MooCowSteph:
I recognize why it’s done, i’m just saying it doesn’t make sense. Why is organ music disrespectful during the Eucharist prayer? Following the same thinking, shouldn’t we have silence during the distrubution of Holy Communion?
to a certain extent the answer to this question is yes. at the time of the communion procession, the communal nature of reception is agumented by the hymn. but the kind of music/hymn is important. we have become accustomed to thinking of it as “music”, but that is incorrect. the music is not the point. it has purpose. music in the Mass is for prayer. some types of hymns are often presented that lose the aspect of prayer and are just another “number” in the “set” that the “band” is playing at their “gig”.
in order to properly appreciate all aspects of the Mass, we must keep our attention focused on the purpose of each element. every time that the music fails to be prayer, it profanes the worship of God. if at communion, the choir cannot present a hymn of prayer for the people to sing to God, as they approach the heavenly meal, then they should be silent.
again, giving proper attention to the purpose of the Eucharistic Prayer, and each person’s role, the prohibition against the use of music at that time makes sense and is absolutely correct. the faithful (and the priest) assist at (i.e. attend) the Mass in order to enter into the Mysteries made present there. the height of our prayer is the consecration. we are there to enter into that Mystery. the total silence of the entire church is itself symbolic. the voice of the priest is the voice of Christ. it needs no addition. the silence is the statement by everyone present, not only that we recognize that, but also that we have totally united ourselves to the person of the priest, who offers the prayer on our behalf. the silence is our presence at the altar. the priest,
in persona Christi, offers the perfect gift, Jesus as Eucharist, to the Father. by the silence, we also place ourselves on the altar, joined to that gift, to be offered to the Father. our active attention, listening and prayer achieve this–no distractions, no extras, nothing but us. any additions say that the invisible reality is insufficient. it profanes the gift.
this role of silent involvement is for everyone present. if the musician is playing music,
he is not putting himself at the disposal of Jesus Christ. reflect on what that creates. he is withholding himself from Christ. for whom, Christ? can his music be a gift to the Lord more than his very person? by this apparently beautiful thing, he reduces the value of the gift. at the very least, the gift to the Father becomes everyone but one, if not worse. so if it is not for Christ, who is it for? you and i? that insults us. they assume that we cannot give ourselves, so we need music. they assume that we are not at and on the altar. we become the focus of the Mass. at that point, why have the prayer in the first place?
no one is saying that the music is not pretty, well played, etc. we are just saying that it betrays the very act of the prayer at the time. because the silence is the gift of the
all people, to break the silence is to prevent the gift. this fact is lost wherever the reality of our communal liturgy is obscured by failing to conduct the sacrifice according to the “rules”.
