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Join Patti Brunner for the Truth of the Spirit’s “Songs of Meaning in the Mass” The sacred music sung during a Eucharistic Celebration “is not an accessory or embellishment of the liturgy, but is the liturgy itself.” The ancient songs of scripture: ‘Holy, Holy’, ‘Glory to God in the Highest’ and Psalms are offered as proclamation and prayer; music joined to the Word of God is meant to draw people into an encounter with the living Word of God, who is Christ. Music is a gift of God that opens for us a glimpse of God’s glory. Sacred song “cooperates in nourishing and expressing the faith and, therefore, in glorifying God and sanctifying the faithful.” When you hear singing during the Mass, it is never “filler” or a time to let yourself to be distracted. It is always a key moment of the liturgy.
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Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf Acts 2:46-47). Music has long played an important role in the life of the Church, especially in proclaiming, praying, and responding to the Word of God. We see in Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians that the Christian faithful who came together as one are instructed to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf. Col 3:16).” The Church today continues to recognize that Words and sacred music combined are an integral part of solemn liturgy. There is an intimate connection between word and music [Bishops at Vatican II).
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit. I’m your host, Patti Brunner. Our topic today is Songs of Meaning in the Mass. The Music during the liturgy of the Mass is a blend of ancient and ongoing.“The ancient Gregorian Greek chant versions of the Kyrie will usually strike responsive chords in all members of the assembly, young and old.”(Joseph M. Champlin) The Kyrie is by nature a chant and therefore normally sung by the entire congregation often alternating with the leader of song or choir. Even small children are aware of the ancient scene at the shepherds’ field of Bethlehem when the angels appeared and sang “Glory to God in the highest!” It makes sense to continue to use the Gloria, the same song that announced the presence of God come into the world, to now announce the coming of Christ through the Eucharistic liturgy. All of us quickly recognize the phrase, the scene, and the meaning of the words, taken from Luke 2:14– even when sung in Latin, “Gloria in excelsis Deo!” The Gospels says, “Suddenly, there appeared with Gabriel a “multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will”.
No one knows exactly when or who composed the rest of the Gloria, except to say that it can be traced, in a form similar to what we have in the Mass, back to at least the third century. Tradition has it that Saint Hilary of Poitiers learned it while he was in exile in Asia Minor and translated it into Latin upon his return to France around the year 360.
In the sixth century, Pope Symmachus [498-514] ordered that the Gloria should be said after the Kyrie every Sunday and on the feasts of martyrs, but it was to be recited only by a bishop. This was still the practice of the seventh century as found in the Gregorian Sacramentary. Soon after that, the Church added the Gloria to the feast of Christmas (which had been added to the Roman calendar in the mid fourth century), and on Easter Eve.
At some point priests who were not bishops were allowed to say it on Easter Eve and on the Mass of their ordination. The roots of the Gloria show just how special it has been in the history of our Church; the angels continue to sing “Glory, Glory! All priests are now allowed to say it and it is included on certain special feast days and Sundays except during Advent or Lent. “Ideally it should be sung, but nevertheless may be recited.”(Joseph M. Champlin)
Another ancient song used in the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the Holy Holy. It is at the very heart of the Mass—during the Eucharistic Prayer–the priest and people sing together texts from God’s Word—as they join the saints and angels in the great song of praise drawn chiefly from the vision of Isaiah: “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory”.
Called the Sanctus Acclamation, it is the people’s sung response to the opening of the Eucharistic Prayer referred to as the “Preface.” The Preface is a prayer of thanksgiving and praise that changes throughout the year in order to highlight the particular cause for joy and celebration that day. The “Holy Holy” takes its inspiration from the prophet Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah had a vision and saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne in the temple surrounded by angels, called seraphim, who cried to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts…All the earth is filled with his glory” recorded in Isaiah chapter 6.1-4].
Some theologians see in this threefold repetition of “holy” an allusion to the Most Holy Trinity. Others note the magnificence of God that causes the angels to continually find a new cause to proclaim “Holy!”
The Sanctus is one of the elements of the liturgy of which we have the earliest evidence. St. Clement of Rome (who died about 104) mentions it. He quotes the Isaiah text , and then goes on to say that it is also sung in church; … “for the Scripture says . . . Holy, holy, holy Lord of hosts; full is every creature of his glory.” Then he continues, “And we, led by conscience, gathered together in one place in concord, cry to him continuously as from one mouth, that we may become sharers in his great and glorious promises”. (1 Corinthians 34:6-7).
Other references occur throughout the Church’s history. Here’s a tidbit: There were laws in the Middle Ages forbidding the celebrant to continue the Canon before the choir had finished singing the “Holy, Holy”–which ends, “Hosanna in the highest”.( Martène, “De antiq. eccl, ritibus”, I, 4, §7) Isn’t that interesting!
I have read that the word “Hosanna” in the Greek text and the Latin Vulgate, is left as a practically untranslatable exclamation of triumph. It literally means “Oh help”, but in Matthew 21:9, it is used as a triumphant interjection (like Alleluia!). [note: Alleluia is used in the New Testament only in Revelation.]
We hear that reading on Palm Sunday as we hold our palms: “The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9)
St. Benedict once recommended that we listen to Scripture “with the ear of our hearts.” This means hearing the words with our ears, allowing them to penetrate our minds, and then accepting them into our hearts. The Responsorial Psalm follows the first reading and facilitates this “ear of the heart” process. The Responsorial Psalm enables us to respond to God’s words with God’s word, since these psalm verses also are inspired texts. The lyrics of psalms convey the deepest sentiments of the human heart—awe and adoration, sadness and remorse, confidence and surrender, joy and gladness—all with a sense of praise and worship.
The Psalms were inspired by the Holy Spirit that the heart might be filled with the fullness of God. Filled with emotion. Music allows an open door through which there is a transcendence of all that is holy.
The Psalms have been sung by generations before the redemption of Christ; songs of praise the “sacrifice of praise” was key in relationship with God. That continues even today.
There are 150 songs in the Book of Psalms. They were written at various times during the history of the Israelites. The majority of the psalms were composed precisely for liturgical worship. The Psalms in the bible are the product of many individual songbook collections such as the Songs of Ascents; these songs were sung as the people ascended the Temple Mount in Jerusalem for the special feast days. Jesus probably sang these songs on his way to the Jerusalem temple as a young boy. At the conclusion of the Last Supper Jesus and the Apostles sang before they journeyed to the garden (Matthew 25:30). We know that Psalm 22 was on the lips of Jesus on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Psalm 22 is a song of lament written by David and titled in the songbook as “The Prayer of an Innocent Person”.
The Responsorial Psalm is a part of the Liturgy of the Word which has great liturgical and pastoral importance, since it fosters meditation on the Word of God. According to the General Instruction for the Roman Missal [also known as the GIRM] it is preferable for the Responsorial Psalm to be sung, at least as far as the people’s response is concerned. The Responsorial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should usually be taken from the Lectionary. The GIRM says it is not appropriate to substitute a hymn [song] for it. However sometimes in the United States a song based on a Psalm is used. Our choir director, Lourdes Montgomery, who writes liturgical music, is careful not to change the words of psalms used for the responsorial Psalm.
Pope Benedict XVI told us that sacred music can bolster people’s faith and help fallen away or lapsed Catholics to rediscover the beauty of God. “Sacred music can, above all, promote the faith, and, what’s more, cooperate in the new evangelization”. Pope Benedict recognized that … “Music and singing that are done well can help (people) receive the word of God and be moved in a positive way,” He said that many people, including St. Augustine, have found themselves attracted to God because of some profound experience prompted by the beauty of liturgical music and sacred song.
When it is used for proclamation or prayer, music joined to the Word of God is meant to draw people into an encounter with the living Word of God, who is Christ. The Second Vatican Council declared that in the liturgy the presence of Christ is revealed in many ways—in the person of the ordained minister, in the proclamation of God’s Word, in the Eucharistic species, and lastly “when the Church prays and sings”.
Music is a gift of God that opens for us a glimpse of God’s glory. Beauty, music and other arts reveal dimensions of truth that words alone cannot convey. St. Pope John Paul II noted that “on countless occasions the biblical word has become image, music and poetry, evoking the mystery of ‘the Word made flesh’ in the language of art”.
In the fifth century, St. Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, recalled for newly initiated Christians the Psalm 34 that was sung as they and the other members of the liturgical assembly came forward to receive Communion: St. Cyril said, “After this, you hear the cantor inviting you in sacred song to participate in the holy mysteries. His words are: ‘Taste, and see that the Lord is good’. We continue to sing the same Psalm 34 refrain in today’s masses.
The Church’s official liturgical documents continue to recommend the traditional practice of singing a psalm and antiphon at the entrance, at the preparation of the gifts, and during Communion, even providing proper scriptural texts for each Mass. Those preparing music for the Mass, however, may choose other appropriate psalms and hymns to be sung at these times and at the end of mass there can be a song, an instrumental or silence.
In addition to psalms and canticles, the community sings other biblical texts during the liturgy. In addition to the Kyrie, Holy, Holy, the Gloria, the Responsorial Psalms, and we also sing other mass parts. After the reading that immediately precedes the Gospel, the Alleluia acclamation, or another chant laid down by the rubrics, is sung as the liturgical time requires. An acclamation of this kind constitutes a “rite” or act in itself, by which the gathering of the faithful welcomes and greets the Lord who is about to speak to them in the Gospel and profess their faith by means of the chant. It is sung by everybody, standing, and is led by the choir or a cantor, being repeated as the case requires. The verse, on the other hand, is sung either by the choir or by a cantor. The Alleluia is sung in every time of year other than Lent.
The song of The Memorial Acclamation is within the Eucharistic prayer. This acclamation is our response to God’s coming to dwell among us, particularly in the transformation of bread and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood. In the 2010 revised edition of The Roman Missal #3, there are choices of three memorial acclamations. The three are:
- We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
- When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
- Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
All three of these acclamations mention death and Resurrection. This is “The mystery of faith.” We call this, technically, the Paschal Mystery.
The Great Amen is the greatest one word song of the Mass. We sing this acclamation response to show our belief, agreement and approval of the Eucharistic prayer.
The song, Lamb of God, is the people’s song during the breaking of the bread. It reminds us of the recognition of Jesus as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist and the Emmaus disciples. [note: also in Revelation] Liturgically, you can add verses to this song if needed to cover the time it takes to distribute the Body and Blood into serving containers.
In the choosing of the parts of the liturgy to be sung, preference is to be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those which are to be sung by the Priest or the Deacon or a reader, with the people replying, or by the Priest and people together. When you hear singing, it is never “filler” or a time to let yourself to be distracted. It is always a key moment of the liturgy.
St. Augustine of Hippo (who lived around +430) is often quoted as having said “He who sings, prays twice.” The Latin cited for this is translated, “He who sings well prays twice”. That tells you just how important the singing at mass should be. It affects us individually. The benefit of singing in the liturgy, personally, is reminding ourselves of various points of truth that are set forth in song. Be careful what you sing and bring forth in song.
Because music is such an important element in proclaiming and praying the Word of God, our U.S. Bishops remind us that it is likewise an integral component of effective catechesis. Catechesis should help the community to listen actively to the Word of God as it is proclaimed in the music of the liturgy. Good catechesis can help to open the minds and hearts of worshipers to hear and reflect on God’s Word as it is proclaimed by the psalmist in the verses of the Responsorial Psalm or in a text from the New Testament that is sung by the choir during the preparation of the gifts. These sung proclamations, of course, have a catechetical value of their own, because they help the assembly to become more and more familiar with the riches of God’s Word. The music can amplify the meaning of the text in such a way that it deepens the experience of hearing the Word. Our Bishops also say that Catechesis must also play a role in preparing the community to take an active part in singing the Word. As St. Paul directed in Colossians 3:16, when they assembled, Christians should be “singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in [their] hearts to God”. Singing is a normal part of Christian gatherings.
Have you noticed that emotion filled music is found during Weddings and the Funeral rites? “It allows the community to express convictions and feelings that word alone may fail to convey…The texts of the songs chosen for a particular celebration should express the paschal mystery of the Lord’s suffering, death, and triumph over death and should be related to the readings from Scripture.” (Order of Christian Funerals, number 30-34)
Our Catholic bishops remind us: “A cry from deep within our being, music is a way for God to lead us to the realm of higher things”. During the Eucharistic Liturgy, whether we are singing or pausing to listen, music has the power to bring us into an experience beyond the words—to a personal encounter with Christ himself, the Word made flesh. The brain, the heart, the voice give God praise in response to his gift of Eucharist in Thanksgiving.
The reason why sacred music is “necessary and integral,” –as Pope Benedict said quoting from the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy– isn’t simply for aesthetic purposes, but because sacred song “cooperates in nourishing and expressing the faith and, therefore, in glorifying God and sanctifying the faithful.” Sacred music “is not an accessory or embellishment of the liturgy, but is the liturgy itself.” Let me say that again. Sacred music “is not an accessory or embellishment of the liturgy, but is the liturgy itself.”
You’ve been listening to Truth of the Spirit; I’m your host Patti Brunner. I hope this episode encourages you to make a joyful noise at the next mass you attend. If you have never attended a Catholic Mass, I invite you. You are welcome anytime. If you haven’t been for a while, come and let the songs of the Mass fill you with joy. And then go back for more. With the Holy Spirit there’s always more! Amen.
