Lent is a special time, a privileged Liturgical Season in the Church.  It is a time to more consciously turn away from sin and "up our game," fasting, doing penance, and giving alms.

The music we do at Mass takes on a different character during Lent as well.  It - like the church decor at this time - is more austere, a little thinner in texture, and certainly takes on more of a penitent tone.  The Church seems to focus on penitent Psalms at this time - such as Ps 27, 51, 91, 130, etc.  We hear hymns like, "Out of the Depths, I Cry to You," and the like.  This makes sense, since these forty days in a "desert" make way for the most festive time of the year - Easter tide, when the music takes a giant leap and blooms like spring flowers.

My challenge to all musicians this Lent is to let silence be a significant part of the Liturgy.  I am not doing any preludes during Lent, nor will I do a second Communion hymn or meditation.  I will offer silence.  Then, there will be a natural crescendo during Holy Week, culminating in the triumph of Easter at the Great Vigil and beyond.

As musicians, we are always find ourselves facing an unfortunate situation - something I call a near-faith experience.  It's all too easy to get busily caught up in executing our liturgical responsibilities that we can forget that we are attending Mass ourselves!  Let us take this time (and use the silence well) to bask in the presence of our Lord, and completely join the mystical Body of Christ in Holy Communion.  As always, we are first and foremost faithful Catholics, whose highest calling on Earth is to worship the Lord in the sacrifice of the Mass.

Thank you

--
John L. Wright

Director of Music, St. EAS

I knew it wouldn't be long before I wanted to post on a blog.  I'm starting this page mainly as a means of mass communication with the music program at SEAS, but also as a resource for learning about Catholic worship, and what role music and singing play in Sacred Liturgy.

The first thing we need to do as Catholics and musicians, is to remember that we are Catholic musicians!  This statement might seem a little corny - and unnecessary - at first, but keeping this in perspective is key to being successful in what we are setting out to do.  Musicians understand this.  Musicians aren't just musicians when they are playing music; they are musicians in everything they do.  They are musicians in how they walk, talk, and interact with everything around them.

My challenge to musicians - myself included - is to evermore foster a Catholic musician's perspective, a way of walking, talking, and interacting with the the world.

When we play music in the Sacred Liturgy, we fully come into what we are called to be.  We take our highest gifts and give them back in the highest way possible.  We approach the foot of the Cross of Christ at Mass, and lay our God-given talents at His feet.  We place our gifts on the altar right along with the gifts of bread and wine, and the Holy Spirit takes these gifts and transforms them, breathes life into them, and makes them holy.  This is why we call the music for worship sacred.  "Sacred" means set aside, set apart - something that has been made holy for holy things.  

None of the music we do should ever be an end unto itself.  All music we do should point people's minds and hearts to the action of worship - the sacrifice that takes place at Mass.  Whenever we select music, rehearse music, or play music at Mass, we are facilitating a deepening of the prayer of the people.  It is one thing to say, "I love you."  But it always means more and conveys the sentiment more clearly to sing it.  But the manner in which it is sung can more truly express it and reveal more of its beauty, or cheapen it, even ruin the message altogether.  This is why we take great care in what we do.

Please join us as we set out to be the best Catholics and musicians we can be.  Stay tuned.

Yours in Christ,

John L. Wright