The Hidden Depths of the Mass #7

The Importance of Music

Music has long been part of how people give thanks and praise to God.  We hear of how the people sang in thankful response to God’s action in their lives in Exodus 15, Numbers 21:17, Judges 5, and in 2 Samuel 6:5.

The chief document for the way we celebrate Mass is The General Instruction of the Roman Missal.  It speaks of the importance of singing at Mass in paragraph 39: 

“The Christian faithful who come together as one in expectation of the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46).”

Singing at Mass is not just for musicians.  It is for the musicians and the people in the pews to join in the singing (paragraph 40) as we all give thanks and praise to God.

(For previous articles in this series, go to https://www.renewaloffaith.org/bulletin-series-on-the-mass-2023.html)