Spirituality for Music Ministry - Archdiocese of Denver
Spirituality for Music Ministry - Archdiocese of Denver
Spirituality for Music Ministry - Archdiocese of Denver
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Spirituality</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong><strong>Archdiocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Denver</strong>11 September 2009Fr. Jan Michael Joncas
<strong>Spirituality</strong>• Human capacity <strong>for</strong> relationship:• With that which transcends sensephenomena• Perceived as heightened consciousness• Given substance in historical-culturalsettings• Exhibiting creative action in the world.
Revelation• When have I interpreted the experience<strong>of</strong> being served, whether by anindividual or a social institution, as anactivity <strong>of</strong> God?• When have I interpreted the experience<strong>of</strong> serving another, whether as anindividual or as part <strong>of</strong> a socialinstitution, as an activity <strong>of</strong> God?
Michael Joncas: “Rorate Caeli”• Rorate, caeli, desuper et nubes pluantIustum.• Aperiatur terra et germinet Salvatorum.• Drop down, heavens, from above, andlet the clouds rain down the Just One.• Let the earth be opened and bud <strong>for</strong>th aSavior.
Human Capacity <strong>for</strong>Relationship• Opaque (“Positioned by”)• Translucent (“Present to”)• Transparent (“Compenetrating”)
With That Which TranscendsSense Phenomena• Non-living realities• Non-sentient living realities• Non-rational sentient living bodiedrealities• Rational sentient living bodied realities• Rational sentient living non-bodiedrealities• Ground <strong>of</strong> Being
Perceived As HeightenedConsciousness• Apprehension <strong>of</strong> truths/Truth• Apprehension <strong>of</strong> goods/Goodness• Apprehension <strong>of</strong> beauties/Beauty• Apprehension <strong>of</strong> beings/Being
Given Substance in Historical-Cultural Settings• God transcends history and culture• As rational sentient embodied realities,humans are immersed in history andculture• Engaged “in oratione obliqua”• Posited “in oratione recta”
Exhibiting Creative Action inthe World• Instrument <strong>of</strong> Spiritual Awakening(“symbol <strong>of</strong> transcendent mystery”)• Mystagogue (“lead toward transcendentmystery”)• Hermeneut (“interpret experience <strong>of</strong>transcendent mystery”)
Christian <strong>Ministry</strong>• Public activity• Of baptized followers <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ• Flowing from the Spirit’s charism andindividual personalities• On behalf <strong>of</strong> a Christian community• To serve and realize the Kingdom <strong>of</strong>God
Experience• When have I experienced the service <strong>of</strong>another individual?• When have I experienced service by asocial institution?• When have I served another individual?• When have I been part <strong>of</strong> servingthrough a social institution?
Michael Joncas: “Great God,Your Love Has Called Us”• Great God, your love has called ushere,• As we, by love, <strong>for</strong> love were made.• Your living likeness still we bear,• Though marred, dishonored, disobeyed.• We come, with all our heart and mind,• Your call to hear, your love to find.
• We come with self-inflicted pains• Of broken trust and chosen wrong,• Half-free, half-bound by inner chains,• By social <strong>for</strong>ces swept along,• By powers and systems close-confined,• Yet seeking hope <strong>for</strong> humankind.
• Great God, in Christ you call our name• And then receive us as your own,• Not through some merit, right, or claim,• But by your gracious love alone.• We strain to glimpse your mercy-seat• And find you kneeling at our feet.
• Then take the towel, and break thebread,• And humble us, and call us friends.• Suffer and serve till all are fed,• And show how greatly love intends• To work till all creation sings,• To fill all worlds, to crown all things.
• Great God, in Christ you set us free• Your life to live, your joy to share.• Give us your Spirit’s liberty• To turn from guilt and dull despair• And <strong>of</strong>fer all that faith can do• While love is making all things new.
Characteristics <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong>• Source = the triune God through themissions <strong>of</strong> the Spirit and the Son• Call = faith and sacrament[s]• Mediation = to human individuals // tosecular/religious/ecclesial communities// to human groups• Offer = to herald/serve God’s action• Goal = communion and conversationamong God, humanity, world
Obstacles to <strong>Ministry</strong>• Lust <strong>for</strong> power• Insulation and evasion• Confusion <strong>of</strong> means and ends• Fear <strong>of</strong> failure• Exploitative relationships
<strong>Music</strong>• 67. “Sacred music is to be considered themore holy the more closely connected it iswith the liturgical action, whether makingprayer more pleasing, promoting unity <strong>of</strong>minds, or conferring greater solemnity uponthe sacred rites.” This holiness involvesritual and spiritual dimensions, both <strong>of</strong> whichmust be considered within cultural context.
Culture• What are the models <strong>of</strong> service <strong>of</strong>feredby the culture in which I live?• How do Christian servants adopt, adapt,or reject these models?• N.B. Vocation Pr<strong>of</strong>ession Career Job
Michael Joncas:“We Gather Here to Worship”• We gather here to worship you, O God,• We gather here to sing you thanks andpraise.• You call us from our scattered lives• To unity what we divide.• You crown with grace our humble deeds anddays.• We gather here to worship you, O God.
• We gather here to feed upon your Word.• We gather here to learn your way <strong>of</strong> life.• With blessed wisdom from above• You fill our fragile hearts with love.• You guide our path through struggle andthrough strife.• We gather here to feed upon your Word.
• We gather here to pray <strong>for</strong> those in need.• We gather here to place them in your care:• The hungry seeking to be fed,• The lonely, longing, dying, dead,• Your wounded people here and everywhere.• We gather here to pray <strong>for</strong> those in need.
• We gather here to celebrate your feast.• We gather at the table you have spread.• As once he did in history• So now in holy mystery• Christ gives himself in sacred wine andbread.• We gather here to celebrate your feast.
• We gather here to worship you, O God.• We gather here to worship and adore:• The Source <strong>of</strong> all in time and space,• The Son who joins the human race,• The Spirit with them both <strong>for</strong>evermore.• We gather here to worship you, O God.
Ritual Dimension• 68. The ritual dimension <strong>of</strong> sacred musicrefers to those ways in which it is “connectedwith the liturgical action” so that it accordswith the structure <strong>of</strong> the Liturgy andexpresses the shape <strong>of</strong> the rite. The musicalsetting must allow the rite to unfold with theproper participation <strong>of</strong> the assembly and itsministers, without overshadowing the wordsand actions <strong>of</strong> the Liturgy.
Spiritual Dimension• 68. The spiritual dimension <strong>of</strong> sacredmusic refers to its inner qualities thatenable it to add greater depth to prayer,unity to the assembly, or dignity to theritual. Sacred music is holy when itmediates the holiness <strong>of</strong> God and <strong>for</strong>msthe Holy People <strong>of</strong> God more fully intocommunion with him and with eachother in Christ.
Cultural Context• 70. The cultural context refers to the setting inwhich the ritual and spiritual dimensions come intoplay. Factors such as the age, spiritual heritage,and cultural and ethnic background <strong>of</strong> a givenliturgical assembly must be considered. The choice<strong>of</strong> individual compositions <strong>for</strong> congregationalparticipation will <strong>of</strong>ten depend on those ways inwhich a particular group find it best to join theirhearts and minds to the liturgical action.
Liturgical <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong>
Scripture• What models <strong>of</strong> ministry appear in theScriptures <strong>of</strong> the First Testament andthe Second Testament?• What ministries did Jesus engage?• What ministries did Jesus call hisfollowers to engage?
Michael Joncas: “God is Love”• God is love,• And all who live in love abide in God,• And God abides in them.• The love <strong>of</strong> Christ has gathered us as one:• In him let us rejoice, in him let us be glad.• Let us revere and love the living God.• With heart and mind and soul now let us lovesincerely.
Michael Joncas: “God is Love”• God is love,• And all who live in love abide in God,• And God abides in them.• There<strong>for</strong>e, as now we gather into one,• Let discord find no place, nor hatred rule our hearts.• Let evil deeds and bitter words now cease,• That Christ say in our midst and dwell with us <strong>for</strong>ever.
Michael Joncas: “God is Love”• God is love,• And all who live in love abide in God,• And God abides in them.• Then with the saints let us behold your face,• Alight with glory, Christ, our brother and our God.• And may this joy, unbounded and immense,• Fulfill our hearts’ desire through ages without ending.
Marks <strong>of</strong>Church/Mission/<strong>Ministry</strong>• Kerygma (“proclamation”)• Didache (“reflection”)• Koinonia (“communion”)• Diakonia (“service”)• Leitourgia (“worship”)
Contexts <strong>for</strong>21 st Century <strong>Ministry</strong>• Cohort I (pre-Vatican II)• Cohort II (Vatican II)• Cohort III (post-Vatican II)• Cohort IV (Millenials)
Change language