Gonzaga Witness

Issue date: 10/1/09 Section: Opinion

Matt Maher is a name that, for me, is synonymous with the Catholic youth organization Life Teen. Matt Maher got his start as the lead guitarist at a Catholic parish near my home parish in Scottsdale, Arizona. He crafted toe-tapping, driving, and incredibly prayerful songs that truly help you connect with God in worship and personal listening. His work has evolved over time and has truly influenced many of the wonderful big names that we know and love on the Christian radio stations. If you listen to any station religiously (no pun intended) you will undoubtedly hear a song by Maher. One of his most popular tunes you will most likely hear is "Your Grace Is Enough."

Maher received a formal contract a few years back, allowing him and his band to tour, and get some radio air play. I have grown up with Maher's music pervading my youth Mass at home, and he is now strongly embedded into my iTunes library, and has been for many years.

Maher's album Empty and Beautiful is his first album on this new contract, and he knew that this would be the first time many listeners would be able to hear his music. As such, he has re-released a number of his smash hits over his past three albums. "As It Is In Heaven," "Unwavering," and "Your Grace is Enough" have received an artistic facelift in various ways, and create a fresh look on old favorites. While the last oldie but goodie, "For Your Glory," is just the same as the version on the old album, it is still a great song that draws the mind and heart to try to live a life more fully for God.

Demonstrating his outstanding writing capabilities, Maher has crafted eight more wonderful songs that show off his ability to create a sense of fluidity, even from the hard driving songs to the quiet ballads. "Look Like a Fool" is a personal favorite of mine as it captures a fun awed perspective of God. Maher comments on how God's love is unending, no matter what we do, even if we look like fools sometimes. We are being fools for a Creator whose "love is so absurd" that we "don't care if [we] look like fool[s]".

"I Rejoice" is a perfect song for praise and worship that I have had the honor of hearing performed while worshipping in front of a Monstrance. It is a song that gives the audience the ability to sing the chorus and pour out their love to our Father and Brother, and keeps the mind focused on God in all ways. "Maranatha" is a song that pleads for God to come again into our broken lives. This flowing song that begins and ends as a slow piano ballad turns into a full-band praise to the Lord above and reminds us that we are God's in all ways.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools