Below is a touching video of a hearing-impaired infant who, after being fitted with a hearing aid, hears the voices of his parents for the very first time. Initially, the child fidgets, afraid of what is happening. But as the voices of his parents reach his soul, a smile of joy and recognition blossoms on his face.
In the Fourth Eclogue of Virgil is a beautiful line regarding an infant’s first recognition of his mother. In this case it refers to seeing, but the same could be said of hearing.
Incipe, parve puer, risu cognoscere matrem.
Begin, little boy, to recognize the face of your mother with a smile.
Spiritually, this video speaks to those of us who may have fidgeted as we were introduced to the voice of our Heavenly Father and Holy Mother Church. At first, we objected to the voice of truth and resisted those who sought to help us to hear. But, prayerfully (and I am a witness), many of us adjusted and began to smile at the beautiful voice of truth.
Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes through the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17).
Enjoy the video!
Cute. I am also reminded of Helen Keller who was born blind, deaf and mute. For a time, she was very wild and confused. But, with the help of a good and courageous teacher, she came to understand, and her soul began to flourish.
One Christmas I gave a CD of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos to a young mother friend, more for her two-year-old son than for her (I got her something else). Having listened to Bach myself at a young age, with all its complexities, I firmly believe it touches various areas of the brain and can help develop cognitive thought.
I vividly remember his reaction when I put the CD in and played Concerto No. 3 for him. His eyes grew huge with astoundment, a big smile came across his face and he started jumping and laughing. It touched him deep down into the soul.
And really more than hearing with ears, which some of can and some of us cannot do, we need to hear (and see) with our hearts, with our spirits. There are none so deaf as those who do not or will not hear with their hearts, where the Lord speaks to us all and can be heard if only we listen.
Great post and thanks for sharing link to a great classic I haven’t heard in a while. Mozart was always my favorite, used to listen while writing music theory assignments. Wish I could remember it all. I don’t know if linking works but this was always a favorite https://youtu.be/Ae9WFnCUeng . This is funny because he reminds me of how thirty years ago conductor always tell me to slow down. Molto allegro! Ha-ha. I never played an A basset horn, though.
Very beautiful. Made me think of this quote from Aristotle: “The concept of being is the first which the human mind can grasp, and to that concept all others must be reduced.”