The power of melodies

When I was in college at Marquette University, I took a Theology class called “The Sacraments.” For my term paper, I wrote about liturgical music and how I believed it to have sacramental qualities. I recall writing a really passionate piece about the power of music – how it helps people pray and bring themselves closer to God. As it turns out, I was a little too passionate with my prose. The Jesuit priest teaching the class gave me a “C” because, in my attempt to highlight the sacramental qualities of music, I came off as trying to turn singing an opening hymn into the eighth sacrament of the Catholic Church. That didn’t go over well.

But the point is still valid …

That’s why I loved reading a post by Rev. Kemery Baldwin earlier today called Holy Music Matters. Much of the article talks about people’s different preferences when it comes to liturgical music and how, ultimately, what matters is that a song be well written and theologically sound (to which she makes the valid point that, no matter how different religious song styles may be, they’re still rooted in the same scripture).

But what made me smile, bookmark the article and write this post was this line near the bottom of the write-up:

I like to sing, but if I don’t catch on by the third power-point screen or the second verse in the hymnal, I’m done. Doesn’t matter if it is an old hymn or a new song; if I can not hear the melody, or know when to repeat a praise chorus, I will sit down. Real hymns are the songs I can sing to worship God. Old, new, with guitar, drums or pipe organ, really makes no difference to me. I want to sing with joy.

I couldn’t agree more with Rev. Kemery. It’s the melody that matters the most. If the people in the pews can’t hear something that’s going to tug at their heart strings – something that’s going to take them to a place where they can reconnect or remember or reflect, then what’s the point? If you’re doing a song other than a meditation piece that the congregation can’t sing along to, are you really ministering to them? Too often I’ve been at Mass only to hear a complicated piece thrown in as a gathering song that no one’s able to sing along to. Again, what’s the point?

To paraphrase Rev. Kemery, give me a song that has a strong melody, that’s easy enough for me to sing along to, and that makes my heart smile. (If it gives me goosebumps, then that’s even better!)

Save the complicated stuff for meditation or annual concerts. If you want to get people to sing along, make it easy for them.

Remember, ministering and performing are two very different things, and there’s a time and place for both. Just make sure you’re doing the right one on Sunday mornings.

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