Food for the Wilderness
April 6, 2020 Daily Devotion – Lent 2020
Michael Fuchs – FLC Director of Choral Activities
During Holy Week, I almost always find myself engaging with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his deeply spiritual Passion settings. While Bach wrote five passions throughout his life, only his St. John and St. Matthew Passions have survived to the present day. Both of Bach’s Passions not only tell the story of Jesus’ crucifixion through biblical narrative, but also comment and reflect on the narrative through choral movements, hymn tunes, and vocal solos.
The penultimate movement of the St. John Passion contains music I have thought of often the past few days. After a two hour musical journey through his suffering and death, Jesus is finally taken from the cross and buried. It is at this point that Bach writes the most poignant piece of music in the Passion. Bach masterfully combines the sorrow and agony of the passion narrative with a deep sense of peace and rest. The choir continually repeats the phrase Ruht wohl (rest well) while the instrumental lines seem to descend into the grave with Christ. Salvation and peace has been found, but the sorrow and pain are always present and unavoidable.
The piece concludes with a beautiful chorale setting of joy and expectation. As we continue through Holy Week, I would invite you to listen and allow yourself to experience the devastation, joy, peace of this music.
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Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine, Die ich nun weiter nicht beweine, Ruht wohl und bringt auch mich zur Ruh! Das Grab, so euch bestimmet ist Und ferner keine Not umschließt, Macht mir den Himmel auf und schließt die Hölle zu.
Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein Am letzten End die Seele mein In Abrahams Schoß tragen, Den Leib in seim Schlafkämmerlein Gar sanft ohn eigne Qual und Pein Ruhn bis am jüngsten Tage! Alsdenn vom Tod erwecke mich, Dass meine Augen sehen dich In aller Freud, o Gottes Sohn, Mein Heiland und Genadenthron! Herr Jesu Christ, erhöre mich, Ich will dich preisen ewiglich!
Rest well, you blessed limbs, now I will no longer mourn you, rest well and bring me also to peace! The grave that is allotted to you and encloses no further suffering, opens heaven for me and closes off Hell.
Ah, Lord, let Your dear little angel, at my final end, take my soul to Abraham’s bosom. Let my body, in its little sleeping chamber, absolutely softly, without any anguish or pain, rest until the last day! At that day wake me from death, so that my eyes may see You in all joy, o Son of God, my Savior and Throne of grace! Lord Jesus Christ, hear me, I will praise You eternally!