Liturgical Music Flows From Love
Music and Liturgy | Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger | Excerpts from The Spirit of the Liturgy
The singing of the Church comes ultimately out of love. It is the utter depth of love that produces the singing. “Cantare amantis est“, says St. Augustine, singing is a lover’s thing. In so saying, we come again to the trinitarian interpretation of Church music. The Holy Spirit is love, and it is he who produces the singing. He is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit who draws us into love for Christ and so leads to the Father. (The Spirit of the Liturgy, p 142)
In liturgical music, based as it is on biblical faith, there is, therefore, a clear dominance of the Word; this music is a higher form of proclamation. Ultimately, it rises up out of the love that responds to God’s love made flesh in Christ, the love that for us went unto death. After the Resurrection, the Cross is by no means a thing of the past, and so this love is always marked by pain at the hiddenness of God, by the cry that rises up from the depths of anguish, Kyrie eleison, by hope and by supplication. But it also has the privilege, by anticipation, of experiencing the reality of the Resurrection, and so it brings with it the joy of being loved, that gladness of heart that Haydn said came upon him when he set liturgical texts to music. Thus the relation of liturgical music to logos means, first of all, simply its relation to words. That is why singing in the liturgy has priority over instrumental music, though it does not in any way exclude it. It goes without saying that the biblical and liturgical texts are the normative words from which liturgical music has to take its bearings. This does not rule out the continuing creation of “new songs”, but instead inspires them and assures them of a firm grounding in God’s love for mankind and his work of redemption. (The Spirit of Liturgy, p 149)
The St. Anastasia Music Ministry Invites You to Join Us!!
St. Anastasia choir, individual singers and instrumentalists help us experience the Catholic Church’s rich musical heritage. Regardless of past experience or current ability, we want you to help us praise God and join in our celebrations at Mass and in the community. Members of our choir are also called upon to sing at Funeral Masses and Memorial Masses.
We would love to have more singers for all of our Masses! We sing a variety of music – classic, contemporary and traditional. No experience necessary! You are welcomed to stop by and speak to a choir member after Mass.
Do you play an instrument? We would love to have you -especially strings, woodwinds, and brass. You will need to have good sight reading skills. Flexible rehearsal schedule – evening and daytime rehearsals are available.