Name That Tune!

Our parish music director has just asked me to review the weekend repertoire for late summer early fall. You might be interested in how the songs we sing on Sunday are chosen. Our music director plans weeks/months in advance by looking at the scriptures for each week, choosing psalms and hymns appropriate those texts and giving a copy of the draft program to me for review. It's in this planning process that we might decide to introduce a song new to the parish. Of course, seasonal planning (Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter) are a large part of this work.

This past weekend was a good example of how beautifully this can all come together. Our music director had chosen In Christ There Is No East or West as the recessional for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 26 this year). He made that choice based on texts from Isaiah and Luke for that date. Although I hadn't consulted his program since I reviewed it at the beginning of the summer, my homily, based on those same texts, fit hand-in-glove with the choice of our closing song. As I was singing the recessional at our Saturday 5:00 Mass, it occur ed to me that it was a wonderful musical summary of the day's scriptures and how I had bro keen them open in the homily.

When reviewing the draft I might make some suggestions for changes. Then, sometimes on a particular weekend (sometimes in light of my homily) it will occur to me that a particular song doesn't fit, or that another song might have been the perfect choice. Almost always our fine music ministers are willing and able to accommodate my last minute changes - for which I'm always grateful!

Here's a chance for you to indicate what are some of your favorite hymns and psalms for use in the liturgy. If, in addition to titles or first lines, you'd like to comment on why a particular piece is a favorite - please do so.

Now, I can't promise that you'll hear your favorites next Sunday! But it will be helpful for me and our music ministry to have an idea of the selections that especially help you to pray.