The Art of Renewal - Part II
The Apostle Paul - Rembrandt
As I mentioned last week, we are in the process of looking at the three most essential keys to the renewal of Catholic sacred music. Once again, they are: 1.) our ongoing personal conversion, 2.) the pursuit of wisdom in regard to sacred liturgical music, and 3.) the faithful application of this wisdom by each person according to their sphere of responsibility. But before proceeding to examine the second of these keys, I need to address a couple of concerns which have come up in conversation since my last blog/podcast.
The first concern is this: that while you or I might have the capacity to appreciate and use the keys described here, anything we do with them might seem to be as it were a drop in the bucket in relation to the great needs we see in the liturgical life of the Church today. Or on the other hand, we might simply hope – or be tempted to give up hope - that others, who are in a position of authority, will use such keys and thus effect the renewal of sacred music in our parishes and dioceses.
Saint Lucy by Cosimo Rosselli
And of course, there is no guarantee that our fidelity in these matters will bring about the kind of widespread renewal which we need and long for. My point is not to promote such a naive optimism, but rather to show that each one of us who is listening to this podcast, or reading this blog, has concrete tasks to accomplish, by the grace of God, which by their nature will contribute significantly to the authentic renewal of our Liturgies and their sacred music.
Mother Teresa knew that she could not serve all the poor and suffering people in Calcutta, but in helping one person at a time she was able to accomplish something truly beautiful for God. Similarly, most of us are not in a position to directly make changes on a large scale – perhaps not even in our own parish – but each of us can do significant things, seen by “our Father who sees in secret,” which will advance the work of renewal. I will be elaborating more upon this next week, as we consider the third “key” which has been given to us.
The second concern which has come up since last week is this: in speaking of our need for ongoing conversion, do I realize the extent to which such a call might be made unintelligible by the level of noise, stimulation, and dependence on social media that permeates our culture? And do I realize that when people's minds are constantly filled with an onslaught of words, thoughts, sounds, and images – many of which might be morally degrading – that talk of repentance and metanoia, and of growth in holiness and wisdom, might seem to belong to another planet?
Yes, I am acutely aware of this great obstacle. And as an educator I share the deep anguish of seeing our children so easily pulled into this addictive anti-culture. This fact doesn't in any way negate the need for our personal conversion, but rather makes it all the more urgent. And for those of us who have ourselves been pulled into this “dictatorship of noise” and media dependence, our conversion will necessitate our acknowledging the problem, and pursuing a process of weaning, cleansing, and healing. Whatever our starting point in the process of metanoia, we are all in radical need of God's grace and the support of others.
As difficult as it is to make a quick transition back to the second key of renewal, I must do so now! As mentioned earlier, this key is the faithful pursuit of wisdom as it relates specifically to the realm of sacred music. As simple as this might sound, it is a rare commodity in the Church today. Through no fault of their own, or so it seems, there has been a major lacuna for some time now in the formation of clergy, church musicians, and lay people in this regard. Here's what I mean by this pursuit of wisdom:
There is a treasure trove of Church teaching on the subject, reflecting the collective genius of the centuries and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which gives much needed insight and guidance for all who will be responsible for the Sacred Liturgy and its music. And yet, following the lead of a culture which regards history and tradition with suspicion, if not indifference, these insightful teachings on our great treasure of sacred music have been widely neglected. This needs to be fixed. It is beginning to be addressed effectively in some seminaries, universities, and other institutions. But beyond these good initiatives, these teaching documents are easily accessible to everyone today, through the internet and through books. I will include a list of some of the most important of these at the end of this blog post, at pauljernberg.com.
In our study of these teachings and the sacred traditions upon which they are founded, we need to seek a mature understanding of the concepts which they present and the principles upon which they are based. It is not enough to simply get the rules straight, although that can be a good starting point. For example, words such as decorum, solemnity, glorification, edification, holiness, beauty, and universality all point to realities that are fundamental to our understanding of sacred music. Each one of them is like a well from which we can draw ever more deeply in our reflection and conversation. Do we do take this path of understanding, or are we content with a superficial approach? And do we reflect upon the reasons for the various disciplines and directives which have been issued by the Church? Not out of disrespect, but rather out of love for truth, and so that we can be faithful in spirit as well as in letter.
Assuming that we have gotten a good grasp of the Church teachings on sacred music, and their underlying principles, we also need to understand how these fit in to the much bigger picture of the life of the Church and our own individual lives. Given the many pressing needs in a given parish or community, just where does the renewal of sacred music fit into our list of priorities? We need to see that the music in our Liturgies is not primarily a matter of aesthetic packaging, or pleasing the sophisticated few, but more importantly a matter of the integrity of our worship; of allowing people from all walks of life to enter fully into its life-giving Mystery. And this Mystery is the source from which all our other activities and ministries derive their meaning and power.
In applying this knowledge and understanding to the real situations which we encounter, we are in great need of wisdom in the art of dealing with people. I've already touched upon this before, in talking about our personal conversion. But we also need to reflect deeply upon its application in regard to the implementation of sacred music renewal, which can be a sensitive subject for many people. Do we know how to combine fidelity, charity, prudence, and courage with integrity? Do we respect the need for a step-by-step path of discovery and learning, without capitulating to the resistance and pressures we might encounter along the way? This, I think, is a life-long learning process for most of us, and one which requires study, reflection, and unceasing prayer.
This pursuit of wisdom in regard to sacred music is something that is accessible and vitally important for clergy and church musicians. But it is also within reach of other lay people, who by their knowledge and understanding can be a source of insight and encouragement for others. And while such wisdom does not eliminate conflicts of musical taste and opinion, it does provide reliable orientation points by which one can transcend such conflicts and foster a unity based on truth and love.
Following up on my reference above to Church documents on sacred music, here are three of the most important for us today:
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) Chapter 6 is devoted specifically to Sacred Music. Here is the link:
Post-Conciliar Instruction on Music in the Liturgy, Musicam Sacram (1967) Here is the link:
Instruction on Sacred Music by Pope St. Pius X, Tra le sollecitudini (1903) This is the most thorough and penetrating teaching document on sacred music ever issued by the Church. While some of the liturgical disciplines in it have been changed since the Second Vatican Council, it nevertheless articulates several of the most fundamental principles of sacred music, which by their nature do not change. Here is the link:
While there are several other relevant teaching documents and articles to be read, the next resource which I would suggest is a comprehensive collection of Church teachings on sacred music from the first through 20th centuries. Here it is:
Papal Legislation on Sacred Music, 95 A.D to 1977 A.D., compiled by Msgr. Robert Hayburn (Published by Liturgical Press, 1979 and 1987) As this book is now out of print, it is generally quite expensive to purchase. However, it is an invaluable reference, and can often be found through inter-library loan systems.