Lent 2026 Day 13 – Even When He Is Silent
Occasionally I listen to a podcast called “The God Minute”. These are daily prayer and meditation programs that last 10-15 minutes. They are a wonderful way to help me focus on God and on sacred things. And they often feature wonderfully curated, beautiful music that draws your thoughts heavenward. One of the songs from today's podcast caught my attention.
The song is called “On the Nature of Daylight” and is performed by VOCES8 on their album “Nightfall” released in 2024. VOCES8 is an a capella octet from England and their music is, in a word, divine.
I decided to listen to the entire album today while I worked. And then I listened to two more of their albums!
But the song that brought me to tears is from that same album “Nightfall” and is called “Even When He Is Silent” by Kim André Arnesen.
Here are the lyrics:
I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining I believe in love, even when I feel it not I believe in God, even when He is silent
Here is the recording by VOCES8:
And here is a beautiful performance of the piece by St. Olaf Choir:
This song was a desperately needed lifeline for me – a timely gift from a loving God. It resonated with me on a deeply personal level and expresses my current spiritual, mental, and emotional state better than words ever could.
The description of the St. Olaf Choir video says the text of the lyrics was found in a concentration camp after World War II. I wanted to know more about that, and a web search revealed many different stories and explanations for the text's origin. But I found a blog post that seems well-researched and says the original text – somewhat different from the lyrics of the song – was likely found in Cologne, scratched on the wall of an underground passageway that likely served as a refuge from the Gestapo.
I believe in the sun, though it be dark; I believe in God, though He be silent; I believe in neighborly love, though it be unable to reveal itself.
Whatever the circumstances or origins, the words and music are profound and moving. And exactly what I needed today.
I daresay it's also what the world needs today.
#100DaysToOffload (No. 143) #faith #Lent #Christianity #music