Ten Rock and Roll Selections For the Coming Synod On the Family

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Looking forward to it

The Synod. It approaches. And after that, the Pope has just announced that there will be a mandatory Jubilee Year of Mercy. We know what that means. Or do we?

I thought I would pick ten songs that are appropriate for what is to come. With two exceptions they're not technically Christian songs, and a Christian viewer advisory is recommended for the video of at least one of them. But I'm fond of them, and for better or worse, in their different ways they fit.

1. The Rolling Stones: Mercy, Mercy. This is an obvious pick. Though, of course for those of us who look on the upcoming second-half of the Synod on the Family with fear and trepidation, it has a another meaning from what Pope Francis intended. The clip is vintage early Stones. For those who like their Stones more 70's-ish, see here.

2. REM: It's the End of the World as We Know It. Also for those Catholics who look at what's coming as potentially a kind of turning point (in a bad way).

3. Sister Sledge: We are Family. Another obvious one. This song is filled with joy.

4. The Clash: I Fought the Law. We know they weren't talking about the law of You Know Who, but if you interpret it that way, it nicely describes what Cardinal Kasper and his boss are doing. Note who wins, however.

5. Nirvana: They Hung Him on a Cross. A good reminder.

6. Squeeze: The Cigarette of a Single Man. Life without marriage, or that's how I interpret it. You can afford to buy a lot of compact discs, though. Takeaway lyric: "What you got to go home to?"

7. Madness: Our House. This could be the theme song of any large Catholic family. "Our house it has a crowd. There's always something happening and it's usually quite loud."

8. Brittany Spears: Toxic. You might not like her and you might not like the song (though I think the melody and beat are catchy). But who can argue that the title doesn't perfectly describe the coming gathering? "I took a sip from the devil's cup..." And who can deny that her sort of "family values" appear to be winning? Warning: gyrations.

9. The Minutemen: Jesus and Tequila. For what's to come, we'll need Him. But the second item of the title may come in handy as well. We also featured this to honor our fallen Catholic comrade, Mel Gibson. It's his favorite song. Warning: graphic graininess.

10. Elvis Presley: Amazing Grace. We'll need generous amounts of this as well.