Don't forget to nurture your own faith.
Some time back, was I was talking to a former colleague who was also an organist in an Anglican church. He told me that he was aware that a great many of his fellow church musicians ceased to go to church once they retired from their leadership roles in liturgical music.
Now, there are some differences between Church of England and Catholic organists, chiefly being that they are generally paid. As such, I suspect that there is a greater risk that what you do becomes more of a job than a ministry. However, there is a similar risk for all those within the music and liturgy ministries, indeed all ministries that make demands on your time and energy.
There is a great deal of sacrifice in being involved with such ministries. There is, of course, the time and effort in taken in preparation, in practice and rehearsals. During the liturgy itself, Mass or otherwise, you can never fully immerse yourself as you always have to keep one eye on what you are doing next, making sure that you don't miss a cue, etc. We willingly make this sacrifice because we know that this is what we are called to do and that we are, in some small way, helping to build up the Body of Christ; we make the sacrifice for God and for our local Church community and help them experience more fully the living God through our music and liturgy ministry.
But, if we are not careful, we can neglect our own faith, our own relationship with God. We can get on a treadmill. Our ministry can become a job. We can lose perspective and seek to make our liturgies better and better for the wrong reasons. It can become a burden. Joyless.
Many who are involved in music and liturgy will go to a second Sunday Mass, where they don't have any responsibility or ministry, so that they can fully engage with the Mass. Attending weekdays Masses and, at very least, spending time in personal prayer and reading of the Scriptures will help nurture your faith so that what you do remains a fulfilling ministry rather than a draining chore.
Now, there are some differences between Church of England and Catholic organists, chiefly being that they are generally paid. As such, I suspect that there is a greater risk that what you do becomes more of a job than a ministry. However, there is a similar risk for all those within the music and liturgy ministries, indeed all ministries that make demands on your time and energy.
There is a great deal of sacrifice in being involved with such ministries. There is, of course, the time and effort in taken in preparation, in practice and rehearsals. During the liturgy itself, Mass or otherwise, you can never fully immerse yourself as you always have to keep one eye on what you are doing next, making sure that you don't miss a cue, etc. We willingly make this sacrifice because we know that this is what we are called to do and that we are, in some small way, helping to build up the Body of Christ; we make the sacrifice for God and for our local Church community and help them experience more fully the living God through our music and liturgy ministry.
But, if we are not careful, we can neglect our own faith, our own relationship with God. We can get on a treadmill. Our ministry can become a job. We can lose perspective and seek to make our liturgies better and better for the wrong reasons. It can become a burden. Joyless.
Many who are involved in music and liturgy will go to a second Sunday Mass, where they don't have any responsibility or ministry, so that they can fully engage with the Mass. Attending weekdays Masses and, at very least, spending time in personal prayer and reading of the Scriptures will help nurture your faith so that what you do remains a fulfilling ministry rather than a draining chore.
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ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree
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