It's pretty common knowledge that U2's "Vertigo" works with the story of the temptation of Christ in the desert, (even going so far as to create a desert video) which makes Lent 1 (today) "Vertigo Sunday" for all churches that use a Western lectionary. If you haven't thought about those connections since HTDAAB came out, here is a quick refresher from a recent Lenten post on a blog called the:priest:hood.
I was interested to note here the comments about how Bono's lyrics suggest that the mind can wander but the heart will still make a reliable saving connection; that pairing rang freshly to me because I was talking with a student a week ago about how St. Ignatius suggests that this pattern is indeed the case for people who are already committed to God (i.e. the impulses of the heart tend to be more reflective of God's invitations, whereas it is overthinking or intellectualizing that draws committed people away from the Spirit.) However, Ignatius says that the reverse is more likely the case for people who are, as he puts it, "going from bad to worse" (with them, he says, the heart is continually moved and swayed by sin whereas it is the mind that interrupts the decline by posing questions and suggesting fresh perspective).
There's also a Hebrew gematria reading of "catorce," so you can add that to the catalog of theories on the opening count-off.
Hi beth
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. I like the stuff about the mind and heart.
I've been listening a lot to Tim Keller, who says if we struggle with sin we should "work on the heart not the will" ie: develop our passion for God rather than trying to change our will.
Grace & peace
Derek