As the Bridegroom to His Chosen

It has been quite a long while since I have posted. Over my life as a regular “journaler” I have found it is often the case that when I have been particularly busy, I find it difficult to find time to “write it all down”. Sadly this usually coincides with the most profound or important events of my life. It is easy to miss the opportunity to record our most precious earthly moments. A lesson in it for us all, I imagine. And so it has been the case with me. I have had the greatest blessing of joining millions who have feasted on the words of a living prophet, modern-day apostles and other inspired leaders this month. Priceless instruction and words of encouragement have been poured out to the world at the semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (April 5 – 6, 2008).

I promise to give my thoughts on several of those talks in near future posts. However tonight I would like to share a musical moment which has touched my soul, and hopefully will be of worth to yours.

This past weekend, we performed John Rutter’s exquisite setting of “As the Bridegroom to His Chosen“. The text for this hymn is taken from a poem written by the 14th Century German Dominican, Johannes Tauler (1300-1361). I found myself reading and re-reading these words, and pondering the beauty of the similes. There is often deep meaning couched in simplicity, and this poem is certainly an embodiment. Further study and reading on Tauler’s life and teachings enhanced my respect and indeed reverence for this sincere and devoted man. I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of Johannes Tauler until this week. I have since learned that he is not only revered by the Catholic faith, who rightly claim him among their devout, but also hailed by Protestants who feel his passionate call to personal spiritualism placed him among the “reformers before the Reformation”. It is believed that Martin Luther himself was influenced by the teachings of Tauler. If you are interested in learning more I highly recommend reading Mary Brian Durkin’s fascinating and fluent online article.

Tauler urged his followers to seek the Holy Spirit in their daily lives through personal prayer, meditation, good works and service. He spoke often of reaching deep into the “inner self” to find our Heavenly Father, and that taking personal responsibility for our relationship with Him is essential.

“God is closer to us than we are to ourselves (ser. 24)”

Tauler associated with the Friends of God (medieval mystics), and he taught his belief that the state of the soul is affected more by a personal relationship with God than by external rituals.

“God touches and moves, warns and desires all equally, and He wants one quite as much as another. The inequality lies in the way in which His touch, His warnings, and His gifts are received. Often when He comes, He finds the soul occupied. Other guests are there, and He has to turn away. He cannot gain entry, for we love and desire other things; therefore, His gifts, which He is offering to everyone unceasingly, must remain outside. This is the cause of our eternal loss and of our backwardness. It is our fault, not God’s” (ser. 20)

Sadly, Tauler succumbed to the plague at age 61. However his words live on and are as relevant to our modern world as they were so many centuries before. Thanks to the blessing of John Rutter’s musical gift, Johannes Tauler’s beautiful & timeless poem will continue to lift and inspire for centuries to come. I find as I have “looked inward” this week the Spirit has whispered to keep writing my own impressions and insights just as Johannes did so many centuries before. Because someone took the time to preserve Tauler’s personal testimonies of Christ, there was a lasting influence. I encourage all of us to set aside a moment amidst the “busyness” of mortality to write down how the Lord has blessed us personally. May we add to the faith of our children and grandchildren to come, and not let our story be forgotten.

Listen To: “As The Bridegroom To His Chosen” – arranged by John Rutter

“As the Bridegroom to His Chosen”

As the bridegroom to his chosen, as the king unto his realm,
As the keeper to the castle, as the pilot to the helm.
As the captain to his soldiers, as the shepherd to his lambs,
So, Lord, art thou to me.
As the fountain in the garden, as the candle in the dark,
As the treasure in the coffer, as the manna in the ark,
As the firelight in the winter, As the sunlight in the spring
So Lord art thou to me.
As the music at the banquet, as the stamp unto the seal,
As refreshment to the fainting, as the wine-cup at the meal,
As the singing on the feast day, as the amen to the prayer,
So Lord art thou to me.
As the ruby in the setting, as the honey in the comb
As the light within the lantern, as the father in the home,
As the eagle in the mountains, as the sparrow in the nest,
So Lord art thou to me.
As the sunshine in the heavens, as the image in the glass,
As the fruit unto the fig tree, as the dew unto the grass,
As the rainbow on the hilltop, as the river in the plain,
So Lord art thou to me.