November 22 2023 - St. Cecilia - Sing a new song unto the Lord

 All throughout the scriptures God’s people are known for making music.  After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the people of Israel sang a song exulting the Lord for delivering them from their enemies. Singing was certainly part of Israel's formal worship in both tabernacle and temple. The Psalms bear rich testimony that in joy and sorrow, in praise and lament, the faithful raise their voices in song to God—making music on lutes and harps, and pipe instruments, even with loud clashing cymbals. There’s certainly a time and place for music like that! 

Our Lord in the Gospels is recorded as singing hymns with his disciples on their way to Mount Olivet, after the Last Supper—like a recessional hymn following the first Mass.  

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, telling them, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…”

In the book of the apocalypse, the saints of heaven are depicted standing around the throne of the Lamb, singing. 

We celebrate today the feast of the patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia. Legend states that after St. Cecilia was arrested and imprisoned for her faith, she was tortured for days. But throughout her gruesome tortures she sang to God, she sang God’s praises. St. Cecilia was able to sing in the face of death because of her Faith. Faith that death is not the end. For that martyrs win an imperishable crown in heaven for their courageous witness. 

For those without faith, death is the worst thing imaginable. But the fearless song of the Christian is itself a witness to Christ’s victory. Death does not get the last word. Christ is victorious. This world—this valley of tears—is but a prelude to everlasting life with God for the redeemed. 

Singing. I never understand why some Christians don’t like to sing. We are told to sing by our scriptures. The Lord himself was a singer of hymns and psalms. The saints are able to sing in the face of death. Song has a powerful ability to help us transcend earthly mindedness. Singing elevates our mood, it lifts our minds and hearts to join in an angelic, heavenly activity in the praise and worship of God. 

Anyone can learn to sing if they want to. Just as anyone can learn to follow Christ. Anyone can learn to love God and trust God enough to sing like the saints in the face of suffering. 

Through the intercession of St. Cecilia, may the Holy Spirit teach us to sing a new song of adoration unto the Lord in witness of the saving Gospel—the victory of Christ—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That we may endeavor to put our time, talent, treasure, creativity, and devotion into serving the mission of the Gospel. 

For a strengthening of Christian marriages; for an increase in virtue among spouses; for healing in troubled marriages; and for God’s mercy to replace bitterness, resentment, and selfishness. 

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, we pray for the safety of travelers, the peaceful resolution of all family divisions and national hostilities, for protection from disease, and harmony amongst all those who gather; for the lonely and forgotten, and that holy gratitude may fill our hearts and animate our lives.

For the safety of police and firefighters, for first responders, the underemployed and unemployed, for those struggling with addiction, for the incarcerated, for those suffering from depression or burn-out, and for the sick and dying. 

We pray in a special way during this Month of November, for all of the faithful departed, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for all the souls in purgatory, and for…

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

November 22 2022 - St. Cecilia - The most beautiful song (school mass)

 All throughout the scriptures God’s people are known for making music.  After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites sang a song exulting the Lord for delivering them from their enemies.

Israel sang as she traversed the desert, she sang in the Temple, she sang in exile.

And entire book of the Bible—the book of Psalms—contains songs of joy, songs of adoration of God, songs of repentance for sin, songs of desperation, songs of thanksgiving in acknowledgement of God’s blessings, songs to bestow courage on God’s people as they faced their enemies, songs which contain timeless wisdom to guide one’s life.

There are even Psalms instructing God’s people to pick up your instruments and make some music for God—on lutes and harps, and pipe instruments, even with loud clashing cymbals. 

The Lord Jesus himself in the Gospels is recorded as singing hymns with his disciples on their way to Mount Olivet, after the Last Supper. A recessional hymn following the first Mass.  

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, telling them, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…”

In the book of the apocalypse, the saints of heaven are depicted standing around the throne of the Lamb, singing. 

We celebrate today the feast of the patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia—so a very happy feast day to all musicians—and to the whole Church who constantly sings God’s praises. St. Cecilia was an early Christian martyr, she was arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and sentenced to death because of her Catholic faith. Legend states that throughout her tortures, which lasted for days, she sang to God. 

Think about that. St. Cecilia’s faith was so important to her, that she was able to sing in the face of death. Is your faith strong enough? 

Jesus on the cross recited the lyrics of a song: a song that begins, “my god my god, why have you forsaken me” expressing the sentiments of all those who suffer and feel that God is at a distance…but the song continues: “Dogs surround me; a pack of evildoers closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and my feet”…a thousand years before Jesus was born, this song about a man having his hands and feet pierced for God was written by David..Jesus’s ancestor. And then the song concludes: All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the LORD;” From the cross, Jesus referenced this song about a man who dies for the Lord, who, even though he dies, will live, will continue to praise God even in death, who will live for God forever. 

That is why St. Cecilia was able to sing when she was facing death. Because of Jesus’ promise, that all those who believe that Jesus is the son of God, those who die with his praises on their lips, will live beyond death. 

The Catholic Church has had on her lips for two thousand years, this very song—the song of Songs—the most beautiful song--the song singing of God’s victory over death through Jesus Christ. Will you sing it? Why wouldn’t you?

The Feast of St. Cecilia—what a wonderful saint to celebrate before taking off a few days for Thanksgiving Break. Cecilia reminds us to join in the Church’s song every day—a song that turns to God with the sentiments of every human heart—thanking God and praising God—for the invitation to sing forever. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

November 22 2021 - St. Cecilia - Sacred Music and the New Song of the Martyrs

All throughout the scriptures God’s people are known for making music.  After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the people of Israel sang a song exulting the Lord for delivering them from their enemies. Singing was certainly part of Israel's formal worship in both tabernacle and temple. The Psalms bear rich testimony that in joy and sorrow, in praise and lament, the faithful raise their voices in song to God—making music on lutes and harps, and pipe instruments, even with loud clashing cymbals. There’s certainly a time and place for music like that! 

Our Lord in the Gospels is recorded as singing hymns with his disciples on their way to Mount Olivet, after the Last Supper. A recessional hymn following the first Mass.  

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, telling them, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…”

In the book of the apocalypse, the saints of heaven are depicted standing around the throne of the Lamb, singing. 

We celebrate today the feast of the patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia. Legend states that after St. Cecilia was arrested and imprisoned for her faith, she was tortured for days. But throughout her gruesome tortures she sang to God, she sang God’s praises. 

I think of Cecilia’s beautiful music as she faced her martyrdom in contrast with Psalm 137 which, depicts the Jews being so distraught, so anguished due to their physical separation from the Jerusalem temple, that they hang up their hearts. They are so overwhelmed that they could not bring themselves to song when their Babylonian captors request a song of zion. 

But, St. Cecilia was able to sing in the face of death, and this is certainly a characteristic of the Christian saint. Because of Christian faith and hope, faith in Christ’s victory over death, hope in eternal life with him and the resurrection, we are able to sing even in this valley of tears.  

St. Augustine describing the Christian life once said, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.”  The Christian witnessing to the victory of Christ over sin and death is to be a song which resounds to all corners of the world.  Whether in good times or in bad, in times of suffering, or in times of joy the Christian life is to be a hymn to God. For Christ’s victory over death, enables us to sing alleluia—God is victorious—even in the face of our own martyrdom. 

Several of the Psalms proclaim: “sing a new song unto the Lord”, well, the Christian is able to sing that new song, even in the face of gruesome martyrdom because we know that death does not get the last word, death does not silence the witness of the Church, for it did not silence Him.

The Vatican II Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium explains that there are two purposes for sacred music: "the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful."

Beautiful Sacred Music, reflects the beauty and holiness of God, engaging our human emotions, imaginations, and wills. We make beautiful music because God is beautiful, and we sing songs of lamentation to more deeply express our guilt or our suffering.

And yet, sacred music is also a sacramental like sacred art and architecture, the miraculous medal, or holy water. Music expresses our faith but also opens us up, disposes us, like the other sacramentals, to the grace of God, by pointing us to the transcendent. Sacred music has been successful in stirring the hearts of hardened atheists to recognize that there is something beyond the material, beyond the self.

The Church is blessed by her sacred musicians who help us to worship God in spirit, truth, goodness, and beauty. Through the intercession of St. Cecilia, may the entire Church, through all her trials and joys, sing to God the new song of adoration for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

November 22 2019 - St. Cecilia - Courage of the Martyrs

When we celebrate the feasts of the martyrs, like St. Cecilia, we do so for a number of reasons. First, to give thanksgiving and praise to God. We join our lives to theirs through this act of divine worship. For the martyrs came to altars just like ours. They thanked God for the salvation of their souls just like we are doing. And from this altar they received the body and blood of Jesus that nourished their souls, that helped them to love Jesus so much that they were willing to die for Him.

Secondly, we celebrate the martyrs for their example of courage. As we’ve been reading through the Maccabees this whole week, these acts of heroic faith echo through the centuries, inspiring us to be faithful when we are tempted, setting good example for young people, that their lives may be ordered to seek after that which is most important, a vibrant relationship with God that directs the whole of their lives.

And of all the virtues of the martyrs it is certainly their courage that we seek to emulate. C.S. Lewis
wrote that “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” If we are to practice any of the virtues of the Christian life: faith, hope, love, prudence, temperance, and fortitude, we need courage to practice any of them.

We need courage to have faith: to believe that God exists even though we have no empirical proof of his existence, to believe in he testimony of the apostles that Jesus is risen, we need courage to believe that we are truly forgiven of our sins. We need to have courage to hope, that amidst all the chaos and evil in the world, the goodness of Christ will triumph. We need to have courage to love, to go beyond self-preservation and self-interest and caring for others, looking to their needs instead of only our own.

Courage is needed for the Christian Life, and the martyrs like Cecilia, remind us of that, and pray from their place in heaven, that we may be courageous when our faith, hope, and live are tried.

While Cecilia was imprisoned and being tortured for her faith, she continued to speak of the saving Gospel and to sing God’s praises. She is known as the patron saint of musicians, because by her courage her life became a powerful song of witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

May her prayers and example aid us in having courage in the face of all trial for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Pope and all bishops and priests may lead the church in the courage practice and proclamation of the saving Gospel of Christ.

That parents may be models of courageous faith for their children, and center their family life on the Gospel through worship, prayer, and charity.

For members of our parish faced with temptations and trials, that they will choose faith and know the strength and peace of God.

That through the intercession of St. Cecilia, in thanksgiving for our parish musicians, that their lives may be blessed as they develop and share their talents for the glory of God.

That Christ the Good Shepherd will draw close to all who suffer, the sick, the needy, victims of injustice, and the dying.

We pray in a special way during this month of November for all the faithful departed, for those whose names are written in our parish book of the names of the dead, all deceased members of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, and our deceased family members and friends, deceased clergy and religious, those who fought and died for our freedom and for X. for whom this mass is offered.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

Friday after Ash Wednesday 2019 - To remedy dissonant chords

Last Year on Ash Wednesday, Holy Father Pope Francis said that “The season of Lent is a favorable time to remedy the dissonant chords of our Christian life…[a time] to allow our hearts to beat once more in tune with the vibrant heart of Jesus.”

The Christian life is to be lived in harmony with Jesus and with one another. It is a remedy to that first discordant note in human history, Original Sin, which has rendered every soul out of harmony with God.

Most of us know how unpleasant musical dissonance can be. When something is out of tune it is jarring, perhaps even repulsive or ugly. So, too is the life of sin. There is an ugliness to sin; for sin is out of tune with God’s goodness, truth, and beauty. At times in our life, our hearts may have been in such discord that they rejected God's truth, Jesus'  call to repentance.

But Lent is the "acceptable time" we heard proclaimed on Wedneday, to turn back to God through  repentance from sin, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, to be brought ever more deeply into harmony with Christ, with what is right and just.

Today’s readings on this first Lenten Friday speak of fasting. “The days are coming when my disciples will fast”, well, here they are. How does fasting remedy the discord of human sin?

St. John Climacus wrote, “fasting ends lust, roots out bad thoughts, frees one from evil dreams. Fasting makes for purity of prayer, an enlightened soul, a watchful mind, a deliverance from spiritual blindness. Fasting is the door of compunction, humble sighing, joyful contrition, and end to chatter, an occasion for silence, a custodian of obedience, a lightening of sleep, health of the body, an agent of dispassion, a remission of sins, the gate, indeed, the delight of paradise.”

Fasting is a spiritual self-discipline that makes us conscious of our dependence on God.  We voluntarily experience physical hunger in order to become aware of our true spiritual hunger.  That the deepest hunger of the human soul comes for the peace and joy and life that can only be satisfied by communion with God.

Fasting remedies our discord with created things. We eat too much and pray too little. We engage in the pleasures of the flesh too much and engage in the works of the Spirit too little. And fasting brings our lives back into the order of goodness that God desires, that will bring us true joy.

We will not regret taking seriously the Lenten call to fast. Through fasting we pause our tendency to seek ultimate fulfillment in the things of the world, and recommit to living once more for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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For the whole Christian people, that in this sacred Lenten season, they may be more abundantly nourished by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

For the whole world, that in lasting tranquility and peace our days may truly become the acceptable time of grace and salvation.

For sinners and those who neglect right religion, that in this time of reconciliation they may return wholeheartedly to Christ.

For ourselves, that God may at last stir up in our hearts aversion for our sins and conviction for the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.

November 22 2017 - St. Cecilia - Singing joyfully amidst persecution

Having been involved in singing in choirs both in high school and in seminary, I came to develop a devotion to St. Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. And so when I visited Rome for the first time, one of the first Churches I made sure to visit was the Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere. The church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is reputedly built on the site of the house in which she lived; the original church was constructed in the fourth century

St. Cecilia is one of the most famous Roman martyrs, her name is listed in the Roman Canon along with Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, and Anastasia.

The daughter of wealthy Christian family of Rome, Cecilia was promised in marriage to a Pagan man, despite an inner vow of virginity she had made to God. On the night of the wedding, she told her husband that God had set an angel over her to guard her virginity. Quite skeptical, of course, Valerian asked to see the angel. He saw the angel, and quickly went to the Pope to be baptized.
Cecilia’s holiness became a cause for many Roman pagans to seek conversion. But soon, she attracted the attention of the authorities; she was arrested and sentenced to death. Throughout her tortures, which lasted for three days, she sang God’s praises, which is why she is the patron saint of music.

Why was Cecilia so revered by the early Roman Church? Why is she revered still today?

St. Cecilia, the virgin martyr, singing God’s praises in the midst of persecution and torture, gives us example for the persecutions we must each face. The Lord promised that each of us would have to face our own persecution, that each of us would be misunderstood, mocked, even hated for the faith. And Cecilia reminds us that the Christian faces these persecutions joyfully, knowing that they lead to espousal with the Lord, eternal union with God in heaven.

If you cannot imagine facing persecution joyfully, pray for that grace—the grace to remain faithful and even joyful when your faith is tested, that in the moment of trial, your heart might be gladdened with the knowledge, that what suffer for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For all Christians, that as they experience persecution for the faith, they may know the closeness and love of the Lord and remain true to the Gospel.

Through the intercession of St. Cecilia, we pray for all musicians, that they may use their gifts and talents not for their own sake, but for the glory of God.

For peace to reign in the hearts of all preparing to gather for the Thanksgiving holiday and for the safety of all travelers.

That our young people may grow in a deep love of the Lord and his commands and be preserved from the errors of the world.

For all those struggling with addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, or for those who will die today.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

June 9 2017 - St. Ephrem the Syrian- Exulted in singing God's mysteries

My first parish assignment as a priest was St. Columbkille Parish in Parma. Today, June 9 on the old calendar was the feast of St. Columbkille; he isn’t celebrated universally, rather, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ephrem, a poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith born early in the 4th century in Syria.

When St. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, Jesus was already known in Syria; and it was there, in Antioch, in Syria, that Jesus’ disciples were first called “Christians”. We celebrate every year the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who in a sense inaugurated an era of martyrs in the early Church.

Yet, even under threat of continuous persecution, a school of theology developed in Antioch, one of whose most prestigious disciples was John Chrysostom. Monasticism flourished as well: St. Simeon the Stylite and St. Maron lived not far from Aleppo.

So when we hear about Christians being driven out from Syria, we are talking about an attack on the deepest roots of Christianity.

St. Ephrem defended the faith against the Arian Heresy in his day. In the 4th century, the denial of the divinity of Christ was spreading throughout the world. One of the reasons Arianism was adopted by so many people, nobility and common folk alike, was propaganda: really catchy hymns containing heresy carried this error. The theology was false, but the tunes were memorable.

To combat error, Ephrem wrote beautiful hymns containing faithful doctrine, in order to catechize the people.  For this he was called “the harp of the Holy Spirit.” In icons and religious art, he is often depicted holding a harp and the opening prayer referred to St. Ephrem as “exulted in singing God’s mysteries.”

The Church certainly faces physical threats of violence in places like Syria, Christians are being driven out wholesale. In 2011, Christians in Syria numbered 1.25 Million; in 2016, we were less than 500,000. But, we also face theological threats, there and everywhere: cultural propaganda which denies the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, the natural moral law—cultural propaganda which normalizes serious sin, perversion, adultery, and violence.

In many places, Christians, even Bishops, accommodate these errors, rather than holding firm. Heretical hymns, like those in Ephrem’s time, crept into our Masses. Many of the hymns that came after the Second Vatican Council were theologically lacking at best, downright heretical at worst, some of them are simply ugly music, unbefitting the sacred mysteries. These heretical hymns and poor catechesis in many places has, at least partially, contributed to the erosion of the practice of the true Faith.

So we certainly seek the help of God and the help of the Saints in refortifying the Church from error, re-evangelizing those who have drifted away, convicting the hearts and minds of our young people. May St. Ephrem help us to sing the true praises of Christ, free from error, free from sin, for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her, preserving her from error, helping her to rejoice in the Truth of the Gospel.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.

That the Christians of Syria and our brothers and sisters persecuted throughout the world may be delivered by the hand of God from all danger.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

Homily: Nov 22 2016 - St. Cecilia - Patron of Musicians

St. Cecilia is one of the most famous Roman martyrs. She is the patron saint of musicians; stained glass windows often depict her holding a harp or playing the organ or violin.

She was daughter of wealthy Roman parents, a Christian from birth. As was the custom, she was promised in marriage to a man, a pagan named Valerian. Cecilia, however, had vowed her virginity to God, and wore sackcloth, fasted and prayed in hopes of keeping this promise. Saint Cecilia disclosed her wishes to her husband on their wedding night. She told Valerian that an angel watched over her to guard her purity. Quite skeptical, Valerian asked to see the angel, so St. Cecilia sent him to the Pope. Accounts of how and when Valerian saw the angel vary, but one states that he was baptized by the Pope, and, upon his return to Saint Cecilia, they were both given heavenly crowns by an angel. Another version recounts that Valerian's brother, sees the crowns and he too is converted.

The two brothers then make it their mission to bury Christian martyrs put to death by the prefect of the city. In turn, they were brought in front of the prefect and sentenced to death by the sword. Cecilia, in the meantime, continued to make many conversions, but finally, she too was arrested and brought before the prefect. He ruled that she should die by suffocation in the baths. Saint Cecilia was locked into the bathhouse and the fires vigorously stoked. She remained there for a day and a night but was still alive when the soldiers opened the doors. She was then ordered beheaded, but the executioner, after striking three times without severing St Cecilia's head, ran away, leaving her badly wounded.

St. Cecilia hung onto life for three days after the mortal blows, preaching, and singing God’s praises. This is why she is the patron saint of music.

What a powerful image: St. Cecilia, the martyr, singing praises even as she suffered. She witnesses to God in her consecrated virginity and purity throughout life, and makes her death into a song of adoration to him.

The preface prayer for the feasts of the martyrs refers to the “new song of adoration” which all of creation will sing in praise of God in the new heaven, which the martyrs foreshadow in this life.  Yesterday, in our reading from the book of Revelations, John’s vision shows 144,000 saints in heaven, singing a hymn before the throne of God and playing their harps. 

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, telling them, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All throughout the scriptures God’s people are known for their singing.  The people of God sing. After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the people of Israel sang a song to the Lord (Exod. 15). Singing was part of Israel's formal worship in both tabernacle and temple (1 Chron. 6:31-32, 16:42). The Psalms bear rich testimony that in joy and sorrow, in praise and lament, the faithful raise their voices in song to God. Hymn singing was practiced by Jesus and his disciples (Matt. 26:30).

Through the intercession of St. Cecilia, may all we do today be transformed into a hymn of praise to our God, that all of our thoughts, words, and deeds, might be harmonized with Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.