9/7/2018

Q: Why are there people who lead singing at church?

Matthew Jones

Steubenville

   A: This question most certainly impacts the need for congregational participation at Mass, as well as at all community liturgies celebrated at church. All participants at a liturgy have at least one role in worshiping, namely, giving glory to God at each celebration. Some individuals have an additional role, namely, to lead all in song. This entails a variety of roles from a music minister, director, organist, other fellow musicians, and of course, members of the choir itself.

   Music requires direction and consequently people to lead the singing at church to enable all to participate in song. When we sing, we give glory to God, all the more reason for us to do it rightly, which takes work. We give thanks to our brothers and sisters who step forward and participate in leading us in song. On the lighter side of things, we also are aware not every priest can “carry a note,” all the more reason for us to have members of the choir to compensate for any musical challenges that may exist before us.

   Also, may we not forget that in the words of St. Augustine of Hippo, “When we sing while we pray, we pray twice.”

Q: Is the devil real and who made him?  

Addi Moore

Parkersburg

   A: Yes, the devil or Satan is very real and we recognize that first hand from our reading of sacred Scripture both in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. Moreover, we recognize Satan’s opposition to God’s plan of our salvation in Satan’s temptations of Jesus in the desert as well as his filling of people’s hearts, such as Judas Iscariot when he betrayed Jesus.

   The devil is a fallen angel who sinned against God, refusing to accept his reign, thereby resisting God’s will. We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that devils were once good, but became evil by their own doing. To put it this way, the very motive of the devil is to keep us from doing God’s work in Jesus Christ and to prevent us from going to heaven. The work of the devil is in complete contrast to a disciple of Jesus Christ.

   May you and I keep our Christian resolve to avoid temptation by the devil and not be seduced by the father of lies and deception.

Q: How many times do you pray in a day?

Elle Casto

Marietta

   A: Of course I pray every day and actually begin my day with a holy hour, and unless I have one scheduled later in the day, I also begin the day with the celebration of the sacrifice of the Mass. In fact, as I prepared for the priesthood in seminary formation, I was taught the Liturgy of the Hours, which contained the five hours of prayer.

   At my ordination to the diaconate, I promised to pray this Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Breviary, each day and in doing so, I pray with the universal church.  In addition to these prayers, I also pray a rosary and other prayerful devotions, depending on the circumstance.

   I am most grateful to pray in communities and it may be a simple prayer when visiting a home or a classroom.  I even begin my day after waking up with a prayer thanking God for the day and asking for his blessings. May we all remember that in prayer, we do not bend to God’s will to do our bidding, but instead bend our will to do God’s will.

            At the commencement of this academic year, we pray for our students as well as teachers and administrators. Also, let us pray for ourselves in recognition that God has engaged us in our school of life in order that we may delve deeper into the truth that God loves us more than you and I can imagine.