JMJT! Praise be Jesus Christ! Now and Forever!
Yesterday I wrote about experiencing God in beautiful music, and how such sacred music can unite our souls with the Blessed Trinity. Without a doubt, such music moves individual souls and lives towards Our Creator as we recognize its beauty as a reflection of Him. It should be added that there is a communal dimension to sacred music as well. This is almost unspoken and perhaps a given as such music is enjoyed by all attending Holy Mass, as an integral part of the liturgy. Truly, such heavenly sounds can draw entire congregations to higher levels of contemplation, to heavenly truths, and ultimately to God. And in these shared experiences we realize that we are all linked as brothers and sisters in the Mystical Body of Christ.
Such is the end result of a beautiful virtual choir that was formed with various Discalced Carmelite communities comprised of sisters from all over the globe. A recent article reports that,
Ninety-three Discalced Carmelite nuns in 24 countries have reached out of their cloistered monasteries to sing together in a virtual choir honoring St. Teresa of Avila on the 500th anniversary of her birth. This union of voices came together through the musical vision of a Carmelite Sister in Reno, Nev., and the creative imagination of a technical wizard in the Midwest. The result is two 6-minute videos of the sisters singing on a virtual stage, created by Kansas native Scott Haines. In one video they sing Teresa’s famous words “Nada Te Turbe” (“Let Nothing Disturb You”) in an original composition by Sr. Claire Sokol of the Carmelites of Reno. In the other, some of their Carmelite friars and Secular Carmelites join them in the 11th century “Salve Regina” chant with an added descant written by Sokol.The music is hauntingly beautiful, but it is the moving collage of the Carmelites’ faces as they sing that lifts the sound to greater heights. “It took me to places within myself I didn’t know existed,” said one Carmelite after viewing “Nada Te Turbe” during its premiere in San Jose, Calif. on Aug. 22 as part of the 500th anniversary celebration by Carmelites of the western U.S. “There are no words to describe how I feel,” said another.[See http://globalsistersreport.org/song-shared-around-world-carmelites-form-virtual-choir-10506}
St. Teresa would undoubtedly approve of such expressions of love and prayer, as she herself enjoyed music greatly and introduced song into her foundation's required times of recreation, although she continually struggled with learning how to sing for choir and the liturgy! Even more of a reason for her to truly admire her daughters who now exhibit such musical talent! I am confident that she is interceding for all of us in heaven, and smiling as she sings her praises before the throne of God with all the choirs of angels and saints in heaven, and periodically shakes her tambourine.
