Day 7 – New Year’s Eve! I think we all feel a variety of emotions as we anticipate what the new year might bring: hopes and dreams, fears and anxieties, new friendships and strained old ones. January 1st feels like a fresh start. We may resolve to form better habits. But for many of us, January 2nd may feel like a disappointing start to our new year’s resolutions. With the potential for all these conflicting emotions, the early days of January can be difficult. What better way to welcome in this month than by taking the time to reflect, to be still, and to listen for that small voice to speak peace into one’s life.

The words, ‘Dona Nobis Pacem,’ are Latin for ‘Give us your peace, Lord.’ I have prayed this prayer many times, sometimes with words, but more often simply by humming the melody. There is a yearning in the rise and fall of the phrases, as well as a deep joy and peace that grounds all voices under one foundation. In this particular arrangement I brought in elements of early music to evoke the timeless quality of these words: I wanted the character of the music to reflect something ancient. At the same time, I added extra ornamentation in the high vocal range, wanting to create a sense of reaching upwards, of prayerful supplication. This song is part of an album I released in 2015 called ‘Songs of Day and Night.’ May the music give you peace and infuse your every day activities with a sense of deep joy and mystery.

~ Mary

Dona Nobis Pacem performed and arranged by Mary Vanhoozer

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