VATICAN - The importance of song in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: a reflection

Monday, 10 October 2005

Vatican City (Fides Service) - We give our English translation of a reflection by Fr Hermann Geissler a member of “Das Werk” an an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith, on the importance of song in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
“He who sings prays twice” (St. Augustine). In our community - the spiritual family das Werk founded by Belgian Mother Giulia Verhaeghe (1910-1997) recognised by Pope John II in 2001 come “Family of Consecrated” and today present and active in 13 countries - song is a central past of our prayer. We sing at morning Mass, in the Liturgy of the Hours and during evening Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the end of every day.
Song expresses the deepest dimension of our vocation, that is to offer praise and glory to God Three in One. Vatican II reminds us that in the earthly liturgy “with the host of heavenly angles we sing the hymn of glory of the Lord” (Cost. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 8). Song give us a foretaste of the glory of heaven, helps us to thank God for the marvels he has worked and continues to work, and leads us to bless the Lord with our voice, our heart and all our being. “Our whole life must be an act of praise to God”, Mother Giulia used to say.
Song enhances the beauty of Adoration. Prayer is not merely a duty it is first of all a privilege, a gift which allows us to deepen our personal friendship with Christ. Adoration, which calls for and fosters readiness for continual conversion, fills our heart with true joy, joy because God is near, joy expressed in song. St Paul writes: “May the Word of Christ live among you in abundance; teach and caution one another with all wisdom, singing your gratitude to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles” (Col 3,16).
Moreover sacred song is an excellent way of expressing our love and our respect for the majesty of God. When we kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament, we adore the same God acclaimed by the seraphim with the words “Holy, holy, holy the Lord of hosts. The earth is full of your glory” (Is 6,3). It is therefore good for us to glorify God with our voice recognising his holiness and hmercy and expressing our faith in his real presence.
In our community we sing in Latin and in the vulgate, traditional and modern hymns, Gregorian Chant and polyphone. This renders visible a special characteristic of the Catholic Church, her plurality. The one faith is expressed in different songs and melodies reflecting the spiritual riches of the different peoples and epochs of history. Thus, as Jesus said: “every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a master of the house who draws from his treasure things new and old” (Mt 13,52).
Lastly song is a way for us to express to the Lord in the Eucharist, the complementarity of the priestly community and the community of consecrated persons who are the nucelus of our spiritual Family. At times we sing together, at times alternating female and male voices. This is how we show that we are all called to praise God and that we have different vocations which we try to live with joy and reciprocal complementarity that we may be a beautiful “symphony” for the glory of God and the good of the Church.
Adoration depends above all on the attitude of the heart which submits itself freely and humbly to God. But, just as the Word was made flesh, the attitude of our heart must be visible in our actions, our life and also in our song. (P. Hermann Geissler FSO) (Agenzia Fides 10/10/2005, righe 46, parole 631)


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