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True participation: Being
formed in the faith
While it might seem more than ridiculously obvious to say this, good
liturgy is important. Remember the important charge given to us years ago:
“Faith grows when it is well expressed in celebration. Good celebrations
foster and nourish faith. Poor celebrations may weaken and destroy it (Music
in Catholic Worship 6).
An important central focus of the ministry of music is its role in forming
the community in the faith. Most music ministers do not have expertise
or any background in catechesis and yet are often engaged in conflict with
the parish director of religious education and with many catechetical efforts
in the community. We must heal the wounds between catechists and liturgists/musicians.
We need to reclaim a common mission and be prophetic in working together
and in learning from each other. We need to remember the formative role
of worship and see liturgy as a journey in growing in the faith. Catechists
should respond to the challenge to think more like liturgists, in the best
sense of that word and distinction. All should embrace, value, and trust
the power of symbols (which should never be explained!), the nonverbal,
and the insights that ritual provides in shaping who we are and what we
believe. Musicians, liturgists, and catechists alike need to embark on
a deeper discovery as to how the sights, sounds, gestures, and other poetic
utterances can truly teach and sustain the deep content of our faith.
As ministers of music, we need to remember that without compelling and
integrated music, liturgy will always be in danger of something we watch,
an activity to observe. Liturgy cannot ever tolerate an audience. “Full,
conscious, and active participation” must be more than a lofty phrase that
we throw about; it should be a vision that we will defend courageously,
without reserve. We need to drive out the demons of musical “snobbishness”
that seem to be increasing in our faith communities. The so-called “style
wars” are rising to a fever pitch (just check out the many fear-driven
websites and blogs on the internet that seem more and more dedicated to
demonizing styles of music and the people who create and lead communities
in a diverse approach to repertoire). Ministers of music need to constantly
“fall in love” with the liturgy and see how music is part of this song
and prayer of love, peace, justice, forgiveness, mercy, and compassion.
We must be competent and committed to quality ritual. We need to keep developing
a storehouse of hymns, acclamations, psalms, dialogues, and other psalm
prayers that will keep the assembly at the center of our efforts and concern.
Music has to be seen as more than an appendage to ritual; it has to be
seen as the primary form in which we articulate our praise and lament —
again, to form us in the faith.
I know this always gets me in trouble when I say this, but recruiting
more musicians and members for the choir is, in my opinion, the wrong priority.
I have been to many parishes that have wonderfully large choirs, many of
which from a purely musical standpoint sound gorgeous. But often the wonderful
sound of the choir actually deters and inhibits the participation of the
gathered assembly. The sound that needs to be nurtured and affirmed and
empowered and celebrated is the sound of a musically untrained assembly,
singing
with full voice their praise and their cries, celebrating and growing in
their identity as adopted daughters and sons of the Lord. Musical aesthetics,
while certainly an important value, must always bow to the admonishment
given to us years ago by my friend Charlie Gardner: “The pastoral musician
must learn to love the sound of a singing congregation above any other
sound” (“Ten Commandments for Liturgical Musicians,” Pastoral Music
[April/May
1983]: 38).
All ministers of sung prayer are truly catechists, putting our talents,
skills, and repertoire at the service of the community to proclaim Christ
and to make this Christ known to the world. We are not called into service
to provide beautiful music. Sorry. We are called into service to ritually
sing and celebrate who we are and whose we are. ML
David Haas is director of The Emmaus Center for Music, Prayer and
Ministry and campus minister and artist in residence at Benilde-St. Margaret's
High School in St. Louis Park, Minn. As a composer, he has published and
recorded more than 35 collections of liturgical music. He is an active
author, workshop and retreat leader, pastoral musician and recording artist.
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