the beautiful mess, better than a Hallelujah!

“Beautiful, the mess we are… the honest cries of breaking hearts,

are better than a Hallelujah”

It’s not a new song, but I invite you to listen and to pray with the lyrics to Amy Grant’s hit single, “Better than a Hallelujah”

God loves a lullaby
In a mother's tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

God loves the drunkard's cry
The soldier's plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

The woman holding on for life
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

The tears of shame for what's been done
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing
Better than a choir singing out, singing out

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

official video, "Better than a Hallelujah"

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This week I’m in Buffalo, New York, to attend the annual Catholic Media Conference. It’s my first time in the city, and I’m already enjoying the view from my room – such remarkable architecture, history. 

If these walls could talk… so many stories, life tales, peaks into distinct moments in history...

May we bring to Jesus our honest cries, the beautiful mess we are, today and everyday. Amen!