White Dove

High up in the blue sky
Wings of hope are spreading wide
A white dove is dancing
Flying free and happily.

White Dove
White Dove
Flying higher and higher.

Lest my country's
clean and blue skies
should be cloudy and grey.


These are the lyrics to the Korean Peace Anthem. 'Casting Crowns' (Christian band) sang a version of this anthem during their trip to perform in North Korea. Part of the song is sung in Korean, and done quite beautifully. The irony is that the song is 'hidden' on the band's CD. Months ago I played the CD while doing dishes and mopping the floor. I guess I had not noticed when the CD was through and I was left alone in silence. Suddenly, after what I would find out was a 3 minute wait. "White Dove" hauntingly played. I liked it so much that I tried to replay it, but there was no track. I had to play the 'All Because of Jesus" song to get to it. I like the first song, but definitely not as much as White Dove. A little peeved that I could not separate them to record it, I turned it off after two plays.

Last month I was listening to my computer's DJ going through my recorded songs and again noticed the pause after 'All Because of Jesus'. AHAH !!! I could certainly separate White Dove on the computer! But , my lack of computer skills humbled me again. I would have to ask someone to do it for me.....

That's when it finally occurred to me that we would discuss it next year in Confirmation. The fact that the kids may have to quiet themselves, concentrate and listen to "All Because of Jesus" (The history and teaching of the Church) then wait for the Holy Spirit to wrap them up in its goodness (White Dove). The Church is their entryway to the Spirit, and Confirmation is the completion of their initiation.

And for me? After reading Rohr's book, the song reinforces to me I should be very thankful to the institutional Church for my religious and spiritual formation. I am certainly most grateful. Yet, at this stage of my formation, I will not hear the Spirit if I only listen to generalized instruction from random Church officials. I realize that I must rely more and more on listening to the Church's teachings, but wait for the White Dove to present itself for my personal assignments.

That thought hit home today as I attended our parish's 'sign up' meeting for communion distributers. I watched a very human church representative literally drive people from the church before starting the meeting after mass. I watched the faces of those told to hurry out because they were a distraction, and then listened as to how I was to reverence the Precious Blood. I listened, signed a paper stating my intentions to distribute Holy Communion, then walked to my car alone, fighting back tears for those who had walked out earlier without signing the paper... alone. "Precious Blood"? I just watched it being spilled I drove away in silence, not calling anyone on my cell phone to espouse how incensed I was. This was different. I knew that, at this stage of my life, that I must wait and the Spirit will come to me with its 'Wings of Hope spreading wide."

And the album you can find this song on? Ironically, "The Altar and The Door." Casting Crown's album about the difference between what we talk about in church and the way we act away from the Altar. I saw two completely different versions of the Gospel gazing at that Altar today, and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, at least I know how to walk back up to it next Sunday.