Singing Out With the Voice God Gave Us

I’m not sure when I learned that I could not “carry a tune in a bucket” but I must have been pretty young. It was pretty well known in our family that Mary Ellen just couldn’t sing. I like to sing. It is something I just don’t do well so I truly appreciate people that sing out loud and strong.

I may have been traumatized in grade school when in second or third grade, the person sitting in the back of a row (that would be me) had to move up the row desk by desk and sing with each person, “Swinging in a swing, swinging up so high”. You can see that this affected me greatly if I can still remember the tune. High school wasn’t a great deal better. I avoided most singing, but the school song was a must, “Dear SJA” (St. Joseph’s Academy). I couldn’t make the high notes so I just worked on blending in. I’ve always been self-conscious about my singing. I sang when I rocked my babies---Peter, Paul and Mary tunes mostly--easy, mellow music. But, I only did it when no one was around and did worry a tad that my children would grow up “off-key” like their mother. Fortunately, all seven can sing fairly well, a couple of them very well indeed.

I need and am grateful for the people that sit around me in church and sing out with all of their hearts and voices. There are probably a few other people like me that are somewhat hesitant singers and need your strong voices to blend with and keep us on key. I also appreciate those gifted people that are able to “take it down an octave” when the piece is very high- pitched. I tend to squeak on high notes.

Our voices are such wonderful gifts, whether we sing well or just sing with the voice God gave us. They are beautiful musical instruments designed by the Creator to praise Him. The blending of voices filling the high places at Sunday liturgies is a delight to Him. Our songs are prayers. In them we praise our Father and sing of the wonder of His created world, offer thanksgiving to Him, ask His mercy and forgiveness. They help us to reflect on the seasons of His Holy Church.

“While the soft sweet sounds flow into the ear, says St. Augustine, divine truth should gently steal into our hearts”. (Bishop Frederick Knecht: Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture.) The hymns of our Church reflect its’ beliefs and truths. Many contain scripture passages that we will recognize as we read or study scripture. Read the Psalms of David in your Bible and search for phrases you have sung in hymns and songs. Some favorite hymns will tell a story, whisking us away to a clear, cold night in Bethlehem, perhaps.

Thank you to all of those talented musicians who sing in our church choirs. Your gift of voice is given to Him and multiplied a thousand fold as the congregation joins you in song. For those of us in the pews, as our beautiful Christmas liturgies approach, we should prepare ourselves to sing the songs of joy and praise with full voices, joining with His choirs of angels and all of His people (even those of us who are a little off key).

Alma Mater: "Dear SJA"