Who was George Frederic Handel?  Born in Germany, Handel spent most of his life in London.  He is perhaps most famous for his Messiah, a glorious paean to the salvific love of God.  We frequently see Messiah performed around Christmas and Easter.  Another of Handel's most well known works is his Water Music, a delightful set of processionals often heard at weddings or graduation commencements.

     As I listened to Messiah's "Hallelujah Chorus" recently, I reflected, again, on its power, spiritual as well as political.  As the story goes, when George II, then the British king, heard its opening strains he stood up.  In an era when people sought to emulate, out of respect, what their king did, the rest of the audience stood up, too.
     

    Perhaps the king stood out of reverence, perhaps not.  Either way, a tradition was established.  To this day, even the most hardened unbelievers will, if they attend a performance of Messiah, stand up for the Hallelujah Chorus. 
    

    On the other hand, given the tragedies unfolding around the world, the glories which Messiah explicates seem counterintuitive.  Why are we talking about divine glory amidst these wave upon waves of human suffering despair?

    We do so because as we continue to deal with the results of human flaw and the limits of our mortality, we can only find meaning if we acknowledge the fact and presence of transcendence.  In itself, however wonderful it is, the world cannot define its own meaningfulness.

    God's glory can be confusing, yes, but it's worth listening to.  It's worth noting, it's worth embracing.  It's worth the transcending clarity it sheds upon a bewildering universe.