The World Cup: A Foretaste of the Age to Come

I would imagine that the most googled two words in the universe today must be "World Cup".  Far bigger than the Super Bowl, more significant than the NBA Finals, and of much greater interest to the globe than College Football could ever be, the beautiful game has captured the imaginations of the 48 participating nations and quite a bit of the rest of the world as well.

My introduction to football (soccer) came in 1999 when I moved to Nottingham, England.  I experienced the end of the 1998-1999 Premier League season which saw Manchester United narrowly pip Arsenal to the title.  Nottingham Forest was relegated and so I decided I would not support a team that was no longer in the top division.  John Glesinger, whom I was working under in an apprentice ministry position, begged me to become an Arsenal supporter.  I was reluctant at first, but since there was a natural connection to the club through John, I agreed to support Arsenal with one condition - we had to attend at least two matches throughout the season.  We went to the Arsenal - Derby County match early in the season at Pride Park (2-1 Arsenal win), and then in the spring of 2000 we watched Arsenal dismantle Deportivo La Coruna 5-1 in the UEFA Cup at the old Highbury Stadium in North London.  For 27 years I have been an Arsenal (and USMNT) supporter in particular, and a big soccer fan in general.  

Though I am a huge Texas Longhorn fan and love College Football, I realize that American Football, especially College Football, is a niche sport without a large global following.  What I love about supporting Arsenal and being a soccer fan is that I can find connections with other Arsenal supporters and soccer fans almost anywhere in the world.  One of the things that this World Cup should teach us is that there should be far more that unites us as human beings than that which divides us.  I have loved seeing the supporters of African, South American, Asian, European, and North American teams all coming together in various Mexican, Canadian, and US cities to cheer on their nations, with a friendly, diplomatic, and curious tone.  Though the United States has much for which to be ashamed in its past and present (like most every nation), I hope that our guests for this World Cup have been warmly welcomed and that they have seen the best that we have to offer.  I also wish that the nations of the world would find more opportunities to come together in moments of partnership and celebration, rather than through war, hatred, suspicion, and strife.  I hope and pray that we see more of these positive scenes in my lifetime, but I know that in the age to come, the promise of this World Cup will be realized in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine.

At the end of the book of Revelation, we are given a glimpse of what life will be like in the renewed creation when God comes home to live with his people.  The writer of the Apocalypse describes it like this: "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.  Its gates will never be shut by day - and there will be no night there.  People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations...On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 21:23-22:2)

Through this World Cup we've seen a little glimpse of what life could be like if the nations of the world could find common ground and live as one.  I can't wait when this foretaste will become reality when God's will is finally and fully done on earth as it is in heaven. - Shay 

From Death through Resurrection: Days of Ash and Easter Lily

Last summer I began a blog series where I ranked U2's albums from worst to first.  I had heard rumors that the band was in the studio creating a new record and preparing for a new tour.  Here's how my ranking came out from 1 to 14.

1. The Joshua Tree

2. Achtung Baby

3. All That You Can't Leave Behind

4. Rattle and Hum

5. The Unforgettable Fire

6. War 

7. Boy

8. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

9. Songs of Innocence

10. Songs of Experience

11. Zooropa

12. Pop

13. No Line on the Horizon

14. October

On Ash Wednesday, U2 released a surprise six track EP titled Days of Ash.  A few weeks later on Good Friday, the band shocked their fans with a second EP called Easter Lily.  Since these are two EPs and not full LPs (though if you combined them, they would make one heck of a record) I won't attempt to rank them with U2's other work, but if these 12 tracks were a proper album they would rest firmly within the top 10.  Let's dive in.

Days of Ash 

Days of Ash begins with American Obituary which laments the senseless killing of Renee Good by Ice agents in Minneapolis on January 7.  The song is fueled musically by fuzzy garage rock style guitar riffs and a chunky bass line.  Bono passionately sings "I love you more than hate loves war."  And the song ends with a chorus of people singing "The power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power."  We can only pray that this will be true.

The next song on the EP gets its title from Richard Rohr's recent book, The Tears of Things.  This is a mostly acoustic track with lush strings and beautiful and intricately crafted poetical lyrics.  Bono uses the image of Michaelangelo's statue of David brought to life to lament the brokenness of this world, while still yearning for the next.  The song ends with a hope for universal salvation.  "Everybody is my people - let my people go."

Song of the Future is inspired by Sarina Esmailzadeh, a 16-year-old Iranian girl beaten to death by security forces during the 2022 protests against the killing of Mahsa Amini who had been arrested for improperly wearing her hijab.  Despite being inspired by dark events, the music is defiantly hopeful.

The next track is actually not a song, but rather the poem Wildpeace written by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai and read by the Nigerian musician Adeola over a soundscape produced by Jacknife Lee. The poem claims that for peace to be lasting, it must arise organically.

Sticking with the theme of peace and reconciliation in the Middle East, One Life at a Time references the murder of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen by an Israeli settler in the South Hebron Hills.  Though his killer may have wanted to eliminate the Palestinians one life at a time, the message of the song is that the world can be changed one life at a time.  

The EP ends on a high note struck from a dark place.  In collaboration with Taras Topolia of Ukrainian band Antytila and with English singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, Yours Eternally is based on the 4-year struggle that Ukraine has endured as it fights for its freedom, resisting Russian aggression.  The music, and the lyrics are utterly hopeful and yet poignant.

Days of Ash walks the listener through the symbolism of Lent (self-reflection and self-denial, even death) to the promise of rebirth which brings us to Easter Lily.

Easter Lily

Easter Lily begins with Edge's chiming, arena ready guitar strums and then elevates the mood even further with church choir backing vocals.  Song for Hal was written for Hal Willner, a music producer and Saturday Night Live contributor who passed away during the Covid 19 pandemic.  Though an elegy of sorts, the first song of this EP already sets the expectation that this batch of songs is going to be about life, not death as the Edge sings "Did you hear 'Forever'?" on the opening line.  It's great to hear the Edge take lead vocals on a song again. 

The upbeat mood continues on In a Life where this time Bono sings, "I never achieved anything on my own."  This entire song is about the importance of human relationships and is musically reminiscent of All That You Can't Leave Behind era tunes.  

And though this record is upbeat, the vibe shifts slightly with the third track.  The Adam Clayton bass line on Scars sounds similar to the thumping on Iris and Volcano from the Songs of Innocence album.  Though new life is just around the corner, we are reminded that our scars sometimes follow us into that new reality, though we don't have to hide or cover them any longer.

The forever that was hinted at in Song for Hal is made explicit in Resurrection Song.  The idea of resurrection might seem either glib or silly in the 21st century, but Bono is not holding back as he joyfully bellows, "If I sound ridiculous, I'm not done yet!".  Bono claims that there are countless signs pointing to forever and echoing John Donne, he exclaims that even death will die too.

The celebration continues on Easter Parade as the piano, bass, and synth drive the song forward while Edge's guitar licks add flourish in the background.  And this is as good a place to mention this as any.  Welcome back Larry Mullen Jr.!  Larry's drumming throughout both Days of Ash and Easter Lily is energetic and creative, providing ass shaking rhythms.  In this penultimate song we hear, "Something in me died, but I was no longer afraid...Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy)."  

Brian Eno provides a synth background as Bono sings emphatically "I will bless the Lord at all times." on Coexist.  The last lines of the song are sung a cappella: "Changes, these changes, Will rain on this parade.  Changes, these changes I am not afraid.  The pages that enrage us - She tears them from the book.  'Save us, save us' sings the girl of Guadalupe." 

Between these two EPs, U2 takes the listener on a journey from death through resurrection and out the other side into new life.  With 12 tracks and over 50 minutes of music, this could have easily been the next U2 album, rather than two surprise EPs.  If these songs are any indication, the next U2 record should be a dandy. - Shay