UM Honors Blog 2020-2021

While all of the processes pertaining to Catholic liturgies and worship can appear to some to be a little more on the religious side now, at the time, the intent was solely to create an atmosphere where people could worship and focus on the music and words instead of the singer. All of these processes and details show just how much respect they had in what they were doing. This is especially evident when the text depicts the routine of life within monasteries. Their lives were completely centered on the principal of prayer and worship. By casting out and limiting every distraction possible, these nuns and monks were able to direct all of their focus and energy to serving, praying, and worshiping. While some people today might see these same actions and consider them religious and that they are worshiping the processes and actions rather than the God they are directed to, there is no doubt that those selfless people sacrificed more of their time and lives to the service of God and their...

Our focus is often drawn away by intruding thoughts and our surroundings. It is easy to get distracted, so we have to train ourselves. This is why meditation and the chants are important. After some time being intentional and trying to focus on God without distractions, it gets easier to keep our focus on Him. While I was thinking about this point, I started considering, "Am I being intentional? Am I fully focused, or do I sometimes simply go through the motions in my head during worship (AKA zoning out because I stayed up all night but still singing)?"  I have developed a routine aside from my daily devotionals and readings to help me be more intentional. Firstly, I begin each day with praise. When I wake up, I thank Jesus for another day living and breathing. I praise Him for His sacrifice, love and grace before I read my verse of the day. Proclaiming God's love is exceedingly good for you, because when you declare His wonders, it strengthens your relationship. As I get...

 The reading this week really caught my attention because I have always had much interest in early Church history. When you know the history of the roots of your faith it brings things into perspective and makes you feel connected to a long heritage of belief. I am somewhat into music and so it was also extremely interesting to see how music was written many years ago. There was so much beauty in the Gregorian chants and they are something that the Church can be proud of.  They were charged with doctrinal truth and sought to express the majesty of God. Even to just read the chants seems to bring to mind emotions of awe and expectation that must have been circulating through the Church at that time. God was doing amazing things among His people through the Holy Spirit and because of that people wanted a way to worship God, hence, the Gregorian chants came to be. They will forever be apart of our faith and give us amazing insight into the early Church.  I commented on Jesse...

           It's amazing how different cultures and religions have similar traditions. The description of the early catholic chants as "simple, free, monotone, and flowing..." reminded me of the different chants and mantras done by Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews. All of the chants seem to prioritize the "flow-state". St. Augustine says "the music should not distract from the worshiper's meditation on God"(Aesthetic Considerations Regarding the Chant 37) and he couldn't be more right; all of these cultures avoid the distractions of the mind and music by enhancing the other senses (sight, hearing, touch, and smell). This quieting of the mind is done with candles, beads, art, and space for resonation.          The idea that the chant itself is a part of the meditation connects all of the cultures above. The chants must be smooth and easy to remember, yet still varying and powerful enough to keep the worshippers engaged....

  There is something beautiful about the ceremony involved in a Catholic church service. Not only in the church, but in the daily lives of devoted Christians. It is a testament to the beauty of the One they worship.  The Mass is such a wonderful picture in the church of devotion and praise. It is amazing to me the care with which the people went about performing this ceremony. The chanting would have been so majestic. I can imagine the sound of so many voices resonating in a cathedral; the sounds of worship engulfing the space.  This picture reminded me of the intentionality and care an artist puts into a work of art. There is a science to creating something beautiful. First, the canvas must be chosen and prepared. Next, paint must be chosen so that it will react well on the canvas and mixed so that it is the right color. Finally, the artist must layer the paint of the canvas; applying the color in just the right places to create an image that is pleasing to the eye. Thro...

          Augustine, why music?! As I mull over chapter 10 book 33 of Augustine's Confessions, I can't help but roll my eyes just a little. I mean, yes, as Christians we should honor Christ in everything, but if my interpretation is accurate then according to Augustine I can't enjoy music just for the beauty of it. On page 239 Augustine says, " Yet when I find the singing itself more moving than the truth which it conveys, I confess that this is a grievous sin, and at those times I would prefer not to hear the singer." Okay. In some aspects I agree with this. I agree that if a singer is singing a worship song it is important for the listener to focus on the truth being sung. However, I think Augustine needs to calm down a little. I believe God gives us earthly blessings that we can enjoy, one being music. I think that as long as we know that God is the Creator of all things good and we thank Him for those blessings, it is not a "grievous sin" to enjoy th...

 Last week when we were doing blogs I felt like I needed to defend Augustine, Basil, and their warnings on making worship music all about us rather than all about God , but after reading this particular assignment, Augustine's overthinking is starting to concern me. He strikes me as the type that's always 100% hard on themselves. Perhaps that was one of the biggest obstacles keeping him from truly committing to God at first, and even when he got to actually know God, I bet it still preyed on his mind. I felt like he reflected a lot of his self-criticism on how God saw him and pictured Him to be this harsh Judge who discouraged him from feeling any joy from his senses. True, we should not trust everything that our senses have to offer. What looks good, feels good, tastes good etc. may not actually be good so to speak, but I do believe that we can actually appreciate and enjoy the wonders of our Father's creation through our physical senses. When I get pleasure from watching ...