Old School is the new New School

I've been blessed to play music for a Holy Hour at a young adult retreat this coming weekend. I love Adoration and I love worship and I love music.

But, as we were planning out with the time of prayer, I had to learn a song that was new to me: O Salutaris Hostia.

I've probably heard that song many times in my lifetime as a Catholic, but I probably dismissed it because it wasn't "cool" enough as a song.

After I heard it and learned how to play it, all I can say is...WOW!

What a beautiful proclamation of the awesomeness of God, present in the Eucharist.

Now, this blog is not about the song per se. But more about the notion that old church hymns can be and should be as relied upon as an encounter with Christ as much as contemporary music.

These old hymns teach us about who we are. And who we are has a past, a history, that can be traced to some of the greatest saints in the history of humanity, like St. Thomas Aquinas who wrote this song. And this encounter with our past tells us who we are striving to be: citizens of our home in heaven.

So, Church, let's sing out O Salutaris Hostia as loud and as proud as Your Grace is Enough. The saints and the angels will be singing along with us.

P.S. A huge special thanks to Tom Booth for re-recording O Salutaris on his new album, Captured.