When life can't get any better...

I submit that there are times in life at which life cannot get any better. I also believe that there was one point in the week that was meant to be better than every other. The point at which Christ comes down to us in the Mystery of Holy Communion during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Ok. Granted. But, now there is a more daunting subject that I wish to address: Music; more specifically music in Church. This is an area that many people feel very strongly about and because of that, my goal is merely to present some thoughts for reflection. There are many articles and books rendered on this subject, so I myself cannot pretend to stand in the place of all. But, if there is more interest, I will treat this subject in more detail.
Music in the setting of the Liturgy is meant to accompany the highest form of worship. For centuries, 'secular' song and sacred music have been, at least officially, separate. Secular and Sacred were meant to be separate in style and form. You don't see a sonata-form Gloria or anything like that. Today, though, there is so much secular music in the Church.

What does the Church say on the matter? The church has given Gregorian chant pride of place in her sacred liturgies. The sound of the schola is preferred even to the organ. In the realm of instruments, the organ is given pride of place, particularly because it mimics most closely the sound of the human voice and because it is the best instrument for accompanying the voice.
The Church as a whole does not condemn any music. It only gives the most general guidelines, but those guidelines outline a clear bias toward Gregorian Chant, sacred polyphony, and organ music, wherever possible.

Random Photo of My Babes

Now, on to my own thoughts.  My own opinion of the general guidelines is that they are pastorally lenient. Just as the Church removed the obligation to wear a chapel veil (in the '80s, by the way, not in Vatican II) because no one was wearing it anyways. I believe that, to not scandalize the brethren, the Church has refrained from being too harsh in the realm of music. After all, for many people, secular styles are uplifting and an integral part of their worship.  Secular music is not evil by any means, but I do not believe it is best suited for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Most secular music is very simple, repetitive, melodic, and familiar, making it easy for the congregation. That is the best thing about it. However, there is more to the Mass than congregational participation. There's timelessness and transcendence. Secular styles are dated and worldly. On the flip side, sacred music of the caliber of Palestrina is not generally congregational song, and traditional hymns are not very uplifting.

This is the conundrum that I find with 'worship music,' secular and traditional. There is a tension on both sides that has yet to be resolved. Polyphony, chant, and organ are most notably sacred, but on the other hand, they don't relate to many individuals and they are even dated in some circles. Contemporary and secular styles appeal most to the modern man and are the easiest means for him to unite with the angels. Yet, they do not transcend the world or everyday life. They are not meant exclusively for the liturgy. The modern Church music doesn't lend itself to an incredible surge in congregational participation either. Many people still don't sing in Church. Somehow, attitudes, music, and education all need to change for music to glow again in liturgy. As is, it does not glow. It doesn't lend itself to charity either because when these two sides of the music coin meet... they get like this:

All this talk about the objective goodness of polyphony breaks down when Mr. Joe Average can't lift his heart in song. True, he can try harder than folk music. Maybe he should. But, he doesn't. The music of the Church becomes the music of the 10-voice-choir, of Joe Gifted, not of Joe Average. Many people don't know how to relate to 'that stuff' anymore. Plus, there's the argument that the choir is too busy worried about notes to think about God. There are many roots to this problem, but the fact is that the liturgy is meant to be the earthly choirs uniting with the heavenly choirs, giving eternal praise to the Almighty. All of us on earth constitute the earthly choir in this image. I don't think this is just an image either. We're all meant to sing, just like we're all meant to pray. If the secular styles and instruments are the only way a stubborn Joe Average will sing, who am I, stubborn and snobby as I am, to berate him for his staunch position with a guitar?

Not that anything goes in Church with regard to secular styles or music in general. But, we do need to talk about this and somehow bring song back into the life of the people of God.