About having a letter published in the Catholic Herald, concerning hymns at Mass

One of the proudest moments of my life occurred on Sunday, 20th December, 2015. As we came out of Mass, our priest made some comment about my having had a letter published in the above magazine!
I hadn't even looked so I rushed home to scour the pages and there it was. I read and re-read it in a state of disbelief, excitement and euphoria. I might just have been awarded the Nobel prize for Literature. There it was, "COMMENT OF THE WEEK" even!!
I had sent the email a few weeks before and had tentatively looked each week, never really expecting to see it on the letters page (but inwardly hoping/dreaming, of course, that I would) and had given up actually expecting it.
I had been raging about the topic to someone who said, "Well why don't you write." So I wrote, revised and sent and here it is. The by-line was, "I can't do without the four-hymn sandwich" which I didn't particularly like but refers to the cause of my rage, which I tried to tone down for the sake of showing myself in a reasonable light, I hoped.

SIR - As a life-long lover of my Catholic faith and practice, and of music and singing in general and hymns in particular, the letter headlined "Save us from the four-hymn sandwich" (November 13), which seeks to "do away with" the said item, upsets me greatly.
  In many places in the Scriptures we are exhorted to sing our praises to God. For nearly 18 years I have helped the children, aged from four to to eleven, at our local primary school to learn hymns for Mass, from "Love is something if you give it away" to "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven came" (One child came to tell me that her favourite line was "his wings as drifted snow, his eyes of flame"!)
  Many of the children leave the hall singing as they go. I hope and pray that most of them will, as I have, remember those words throughout their lives, even if, sadly, the majority of them stop going to church.
  There are beautiful hymns with beautiful words and melodies, both old and new. They allow us, the 'foot soldiers of the faith', to participate in the Mass in a way that nothing else does. Why would anyone wish to to take that away from us? If my family do not have Soul of my Saviour and Lord of all Hopefulness at my funeral, I'll be back to haunt them!

I only wish that I had added a postscript to the effect that I have left them a short-list for the other two hymns. Maybe, one day, I'll post that. Oh I do love a good hymn!

About clutching hold of God

Let us clutch hold of God and not let go.

May we feel the clasp of God, the Father of love, surrounding us.
May we clasp Jesus, the Son of love, to ourselves.
May we feel the clasp of God, the Spirit of love, dwelling within us.     

Another short prayer for the day

Dear God,
Help me to accept what is -
and what isn't.
Amen 

Another little prayer for the day

Help me, Lord, 
with the little things of life.
Thank you, 
Amen.

About the energy of love

The energy of existence
emanates from the heart of God.

If we would 'touch' God,
help us to become aware
that every beat of our heart,
every breath that we breathe, 
everything that we see and hear, 
that we taste and touch,
connects us to God.

God is tangible.

Another short prayer for the day

Help us to appreciate the blessings
and cope with the difficulties  
and the everyday tasks of this day
as they arise.

From Julian of Norwich, Chapter 26 - "I it am"

I know I said that I wouldn't post any more of Julian's revelations of Divine Love because there is so much available on google, so why this?
I decided a few months ago to try and read a page or two of the book at bedtime and a couple of weeks ago, came to one of the parts I really love and just felt I had to share it so here goes.

THE TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTER

.....I was learned that our soul shall never have rest till it cometh to him, knowing that he is fulness of joy, homely and courteous, blissful and very life.
 Our Lord Jesus oftentimes said: "I it am, I it am: I it am that is highest, I it am that thou lovest, I it am that thou likest, I it am that thou servest, I it am that thou longest for, I it am that thou desireth, I it am that thou meanest, I it am that is all.  ..........".  And  ....... the joy that I saw (in these words)  passeth all that the heart may wish for and soul may desire. 

I do not know what it is that I find so compelling in the rhythmical pulse of these words, the poetry of their expression. 
I can but post them in the hope that someone else may feel the same.