Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today is the First Sunday of Advent. This afternoon at 3 pm
the Diocesan Choir, the Vianney Voices school choir and various choirs of our
parish will mark the beginning of this season with a celebration of song in the
Church. I hope you can join us.
Music is a
beautiful expression of our faith and a privileged way of dialogue with God. The
Psalms speak often of the importance of singing and music. For example, Psalm
95 says, “O come, let us sing to the LORD; let
us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” In the New
Testament St. Paul exhorts us to “sing
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God
(Col. 3: 16) and the vision of heaven in the Book of Revelation speaks
of the twenty-four elders holding harps (Rev. 5: 8).
Our Pope Emeritus
Benedict XVI once said: “From the very beginning, liturgy and music have been
quite closely related. Mere words do not suffice when man praises God.
Discourse with God goes beyond the boundaries of human speech. Hence by its
very nature the liturgy has everywhere called upon the help of music, of singing,
and of the voices of creation in the sounds of instruments. The praise of God,
after all, does not involve only man. To worship God means to join in that of
which all creatures speak” (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Liturgy and Church Music, VIII International Church Music Congress in
Rome, November 17, 1985).
May this season
of Advent be a special time of grace and conversion so as to prepare us to
welcome the Christ-child, including with our voices filled with song.
In Christ,
Msgr. Baker
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