27/08/2025
The act of singing the liturgy does not only exist so as to elevate the aesthetics of the celebration. It is deeply rooted in the spiritual desire of the people of God to worship Him, transcending words and gestures.
In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “when man comes in contact with God, mere speech is not enough… Indeed, man’s own being is insuffiecient for what he has to express.” True enough, when we come before the altar of the Lord to give thanks for His unending grace, words cannot contain the deep gratitude in our hearts. Hence, music and song facilitate our expression of praise and thanksgiving.
As we sing the liturgy, we are reminded of the many wonders the Lord has done throughout the history of salvation. Indeed, the very words of the liturgy, the ones that we are required to sing, highlight the glorious deeds of God — from the very beginning up to these present days.
Moreover, aside from the wonderful and mighty deeds of God, our songs also spring forth from the Eternal Love. This Love, who takes it root from the Most Holy Trinity, excites and inspires the Church — indeed, each of its members gathered in the Liturgy — to sing songs of love and devotion. Therefore, singing the liturgy is, in a way, a retelling of the love story we have with Him who has first loved us. These songs, therefore, fuels our deep longing to love God and proclaim His never-ending love for us.
With these in mind, and in the spirit of the liturgy that we sing, may the prayers we carry deep within us —unutterable yet profound, internally diverse yet externally in unison— be like the fragrance of incense rising up to the throne of God. Indeed, we profess what the Psalmist proclaimed, “God mounts his throne to shouts of joy, a blare of trumpet for the Lord!”