Humility of Excellence

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The National Catholic Register has an article today that suggests that no music at Mass is preferable to "weak music marked by commercialism." Further, the author writes that a mass with no music takes on the virtues of humility and poverty.

I must agree that, given the choices above, even I would prefer a silent Mass. But let us never consider that these are the only two choices available. Good liturgical music must be our only choice. And it must be nurtured by pastors who are knowledgeable and courageous, and led by musicians who are prayerful, trained and talented. It sounds simple, but such a pastor and music director working together are nearly as rare as hen's teeth.

So where do we start? First, train the future priests, and teach, speak and act with charity and truth to pastors and parishioners who don't know the difference between Bob Dylan and Palestrina.

Second, learn the documents. Know what the Church, the Bride of Christ, desires in liturgical music.

Third, rid ourselves of the baloney we were fed in the sixties that told us good musicians were performing, and that paid musicians weren't dedicated. Performance is common accusation made of trained and competent musicians who do traditional music (chant, organ, hymns and polyphony), and it is often made by untrained musicians who enjoy contemporary popular liturgical music. It is a criticism thoughtlessly handed off as if musical incompetence were a badge of spirituality. “Performance” here implies a lack of humility and an intended edification of self.

Sacred music played or sung well draws one's attention away from the performer and points it toward God. Unskilled musicians attract attention only to themselves. Musical competence is not incompatible with a humble, prayerful and praise-filled spirit. If it were incompatible, surely the musical tradition of the Catholic Church, which requires competence to sing, would not be considered any sort of treasure, much less a treasure of inestimable value. Musical competence is not incompatible with participation and it is not incompatible with ministry. Indeed, musical excellence is the result of a God-given gift that is humbly, carefully and obediently cultivated through study, diligence and endless hours of practice. In liturgy, musical excellence willingly submits to the needs and desires of the Church.

As far as poverty, how many rich liturgical musicians do you know? To dedicate one's life to serving the Church through its rich musical tradition is the next best thing to a vow of poverty! Many liturgical musicians have as much training as your doctor, and the good ones practice and pray every day. They need to make a living making music for God and in the service of the Church, or they waste their gifts and years of study, working their "day jobs." See that they're paid a fair wage, and they will help heal your soul through what Pope John Paul II called "the beauty that saves." (Letter to Artists, 1999)

It's not a simple recipe, but when did the Church ever ask us to take the easy way out? As Fr. Richard John Neuhaus wrote in “Singing the Lord’s Songs" (First Things, Oct. 2000), "There is nothing mere about the beautiful." We can have beautiful music, humility, and even poverty (just don't impose poverty on the musicians). Dare we offer less?