"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." -- Eph. 1:3-5
From the first time that I got to know this piece, it evoked to me a very strong image of standing alone in an untamed wilderness (say, the Grand Canyon) and looking up into the scintillant vastness of the star-decked heavens -- don't ask me why...
Yet, pondering that, in addition to the Bible passage above, which is cited by Messiaen himself on the top of his score for "Eternal Purposes", I am reminded of how older the promise of Ephesians 1:3-5 is than might seem at first glance.
"And the LORD brought Abram forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." -- Genesis 15:5-6
"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice." -- Genesis
22:18
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