MESSIAH @JennyHatch
Last Friday I listened to portions of The Mormon Tabernacle Choirs version of The Messiah three times throughout the day.
I listened once in the morning, later in the afternoon while I was working, out driving for Uber, and then that night as I listened to the live Easter broadcast.
I was unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster that I would feel as I listened to this favorite master work of music.
I had recorded my #metoo radio show that morning:
Recording this show stirred up my emotions to an incredibly high level of agitation.
Listening to The Messiah was the perfect counter to my distress.
The fact that last friday was the 29th anniversary of being gang raped by four guys indicated I “might” have a bad day. I have struggled mightily in years past at this time of the year with cyclical depression.
This year however was my time to break from the past.
By the time the Hallelujah Chorus kicked in on Friday night for the third time that day, I was so high on this music that even though I was in my bedroom listening alone, I stood up out of my bed, took off my oxygen tubes, and sang at full voice that beloved anthem to Jesus Christs’s Atonement and Resurrection.
It is traditional for the audience to stand during that anthem.
I could not stay down.
Even though I felt weak from the many exertions of the day, I sang and sang and then I began to weep.
For the first time in decades I did not break out in hives on this dreaded anniversary day.
Here are the lyrics to that chorus:
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For lord our God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For lord our God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For lord our God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
(For the lord God omnipotent reigneth)
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth
(Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah)
Hallelujah
The kingdom of this world;
is become
the kingdom of our Lord,
and of His Christ
and of His Christ
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And he shall reign forever and ever
And he shall reign forever and ever
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
and lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
and lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
and lord of lords
King of kings and lord of lords
And he shall reign
And he shall reign
And he shall reign
He shall reign
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings forever and ever
and lord of lords hallelujah hallelujah
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings and lord of lords
King of kings and lord of lords
And he shall reign forever and ever
Forever and ever and ever and ever
(King of kings and lord of lords)
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah
Mormon Tabernacle Choir – Hallelujah Chorus
Jenny Hatch
