Being 'Well-Fed' by Music & The Eucharist

With Corpus Christi on the horizon, I would like to share with you an excerpt from a program note I wrote for a concert all about the Eucharist, with some additional thoughts to tie it all together.

“Today, too, joy in the Lord and contact with his presence in the liturgy has an inexhaustible power of inspiration… Humble submission to what goes before us releases authentic freedom and leads us to the true summit of our vocation as human beings.” -Cardinal Josef Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), “The Spirit of the Liturgy”

As I was working on my master’s degree, I had many opportunities to, as scripture says, ‘boast of my weakness.’ Anytime I needed help, I went to my instructor and essentially said,  “here is my weakness, help me.”  From there I would learn from my mistakes and grow in confidence with new knowledge. Still, the work was difficult, and I needed inspiration to keep going. I found that coming to Mass and feeling the ‘contact with his presence in the liturgy’ inspired me with an ‘inexhaustible power.’ My best homework sessions seemed to occur after receiving the Eucharist at Mass. Who needs a ‘power-bar’ when you’ve got Jesus!?

 I seldom venture to write a new text on my own when I compose sacred music. Using the words of scripture, or of the saints, I accompany that text with music and feel the ‘authentic freedom [that] leads us to the true summit of our vocation as human beings.’ The same idea has applied to my prayer life: taking the example of those who have gone before me, I use that to grow into authentic freedom of expression in my own personal devotion. By studying holy examples, my own spirituality is better formed. I can even take the words our Savior himself taught us, knowing with absolute certainty that when I say, “Our Father…” those words do me good.

How can a person know with such certainty the goodness of their words? We’re human— at some point or another we will utter something foolish. We do not know with certainty that all our words and deeds are truly 'good.' We do know that Jesus Christ is good, and he is made present on the altar at Mass. We can always go to him and trust in his saving help. That is one of the reflections I ponder as I look back on my studies— just like the times I went to my trusted teachers for help, we can say to Jesus, “here is my weakness, help me.” We can rely on him and his goodness, and he will ’feed’ us. When we are hungry, we eat and are nourished. Eventually, we grow hungry and need to eat again. Jesus says “I am bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:35)

I think one of the hidden benefits of being involved in church music, is that the 'good news' (gospel) I just referenced is a part of our vernacular in sacred music: we sing these words of scripture over and over again. I know with certainty that the words of scripture are a positive source of wisdom and encouragement for me. I can rely on those texts to feed me in a certain sense, and build me up with the recitation in practice and performance. How could a person devote their time to singing scripture from sacred music sources and remain unchanged? I don't think it could be so (without a great deal of avoidance on the part of the individual anyhow), for the Gospel has cultivated change within man since the very beginning; it demands transformation. That's all a 'happy accident' of doing no more than showing up at your church choir rehearsal on a weeknight, and coming again to Mass on Sunday to offer in performance what you have practiced. Then it takes on another posture: that of prayer. If I sing scripture in the context of worship, I am wrapped up in a sacred atmosphere that is focused on Jesus, looking to him who constantly keeps his loving gaze upon us. The words of scripture turn us to God so that we can understand him by what he has done and all that he has promised.

Are you considering joining your parish's music ministry? Do it. Not because you'll be happy, (you will be!) or because you will be fulfilled by the musical rigor of the rehearsal process: Do it because it will make you a better Christian. It will expose you to more of God's word and surround you in an environment of people who are all gaining the perspective that scripture brings, especially in a liturgical context. That's a recipe for God's goodness to flourish! By our constant encounter with Christ in scripture, the church musician is 'well-fed' by the Word. That Word is a good thing for us to ponder often; and do we ever need more of that today... for goodness' sake.

-McChoir