Pheonix
Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.
Jesus said, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:48)
A young woman rose out of the ashes of her abusive childhood to become one of the most controversial figures in modern music. The haunting voice of Sinead O’Connor as well as her chilling performances touched something deep within the heart and soul of her audience catapulting her onto the world stage of pop-music fame in the late 1980’s. The melancholy rage of her music was an experience that you felt deeply within your entire body. Her voice, which at times was more like a scream, pierced your heart in a way that had never before or since been experienced. Heart wrenching songs like the hit song Nothing Compares 2 U is a physical experience. It takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotion that cascades through your heart like an ocean roaring at the height of a storm. Once you hear this heart breaking melody it is impossible to erase the power of its vibration from the infinite depths of your heart. Her music reflects the agony of a shattered childhood and a heart broken open in the tumult of growing up in a world filled with abuse, scandal, hypocrisy, war, fear, and prejudice. Perhaps it was her willingness to openly express her deepest feelings that drew so many people to her music. It was a shared experience that you felt deeply and understood.
Jesus said, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:48) Her innocence was stripped away by her abusive mother as a child, but by the infinite grace of God she was given a rare gift to express her emotions through the limitless vibration of her unique voice. It was her talent that gave her a world-stage to send out a message to the world, but as Jesus foretells for those who are given much, much will be required. Controversy has swirled around her throughout her life. As a teenager, she was expelled from Catholic School, arrested for shop lifting, and was sent away to a reformatory. The pain of her childhood was the catalyst for her explosive career in music, which spontaneously combusted in October of 1992 on Saturday Night Live when after an acappella performance she tore a picture of Pope John Paul II into pieces protesting the abuse of children. What most people in the audience did not understand at the time, was that she tore the picture of the Pope to protest against the Catholic Priests who had sexually abused several children in Ireland as well as the subsequent cover up by the Vatican. She was outraged and angry that the Catholic Church was apparently doing nothing to support the families and the victims of this horrific crime. Perhaps this is the one thing that Sinead will always be remembered for – the singer that tore up a picture of the Pope, but what can the tumultuous life of this controversial artist teach you about the unending light, compassion, and teaching of Jesus Christ?
