Choral singing reminds you of the heavenly choir of angels. Choirs are an important part of the liturgy. They move the massgoer to pray to God in song.
Back in the 1980s when I used to sing with Barangay Choir, there were many songs that were taught us that varied according to the liturgy of the particular occasion when the song would be sung. Thus, during Lent, the Gloria and the Alleluia were not sung, as in the present time, but rather songs that reminded one of the passion and death of Jesus. On Good Fridays the song usually sung was God So Love the World while during the Easter vigil and the whole of Easter Sunday, Handel's Hallelujah Chorus would reverberate inside the church.
In 1990, when I left the choir, I had never thought that I would one day go back and decide to stay not in the same choir but with the former parish choir of Our Lady of Grace Church.
The first time I joined this Choir again as a singing member was this Sunday morning at 11 A.M. There were just eight of us, two basses, two altos, three sopranos and a sole tenor in the person of my friend Herbert.
It had not crossed my mind that the feast that we were celebrating today was the Conversion of St. Paul. I nearly fell off my seat because I am a Paulinian and the Mass was held at the clubhouse of Don Antonio Royale Estate, a part of St. Michael the Archangel Parish. St. Michael is also one of my patrons. I was confirmed on the feast of St. Michael in San Miguel Church, San Miguel, Manila.
I had thought that the two saints were conspiring against me. What a happy conspiracy!
I made up for with enthusiasm what I lacked in technique. I had the tendency to sing without using head tone, the tone that was needed to be able to sing liturgical songs well. During choir practice, Herbert was so patient with me and told me to practice by bending from my waist down and then singing. I tried it and my head started to ache. The headache meant that I was succeeding. Using head tone hurt.
The songs we sung may be old but the singer's heart that is filled with love for the Lord never grows old.
The Entrance Song was Lift Up Your Hearts. Then Glory to God by Manoling Francisco was sung and before the Gospel was read the Aleluya was also sung.
The Offertory Song was Take and Receive, O Lord. We also sung Amen, Santo, Santo, Our Father and Kordero during the part of the Mass where the bread and wine became the Body and Blood of Christ. Communion Song was Awit ng Paghahangad. The last song, which was the Recessional was All the Ends of the Earth.
I am now a part of a choir again and I am awed by the grace that God is making use of my voice again to sing songs of praises for Him, no matter how imperfect my technique is. I am slowly being refined in order to please Him more.
written on Jan 25 2009, lifted from Translucence by Mae Ann, my friendster blog
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