Singing in Harmony with Heaven

Above, the hosts of angels sing praise; below, men form choirs in the churches and imitate them by singing the same doxology... The inhabitants of heaven and earth are brought together in a common assembly; there is one thanksgiving, one shout of delight, one joyful chorus. (St. John Chrysostom) How can we participate fully and harmoniously in this "joyful chorus" when we cannot easily perceive the angels with our physical senses?

Are we aware of the depth and breadth of meaning in the words "Lord, have mercy" as we recite or sing them in the Mass? Studying the use of the word "mercy" in the Old and New Testaments, in Church Tradition, and in the great Liturgical traditions of the East, opens up new vistas in which we see that this not only a plea for the forgiveness of our sins, but also for God's gracious help in all dimensions of our lives and in the the lives of all people.

Outside of the world of opera, isn’t there something fundamentally incompatible between sincere penitence and singing? How then has the Liturgy brought these two seemingly contradictory acts into harmony with one another?

Do the liturgical musical settings we use in the Mass correspond to the description given by the Second Vatican Council – that they are to be a “new part in the musical heritage of the Church, not unworthy of its past”? Do they radiate the holiness, beauty, and universality which have characterized this heritage?

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

Mary's Magnificat is also suited to be at the heart of all our work. Whether it be in the way we make music, in the way we relate to one another, or in the way we meet the many challenges which belong to our vocation, we are called to reveal, each in our own small way, the infinite goodness of the Lord.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

Under the Pope's strictest orders for silence, the great Egyptian obelisk was being carefully moved to the center of St. Peter's Square. But as the ropes began to fray and monument began to sway, the simple words shouted out by a sailor averted disaster and merited a great reward. We too, in our quest for the renewal of sacred music, need to know when to be silent and when - and what - to shout out.

We need to reflect upon and define two terms which I have been using rather freely and frequently up until this point: the Sacred Liturgy and Sacred Music. A deeper understanding of these terms is fundamental to our ongoing mission!

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.

How can the music heard today in the Catholic Church be renewed so as to faithfully fulfill its traditional role – to proclaim the divine dignity of the Mass, and to draw people into its contemplative dimension of reverent adoration, transformation, and loving communion? Please join me as we study the oft-neglected but luminous path which the Church has charted for this inspired renewal, and as we share our questions and challenges along the way.