While several folks extended their stay in France, most of us who joined the BMPC Choir Tour to France returned Tuesday evening, tired perhaps from travel but also exhilarated by the experience. There are stories to tell, pictures to share, videos of the choir singing in stunningly beautiful and historic cathedrals, from Aix-en-Provence to Paris, with stops in between for sightseeing, community building, and, of course, amazing meals. Larry and I were privileged to be among the guests who got to tag along with the choir and support them with our presence during their five concerts.
Among the memories, one of the most special was the first concert at Basilique-Sainte-Marie-Madeliene in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, about a 30-minute bus ride from Aix-en-Provence. The small village boasts a memory of Mary Magdalene crossing the Mediterranean on a boat with neither sail nor rudder and miraculously landing there, where she spent the rest of her life living and worshipping in a nearby grotto. The Basilica, dating back to the early 12th century, treasures relics of her body in a lovely chapel there, a destination for the pious who adore Mary Magdalene as the Mother of Mercy and for her taking the Christian faith to Provence in the south of France.
The joy for us in that special place was having dinner with members of the Ukrainian community who had gathered in that region to escape the war, mostly young families with children, and to have their choir join ours for three special choral pieces sung together in their native language. During dinner, some of us heard their stories of how they had to flee their homeland after the Russian invasion, their fears that they may never return, the challenges of raising children in another country, and their hopes that someday peace will come.
It was especially poignant to have that experience at the beginning of a week that included reports of political violence at home, as well as increased devastation in Gaza, Israel, Iran, and Ukraine, a week that ended with the United States dropping massive bombs on Iran. And yet, there we were together in a full church listening to music offered in multiple languages to the glory of God. The concert was a fundraiser to purchase the ambulance you see in the picture for the front lines in Ukraine, providing emergency dental surgeries and care. Needless to say, we gave generously toward this crucial mission toward wellbeing and peace.
Presbyterian pastor and author Eugene Peterson suggested that song is the result of excess energy. He noted, “When we are normal, we talk. When we are dying, we whisper. But when there is more in us than we can contain, we sing.” In a world at war and mounting despair, that special evening of the BMPC choir tour was a beautiful demonstration of uncontainable hope, faith, and joy in being part of God’s beloved community.
