Joy of Music

Joy of Music
Voice in the desert

Those who want to sing well ought to learn from one who shouts – the voice in the dessert. The voice of St. John the Baptist.

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight”

St. John the Baptist is a great model for Catholic musicians. He lived his life paving the way for Christ, pointing others to him and never selfishly keeping his followers from the Messiah. (Jn 1:36) Christ was first and foremost in his life.

St. John made clear the contrast between Christ and himself when he said in LK 3:16 “….As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandal”. On the surface, this statement declares the state of Christ’s kingship and how unworthy we are before His majesty of splendor.

However, if you reflect deeper, juxtaposed to this contrast was a solemn prophecy that he was to share in the sufferings of Christ (probably unbeknown to him). Since Christ was rejected and put to death for speaking the whole and fuller truth, how then can St. John who is the servant outdo Christ by escaping suffering and death?

This declaration of unworthiness and similarities was then later echoed by St. Peter the Apostle in Rome, when he requested to be crucified upside down for he sees himself unworthy of the glorious death of his Lord and Master.

A Christian can never suffer more than Christ (unworthiness) BUT at the same time shares in the sufferings of Christ brought about by the living and proclamation of truth (similarities), for God’s ways are not the ways of the world.

In proclaiming the truth, the Baptist spoke with great passion and conviction. He was despised for it. There were some who perceived his message as intimidation and intimidation turned into hostility.

Christ’s response to this is not in any way consoling. Jn 15:20 “Remember what I have told you: The servant is not greater than his master; If they persecute me and they will persecute you too. Have they kept my teaching? Will they then keep yours too?” and Jn 15:18 “If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you”

But what could be so intimidating about the truth? Should not truth be liberating? Was the sense of intimidation from without (the bare truth spoken with passion and conviction) OR from within (the unwillingness to repent and open to goodness due to the comfort zone of ill leaving)?

Herod and herodias were displeased with the truth they heard and were offended. Was John the Baptist offensive? Or rather, the pride of Herod made it difficult for him to accept the truth, remained unrepentant, hence the intimidation was self inflicted from within – an insecure self filled with pride so perverse which in turn manifested into hostility and hence the decapitation of the saint.

What has all this got to do with the joy of music?!

True joy comes from within, expressed through the elements from without. When we are joyful, we express it in the way we live our lives. Unfortunately, many are searching for joy in all the wrong places. We look for the superficial externals and everything without in search of a “joy” which can never satiate. The human is far too anxious and impatient and settles for the easiest solution of instant gratification.

This attitude has crept into all aspects of human living including music used for liturgy. We look for catchy tunes and rhythm as a source of “joy”, a feel good factor. These are merely superficial external aspects, which in itself, is not a bad thing. The problem lies in using it as a yardstick to measure appropriateness on the usage and quality of liturgical music simply because it arouse in us a “feel good” feeling.

This is a very shallow approach which inevitably creates a false pretense or façade, a “masquerading” of the truth.

The joy of music then, is the experience of expressing the realities of what lies within through the internal as well as the external aspects of music. As far as the liturgy is concerned, music should help reveal, sustain, prolong, focus and stimulate what already IS, which is found in the sacred mysteries which we celebrate in the mass. Music should help express a reality in which words alone can not. As such, liturgical music is very much sacramental in nature.

For example, when we sing a communion chant, antiphon or hymn, we should express and reflect the nature of the communion procession in our music and not recreate an entirely different atmosphere from that of a communion procession just because one is tempted by the external feel good factor of catchy tunes and rhythm.

The internal aspects of music can be classified as below:

a) Compositional depth (intent, content, structure, feature, form, motive, harmony, tonal colour, interpretative potential, and imagination etc)
b) Interpretation (technique, musical ability and musical awareness/knowledge)
c) Suitability of usage (whether for liturgy, devotional, praise and worship etc)

*** Catchy tunes and rhythm lacks the necessary qualities to express and reflect the sense of sacredness and solemnity of the mass. On the contrary, we must take into consideration appropriate tunes and rhythm when we select hymns as they do play an important role in reflecting the sacredness and solemnity of the mass and seasons of the liturgy.

Thus, all efforts should be made in selecting...

- appropriate music ( (a)compositional depth and (c)suitability of usage),
- with appropriate melodic (tune) and rhythmic motive (external aspects)
- and executing ( (b)interpretation)

...it in such a way that invites people to prayer, lifting one’s mind and heart to God, transcending the soul to higher and heavenly things. In so doing, the joy comes from the experience (and not the feel good factors of catchy upbeat tunes and rhythm) of music as a transporter as well as a galvanizing material of the senses, mind and soul to bring deeper meaning and flight to prayer.

To explain further: Anybody would be attracted by catchy tunes and rhythm and react accordingly. Play a rumba beat and instantaneously you will feel like dancing. Put up a performance-like music and people would be compelled to clap. There is a cause and effect relationship at play.

This sort of attraction is merely superficial and brings about the kind of feel good sensual excitement, an inebriation which often excludes the mind and the heart and contradictory to the spirit of the liturgy.

Sadly, in these times, such music is played and used for liturgy, thus shifting the role of music as a tool to facilitate prayer to a performance and a feel good self gratification experience. Music in the liturgy must never be a means in itself.

The performance-like manner of playing music for liturgy decays the “quality” of worship; just as poor and bad playing of liturgical music do, although it (decadence of quality due to music) does not in any way alter the unseen realities which take place during mass. On the other hand, good liturgical music fosters unity in heart and mind of the faithful and gathers them in active participation in the liturgy, consistent with the spirit of the liturgy for the glory of God and the sanctification of men.

Another error is the common attitude amongst some church musicians in measuring the attendance of the congregation based on how “good” the music is. This is damaging to the growth of the faith. This attitude stems from a poor understanding of the liturgy and the role of music in the liturgy, and sometimes due to the pride on the part of the musician.

From this attitude, comes a different point of departure as they (the musicians) promulgate the idea that music should be lively (catchy tune and rhythm) and “modern” so as to attract people to worship and participate in the mass. They are missing the point. It should not be about them and certainly not to seek the approval of the listeners. It is about Christ.

Thus, when we are at the center of it all, Christ’s role diminishes.

Therefore, I would like to encourage you to take the stand of St.John the Baptist: “Christ must increase while I must decrease” Jn 3:30

Our role is to foster an atmosphere of prayer and sacred piety through good liturgical music.

A vibrant church is not a church who reacts with claps, sings and tapping of feet to sensual music, and gets excited with the external feel good factors and then only to find themselves empty when the music is no more.

Rather, a vibrant church is one who sings her prayers, responds with conviction (both verbally and bodily gestures) in the parts pertaining to them in the liturgy, and a church who has a deep sense of being church – rooted in the teachings of the magisterium, understanding the Spirit of the liturgy, awareness of the sacred and an acute sense of Divine life ever present and active in the liturgy. The vibrant church is a church who then, after mass, spreads the fruits and merits of the mass to the world bringing with them hastily the message of the gospel.

The action of music should align our minds, hearts and souls with God and our faith. It should never be allowed to derail us out of alignment. The problem here lies in mistaking the counterfeit for the real thing and the challenge is to identify it and realign ourselves with God in the holy sacrifice of the mass.

From my own personal experience, this is a process of conversion of the heart; a process that will never end. I am still very much on this never ending journey towards a continuous conversion. Yes, it is very, very challenging and difficult. However, despite it all, I feel that this journey is best enjoyed when we submit ourselves in total humility to the workings of the Holy Spirit. But this is where we as humans find that we falter, every now and then.

Many are too comfortable in their comfort zones of looking for the next emotional high. Any effort to liberate us from this state is perceived as a “joy” killer and an intimidation – and occasionally it motions to hostility.

The feel good factor is a tricky one. Everybody wants to feel good but….. how?

“How do we feel good” should be the primordial question and NOT “How good do we feel”?

It is precisely Christ himself who is the answer to this question. We ought to put Christ back into our music and into our lives. He is the source of JOY in which can be found from within for he said in Jn 15:4-5 “…Live in me as I live in you…As long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit”

Dear musicians, we ought to allow ourselves to be submerged into the “Jordan”, embracing change and new life. Let us not be like Herod and the Herods of this world, focusing on what is without when the answer lies within.

When we sing the TRUTH and sing it truthfully, rest assured we will experience the Joy of Music – from within and flows without. Ours is the voice in the desert, paving the way for Christ. This means that we will have to thrust against the grains of society and like John the Baptist, persecution will accompany us in this journey. But take heart and take courage since in our unworthiness we share in the similarities of Christ’s suffering.

A life void of suffering is a void life. For those who suffer and die in Christ will be glorified and raised on the last day.

Perhaps this is how we take solace in the seemingly inconsolable “condemnation” of: “If they persecute me and they will persecute you too” and “If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you”

We should take pains to cultivate this awareness to create a conducive, authentic and yet a vibrant climate for worship but first, it begins with us musicians – from within.

Dare we take this challenge lest to never discover the true joy of music.

O holy God, grant that we may do well in giving you praise through our art of music and song. Ever conform and convert us with your Spirit so that through our ministry, we may pave the way for your only begotten Son. Lord Jesus, reign in our hearts so that we may sing praises fit for a King like you. St. John the Baptist, the first martyr, pray and intercede for us for the courage to be convicted and passionate as you are, for the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen