are not as strong as we think we are

"if i could make it work in life, like it works on paper. if the love that i describe, could be anything but words. if i could Then I would wipe my eyes, I'd dry this ink, I'd trade my pen in on a pair of wings. And I would, I would fly If I could only make it work in life" ~if i could make it work

"when my body lies in the ruins of the lies that nearly ruined me. will you pick up the pieces that were pure and true and breathe your life into them, and set them free? when you blast this cosmos to kingdom come. when those jagged edge mountains we love are gone. when the skies are filled with the tears of a thousand falling suns as they crash into the sea. can i be with you? can i be with you?" ~be with you

"Somewhere
Beyond these reasons and feelings
Somewhere
Beyond the passion and fatigue
I know You're there
And that Your Spirit is leading me
Somewhere
Beyond all this ~somewhere