Music is subjective. A song that hits you at the core of your being could just be fingernails on a chalkboard to another. Disco was fingernails on the chalkboard for me. I couldn’t change the station on the radio quick enough. When punk music hit the scene I was hoping it would be the death of disco. I didn’t care for the antics that went along with punk music but I loved the raw energy it delivered.
All these years later, even though my taste in music hopefully has expanded and have mellowed on my distaste for disco, I still enjoy listening to punk music from time to time. If there was such a thing as “Spirit punk” or “death metal for Jesus,” I would be a listener.
When, horror of horrors, punk and disco began to merge and morph into something of no interest to me, somehow I came across a music group that was, in a few years to hit the pop charts big time, Genesis. I found them just after they released, “And Then There Were Three.” I was intrigued, so I began listening to their earlier albums and former band mate, Peter Gabriel’s solo work was also added to my listening queue. Although Genesis went on to great success I rather preferred and still prefer their earlier work.
When I became a Confirmation catechist, music was and is part of my class. I’ve played current contemporary popular secular music that has a life affirming message. One song that has been a constant for the last 10 years is Peter Gabriel’s, “In Your Eyes.” (lyrics below)
Released in 1986, and familiar to most of my students, “In Your Eyes” was an instant favorite of mine. To this day when I listen to this song it touches my heart. Somewhere I read that it was described as a prayer and a love song. I contend the song is a prayer and a love song to God.
When I play the song in my Confirmation class, I give the kids a copy of the lyrics and ask them to read along and see what word or phrase resonates with them. Then we discuss it after. To those who do not find this song fingernails on a chalkboard, may I offer a few personal observations.
Love I get so lost, sometimes
God is love, so when you hear the word love, think God.
All my instincts, they return And the grand facade, so soon will burn Without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside
This is the foundation of my Confirmation class. Breaking through the facade, the mask that hides our true selves from others and sometimes from ourselves, to go deep within and allow the real you out. It is what I had to do to come to terms with who I was and what ultimately led me back to the Catholic Church, to God. Most of the problems in the world would fade away if we simply did this.
In your eyes The light the heat In your eyes I am complete In your eyes I see the doorway to a thousand churches In your eyes The resolution of all the fruitless searches In your eyes I see the light and the heat In your eyes Oh, I want to be that complete I want to touch the light The heat I see in your eyes
This chorus, this beautiful litany. When listening, allow yourself to get lost and let the lyrics and melody crack and penetrate the shell that hides you from the world, from God. Let go of the fear that locks you inside your facade.
When I attend Catholic Mass and receive communion, receiving Christ, His body, blood, soul and divinity, I desire to be so open and present so I can see the light the heat in His eyes. To be that complete. In His eyes.
In my reversion story, when I relate, “in my mind, curtains began opening one after another, deeper and deeper revealing the answers to my questions about the Catholic Church,” it is also what I desire when I receive communion. To go deeper and deeper in union with Christ, to let go of my pride, to reach out from the inside. I consume the Eucharist but I long to be consumed by Christ. To touch heaven on earth. Oh Jesus, I desire to see the light the heat in Your eyes. To be that compete, in Your Eyes.
In Your Eyes — Lyrics by - Peter Gabriel Love I get so lost, sometimes Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart When I want to run away I drive off in my car But whichever way I go I come back to the place you are All my instincts, they return And the grand facade, so soon will burn Without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside In your eyes The light the heat In your eyes I am complete In your eyes I see the doorway to a thousand churches In your eyes The resolution of all the fruitless searches In your eyes I see the light and the heat In your eyes Oh, I want to be that complete I want to touch the light The heat I see in your eyes Love, I don't like to see so much pain So much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away I get so tired of working so hard for our survival I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive And all my instincts, they return And the grand facade, so soon will burn Without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside In your eyes The light the heat In your eyes I am complete In your eyes I see the doorway to a thousand churches In your eyes The resolution of all the fruitless searches In your eyes I see the light and the heat In your eyes Oh, I want to be that complete I want to touch the light, The heat I see in your eyes In your eyes, in your eyes In your eyes, in your eyes In your eyes, in your eyes
Beautifully written! I,too, played a song and handed out lyrics in my class. The song was “show me the way”, by Styx. I often play it in my car as a prayer on the way to work. The kids liked it, too, and could see why I had them listen to and discuss the song.