Daily Meditation for March 19, 2025

I recently had the joy of hearing the St. Olaf College Choir perform. The concert was for me a transformative experience. But one song in particular stood out as a message to share. This song, “Holding the Light,” is composed by B.E. Boykin and is based on a poem by Stuart Kestenbaum, who wrote the words in 2013. As in much enduring art, it speaks to many eras and situations, but its performance and message moved me deeply on a cold night in February when recent events made the future of our country and the world look ominous and unsettling. Here is a sample of the work. I hear a message of urgency and peace, duty and hope. What do you hear?

“Gather up whatever is glittering in the gutter; whatever has tumbled in the waves or fallen in flames out of the sky, holding the light … it all comes down to this: In our imperfect world we are meant to repair and stitch together what beauty there is, stitch it with compassion and wire.”

By Stephanie Palubicki, OblSB