Here's something to cheer your catholic spirits this Friday … Ted Schmidt, Editor of Canada's independent Catholic online magazine, new catholic times sensus fidelium suggests we look to artists like Bruce Springsteen for "the Church of the big tent" — the one that welcomes all aboard this train — the one that contrasts with the Church of "the little flock" the fans of Benedict's vision seem so insistent on leading us to.

"To the person who can see — nothing is profane"

"To him who can see nothing is profane" …Teilhard de Chardin

As we should know by now, the genius of Catholicism is the sacramental principle, the belief that the Divine always present is quietly summoning us to a deeper immersion in life. Heaven is not up, it is in and around. Teilhard with his love of the Cosmic Christ grasped this fundamental fact: "To him who can see nothing is profane".

Historically it has been the mystics, artists and poets who have grasped this. Huge numbers have been Catholic Christians unafraid of the messiness of the Incarnation. From Dante to Mozart to Scorsese, grace floods their work. Even pop music is not immune. Priests would do well be watching U2 in 3D to watch a sacramental artist, Bono, one who mixes music, language and image in profoundly moving ways. If I were running a Catholic seminary I’d call off  Homiletic classes for a week and send off the priest wannabees to watch this film and  see what authentic communication is like.

Another musician who gets it is  Bruce Springsteen, an American artist who  has internalized the Catholic sacramental vision. As a kid in a New Jersey Catholic grade school and with plenty of family and parish opportunities to grasp the idea of invisibilia per visibilia, Bruce apprehended the power of the Incomprehensible Mystery — midnight mass, stained glass windows and the choir singing with joy. Above all a Story second to none. He intuited the unseen Holy showing up in the visible world, the divine in the mundane, the transcendent in the immanent. Try friendships, laughter, sunsets, Shakespeare and babies for starters. All occasions of grace. Catholicism for all its defects and triumphalist posturing has always honoured the immanence of God much more than the Reformers did

The utopian vision of Jesus (Land of Hope and Dreams – see below) embraces all — particularly those who are heavy laden and weary. Beginning again is the constant invitation of the Divine Lover who greets us with open arms (Luke 15:11-26) again and again. Often describing his concerts as "rock and roll baptism", Springsteen's hope is to bring some relief to people, to get them to think in new ways and to challenge his own country to put flesh on the bones of Emma Lazarus’ poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty …… ”Give me your tired, your poor…" Catholics call this "the preferential option for the poor".

In his song Land of Hopes and Dreams from the album Springsteen and the E Street Band Live in New York, 2001, he tells us on this train there is room for "saints and sinners, losers and winners, lost souls" etc. Looks like the church of the big tent to me. Unlike the present pope who wants to turn the Church back into "the little flock", pastor Springsteen insists that all of us are welcomed on "this train".

Land of Hope and Dreams
(Bruce Springsteen)

Grab your ticket and your suitcase
Thunder's rolling down the tracks
You don't know where you're goin'
But you know you won't be back
Darlin' if you're weary
Lay your head upon my chest
We'll take what we can carry
And we'll leave the rest

Big Wheels rolling through fields
Where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams

I will provide for you
And I'll stand by your side
You'll need a good companion for
This part of the ride
Leave behind your sorrows
Let this day be the last
Tomorrow there'll be sunshine
And all this darkness past

Big wheels roll through fields
Where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams

All aboard…

…the train!

This train
Carries saints and sinners
This train
Carries losers and winners
This Train
Carries whores and gamblers
This Train
Carries lost souls
This Train
Dreams will not be thwarted
This Train
Faith will be rewarded
This Train
Hear the steel wheels singin'
This Train
Bells of freedom ringin'
This Train
Carries broken-hearted
This Train
Thieves and sweet souls departed
This Train
Carries fools and kings
This Train
All aboard

This Train
Dreams will not be thwarted
This Train
Faith will be rewarded
This Train
Hear the steel wheels singin'
This Train
Bells of freedom ringin'

Ted Schmidt
Editor
new natholic nimes sensus fidelium —
Canada's independent online Catholic paper
www.newcatholictimes.com
Ted Schmidt's last book is Journeys to the Heart of Catholicism available from Amazon.com

IMAGE CREDITS: Click on the images to see the original source.