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“The Lord’s remedies are hidden in His mysteries.”
That’s the central idea behind a new 10-song music project called Mysteries & Medicines, released this month by Brother Isaiah, a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal community, J.J. Wright, the current Director of the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir, and friends.
The mysteries that the music alludes to include not just the pain of unexpected sufferings, hardships, and disappointments of our lives, but also the mystery of God’s hidden presence in the “ordinariness” of the present moment and daily life, as well as the mystery of the Sacraments. God comes to us through many different paths, and in all of them, He offers us the medicine we need. He gives us His remedies when He meets us in all the different facets of our lives.
But as Father Isaiah (his artist’s name is “Brother Isaiah”) points out, we need a spirit of repentance to be able to realize we need God’s medicine, as well as the humility to accept it. The gift of this collection of songs lies in how that repentance is presented. Far from being a sad, weighty spirit of failure and condemnation, repentance is portrayed as a path of healing and hope, something life-giving and joy-bearing on the journey to find the recovery and renewal that brings us closer to God.
The original music is a mix of many genres and influences, such as country, folk, pop rock and even some Gospel. Acoustic guitar, piano, keyboard and other instruments combine for an intimate, uplifting and heartfelt experience. For example, the song “Before the Mystery” is reminiscent of a love song or ballad, while songs like “Holy Hunger” show more pop influence. “Exodus” reminds us of God’s saving ways with lyrics proclaiming,
In the Egypt of my self-centered ways, I’ve been a slave, I’ve been a slave. ...
Lord, I’ve been blind, I've been blind! Building pyramids to my own designs,
From this prison of my self-made misery,
Come, set me free, Lord,
Come, come to me Lord.
Come, and hear my cry,
Come, deliver me.
The title track “Mysteries and Miseries” reminds us that there is no place in our lives God cannot go, always bringing healing and hope.
And You visit me in these mysteries
Bearing medicine, oh, for my misery,
Healing remedy for my iniquity.
You cleanse me of my sin.
Brother Isaiah writes:
It’s my hope that the album would awaken in the heart a new wonder for the beauty and sweetness of repentance, a desire to take that journey of “recovery” (with some how-tos along the way), and an awareness that God’s medicines are ultimately born to us in the mysteries of our lives.
To provide listeners with those how-tos, MonkManual.com has developed a special prayer journal to be used in conjunction with the music. The journal is the fruit of years of spiritual direction, and it guides the journaler through the process of understanding where she is today, discerning God’s voice in the midst of life, and into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Prompts for each day begin with self-awareness (name the feeling), then continue onto self-revelation (share it with God) before arriving at self-gift (respond with generosity and courage). This prayer process helps the pray-er to identify the places in need of healing, turn them over to God, and receive the help and hope of recovery, inspired by the music of Mysteries & Medicines.
Brother Isaiah’s first collection, Poco a Poco, was released five years ago and has had over 10 million downloads. But before work on this second cd began, Brother Isaiah himself went through a period of discernment, seeking to know if producing a second album was indeed God’s will. Just as his songs preach, he also encountered a crossroads in his path: should he continue to produce music the way he makes it alone in the Friary, or should he surrender to the mystery of collaboration and trust that the Lord will provide? Would God be with him as he shared his soul with the world?
How Brother Isaiah worked through his discernment, coming to the conclusion that a second collection was indeed the will of the Father, is recorded in the 20-minute documentary Before the Mystery. To date, Mysteries & Medicines has already had over a million downloads across different streaming platforms.
If you are looking to follow Brother Isaiah on the path of repentance, a repentance of recovery and renewal, consider purchasing the prayer journal and downloading Mysteries & Medicine. The journal can be pre-ordered and purchased separately at Monk Manual for $28. Look for the album and songs on your favorite music streaming service. A CD is also available for purchase.
Copyright 2024 Sarah Pedrozo
Images: Courtesy of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, copyright 2024, all rights reserved, used with permission
Song lyrics used with the kind permission of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.
A life-long Catholic, Sarah has worked for the Catholic church for close to 20 years, helping parents, grandparents, godparents and children of all ages learn about and live their Catholic faith. A big believer in integrating reason with imagination, she especially loves using stories, particularly the stories of C.S.Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Inklings, as well as symbols and physical "stuff" to catechize and ponder over.
She earned her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Dallas, then went on to complete a Master's in Language and Literature at St. Mary's University and years later, while living on a farm in rural Indiana with kids, dogs, chickens and ducks, she earned a Master's degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Stuebenville. She is getting close to finishing a doctoral degree in Romantic Theology, and would love for you to follow her writing on Substack, as well as here at Catholic365.
