By:

Maestro William Intriligator

Music Director & conductor of the dubuque symphony orchestra

The arts have a special way of helping us transcend our regular day-to-day lives and move us, inspire us, unite us, help us feel rejuvenated and healed, and take us to another place and time. Music has a particularly strong effect on us, and we can experience great joy through music. Where do music and spirituality intersect? What is the experience of the sacred in music?

Of course, there is “sacred music” like hymns, masses, and other music written with the express purpose of being performed in churches, temples, mosques, etc. Yet even music that is not considered “sacred music” can bring us a luminous, spiritual experience. Why is that? How does it do that? One idea I would like to propose and explore is that music, and all the arts, are not just created by musicians and artists, they are co-created with God.

As such, all the arts are sacred and divine.

As a classically-trained musician, I have spent decades studying music of the past, music of the “great masters” such as Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, etc.—the list goes on and on. How fortunate we are to have such a rich inheritance of great music! And that inheritance also includes all great music written from any time in the past up to music still being written today. And not just classical music. From Liszt to Led Zeppelin, there is such a range of great music today!

Often the composers and songwriters of this music are worshipped for their skill and the great music they write. A cult of personality develops around the composer and songwriter, we call them geniuses and we read about their lives, we read their letters and want to know what they were like as people. Personally, I have idolized Beethoven as one of my great heroes for many years. I have obsessed over him a bit. So, I was a bit surprised when I was studying the choral finale of Beethoven’s magnificent Ninth Symphony, the “Ode to Joy,” earlier this year and it suddenly struck me…God wrote this music. It became so clear and obvious to me. In huge pencil marking on my conductor’s score I wrote, “GOD WROTE THIS.”

Writing on large Post-its in my score, I continued, “Every note and every word is about God! God’s love of all of us…Our love of God…Our love of each other…Every note is love! Every note is divine!” These were important epiphany moments for me! Why had they taken me so long to realize and understand? I have been studying music for four decades, and this was new, all new. Why? It was the cult of personality surrounding composers, and my own limited religious life, spiritual depth that kept me from seeing all this earlier. As a young man, I strived to make my mark, show my creativity and musicality. I should have been acknowledging God’s part in everything I created.

This realization about God helping Beethoven to write his Ninth Symphony is just one example. This goes beyond just that piece, beyond just music. As humans, we think that every invention and idea is our own, but is it? I venture to say, “No.” In my opinion, God is co-creating with us all the time.

Inventions, art, music, anything that has a spark of muse, a spark of inspiration, is God helping us co-create.

In the case of music, God is using human vessels, composers from Bach to Bon Jovi, to spread messages of love and unity. What could be more sacred, in a broad sense of the word?

Am I saying that we don’t have free will? Were composers destined to create these musical works according to some divine plan? Maybe. God is everywhere, all the time, inside each one of us, always loving and guiding us. Yet composers have free will to listen to the muse, the “still, small voice,” or ignore it. When composers accept God’s inspiration, they are knowingly, or unknowingly, only co-creators. God is helping everybody create, whether building a house or writing a symphony, we are co-creating with God and in the image of God the Creator.

Think of the biblical story of Elijah on Mount Horeb: for the first time, God did not reveal Himself through dramatic displays like wind, earthquakes, fire, thunder, etc. He revealed Himself through a whisper. The whisper—that “still, small voice”—was God, just like the quiet momentary flicker of inspiration that comes to any and all creative people.

According to Google and AI, the first time the Bible explicitly mentions someone being “filled with the Spirit of God,” it is not a preacher, king, or prophet. It is an artist and craftsman named Bezalel (Exodus 31:1-5). Bezalel’s artistic brilliance is seen as a true partnership with God: God providing the divine blueprint and Bezalel providing the human hands, sweat, and physical skill to execute it.

In many parts of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit moves through music and the arts in a way that parallels a divine muse. For example, in passages like Ephesians 5 and First Corinthians 14, songs and creativity seem to be a direct response to the internal nudging of the Holy Spirit.

These references to scripture help me understand the connection between creative people and God. Now I believe that every piece of music and art is about God and His love for us, and our love for Him. In my scores, I wrote, “Every note is about God! God’s love, our love of God, our love of each other…Every note is LOVE! Every note is divine!”

Sometimes, when I am conducting the orchestra, I sing along to the music, quietly and to myself, the words, “I love you God,” and, “Thank you, God.” I highly encourage you to try this, whether they are playing music or listening to music, sing along and add these words. And even you singers out there, you can think these important words in your mind as you’re singing a text about something else. My go-to piece for this is playing Morten Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium” on the piano. The words “I love you, God” fit so perfectly in the music, over and over, in that special, beautiful piece of music.

By doing this, I am affirming my love of God and my gratitude to God while I perform. I am also reminding myself, in every piece of music, that “God wrote this!”

REFLECTION:

When was the last time you thanked God for a good idea that came to you?

When did you perhaps take too much personal credit for something you created, without acknowledging God’s hand in it?

By:

Father Mario Domínguez

Franciscan Associate, guatemala

See Spanish translation below — Consulte la traducción al español a continuación

Saving oneself or offering oneself in a pandemic situation. Where is perfect Joy?

It was during the time of the pandemic (Covid-19), when, for preventive measures, confinement in homes was decreed. Commerce stopped; the streets were empty. Church buildings were closed and the sacramental life of the faithful was reduced to virtual participation.

People began to die, among them, dear, irreplaceable friends. We all secluded ourselves. Fear arose, and extreme measures were put in place for distancing to avoid contagion.

In that time of such circumstances and needs, the Word of God appealed to my conscience. Meditating on the quote from Mt. 10:39: "Whoever finds his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for me will find it," I thought I couldn't stay locked up without taking care of the spiritual needs of the people who needed me. I had to lose my fear and to look for ways to support, accompany, and strengthen them.

In the parish, we began to distribute food until our funds ran out, thinking that the pandemic would last only a short time. The money was indeed depleted, but the pandemic continued.

We began to pray every night, before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. People started to connect with us, sharing their names and their prayers. Some time later, people commented to me how much comfort they received in those moments! The holy hours went on for two years, night after night, as we prayed and prayed.

I began to visit the sick when they requested it and celebrated with them the Sacrament of the Sick. Many had Covid-19, although their relatives preferred to tell me that it was pneumonia. I also offered prayers for the deceased, in funeral homes and in private residences, regardless of ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The important thing was to bring God's comfort.

To administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation, since it was not possible inside the church building, I went out to the atrium, armed with a small screen made of PVC pipes and lined with transparent plastic. On Thursdays and Saturdays, many people came. The two hours, sometimes three, that I dedicated to it were insufficient.

The most painful experiences were: praying and saying goodbye by video call to a parishioner brother, already in agony, and encouraging him in his passing; visiting and giving the last rites and viaticum to a brother priest who died in the early morning; waiting for the body of another brother priest outside the hospital and accompanying him to the grave, with all the restrictions and care imposed by the authorities; and offering the prayers for the deceased for another brother priest from afar, at the entrance to the cemetery, because that was the only way possible.

I also recorded daily meditations for about 150 days and sent them via WhatsApp to all the contacts I had. The purpose was to accompany, strengthen, and encourage. We made some videos with those same topics and posted them on the parish’s Facebook page.

Why do I share all of this? To meditate on the theme of "Perfect Joy" through a personal experience.

In the face of a pandemic and the possibility of contagion and likely death, the logical thing to do is to seclude yourself and to take care of yourself. Yet, the Word of God questioned me so that, at that moment, I could not be afraid. I couldn't "save my life" because that would be to lose it. That made me leave my fears behind and go out and bring God's comfort to sick people and their families.

That experience helped me to live life with greater intensity, to celebrate it every day. It also helped me to be a little freer. Joy arose from letting go of the fear of contagion and death, in this specific situation of the pandemic; and without ceasing to be careful with my health, to see an opportunity to give myself, offering what from my priestly ministry I could give, consolation and the closeness of God. I am thankful for that.

REFLECTION:

Perfect joy is a gratuitous gift. When have you received the capacity to respond positively in a difficult situation?

¿En dónde está la Alegría perfecta?

By:

Padre Mario Domínguez

Franciscan Associate, guatemala

Guardarse u ofrecerse en una situación de pandemia. ¿En dónde está la Alegría perfecta?

 Fue en los tiempos de pandemia (Covid-19), cuando por medidas preventivas, se decretó el confinamiento en las casas. Se detuvo el comercio, las calles quedaron vacías. Los templos se cerraron y la vida sacramental de los fieles se redujo a la participación virtual.

Comenzaron a morir personas, entre ellos, amigos entrañables, insustituibles. Todos nos recluimos. Surgió el miedo, los distanciamientos y medidas para evitar el contagio se hicieron extremas.

 En tales circunstancias y necesidades, la Palabra de Dios, me llamó a la conciencia. Meditando la cita de Mt. 10, 39: “El que encuentre su vida, la perderá; y el que pierda su vida por mí, la encontrará”, pensé que no podía quedarme encerrado sin atender las necesidades espirituales de las personas que las necesitaban. Debía perder el miedo y buscar formas de cómo apoyarles, acompañarlas, y fortalecerles.

 Comenzamos a repartir víveres, con los fondos parroquiales, hasta que se agotaron, pensando que era cosa de poco tiempo. El dinero se agotó y la pandemia siguió.

 Comenzamos a orar, todas las noches, con el Santísimo Sacramento expuesto. Las personas comenzaron a conectarse y a compartir sus nombres y oraciones. Tiempo después, me comentaron, ¡Cuánto consuelo recibieron en aquellos momentos! Las Horas Santas se prolongaron por dos años, noche tras noche, orando, orando.

 Empecé a visitar enfermos, cuando me lo pedían, y darles la unción o extremaunción. Muchos de ellos enfermos de Covid 19, aunque los familiares preferían decirme que era pulmonía. También a ofrecer responsos por los difuntos, en funerarias y en casas, sin importar jurisdicción eclesiástica. Lo importante era llevar el consuelo de Dios.

 Para administrar el Sacramento de la Confesión, puesto que no se podía en el interior del templo, salí al atrio, armado de un pequeño cancel hecho con tubos de pvc y forrado con un naylon transparente. Los días jueves y sábado. Las personas acudieron. Las dos horas, a veces tres, que dedicaba a ello, eran insuficientes.

 Las experiencias más dolorosas fue orar y despedir a un hermano feligrés, que ya estaba en agonía por video llamada, orando y animándole en su trance; visitar y darle la extremaunción y viático a un hermano sacerdote que falleció en la madrugada; esperar el cadáver afuera del hospital a otro hermano sacerdote y acompañarle hasta la tumba, con todas las restricciones y cuidados que imponían las autoridades; y ofrecer un responso, de lejos, porque solo eso se podía, a otro hermano sacerdote en la entrada del cementerio.

 Así también, grabé meditaciones diarias y las enviaba vía wasap, a todos los contactos que tenía, fueron alrededor de 150 días. El fin era acompañar, fortalecer, animar. Hicimos algunos videos con esos mismos temas por el Facebook parroquial.

 Y todo esto, ¿Por qué lo comparto? Para meditar sobre el tema de la “Alegría perfecta” a través de una experiencia personal.

 Ante una pandemia y la posibilidad de contagio y muy probablemente la muerte, lo lógico es recluirse y cuidarse.

 La Palabra de Dios, me cuestionó, que no podía en ese momento, estar con miedo. No podía “guardar mi vida” porque eso era perderla. Eso me hizo perder el miedo, dejar los temores y salir y llevar el consuelo de Dios a las personas enfermas y sus familiares.

 Esa experiencia me ayudó a vivir la vida con mayor intensidad, a celebrarla cada día. También a ser un poco más libre. La alegría surgió de soltar el miedo al contagio y a la muerte en esta situación concreta de la pandemia; y sin dejar de ser cuidadoso con mi salud, ver una oportunidad de darme, ofreciendo lo que desde mi ministerio sacerdotal podía dar: El Consuelo y la cercanía de Dios. Agradecido por eso.

Guardarse u ofrecerse en una situación de pandemia. ¿En dónde está la Alegría perfecta?

 Fue en los tiempos de pandemia (Covid-19), cuando por medidas preventivas, se decretó el confinamiento en las casas. Se detuvo el comercio, las calles quedaron vacías. Los templos se cerraron y la vida sacramental de los fieles se redujo a la participación virtual.

Comenzaron a morir personas, entre ellos, amigos entrañables, insustituibles. Todos nos recluimos. Surgió el miedo, los distanciamientos y medidas para evitar el contagio se hicieron extremas.

 En tales circunstancias y necesidades, la Palabra de Dios, me llamó a la conciencia. Meditando la cita de Mt. 10, 39: “El que encuentre su vida, la perderá; y el que pierda su vida por mí, la encontrará”, pensé que no podía quedarme encerrado sin atender las necesidades espirituales de las personas que las necesitaban. Debía perder el miedo y buscar formas de cómo apoyarles, acompañarlas, y fortalecerles.

 Comenzamos a repartir víveres, con los fondos parroquiales, hasta que se agotaron, pensando que era cosa de poco tiempo. El dinero se agotó y la pandemia siguió.

 Comenzamos a orar, todas las noches, con el Santísimo Sacramento expuesto. Las personas comenzaron a conectarse y a compartir sus nombres y oraciones. Tiempo después, me comentaron, ¡Cuánto consuelo recibieron en aquellos momentos! Las Horas Santas se prolongaron por dos años, noche tras noche, orando, orando.

 Empecé a visitar enfermos, cuando me lo pedían, y darles la unción o extremaunción. Muchos de ellos enfermos de Covid 19, aunque los familiares preferían decirme que era pulmonía. También a ofrecer responsos por los difuntos, en funerarias y en casas, sin importar jurisdicción eclesiástica. Lo importante era llevar el consuelo de Dios.

 Para administrar el Sacramento de la Confesión, puesto que no se podía en el interior del templo, salí al atrio, armado de un pequeño cancel hecho con tubos de pvc y forrado con un naylon transparente. Los días jueves y sábado. Las personas acudieron. Las dos horas, a veces tres, que dedicaba a ello, eran insuficientes.

 Las experiencias más dolorosas fue orar y despedir a un hermano feligrés, que ya estaba en agonía por video llamada, orando y animándole en su trance; visitar y darle la extremaunción y viático a un hermano sacerdote que falleció en la madrugada; esperar el cadáver afuera del hospital a otro hermano sacerdote y acompañarle hasta la tumba, con todas las restricciones y cuidados que imponían las autoridades; y ofrecer un responso, de lejos, porque solo eso se podía, a otro hermano sacerdote en la entrada del cementerio.

 Así también, grabé meditaciones diarias y las enviaba vía wasap, a todos los contactos que tenía, fueron alrededor de 150 días. El fin era acompañar, fortalecer, animar. Hicimos algunos videos con esos mismos temas por el Facebook parroquial.

 Y todo esto, ¿Por qué lo comparto? Para meditar sobre el tema de la “Alegría perfecta” a través de una experiencia personal.

 Ante una pandemia y la posibilidad de contagio y muy probablemente la muerte, lo lógico es recluirse y cuidarse.

 La Palabra de Dios, me cuestionó, que no podía en ese momento, estar con miedo. No podía “guardar mi vida” porque eso era perderla. Eso me hizo perder el miedo, dejar los temores y salir y llevar el consuelo de Dios a las personas enfermas y sus familiares.

 Esa experiencia me ayudó a vivir la vida con mayor intensidad, a celebrarla cada día. También a ser un poco más libre. La alegría surgió de soltar el miedo al contagio y a la muerte en esta situación concreta de la pandemia; y sin dejar de ser cuidadoso con mi salud, ver una oportunidad de darme, ofreciendo lo que desde mi ministerio sacerdotal podía dar: El Consuelo y la cercanía de Dios. Agradecido por eso.

REFLECTION:

La “alegría perfecta” es un don gratuita. ¿Cuándo has recibido la capacidad de responder de manera positiva a una situación difícil?