The universe is a beautiful place. Like wise men following a star, we naturally are attracted to beauty. As we follow, beauty should prove a thread to guide us into the truth and goodness of reality, and ultimately to the One who created reality and in the fullness of time entered into it.
This is why last night, in this second week of Advent, we looked ahead to the coming of Christ at Christmas through the sharing of music. Here at The Atonement Academy, beauty, most notably in choral music, is central to our educational program. As a classical school, we follow the ancient Greeks in understanding music’s role in attuning human nature to the harmony observed in nature and in mathematics. As a Catholic school, we believe that, to borrow words from Catholic educational philosopher Stratford Caldecott, “[H]uman existence is fundamentally ‘liturgical.’ That is to say, our lives can be oriented toward God by prayer and action in such a way that the interior world of the human soul and the exterior world of the society and universe are brought into harmony.” In music, particularly in liturgical music, we act as citizens of heaven, our true home.
Many thanks to Mr. Moore and the Pre-K3 through 4th grade teachers and students for their enchanting Advent and Christmas choral production. Everyone's hard work was evident in their students' crisp execution and vocal gusto. The choirs sang to a packed house, and everyone went forth warmed to the soul and more ardently longing for the coming of Christ.
We are looking forward to equal transport when the 5th-12th choirs sing tonight!