| Death Cab for Cutie – Underneath the Sycamore Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| It's about whatever you want it to be about but from my understanding, It is about september 11 2001 when a sycamore tree saved St. Paul's chapel at the trinity church from the wreckage of the falling twin towers. | |
| Brandon Flowers – Magdalena Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I agree with much of what you say although I think you may be a little off base with a one or two things. Catholics do not ask saints for forgiveness. They pray for the saint's intercession, kind of like praying with the saint. A pilgrimage is a common way of seeking this intercession. I do not know much of this particular pilgrimage but most pilgrimages are a fairly substantial challenge. The challenge and the suffering are there to bring one closer to God and the destination is a place of religious significance, usually a saint's shrine. upon finishing the pilgrimage, one is exhausted both mentally and physically. They pray not to the saint, but rather with the saint, in this case for forgiveness. The saint is not a middleman. there is no dilution of the presence of God in prayer. The saint's intercession is seeked because they are one who is with God and the power of prayer is multiplied by every body, heavenly or earthly, praying the same prayer. the verse beginning with "Tell him that I made the journey..." is not implying that the pilgrim wishes to tell saint francis that he made the journey, it is begging of saint francis to intercede with him, telling God that he made the journey (but of course God already knows). The pilgrim's faith and religious attitude are probably not very strong, but the desire for forgiveness clearly is. It is not sad to pray with a saint for God's forgiveness. The sadness in this song is, as you said, when the speaker says that he may fall to temptation once more. of course we are all subject to temptation, but it is the attitude with which he approaches his forgiveness that is the problem. he heart may be in his pilgrimage, but the forgeveness is not complete if the pilgrim's remorse is not strong enought to keep him from relapsing. the problem is the line "where I know I will be forgiven". Catholics know that this is not the way things work. It is an unfortunate attitude adopted by people who do not truly put their hearts in what they believe. The pilgrimage is a very noble thing in itself, and the intention of the pilgrimage is noble. the forgiveness is real and the spirituality is true. However, like with all doctrines, there are some who do not truly understand what they do and the attitude of the pilgrim might not be noble. |
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