Today’s anthem is by John Rutter, definitely no stranger to us here at St. Andrew’s. Rutter has some of the most widely-used Christmas carol arrangements of any other composer that I can think of, and this fall we will be singing his Requiem for All Saints (more on that later). Today’s offertory anthem is a simple setting of the 15^th-century text, Thy Perfect Love.

This piece is essentially a lullaby. A lullaby is often thought of as a cradle song, a soft tune to help a child get to sleep. But the purpose of the lullaby has been varied throughout history. In some societies they are used to pass down cultural knowledge or tradition. They have been used to develop communication skills, or used for developing emotional intent (or emotional intelligence). They’ve also been used to maintain an infant’s attention, or as a means of regulating behavior.

The word lullaby comes from the root word “lull.” The music acts as a means of gentle coercion. It makes perfect sense that Rutter would use lullaby-like compositional techniques in this piece – a gentle, tuneful melody, a rocking rhythm, and a simple harmonic structure. This piece is essentially about love, and I think that Rutter’s use of a lullaby is spot on in unpacking the meaning of the words.

Caroline Myss, one of my favorite authors, says that words are like tiny universes. They contain so much mystery and power. Some words are smaller universes than others. The word “home,” for example, is a pretty immense universe, but when compared to the word “love,” it’s dwarfed. Try to explore the universe of the word “love,” and you’ll spend a lifetime trying to figure out what it all means.

That’s where music comes in. It helps us unpack a word’s universe, especially the mammoth ones. Rutter’s use of a lullaby helps us understand the nature of God’s love, which is powerful but not forceful. The music is enticing, inviting us towards love, much like a mother “invites” her infant to sleep with soft, seductive singing.

What a wonderful treat, to have our ears comforted with the true meaning of love, in the form of a lullaby. The flow of the tune, the gentle rocking of the timing, and the simplicity of the harmony not only calms the savage beast, but it reminds us to let go, to surrender to what God wants us to be – more loving, kinder, and more compassionate. We really have no power over love – but it is a compelling force, guiding us to grow, to comply with our intuitive nudge to be more loving, more kind to one another, and to be more of who God created us to be. The power love is free and boundless, but strong at the same time. The trick is to allow it in, to be coerced by its gentle lull, and to be willing to go where it sends you. A lullaby coerces you to trust, as blindly as a baby trusts its mother. The lullaby of God’s love is gentle, one that asks you to trust with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul. All you have to do is to comply with its call. Soli Deo Gloria!