Silence & Liturgy

[paulmalti]

We need silence to hear God. Instead, at the most holy, intimate, sacred time after Holy Communion, its impossible to concentrate and hear the Holy Ghost talking, with all the singing. Who’s idea was it to sing during Holy Communion ?! What a bad tradition ! Instead of discerning and listening to God, we have to listen to a singer, or choir !!!
Where is silence in Liturgy ? Or do we spend hours in hymns, and long, never ending liturgical functions, forgetting that we are going to be judged, only on how we lived our lifes, according to the Holy Gospel !!

 

[TheDoctor]

Who’s idea was it to sing during Holy Communion ?! What a bad tradition!

In the US, I believe it appears in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal which was approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments so “who” is Bishops approved by the Holy See.

I think the GIRM says “chant” which I presume can be validly replaced by song.

Where is silence in Liturgy ? Or do we spend hours in hymns, and long, never ending liturgical functions, forgetting that we are going to be judged, only on how we lived our lifes, according to the Holy Gospel !!

Silence is in your heart and mind. I agree that we live in a world where God can be drowned out but Mass is not the place to complain about it. Find your silence with God where you can. Maybe adoration. Maybe before or after Mass. For me, it is often the car ride home.

One of the images that will always sit with me is John Paul II sitting with his eyes closed at an outdoor stadium Mass deep in prayer to God after having given communion. If he can find silence in the midst of 50,000+ people I should be able to find it too.

 

[Splagchnizomai]

Silence is in your heart and mind. I agree that we live in a world where God can be drowned out but Mass is not the place to complain about it. Find your silence with God where you can. Maybe adoration. Maybe before or after Mass. For me, it is often the car ride home.

One of the images that will always sit with me is John Paul II sitting with his eyes closed at an outdoor stadium Mass deep in prayer to God after having given communion. If he can find silence in the midst of 50,000+ people I should be able to find it too.

Amen!

 

[Student09]

We need silence to hear God. Instead, at the most holy, intimate, sacred time after Holy Communion, its impossible to concentrate and hear the Holy Ghost talking, with all the singing. Who’s idea was it to sing during Holy Communion ?! What a bad tradition ! Instead of discerning and listening to God, we have to listen to a singer, or choir !!!

The songs that are sung by most parishes at this time are, indeed, very distracting. Gregorian chant would be more conducive to private prayer and contemplation than what is usually sung.

Ideally, yes, we would all be able to find silence in our hearts in the midst of noise. However, I think it’s disingenuous to say that the externals, such as whether there is music or what kind of music it is, don’t facilitate or impede that interior silence.

 

[englishredrose]

I would find total silence off putting. Not affraid of it but off putting.

I can loose myself into the singing and for me the singing is a major part of listening to God. The words and music guide my focus. Without it I would be floundering in the desert. My priest knows this as we had a related discussion back in advent. I use music to help me focus.

We are all diffferent and we need to learn how to realise what we might dislike for ourselves is very important for another.

God bless

 

[InspiritCarol]

We need silence to hear God. Instead, at the most holy, intimate, sacred time after Holy Communion, its impossible to concentrate and hear the Holy Ghost talking, with all the singing. Who’s idea was it to sing during Holy Communion ?! What a bad tradition ! Instead of discerning and listening to God, we have to listen to a singer, or choir !!!
Where is silence in Liturgy ? Or do we spend hours in hymns, and long, never ending liturgical functions, forgetting that we are going to be judged, only on how we lived our lifes, according to the Holy Gospel !!

I understand what you mean.
Boy do people freak out when you try to interject sacred silence into a service.
The uncomfortable shifting and the throat-clearing that start up quickly become a consuming clamor much worse than any communion song.

Some silent alternatives:
-Going to a weekday Mass
-Eucharistic Adoration
-Stay *after *Mass (You might need to speak to your priest to make sure this is a silent atmosphere).

Personally, I find remaining behind to be very powerful.

---

Much more important, though is your ability to find the silence *within *the storm.
You must think of yourself as Peter stepping out into the waves and the storm.
The devil doesn’t cut us a break - he’s the original “kick 'em when they’re down” kind of guy.
When you let yourself be drawn to the distractions; Satan has won - you’ll sink quicker than a Rock on water (pun intended).
Instead, find that narrow path of focus through the waves and the wind.

Men can do this when they watch sports, why not with God?

 

[Tigg]

I believe the most intimate moment of the soul between herself and God is after reception of Communion. I have never been able to recite the Anima Christi with any depth of meditation in my heart while banal, off-key music is being sung several decibels too high. Sometimes I wish I could get out of my seat and speak quietly to my Lord alone. For those who need external aids like music, I would suggest a prayer book might be just as helpful as a hymn without causing the severe distraction of what passes for music at some of our Mass celebrations.

 

[InspiritCarol]

… I have never been able to recite the Anima Christi with any depth of meditation in my heart while banal, off-key music is being sung several decibels too high. …

Goodness. If that’s what you face then it sounds like you need to join the Liturgy Committee. Maybe your parish needs to actually care about the quality of music presented. You are part of the problem when you do nothing to fix it.

 

[Splagchnizomai]

I believe the most intimate moment of the soul between herself and God is after reception of Communion. I have never been able to recite the Anima Christi with any depth of meditation in my heart while banal, off-key music is being sung several decibels too high. Sometimes I wish I could get out of my seat and speak quietly to my Lord alone. For those who need external aids like music, I would suggest a prayer book might be just as helpful as a hymn without causing the severe distraction of what passes for music at some of our Mass celebrations.

And yet Our Lord was still able to pray while on the Cross. The mystery of faith!

 

[Evan]

If your priest (like ours) allows 60-90 seconds of total silence after the homily and communion songs, it becomes delightful. People get used to it and learn to listen in their hearts. But it must be done regularly and soon the parish will look forward to it.

 

[paulmalti]

So, what do you do, after receiving the holy communion ??

In the US, I believe it appears in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal which was approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments so “who” is Bishops approved by the Holy See.

I think the GIRM says “chant” which I presume can be validly replaced by song.

Silence is in your heart and mind. I agree that we live in a world where God can be drowned out but Mass is not the place to complain about it. Find your silence with God where you can. Maybe adoration. Maybe before or after Mass. For me, it is often the car ride home.

One of the images that will always sit with me is John Paul II sitting with his eyes closed at an outdoor stadium Mass deep in prayer to God after having given communion. If he can find silence in the midst of 50,000+ people I should be able to find it too.

 

[paulmalti]

Music ,chants, and never ending ceremonies can be used by the devil and our human nature to distract us from the true meaning of being a catholic- trying to be holy, is not sentimentalism, passion or singing !but follow Christ in Gospel !! I am not saying that these functions and chants are not necessary, but I feel we give them too much importance, much more importance than scripture !! I do not blame the clergy, because its their work !

I would find total silence off putting. Not affraid of it but off putting.

I can loose myself into the singing and for me the singing is a major part of listening to God. The words and music guide my focus. Without it I would be floundering in the desert. My priest knows this as we had a related discussion back in advent. I use music to help me focus.

We are all diffferent and we need to learn how to realise what we might dislike for ourselves is very important for another.

God bless

 

[paulmalti]

Some of the chants are praises, which is good, if we understand them, and not distract us. Other medieval chants should be updated. The church needs to update its old traditions, which at their time , some of them, served to strengthen the church’s position as a super , materialistic power, and not as a means of guiding the faithful to a fuller catholic life.

The songs that are sung by most parishes at this time are, indeed, very distracting. Gregorian chant would be more conducive to private prayer and contemplation than what is usually sung.

Ideally, yes, we would all be able to find silence in our hearts in the midst of noise. However, I think it’s disingenuous to say that the externals, such as whether there is music or what kind of music it is, don’t facilitate or impede that interior silence.

 

[The_Curt_Jester]

As an organist, while I’ll play the Communion hymn, I always leave adequate time for silence after Communion. There’s no doing a gazillion verses or anything like that. While I enjoy music and a particular type can be very edifying (chant in particular) at that time, that is one part of the Mass in which I do prefer to have some moments of silence. Others have mentioned this to me as well.

 

[TheDoctor]

So, what do you do, after receiving the holy communion ??

I pray. I talk to God. Then I just kneel there and try to see what He wants to tell me. Then I just kneel there until we are ready for the closing prayers. The music or lack of music or quality of music does not really do anything for me.

 

[YADA]

We must always remember that we come together as a people to worship Christ … it is not a “me and Jesus” moment - but one that can be better described at “us and Jesus” or as one book explained it “Here Comes Everybody” …

The word “Liturgy” is defined as a …public work or a public service … the work of the Church that is accomplished with people and for people … thus it is not an individual encounter with Christ …

On the Via Del a Rosa … Christ in the moment of His Passion was amongst the crowds, the throngs of people - probably selling, buying, gawking and those dismayed at what was happening - all of which was noisy …

Jesus said to suffer the little children to come to him, he healed those possessed by demons and the elderly … all of which we have in our parishes on Sunday - [perhaps not the 'possessed - but then perhaps we do?!?] … definitely children and elderly … any time you gather a group of people - you will have some sort of noise.

 

[japhy]

Via Del a Rosa

Ahem. Via dolorosa, Latin for “sorrowful way”, i.e. the way of the Passion.

 

[japhy]

Instead, at the most holy, intimate, sacred time after Holy Communion, its impossible to concentrate and hear the Holy Ghost talking, with all the singing. Who’s idea was it to sing during Holy Communion?

The Communion chant (a psalm sung during the reception of Holy Communion) is an ancient tradition.

Singing after everyone has received Communion is also an option, although I would prefer a period of silence between the end of the Communion procession and the post-Communion prayer (by the priest).

 

[Corki]

We need silence to hear God. Instead, at the most holy, intimate, sacred time after Holy Communion, its impossible to concentrate and hear the Holy Ghost talking, with all the singing. Who’s idea was it to sing during Holy Communion ?! What a bad tradition ! Instead of discerning and listening to God, we have to listen to a singer, or choir !!!
Where is silence in Liturgy ? Or do we spend hours in hymns, and long, never ending liturgical functions, forgetting that we are going to be judged, only on how we lived our lifes, according to the Holy Gospel !!

The Mass, when said properly according to the rubrics, includes periods of silence. The Pope wrote not too long ago about the importance of this silence during Mass. In my experience, skipping over this is one of the most wide-spread liturgical abuses today.

 

[Tigg]

The Mass, when said properly according to the rubrics, includes periods of silence. The Pope wrote not too long ago about the importance of this silence during Mass. In my experience, skipping over this is one of the most wide-spread liturgical abuses today.

The Fathers of the Desert and spiritual masters have always spoken highly of the need for silence. Our former pastor used to say when people feel uncomfortable with silence they have forgotten how to pray. “Be still and know that I am God.”

How do we hear the small whisper of the voice of the Lord deep within our spirits without moments of silence?