Pennsylvania native Taylor Swift is one of the most well known pop/country female singers on stage today. Her fourth album, Red, was released in October and earned the highest ranking in first week sales since 2002.

In a society where the airwaves are saturated with female artists singing for shock value or to make political statements, Taylor’s music sticks to simple themes — being in love, losing love, and celebrating life.

While the album certainly shouldn’t be canonized (even if that were possible), her songs are very refreshing in this age of false feminism and uncontrollable romantic urges.

Two songs on Red that particularly capture the power of self-control and the beauty in being a woman are “I Almost Do” and “Begin Again.”

Many love songs we hear today contain messages about loving someone or needing someone too much to stay away from him or her. But in “I Almost Do” Taylor sings to a former lover about how much she wants to talk to him when he contacts her but that the situation is too difficult and so she doesn’t respond.

In “Begin Again,” Taylor mentions how she appreciates her new love interest being a gentleman at a cafe, helping her into her chair. She sees the beauty in being a woman and in letting a guy do little things for her.

What other songs have you heard recently that celebrate the God-given differences between men and women?

Related Links:

• Taylor Swift Biography

• Taylor Swift’s “Red” has highest first week sales since 2002

• Red by Taylor Swift

• “I Almost Do” Lyrics

• “Begin Again” Lyrics

In the last decade or so, it’s become more common for musicians to write and sing about cheating on a significant other.

Popular radio tunes in this vein include “Picture” by Kid Rock, featuring Sheryl Crow; “Lips of an Angel” by Hinder; and “Unfaithful” by Rihanna.

With the excessive glorification of so-called freedom and choice comes a decrease in the value of loyalty.

Society and the entertainment industry tell us to do whatever we want and to live life without regard for others. And so the decrease in trust, self-control and respect for one another comes out in our songs.

How do you believe we can help our culture once again see the importance of fidelity and live accordingly?

Contemporary Christian musicians that usually come to mind first are those on K-LOVE and local Christian radio stations – Third Day, Casting Crowns, Sanctus Real, etc.

But Catholic musicians have emerged over the last few years who have a similar feel through their melody, voice and overall sound. The difference is in the lyrics. While not every song is explicitly Catholic, it is a beautiful addition for Catholics who enjoy contemporary Christian music but would appreciate a Catholic touch.

Matt Maher rose in popularity several years ago when he made it onto the Christian music scene. Matt is known for songs like “Your Grace Is Enough” (covered and made famous by Chris Tomlin), “Hold Us Together,” and “Christ Is Risen.”

Catholic music group Marian Grace sings traditional hymns with a beautifully contemporary sound. Their renditions include “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (Doxology),” “Be Thou My Vision,” and “What Wondrous Love.”

Music can be a powerful tool to lift hearts to God and help evangelize the world.

Which songs have drawn you close to Our Lord?

Related Links:

• K-LOVE

• Third Day

• Casting Crowns

• Sanctus Real

• About Matt Maher

• Matt Maher’s “Your Grace Is Enough”

• Marian Grace

• Marian Grace Music

At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

The Stabat Mater is a beautiful hymn from the 1200s that uplifts the soul through its solemn tone and beautiful words. You may know it best through praying the Stations of the Cross during Lent, as it is incorporated into the Stations by St. Alphonsus Liguori. Many textual versions of the hymn exist, while the melody remains relatively the same.

Tomorrow is the last Friday before Good Friday. So before the busyness of Holy Week and Easter preparations set in, try to make it to the Stations of the Cross at your local parish one more time — or for the first time.

May God bless you as you walk with Mary and her Son in these final days of Lent.

Related Links:

• Stabat Mater Lyrics

• The Stations of the Cross with the Stabat Mater

• St. Alphonsus Liguori

Pandora.com struck again. While listening to the Pandora radio station of Joe Bongiorno (piano-type music), I was surprised to hear a beautiful rendition of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” I wasn’t familiar with contemporary Christian music artist Jadon Lavik by name, but after some investigating I realized I’d heard some of his other songs on K-LOVE.

As Catholics and non-Catholic Christians, we find certain styles of music more conducive to prayer – be it contemporary Christian, classical Christian, Gregorian chant or traditional Catholic hymns. And sometimes the type of music we are drawn to changes with our mood. But no matter what type of music we can most easily pray with, it’s important to fight any temptation to judge others by their own preferences. I know at our station sometimes listeners will advocate for songs in their own musical style, which is fine, so long as they take into account that other listeners may enjoy something different.

What kind of music helps you delve deeper into prayer?

Related Links:

• Official Web Site of Jadon Lavik

• Official YouTube Channel of Jadon Lavik

• Jadon Lavik’s Discography

• Jadon Lavik on K-LOVE

• Marian Grace

• Clear Creek Abbey Chant CDs

• Catholic Classics CDs for Purchase

• Official Web Site of Joe Bongiorno

• K-LOVE Radio