Today's Word:
Deuteronomy 26:16-19 (God makes his covenant with the Israelites)
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 (Oh, that I might be firm in keeping the law of the Lord)
Matthew 5:43-48 ("Love your enemies...be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.")
From "the news":
ORANGEBURG, SC–Solid Snake, tactical-espionage expert, questioned the nature of the universe Monday when, moments after his eleventh death in two hours, a cruel God forced him to "Continue" his earthly toil and suffering.
"Is this all there is?" asked Snake, hiding in a storage locker while two masked guards searched for him in the hold of a cargo ship. "Is this why I was created? To suffer? Will I ever escape this endless loop of grueling labor followed by violent death?"
Snake was then discovered by the guards and cut down in a hail of gunfire.
Snake, who has been fatally shot 2,143 times in the past six months, said he does not know why God deems it necessary for him to endlessly repeat his mission, which involves sneaking aboard a hijacked military ship and discovering who stole the walking nuclear-equipped battle tank known as Metal Gear Ray.
"Why will the Lord not grant me my final rest?" asked a reincarnated Snake, crawling underneath a lifeboat on the ship's weather deck. "Certainly there must be a greater purpose for me than to kill dozens and eventually be killed myself."
Added Snake: "As Goethe said, 'Man must strive, and in striving he must err.'"
"I often wonder, as many do, whether God forces me to Continue to punish me for my sins," Snake said. "After all, I've deserted the American military, killed hundreds of guards, and betrayed my would-be lover, Meryl Silverburgh, by submitting to torture. But sometimes, like when I suicidally attack dozens of armed guards with only my bare hands, it seems that God is putting me through hell merely to amuse Himself. It just doesn't make sense."
According to Rev. Paul Flessing of Yale University's Divinity School, Snake's theosophical quandary is far from uncommon.
"We all wrestle with the Big Questions about the will of God and one's place in Creation," Flessing said. "But the important thing is to have faith and try to find meaning in one's life–or lives, as the case may be. We must remember the trials of Job, whose faith God continually tested. It seems Snake is going through something very much like that, with this constant pattern of 'Continues.' The purpose will become clear to him in the end."
Sidling along a companionway toward the ship's lounge, Snake considered his ultimate fate.
"What awaits me at the end of my lives' journeys?" Snake asked. "Is there a Paradise on the other side?"
The hallway then filled with nerve gas, fatally asphyxiating Snake.
(Edited from source: www.theonion.com/content/node/28288)
I deliberately withheld the source of this story until the end. I wonder how long it took you before you understood this story is just that - a farce, set as the news of the day.
I also wonder if you - as I did when I ran across a printout of the story taped to the door of a co-worker's office - could in some way identify with the helpless video game character, Snake.
Do our lives at times resemble that of a hamster on a wheel? Aren't there occasions when even the most devout among us question whether or or not our experiences are some sort of cruel divine joke?
Sure there are. In the wake of my personal firestorm, I entertained that concept. I saw myself tainted. I thought of the estranged apostle Judas, the betrayer. Okay, if you follow the theological storyline in the Gospels it becomes readily apparent that those out to get Jesus would have done so eventually without Judas' betrayal. Still, I find myself taking pity on him. I can make a stretch and even at times identify with him, sad as it seems.
Some will immediately dismiss those thoughts as temptation. Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. Remember Snake's quoting Goethe? We don't succeed without failure. We don't support without denial. We don't protect without betrayal. We don't love without indifference or hatred, because that's how we manage to define things. Oh that I could transform my family and I and instantly remove us to that Promised Land! But it's within my ability to make the here and now an image of that vision. I will keep trying, even should I lose count of my 'mini-lives' lost. I will live life; have faith, believe, and hope...that...there's....
No better place on earth
Than the road that leads to heaven
No other place I'd rather be
No better place on earth
Than the road that leads to heaven
No better place to be
Well I know this road
Has a final destination
But I also know
That if we're only looking for the prize that's waiting
We'll miss so much along the way
'Cause Jesus came to give us life in the here and now
(Here and now!!)
And to show us that there's...
Chorus:
No better place on earth
Than the road that leads to heaven
No other place I'd rather be
No better place on earth
Than the road that leads to heaven
No better place to be
I know this path we travel along
Is very straight and narrow
But I've looked down other roads along the way
And from all I've seen I can say without a doubt there's...
(Repeat Chorus ad infinitum)
--No Better Place (1990)
Steven Curtis Chapman
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Impressions
Today's Word:
Ezekiel 18:21-28 (Is it God's way that's unfair, or rather, are the ways of man unfair?)
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 (If the Lord marks iniquities, who can stand?)
Matthew 5:20-26 (First be reconciled to one another, then bring your offering to the altar of God)
Let's start the day off with a song, shall we?
I was eight years old
When I decided to follow Jesus
I started down that road
Somebody told me that
This path that leads to Heaven
Will not be the easy way
Well I found that, too...
I found that to be true
But I also found,
Yes, I also found...
(Does anybody want to know what I found?)
I found out there's...
Okay, enough of the singing for now. We'll come back to this later, but not today.
You want to know just what I found?
Well, when I was about eight years old, I kinda decided that following Jesus was something you were supposed to do. I was a student in a Catholic elementary school; the good Religious Sisters of Mercy as well as my parents and my grandmother (mentioned a couple of days ago) all wanted it that way. My life as a Christian kid was more like the John Powers novels The Last Catholic In America and Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? In short, they were more or less normal. There was the stigma of being among only three families in my sixty-five home subdivision that attended a parochial school. There was still the buzz that Catholic kids shouldn't hang out with “publics” because, all too often, they led to near occasions of sin.
At age eight, the last of my siblings had been born, and the first of my uncle's and aunt's brood was about to be born. I was the first born of the generation. In those days, the days when Mass was still prayed in Latin, there was also the unwritten hope, supported by Old Testament theology, that the firstborn was to be “consecrated to the Lord.” If you were male, that meant the priesthood. If you were female, that indicated life as a nun.
Good Catholic that my grandmother was, from the time I made my First Holy Communion until I was out of school she would drop hints that I should consider entering the seminary at the appropriate time. That was her duty. I think it stopped when she realized that there was literally no way it could be afforded, even if I had expressed an interest to do so. But her impression of all those years of suggestion never quite left me.
I really had no idea what I was going to do with my life. If I had thought then I'd be writing all this out now for anyone to read, I would have been ready for the mental institution that was four miles away from home. I really didn't have a career goal until the last days of high school.
I had wanted to get into music or theater. Those things attracted me, and I discovered I was good at music. But I was the oldest of six children, it was hard to arrange schedules to manage anything, money always seemed to be tight in the family. My father left me with the impression that this was too shaky a career. He was a salesman for office equipment and worked on commission. Now that was shaky to me. It was revealed to me many years after childhood that my grandmother had to assist Dad financially one year to get the tuitions paid and to have some semblance of a 'normal' Christmas holiday. Not too long after that, we transferred to public schools, and as my baby brother was finally in school, Mom landed a job as a school bus driver.
When I was in junior high school I had the opportunity to be part of a large music concert that was put on locally. One of the pieces in the program utilized a children's choir selected from the five junior high schools in the district. Being selected for that event 42 years ago changed my life forever. It was there I met the choir director of one of the district's two high schools, who also happened to volunteer his talent to the local parish and directed that choir. It happened that this was the same parish my parents attended, the one with the school where I'd spent six years being educated.
Somehow in the process of learning who we were, Charles, the director, made the connection between me and the kid who was part of that children's choir. Perhaps it was because I wasn't afraid to sing when the hymns were played at Mass. I really don't recall. But Charles found me two years later and asked me if I would be willing to join the parish choir. I did, and I never looked back.
I would never be the same again.
Even though I walked in the valley of the shadow of not knowing what I wanted to do, I had willingly put my foot in the door of ministry – though it wasn't generally called that at the time. I started paying more attention to what was being preached. In addition, I was praised for my ability to sight read well and had nearly perfect pitch. God was indeed with me, but not in the way I saw him at the time. And my grandmother's impressions were still in my mind. Maybe not as a priest; but as a respected and important part of the Church. I had to learn more, and it seemed in childlike innocence that the Church knew all there was to know about following Jesus on the road that leads to Heaven. This is what I wanted; everything else would come naturally. I was an intelligent kid, I could do this.
But every journey towards the Promised Land must come to the outskirts of Calvary. That part of my story is yet to be told. Ultimately I managed to find God in the manner He wanted; but what it cost me as well as those nearest and dearest to my heart, I wish I could have undone sooner.
Good God, forgive me of the crass stupidity of my mind. I realize I was destined for what happened because I didn't understand, nor was I willing to listen to anyone other than my inner talking self.
I have come over time to forgive myself, and I am doing my best to seek forgiveness from those I hurt through lack of reason.
Yet in all of this there's....
No better place on earth
Than the road that leads to heaven...
Thursday, March 5, 2009
A Prayer
Today's Word:
Esther "C":12, 14-16, 23-25 (Queen Esther's prayer for guidance)
Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 (On the day I called for help, Lord, You answered me)
Matthew 7:7-12 (Ask and you shall receive...; Do unto others as you would have them do unto you)
(NOTE: The passage from the book of Esther is found only in the Apocrypha. To read it online, go to www.usccb.org/nab/readings/030509.shtml.)
Lord God,
You are present to all who call upon you with sincerity of heart.
Help me to remember that you are also present in every living thing.
Help me to be compassionate, and not just practical;
as your compassion goes beyond all practicality.
Guide me in setting my true priorities,
not what I think they should be.
Let me not dwell on the past or any other insignificance,
other than to let me learn and grow from my errors in thought and action.
Help me to reflect an image of your perfect love,
as you have given me such an image to live beside me in this life.
Let me see You in those eyes,
that I might better participate in my life's vocation.
Let not the meditations of my mind, my heart, and my soul
take me away from the joy you make present through my family;
rather, may it serve You in giving myself totally
to those entrusted to my love and care.
As Jesus offered Himself out of love,
may I do so in the way meaningful to my station in life.
In His name I pray; Help me, O Lord my God.
...Amen.
Esther "C":12, 14-16, 23-25 (Queen Esther's prayer for guidance)
Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 (On the day I called for help, Lord, You answered me)
Matthew 7:7-12 (Ask and you shall receive...; Do unto others as you would have them do unto you)
(NOTE: The passage from the book of Esther is found only in the Apocrypha. To read it online, go to www.usccb.org/nab/readings/030509.shtml.)
Lord God,
You are present to all who call upon you with sincerity of heart.
Help me to remember that you are also present in every living thing.
Help me to be compassionate, and not just practical;
as your compassion goes beyond all practicality.
Guide me in setting my true priorities,
not what I think they should be.
Let me not dwell on the past or any other insignificance,
other than to let me learn and grow from my errors in thought and action.
Help me to reflect an image of your perfect love,
as you have given me such an image to live beside me in this life.
Let me see You in those eyes,
that I might better participate in my life's vocation.
Let not the meditations of my mind, my heart, and my soul
take me away from the joy you make present through my family;
rather, may it serve You in giving myself totally
to those entrusted to my love and care.
As Jesus offered Himself out of love,
may I do so in the way meaningful to my station in life.
In His name I pray; Help me, O Lord my God.
...Amen.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Signs
Today's Word:
Jonah 3:1-10 (Jonah brings the Lord's message to the people of Nineveh; they repent and are spared)
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 (God will not spurn a humble and contrite heart)
Luke 11:29-32 (The men of Nineveh will condemn the present generation, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, yet one greater than Jonah is now present)
Sign on a bumper sticker I saw recently: Faith is a journey - not a guilt trip.
Indeed.
Yet we make mistakes. We often learn of them the hard way. Still further, we come to realize how our mistakes - even the innocent ones - have impacted the lives of others. Still, being humble and contrite of heart (Psalm 51:18) does not mean we have to constantly live through the guilt and embarrassment. We should strive to move forward. Many times it's not easy. The messes we live through as a result of our mistakes are constant reminders of the guilt we bear. If we dwell on the guilt, we lose an opportunity for growth.
Along these lines, one of the churches I attend (the one I bring my son to) recently began the 13-week Financial Peace University seminars. The program was developed by financial counselor Dave Ramsey. My son saw this as an event because there was a lot of publicity about it in the weeks before the course started. Well, one thing led to another, and at present I am reading one of Ramsey's books, as well as watching his television show on the Fox Business Network at least two nights a week (he's on daily). We think we may invest in the course material and work on this ourselves, as I'm admittedly not the greatest when it comes to financial planning and management.
------------------
My dear wife ran across a series of "Depression Era Cooking" video clips on YouTube in the last day or so. They feature an elderly Italian woman that my wife says reminds her of my grandmother, who passed away four years ago this month. That, and another few clips of other Italian cooking, set my mind to thinking about my grandmother's influence. For Valentine's Day my wife bought me a Sicilian baseball cap. Is the discovery of this stuff some sort of suggestion that there's a lack of ethnicity in the house? (My wife's of Irish ancestry, and I'm part Italian.) Don't know. Is it more a subtle reminder that she's still in my life and as such, that I should pray God is looking after her? Probably. I'm also willing to bet this is supposed to remind me to continue to keep tabs on my family's and my parents' well-being, too.
-------------------
As I was watching those same videos at home yesterday evening, I noticed there was something unusual looking about one of the rings I was wearing. It was a Celtic knotwork design on sterling silver that my wife and I had bought about our 20th wedding anniversary, not quite eight years ago. These weren't all that expensive, we each had one. My wife had lost hers some time ago when it went down the tub drain while showering. Mine had split down what appears to have been a flaw in the material when the ring was cast and manufactured.
We both had a bit of a laugh as we determined that this is a sign we have to get married again.
What do all these have to do with Lent? Everything. Life goes on. Just because you take a month or so to look at your spiritual life doesn't exclude you from the rest of it. While I'm on this plane of existence, the two are intertwined. All life has meaning. All we do on earth might crumble to pieces as dust in the wind, but while we hold it, still has a connection to God.
Jonah 3:1-10 (Jonah brings the Lord's message to the people of Nineveh; they repent and are spared)
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 (God will not spurn a humble and contrite heart)
Luke 11:29-32 (The men of Nineveh will condemn the present generation, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, yet one greater than Jonah is now present)
Sign on a bumper sticker I saw recently: Faith is a journey - not a guilt trip.
Indeed.
Yet we make mistakes. We often learn of them the hard way. Still further, we come to realize how our mistakes - even the innocent ones - have impacted the lives of others. Still, being humble and contrite of heart (Psalm 51:18) does not mean we have to constantly live through the guilt and embarrassment. We should strive to move forward. Many times it's not easy. The messes we live through as a result of our mistakes are constant reminders of the guilt we bear. If we dwell on the guilt, we lose an opportunity for growth.
Along these lines, one of the churches I attend (the one I bring my son to) recently began the 13-week Financial Peace University seminars. The program was developed by financial counselor Dave Ramsey. My son saw this as an event because there was a lot of publicity about it in the weeks before the course started. Well, one thing led to another, and at present I am reading one of Ramsey's books, as well as watching his television show on the Fox Business Network at least two nights a week (he's on daily). We think we may invest in the course material and work on this ourselves, as I'm admittedly not the greatest when it comes to financial planning and management.
------------------
My dear wife ran across a series of "Depression Era Cooking" video clips on YouTube in the last day or so. They feature an elderly Italian woman that my wife says reminds her of my grandmother, who passed away four years ago this month. That, and another few clips of other Italian cooking, set my mind to thinking about my grandmother's influence. For Valentine's Day my wife bought me a Sicilian baseball cap. Is the discovery of this stuff some sort of suggestion that there's a lack of ethnicity in the house? (My wife's of Irish ancestry, and I'm part Italian.) Don't know. Is it more a subtle reminder that she's still in my life and as such, that I should pray God is looking after her? Probably. I'm also willing to bet this is supposed to remind me to continue to keep tabs on my family's and my parents' well-being, too.
-------------------
As I was watching those same videos at home yesterday evening, I noticed there was something unusual looking about one of the rings I was wearing. It was a Celtic knotwork design on sterling silver that my wife and I had bought about our 20th wedding anniversary, not quite eight years ago. These weren't all that expensive, we each had one. My wife had lost hers some time ago when it went down the tub drain while showering. Mine had split down what appears to have been a flaw in the material when the ring was cast and manufactured.
We both had a bit of a laugh as we determined that this is a sign we have to get married again.
What do all these have to do with Lent? Everything. Life goes on. Just because you take a month or so to look at your spiritual life doesn't exclude you from the rest of it. While I'm on this plane of existence, the two are intertwined. All life has meaning. All we do on earth might crumble to pieces as dust in the wind, but while we hold it, still has a connection to God.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Sound of Silence, Revisited
March 3, 2009
Today's Word:
Isaiah 55:10-11 (God's Word shall do His will)
Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 (God rescues the just from all their distress)
Matthew 6:7-15 (The Lord's Prayer)
The choir director of the Catholic parish I serve came to me before the Mass this past Saturday and told me that she couldn't play any preludes (instrumental pieces) during Lent. She said this came from a church document that, in her words, had 'been around awhile.'
Today I did a little research, and I found the document that supports what she said.
The 1967 instruction on liturgical music, "Musicam Sacram," addresses the question of the use of the organ and other instruments in paragraphs 62-67. First it says that "the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument that adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up the spirit to God and to higher things."
Okay, I can buy that, at least for the moment. Catholicism represents more conservative tradition than liberal innovation, so this makes sense.
"But other instruments also may be admitted for use in divine worship, with the knowledge and consent of the competent territorial authority. ... This may be done, however, only on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, are in accord with the dignity of the place of worship, and truly contribute to the uplifting of the faithful.
"One criterion for accepting and using musical instruments is the genius and tradition of the particular peoples. At the same time, however, instruments that are generally associated and used only with worldly music are to be absolutely barred from liturgical services and religious devotions. All musical instruments accepted for divine worship must be played in such a way as to meet the requirements of a liturgical service and to contribute to the beauty of worship and the building up of the faithful." (Emphasis mine)
That's pretty loaded. Funny thing is, a musical instrument is a neutral sort of thing. Whether or not it is 'worldly' is largely determined by who is playing it and what music is being played. If a bunch of kids were to play "Amazing Grace" on kazoos and did it well, it would more than likely be uplifting. On the other hand, a crass arrangement of any piece of sacred music would make the church take on the ambiance of the Pelican Lounge, regardless of how much you tried to justify it. Music is pretty subjective; what is one person's pleasure is another's anathema; priest or peon.
"Musical instruments as the accompaniment for singing have the power to support the voice, to facilitate participation, and to intensify the unity of the worshiping assembly. But their playing is not to drown out the voice so that the texts cannot be easily heard. Instruments are to be silent during any part sung by the priest or ministers by reason of their function."
OK. Now we tell all the really good organists to ease up on the gas pedal. No wonder my friend Mike had so much trouble trying to deal with accompanying Catholic liturgy. Oh, well...Bach was Lutheran, anyway.
"Solo playing (of the organ or other approved instruments) is allowed at the beginning of Mass, prior to the priest's reaching the altar, at the presentation of the gifts, at the communion, and at the end of Mass.
"Solo playing of musical instruments is forbidden during Advent, Lent, the Easter triduum, and at services and Masses for the dead." (Emphasis mine)
There you have it. She's right. Of course, this gets muddied by the definition of the "forty" days of Lent (see my 'Doing the Math' post).
The thing that gets me about this is that a Church that touts preserving tradition (when it fits the business model, aka when convenient) rejects a large body of traditional sacred music written for the Lenten season, and for what? Austere, pristene silence? Get a life, guys. I have to remind people before each Mass that they need to silence their cell phones, and at least one will miss the announcement and get a call in the middle of Mass. The silence before Mass is relative at best. The sounds of people just moving is a distraction, let alone the fellowship (aka talking) that goes on as people come and go. You want silence? Soundproof the reconciliation rooms (confessionals) and sit there for ten minutes. Or become Quaker.
Okay, I'm a little irritated; but I'll get over it. There's almost always a song playing in my head, and I'm not afraid to meditate on it.
Update at 2:15 PM CST, 3/3/09:
It came to my attention that the two most sacred of musical instruments are: 1) the human voice and 2) the pipe organ (wind variety; the electronics of the present era substitute in the human ear to some degree but not in the audio/harmonic spectrum). I am likely misstating this to some degree, but the overall point I'm getting to is that of all the musical literature that has been developed for the Church, there are two things that have survived the tests of time and fashion. The first is plainsong chant, which was first sung by unaccompanied voice. There are several styles, but the best known is attributed to Pope (St.) Gregory the Great, and goes back about 750 years; other styles and some individual pieces go back further. The other is the literature developed for the pipe organ, and centers around the composers of the 18th Century, most notably JS Bach. There is something in the way that the voice and the organ, and the resonance that sound waves make with the human body, affect the mind, body, and spirit of the listener. If one is genuinely open (meaning all outside agendas and such are set aside), it is possible for one or the other (and sometimes both) to assist the listener into a deeper meditative state; and in so doing, encounter God in a unique way.
When taken into consideration that Jesus' sojourn in the desert was very much alone and introspective - something evident in the way the season of Lent is meant to be observed in the Catholic Church - then it is indeed appropriate that restrictions be placed on the use of enhancements through art and music. That lends itself to the removal or covering of statues or icons in Catholic churches during Lent, and the restrictions on the use of instrumental preludes or postludes to Mass. The basic idea: remove the trappings in order to get to the heart of it all.
Having said this, in the modern context it takes quite a bit to accomplish. And given the push toward more contemporary style in liturgical ambience including art and music, it is something that's languishing. Arguably, it could work either way. I'm not in a position to argue, so I shift gears from time to time.
I suppose one thing that hurts from the standpoint of my fellow musicians is that Lent is something that builds in intensity as the season progresses. As partners, we want to assist in doing that with our talents, and to be instructed not to do so is not without some pain. It is easy to forget in the moment over what comes next: the joy that knows no bounds, where all the stops are opened and the sound raises the roof a few inches.
Today's Word:
Isaiah 55:10-11 (God's Word shall do His will)
Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 (God rescues the just from all their distress)
Matthew 6:7-15 (The Lord's Prayer)
The choir director of the Catholic parish I serve came to me before the Mass this past Saturday and told me that she couldn't play any preludes (instrumental pieces) during Lent. She said this came from a church document that, in her words, had 'been around awhile.'
Today I did a little research, and I found the document that supports what she said.
The 1967 instruction on liturgical music, "Musicam Sacram," addresses the question of the use of the organ and other instruments in paragraphs 62-67. First it says that "the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument that adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up the spirit to God and to higher things."
Okay, I can buy that, at least for the moment. Catholicism represents more conservative tradition than liberal innovation, so this makes sense.
"But other instruments also may be admitted for use in divine worship, with the knowledge and consent of the competent territorial authority. ... This may be done, however, only on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, are in accord with the dignity of the place of worship, and truly contribute to the uplifting of the faithful.
"One criterion for accepting and using musical instruments is the genius and tradition of the particular peoples. At the same time, however, instruments that are generally associated and used only with worldly music are to be absolutely barred from liturgical services and religious devotions. All musical instruments accepted for divine worship must be played in such a way as to meet the requirements of a liturgical service and to contribute to the beauty of worship and the building up of the faithful." (Emphasis mine)
That's pretty loaded. Funny thing is, a musical instrument is a neutral sort of thing. Whether or not it is 'worldly' is largely determined by who is playing it and what music is being played. If a bunch of kids were to play "Amazing Grace" on kazoos and did it well, it would more than likely be uplifting. On the other hand, a crass arrangement of any piece of sacred music would make the church take on the ambiance of the Pelican Lounge, regardless of how much you tried to justify it. Music is pretty subjective; what is one person's pleasure is another's anathema; priest or peon.
"Musical instruments as the accompaniment for singing have the power to support the voice, to facilitate participation, and to intensify the unity of the worshiping assembly. But their playing is not to drown out the voice so that the texts cannot be easily heard. Instruments are to be silent during any part sung by the priest or ministers by reason of their function."
OK. Now we tell all the really good organists to ease up on the gas pedal. No wonder my friend Mike had so much trouble trying to deal with accompanying Catholic liturgy. Oh, well...Bach was Lutheran, anyway.
"Solo playing (of the organ or other approved instruments) is allowed at the beginning of Mass, prior to the priest's reaching the altar, at the presentation of the gifts, at the communion, and at the end of Mass.
"Solo playing of musical instruments is forbidden during Advent, Lent, the Easter triduum, and at services and Masses for the dead." (Emphasis mine)
There you have it. She's right. Of course, this gets muddied by the definition of the "forty" days of Lent (see my 'Doing the Math' post).
The thing that gets me about this is that a Church that touts preserving tradition (when it fits the business model, aka when convenient) rejects a large body of traditional sacred music written for the Lenten season, and for what? Austere, pristene silence? Get a life, guys. I have to remind people before each Mass that they need to silence their cell phones, and at least one will miss the announcement and get a call in the middle of Mass. The silence before Mass is relative at best. The sounds of people just moving is a distraction, let alone the fellowship (aka talking) that goes on as people come and go. You want silence? Soundproof the reconciliation rooms (confessionals) and sit there for ten minutes. Or become Quaker.
Okay, I'm a little irritated; but I'll get over it. There's almost always a song playing in my head, and I'm not afraid to meditate on it.
Update at 2:15 PM CST, 3/3/09:
It came to my attention that the two most sacred of musical instruments are: 1) the human voice and 2) the pipe organ (wind variety; the electronics of the present era substitute in the human ear to some degree but not in the audio/harmonic spectrum). I am likely misstating this to some degree, but the overall point I'm getting to is that of all the musical literature that has been developed for the Church, there are two things that have survived the tests of time and fashion. The first is plainsong chant, which was first sung by unaccompanied voice. There are several styles, but the best known is attributed to Pope (St.) Gregory the Great, and goes back about 750 years; other styles and some individual pieces go back further. The other is the literature developed for the pipe organ, and centers around the composers of the 18th Century, most notably JS Bach. There is something in the way that the voice and the organ, and the resonance that sound waves make with the human body, affect the mind, body, and spirit of the listener. If one is genuinely open (meaning all outside agendas and such are set aside), it is possible for one or the other (and sometimes both) to assist the listener into a deeper meditative state; and in so doing, encounter God in a unique way.
When taken into consideration that Jesus' sojourn in the desert was very much alone and introspective - something evident in the way the season of Lent is meant to be observed in the Catholic Church - then it is indeed appropriate that restrictions be placed on the use of enhancements through art and music. That lends itself to the removal or covering of statues or icons in Catholic churches during Lent, and the restrictions on the use of instrumental preludes or postludes to Mass. The basic idea: remove the trappings in order to get to the heart of it all.
Having said this, in the modern context it takes quite a bit to accomplish. And given the push toward more contemporary style in liturgical ambience including art and music, it is something that's languishing. Arguably, it could work either way. I'm not in a position to argue, so I shift gears from time to time.
I suppose one thing that hurts from the standpoint of my fellow musicians is that Lent is something that builds in intensity as the season progresses. As partners, we want to assist in doing that with our talents, and to be instructed not to do so is not without some pain. It is easy to forget in the moment over what comes next: the joy that knows no bounds, where all the stops are opened and the sound raises the roof a few inches.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Weekend Update
March 2, 2009
Today's Word:
Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 (Act with honesty, integrity, and compassion)
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 (Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life)
Matthew 25:31-46 (Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto Me)
(Note: The word "Lord" occurs eighteen times in today's first two readings, but not once in the Gospel)
Sometimes, just the slightest bit of unexpected events, good or bad, is enough to throw you off your game.
Maybe it was something in the cold, last-of-February air that kept me from focus. Maybe it's my age. I rather doubt it, though.
Surprise #1: I finally get my account set up for the electronic filing of my income tax return. I'd been trying since Wednesday, and kept getting an 'unable to process, try again later' message. I finally qualify for free electronic filing and wanted to take advantage of it. The problem: the thing at the end of a sentence or abbreviation. Period. Nothing in the instructions said that the security question answer couldn't contain special characters!
Surprise #2: I received my service check; I wasn't expecting it for at least a week and was figuring it would be two. (I am compensated at one church for serving as a cantor, and the checks are compiled monthly.)
Surprises #3 & #4: During the Saturday evening Mass, the pastor announces that he went to the diocesan bishop to remind him that he is near his 70th birthday (apparently 70 is the age of retirement in this diocese), and was starting the process of preparing for retirement. Only that the bishop isn't ready to let him go yet - there are at least 15 other priests ahead of him, some in poor health. So the pastor's not retiring, and will remain in the parish he's managed for 14 years now "for awhile longer."
Wow! I wouldn't have taken the pastor for being 70 - I was guessing he was much closer to 60, and possibly on the younger side. I had known that he was getting close to potential replacement, but I figured that he would be assigned to another parish. Either way, this is the place where I'm compensated, and a change at the top would threaten to end that.
Now before I go further, I need to explain that compensation of pastoral musicians is a relatively new thing and not all that common. It was something I fell into eight years ago, at a time when my wife and I were concerned over making sure we didn't run into too much month at the end of the money. It was relatively easy as well, and the time commitment was manageable, so I accepted the offer.
A lot has happened in these eight years. good and not-so-good; so when I first heard that the time for decisions to be made regarding the pastor was coming up, I was trying to figure out what I would do. I was almost certain he would be replaced. Then there was the potential "honeymoon" period a new pastor would have. Presumably a new pastor wouldn't change anything for the first year of his term. Maybe. I've been around long enough to know that if the new guy's ambitious or observant enough, change can take place within that first year.
So when I heard that the pastor isn't retiring anytime soon, I wasn't sure what to think. At best it's now down to a year-to-year basis, as long as he remains in good health. It could go potentially as much as five years (the mandatory retirement age for American Catholic bishops).
There's a lot more to add to this, but I'm not quite ready to present it. I will describe it in due time, but not just yet.
What did I do? I told him this morning the truth - that I didn't take him for being near 70, more like near 60; and I will pray for his continued good health. He smiled.
I also learned Saturday night (even with my self-imposed news moratorium) of the death of legendary radio commentator Paul Harvey, at age 90. For a long time I'd go out of my way to catch his three-times daily broadcasts with his unique style and manner of presenting all kinds of news stories with just a touch of analysis. I knew his son had pretty much taken on the daily broadcasts over the last year, and I hope that continues. Paul will be missed by his counterparts in the media. His was an example few accomplish.
The coming week at work will be busy. A co-worker I assist is taking vacation, and I do some covering of her work when she's away. That itself will keep me hopping. How many times will I call on the Lord, and how many will be in earnest? I'll try and keep track.
Today's Word:
Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 (Act with honesty, integrity, and compassion)
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 (Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life)
Matthew 25:31-46 (Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto Me)
(Note: The word "Lord" occurs eighteen times in today's first two readings, but not once in the Gospel)
Sometimes, just the slightest bit of unexpected events, good or bad, is enough to throw you off your game.
Maybe it was something in the cold, last-of-February air that kept me from focus. Maybe it's my age. I rather doubt it, though.
Surprise #1: I finally get my account set up for the electronic filing of my income tax return. I'd been trying since Wednesday, and kept getting an 'unable to process, try again later' message. I finally qualify for free electronic filing and wanted to take advantage of it. The problem: the thing at the end of a sentence or abbreviation. Period. Nothing in the instructions said that the security question answer couldn't contain special characters!
Surprise #2: I received my service check; I wasn't expecting it for at least a week and was figuring it would be two. (I am compensated at one church for serving as a cantor, and the checks are compiled monthly.)
Surprises #3 & #4: During the Saturday evening Mass, the pastor announces that he went to the diocesan bishop to remind him that he is near his 70th birthday (apparently 70 is the age of retirement in this diocese), and was starting the process of preparing for retirement. Only that the bishop isn't ready to let him go yet - there are at least 15 other priests ahead of him, some in poor health. So the pastor's not retiring, and will remain in the parish he's managed for 14 years now "for awhile longer."
Wow! I wouldn't have taken the pastor for being 70 - I was guessing he was much closer to 60, and possibly on the younger side. I had known that he was getting close to potential replacement, but I figured that he would be assigned to another parish. Either way, this is the place where I'm compensated, and a change at the top would threaten to end that.
Now before I go further, I need to explain that compensation of pastoral musicians is a relatively new thing and not all that common. It was something I fell into eight years ago, at a time when my wife and I were concerned over making sure we didn't run into too much month at the end of the money. It was relatively easy as well, and the time commitment was manageable, so I accepted the offer.
A lot has happened in these eight years. good and not-so-good; so when I first heard that the time for decisions to be made regarding the pastor was coming up, I was trying to figure out what I would do. I was almost certain he would be replaced. Then there was the potential "honeymoon" period a new pastor would have. Presumably a new pastor wouldn't change anything for the first year of his term. Maybe. I've been around long enough to know that if the new guy's ambitious or observant enough, change can take place within that first year.
So when I heard that the pastor isn't retiring anytime soon, I wasn't sure what to think. At best it's now down to a year-to-year basis, as long as he remains in good health. It could go potentially as much as five years (the mandatory retirement age for American Catholic bishops).
There's a lot more to add to this, but I'm not quite ready to present it. I will describe it in due time, but not just yet.
What did I do? I told him this morning the truth - that I didn't take him for being near 70, more like near 60; and I will pray for his continued good health. He smiled.
I also learned Saturday night (even with my self-imposed news moratorium) of the death of legendary radio commentator Paul Harvey, at age 90. For a long time I'd go out of my way to catch his three-times daily broadcasts with his unique style and manner of presenting all kinds of news stories with just a touch of analysis. I knew his son had pretty much taken on the daily broadcasts over the last year, and I hope that continues. Paul will be missed by his counterparts in the media. His was an example few accomplish.
The coming week at work will be busy. A co-worker I assist is taking vacation, and I do some covering of her work when she's away. That itself will keep me hopping. How many times will I call on the Lord, and how many will be in earnest? I'll try and keep track.
We Do Not Live on Bread Alone...
...but also on fruit, vegetables, proteins, vitamins, minerals...and of course, on every word that comes from the mouth of God...a holistic, balanced physical, mental, and spiritual diet works wonders.
Today's Word:
Genesis 9:8-15 (God enters a covenant with Noah and his descendants, showing a rainbow as a sign to "never again allow the waters to become a flood to destroy all mortal beings" --emphasis mine; obviously, localized such events can and still do take lives)
Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior)
1 Peter 3:-18-22 (Peter symbolizes Noah's ark experience as the prefiguring of baptism)
Mark 1:12-15 (also Matthew 4:1-11 or Luke 4:1-13; The Temptations of Christ)
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dares
Disturb the sound of silence
'Fools!' said I, 'you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you'
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence
--The Sound of Silence (1966)
Paul Simon (recorded by Simon & Garfunkel)
Paul Simon's song seems to me a perfect fit when it comes to the subject of temptation.
Hello, darkness, my old friend...an invitation to an examination of my conscience. For it's not just those nasty things we do, but also that which we fail to do that can get us called on the proverbial carpet.
For this, we see Jesus resisting the urge to reveal himself in grandiose fashion. He won't turn stones into bread; or twist the writings of sacred scripture to fit some other agenda; or throw himself off a cliff because legions of angels would come to his rescue.
We are also given today the text from Psalm 25:5: Guide me in your truth and teach me..., a prayer that is often highly underestimated; for God's truth is often much different than reality. The previous verse has the psalmist (King David) asking God to "point out the road for me to follow." Poor me, I like reading maps. I think GPS devices are amazing. I don't actually own one, but I wouldn't refuse it if offered one or buy one if I felt the price was right. Now if God actually guided me like a GPS, I'd have it made, right?
But no, that's not how we're made. We are capable of thought and are required to do so, sometimes even before we're ready. The decisions we make often affect our future for years to come, sometimes the rest of our lives. One grand temptation is to let others do our thinking for us. I know this well; I can easily convict myself of this in a few cases. The other side of this is thinking shortsightedly; that is, without regard to whatever your "big picture" is. (Everyone's is slightly different.) I used to get tripped up on that constantly. I still have bouts with it.
I have lost count of the number of times I've heard somebody say words to the effect, "surrender your will to God's," or "let go and let God." All well and good; but when God wants you to think, how is it you can possibly surrender and yet remain a responsible person on this earth? Isn't the knowledge that God loves me as I am enough? If I am to reflect "salt and light" to others, how does it affect me in a world where there's far too much salt in the diet and we've become too sensitive to light? Don't get me wrong. I don't want to make a mountain out of an anthill. But we do this at different points in life, and when caught up in it, the mind goes blank, the words cannot come, the silence deafening and maddening.
But what happens when the source of temptation appears to come from the very last place it would be expected? What if the desire to serve God becomes counterproductive? We are all witnesses to this great paradox in some shape or form.
That's when I really could use a divine GPS; the unmistakable 'turn by turn' directions to guide me.
Oh, there's one thing wrong with that, though.
GPS systems don't necessarily take into account road closures due to construction, or one-way streets, or other such adversities.
The last thing I want to do is follow some instruction blindly, only to find myself turning the wrong way into a one-way street, with traffic bearing down on me head-on.
I have to think. I have to claim responsibility for what I ultimately do as a result.
Today's Word:
Genesis 9:8-15 (God enters a covenant with Noah and his descendants, showing a rainbow as a sign to "never again allow the waters to become a flood to destroy all mortal beings" --emphasis mine; obviously, localized such events can and still do take lives)
Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior)
1 Peter 3:-18-22 (Peter symbolizes Noah's ark experience as the prefiguring of baptism)
Mark 1:12-15 (also Matthew 4:1-11 or Luke 4:1-13; The Temptations of Christ)
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dares
Disturb the sound of silence
'Fools!' said I, 'you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you'
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence
--The Sound of Silence (1966)
Paul Simon (recorded by Simon & Garfunkel)
Paul Simon's song seems to me a perfect fit when it comes to the subject of temptation.
Hello, darkness, my old friend...an invitation to an examination of my conscience. For it's not just those nasty things we do, but also that which we fail to do that can get us called on the proverbial carpet.
For this, we see Jesus resisting the urge to reveal himself in grandiose fashion. He won't turn stones into bread; or twist the writings of sacred scripture to fit some other agenda; or throw himself off a cliff because legions of angels would come to his rescue.
We are also given today the text from Psalm 25:5: Guide me in your truth and teach me..., a prayer that is often highly underestimated; for God's truth is often much different than reality. The previous verse has the psalmist (King David) asking God to "point out the road for me to follow." Poor me, I like reading maps. I think GPS devices are amazing. I don't actually own one, but I wouldn't refuse it if offered one or buy one if I felt the price was right. Now if God actually guided me like a GPS, I'd have it made, right?
But no, that's not how we're made. We are capable of thought and are required to do so, sometimes even before we're ready. The decisions we make often affect our future for years to come, sometimes the rest of our lives. One grand temptation is to let others do our thinking for us. I know this well; I can easily convict myself of this in a few cases. The other side of this is thinking shortsightedly; that is, without regard to whatever your "big picture" is. (Everyone's is slightly different.) I used to get tripped up on that constantly. I still have bouts with it.
I have lost count of the number of times I've heard somebody say words to the effect, "surrender your will to God's," or "let go and let God." All well and good; but when God wants you to think, how is it you can possibly surrender and yet remain a responsible person on this earth? Isn't the knowledge that God loves me as I am enough? If I am to reflect "salt and light" to others, how does it affect me in a world where there's far too much salt in the diet and we've become too sensitive to light? Don't get me wrong. I don't want to make a mountain out of an anthill. But we do this at different points in life, and when caught up in it, the mind goes blank, the words cannot come, the silence deafening and maddening.
But what happens when the source of temptation appears to come from the very last place it would be expected? What if the desire to serve God becomes counterproductive? We are all witnesses to this great paradox in some shape or form.
That's when I really could use a divine GPS; the unmistakable 'turn by turn' directions to guide me.
Oh, there's one thing wrong with that, though.
GPS systems don't necessarily take into account road closures due to construction, or one-way streets, or other such adversities.
The last thing I want to do is follow some instruction blindly, only to find myself turning the wrong way into a one-way street, with traffic bearing down on me head-on.
I have to think. I have to claim responsibility for what I ultimately do as a result.
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