The Second Sunday after Trinity 09 06 24
OLD TESTAMENT READING: 1 Samuel 8:4-15
NEW TESTAMENT READING: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
GOSPEL Mark 3.20-end
On this Sunday we give thanks to God for Church Music and Musicians. In the Christian tradition, we find music to have a very special place.
We find different church traditions use different types of music. We have churches like ours using hymns in worship. We have a dedicated choir and an organist who help us with music in worship. There are church traditions who may have a music band and use modern hymns and songs, there are other churches who will be using meditative music such as the Taize music or Gregorian chant, there are also churches who may not use music instruments but clap their hands and sing songs of praise, we can also find Churches use rock music style songs in worship. Whatever the case, music has a very special place in Christian prayer and worship.
As we give thanks to God for the gift of music, we cannot forget the composers but ancient and modern. They give expression to bible verses and their messages in these hymns and there are musicians who set the tune. We give thanks and praise God for these amazing people who have used their gifts to glorify God.
The place of music in worship is so strong because music flows from deep within and while singing the words and tune are felt deep within a worshipper and that is the reason we call Christian music as sacred music as it is an expression of one’s spirituality and enriches one’s soul.
In the bible we find so many songs that people sang which are recorded as scripture. David is a great writer of songs that were used in worship, There were others who wrote songs and we find them all in the book of Psalms. Music is not only about singing, people used various musical instruments to praise God in worship.
In the New Testament we find Paul narrate about worship in the early church, where he says, Christians devoted themselves to the singing of the hymns and prayer.
Music helps us to offer praises to God. It is an experience of offering praises to God.
Music helps us to pray to God. The words of the hymns echo our circumstances and feelings and Hymns can be prayers. There is a phrase that is attributed to St. Augustine which says ‘to sing is to pray twice’.
We also receive through Music, Hymns give us hope, it changes our sadness into joy, hymns help us to receive insight into situations, hymn singing calms our mind and grants us peace.
On this Sunday we give thanks to God for our Organist and our Choir and we rededicate ourselves as people called to proclaim God’s glory, goodness and grace to the world.