ATHER ROBERT SKERIS used to say: “The life of a choirmaster is a life of sacrifice.” There is no question that our vocation is one of great suffering—and we must offer up our sorrows to Jesus Christ. It cannot be any other way. As Father Thomas à Kempis wrote: The whole life of Christ was a cross and a martyrdom, and dost thou seek rest and joy? However, I believe we can take things too far. Sometimes we work so hard to improve Catholic music that we forget to enjoy the blessings Almighty God has given to us. I grew up with three brothers, and my father loved taking us camping, fishing, hunting, shooting, hiking, and so forth. (That was the way my father was raised.) I am grateful for those experiences which taught me to appreciate “the great outdoors.”
Mental Health • If we wreck our mental health, we will be no good to anybody. During this Lent, each day I am going to try to meditate on the words of Father Valentine Young, who said: “Throughout my life, I have probably suffered more from things that never happened than from things that did happen.” Let us resolve never again to worry! Let us, instead, spend that time praying to God with gratitude and enjoying the universe He created for us.
I believe this (very brief) video will improve your mental health:
Season of Lent • The season of LENT comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon word for springtime (“lencten”); that is, when the days begin to lengthen. On Ash Wednesday, the Church goes back to the book of Genesis: “Thou shalt earn thy bread with the sweat of thy brow, until thou goest back into the ground from which thou wast taken; dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” The priest sprinkles ashes over the head of each Catholic saying: “Remember, Man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.”
I wish all our readers a holy and happy Lent!
