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Views from the Choir Loft

As the Tension Grows

Richard J. Clark · March 18, 2016

GREAT BLESSING of daily Mass is the continuity from one Sunday to the next. Especially as each major season comes to a close, there are premonitions of the Feast and season to come. This is true as Ordinary Time approaches Advent. It is clearly obvious during Advent. Furthermore, the end of the Easter Season brings frequent reminders that Jesus will send another Advocate.

As Holy Week approaches, the tension is palpable. Each reading from John’s Gospel this past week foretells what is to come. It is no longer a secret that many want to kill Him. Many challenge Him. Meanwhile, Jesus speaks with authority of the relationship with His Father: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father has taught me.” (John 8:28)

John’s Gospel then continues: “Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in Him.” However, the converse is also true: Because he spoke this way, many sought to kill Him.

Jesus redeems us all, suffering as one who is fully human, and fully vulnerable. Likewise, the blood of martyrs continues to spill today in our world. In a recent statement honoring the “Martyrs of Charity”, the USCCB describes that because they lived this way—the way of divine mercy—these four Sisters of Charity were put to death. The statement begins:

“Caring for the aging and dying is an act of love and mercy. Giving totally of oneself to serve the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters is an act of courageous faith. Thus, it is always a great sorrow when such acts of mercy lead to martyrdom.”

You can read the full statement here.

What we celebrate during Holy Week is not only a reminder of what Jesus suffered, it is a reminder that our Redeemer lives today as witnessed by the suffering of so many.

As the tension in the world grows, so does our faith, so does Jesus’ active presence in our lives. So must our sung prayer be that much more directed toward Jesus and His Father who sent him.

Soli Deo gloria

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

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—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Church has always kept, and wishes still to maintain everywhere, the language of her Liturgy; and, before the sad and violent changes of the 16th century, this eloquent and effective symbol of unity of faith and communion of the faithful was, as you know, cherished in England not less than elsewhere. But this has never been regarded by the Holy See as incompatible with the use of popular hymns in the language of each country.”

— Pope Leo XIII (1898)

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