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By now you've no doubt heard the single "Breathe Your Name" several times on the radio. It is the first track of Sixpence None the Richer's new album - which was released Oct. 29, 2002. If you have heard anything about the band or the album, you might have found yourself wondering, "What kind of name is 'Sixpence None the Richer'?" and "What does 'Divine Discontent' mean?" Perhaps you simply recognized the band as having sung "Kiss Me" on their popular 1998 self-titled CD, and didn't give it much thought. Yet, there's more to Sixpence None the Richer than meets the eye, and the answers to those questions are deeper than you may expect.

First of all, what could "Sixpence None the Richer" possibly mean? Would you believe it has to do with our total dependence on God? It's about realizing that everything we are and have comes from the fact that our Heavenly Father loves us and calls us each by name. Read this passage from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis:

Then comes another discovery. Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already. So that when we talk of a man doing anything for God or giving anything to God, I will tell you what it is really like. It is like a small child going to its father and saying, "Daddy, give me sixpence to buy you a birthday present." Of course, the father does, and he is pleased with the child's present. It is all very nice and proper, but only an idiot would think that the father is sixpence to the good on the transaction. When a man has made these two discoveries God can really get to work. It is after this that real life begins. The man is awake now. We can now go on to talk of Faith in the second sense. (from Ch. 21 of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis)

Now, you probably heard "Breathe Your Name" on a secular radio station. In varying degrees, Sixpence None the Richer's songs share Christian truths about life, love and God - but unlike the songs of most great Christian bands, what they're trying to tell us is not so obvious, but are more poetic instead. For example, many of the songs on 'Divine Discontent' are about the fact that life and love are seldom easy, and they talk about things like regrets, failed relationships and feelings of confusion.

Why would anyone want to listen about such depressing things? And what do they have to do with God? The secret lies in the title of the album. 'Divine Discontent' points to a central truth of our Catholic faith - that our suffering, when united to the suffering of Christ, is mysteriously redemptive. St. Peter writes:

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." (1 Pet 4: 12-13)

Or, as Leigh Nash, the lead singer of Sixpence None the Richer said in an interview: "It's basically saying that maybe our pain and strife in life is divine. God works to make us better through some of the roughest trials." Admittedly, legal problems surrounding record label issues have caused the band members a lot of strife in the past years - and ultimately helped them to grow in faith. The fruits of their suffering include 'Divine Discontent' - an album definitely worth listening to.

It is important to note that despite their dealing with apparent hopelessness and lack of control, most of the songs on the album are generally upbeat and have an underlying message of hope. Disappointingly, the song lyrics are not included with the album, but they are available for download here. To listen to the album, click here.

This is my call, I belong to you
This is my call, to sing the melody of you
This is my call, I can do nothing else

from "Melody of You," written by Matt Slocum

Well it seems that my weakness is sometimes my only strength
and in my incompleteness you get your way

from "Waiting on the Sun," written by Lifehouse's Ron Aniello and Jason Wade

The most openly Christian song on the album, "Dizzy", reflects on the desire to "dance before the Lord with abandon," like David, rather than doubt, like St. Thomas. (2 Samuel 6: 14-15, John 20: 27-29):

I'm like Thomas doubting / fingers routing the scars / in your wrists and side / touching flesh will make my mind believe

But I want to be like David / throwing his clothes to the wind / to dance a jig in my skin / and be remade by your cleansing again

While listening to this song, I found myself thinking that the band members of Sixpence None the Richer would agree with Pope John Paul II, when he speaks the following words to you and me:

"It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life. Dear young people, do not be content with anything less than the highest ideals! Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of their heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformism so widespread in our society."
- Pope John Paul II, from Message to the Youth on the occasion of the XVII World Youth Day (Toronto 2002), 25 July 2001

By Alton Pelowski

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