Where Do I Find This Gift?
In my last blog I spoke of the great gift which the Second Vatican Council called “a treasure of inestimable value.” This treasure is the living tradition of sacred music, originating in the chant of Jesus and the Apostles, which has clothed the Liturgies of all the various Rites and Churches which trace their development back to this life-giving source. It is a magnificent gift, not primarily on an aesthetic level, but more importantly on a spiritual level. Through its form, its skilled singing, and its being imbued with love's fervor, it announces the divine dignity of the Sacred Liturgy, and draws people into its contemplative / mystical dimension.
And if Catholic priests, church musicians, and composers around the world had somehow been able to follow the vision and directives of Vatican II, this is exactly what we would have been able to find today in most Catholic parishes and communities, however humble or exalted they may be.
The treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care. Choirs must be diligently promoted, especially in cathedral churches. [i]
Great importance is to be attached to the teaching and practice of music in seminaries, in the novitiates and houses of study of religious of both sexes, and also in other Catholic institutions and schools... It is desirable also to found higher institutes of sacred music whenever this can be done. [ii]
The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services. But other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations, so long as they accord with the spirit of the liturgical action. [iii]
At the same time, the Council realized that the forms of ancient chant and classical polyphony belong to a living tradition, that is capable of adaptation and growth. It called upon composers to develop new, fresh forms that would resonate in a holy and beautiful way with people of today:
Musicians will enter on this new work with the desire to continue that tradition which has furnished the Church, in her divine worship, with a truly abundant heritage. Let them examine the works of the past, their types and characteristics, but let them also pay careful attention to the new laws and requirements of the liturgy, so that "new forms may in some way grow organically from forms that already exist,"* and the new work will form a new part in the musical heritage of the Church, not unworthy of its past. [iv]
In spite of the clear articulation of this vision and these inspiring directives, something very different happened in most of the Catholic parishes and communities around the world, for whom these words had been carefully formulated. Instead of preservation and organic development of the tradition, this great gift fell largely by the wayside as new models, such as popular music, musical theater, folk music, and non-liturgical religious music took its place. How could this happen? Was it not because for many people, the “tradition” was perceived as something old, rigid, incomprehensible, and lifeless? And that given the opportunity to breathe new life into the Liturgy, it was well worth trying musical forms which were known to engage people in some lively and meaningful way? It is not my purpose here to enter into an in-depth analysis of this development, as many others have already done so from a variety of different perspectives. Such analysis and understanding is very important, but outside the scope of our present focus.
For what I do propose to do is to show how people today can rediscover the greatness of the sacred music tradition of the universal Church, and in particular of the Roman Rite (what is commonly called the “Roman Catholic Church.”) How they can see more clearly the radiant beauty, spiritual depth, youthfulness, integrity, and life which flow from this tradition, so as to receive it and be fully connected to it once more. So where does one go to see this and to do this?
For some, the answer might be simply to participate in the Liturgies of a nearby parish, monastery, or convent in which the three essential aspects of holy form, humble skill, and radiant charity are present. This was my own experience while living in Sweden, as I attended the daily Mass and Divine Office of a small Franciscan Friary. The Friars were not trained musicians, but their resonant, rough-edged chanted prayers were like a deeply flowing stream of peace and grace.
For others, there are usually three steps. Here they are:
Be sure you are walking on the path of fidelity. The treasure of sacred music is not a panacea, or a substitute for a life of love, truth-seeking, prayer, prudence, courage, and perseverance. In the realm of music, as in the other arts and sciences, there is often a temptation toward pride and polarization; the antidote to these is Christ's humility, gentleness, and fervent love, with which we are called to clothe ourselves each day. In the context of this fidelity, the discovery of the great gift of our sacred music tradition finds its meaning and equilibrium in our lives.
Be open to, and take advantage of, the abundant resources which are now available for getting to know the sacred music traditions of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, including Gregorian chant, classical polyphony, and newer works which are in organic continuity with these. And whenever feasible, extend this research to include the inspired sacred music traditions of the other Rites and Churches throughout the world. Such resources can be found immediately and easily on the Internet, through YouTube videos and other recordings (see for example our website for starters.) HOWEVER, it is vitally important to remember that such videos and recordings are by nature only a preparation for the real thing, which is one's physical and spiritual participation in this music. For while one might admire the beauty of some of it, or on the other hand be baffled by its foreignness, the soul of all of it is the intimacy of live prayerful presence and participation. Which brings us to the third essential step...
Do it with others on a regular basis; start small and simple, and build slowly but surely. This might be in the context of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, informal gatherings, or classes. There are many resources available to help you to get started with this; more on this soon!
This path of discovery is not a short one, but it is a well-trodden path to greater fidelity, fruitfulness, and fulfillment in our relationship to God. That which Pope St. John Paul II said of encountering the mystery at the heart of the Faith, also applies to our pursuit of love, life, and integrity in the realm of sacred music:
"If an ear is to grow or a flower blossom, there are times which cannot be forced; for the birth of a human being, nine months are required; to write a book or a worthy piece of music, years must often be spent in patient searching. This is also the law of the spirit... To encounter the mystery takes patience, inner purification, silence and waiting." [v]
[i] Constitution on the Liturgy, art. 114
[ii] Ibid., art. 115
[iii] Ibid., art. 116
[iv] Musicam Sacram, art. 59 / *Constitution on the Liturgy, art. 23
[v] Pope St. John Paul II, General Audience, 26 July 2000
This article first appeared in Paul Jernberg’s blog at pauljernberg.com on November 22, 2019. Paul Jernberg, born in Chicago in 1953, is currently Director of the Magnificat Institute of Sacred Music.