Although not as well known as Christmas carols and Christmas music, the music during liturgical season of Lent plays a key role, a priest and musician told Fox News Digital.
“Music plays a triple role for us during Lent,” said Father. Simon Teller, OP
Teller is an associate chaplain at Providence College in Rhode Island. He is a Catholic priest, Dominican friar and violinist in the Americana/folk band The Hillbilly Thomists.
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“Lenten hymns help put us in the mindset of the season,” Teller said.
Just as songs like “Silent Night” get people into the Christmas spirit, “a similar thing happens to me when I hear the first verse of Lenten hymns like “Attend Domine” or “Forty Days and Forty Nights.” “.
Music during Lent is “part of “smells and bells” of Catholicism“, said Teller. “In order to draw us closer to God, we surround ourselves with things we can taste, touch, smell and hear – symbols that bring us closer to the deeper spiritual mysteries we celebrate.”
In addition to his duties as chaplain at Providence College, Teller – front row, far right – plays fiddle in The Hillbilly Thomists, a bluegrass band. The group reached number three on the Billboard Bluegrass chart with their 2017 debut album. (Courtesy of Father Simon Teller)
The songs and hymns associated with Lent serve to “bring us closer to Jesus as he fasts for 40 days in the desert,” he said.
Additionally, music can help with the expression of contrition, Teller said.
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“Lent is a time of lament; a time when we face our sins, our weaknesses and our past mistakes; and a time when we let us lift our hearts to God to express our sadness and remorse for the way we offended him,” he said.
“Music gives us a means by which we can express this contrition toward God.”
“Lenten songs like the Parce Domine give shape to our Lenten laments.”
Examples of music as a means of offering laments to God can be found in the Psalms, Teller noted.
“Lenten songs like the Parce Domine give shape to our Lenten laments,” he said.
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“The traditional hymns of Lent give us words with which to express our contrition and haunting melodies that intensify that heartfelt cry we raise to Christ as we prepare to celebrate the mysteries of his passion during Holy Week.”
Music during Lent, says Father. Teller, helps to express laments to God and create the appropriate mood for the season. (Courtesy of Father Simon Teller/iStock)
As Lent continues, the amount of music during Catholic liturgies begins to decrease.
That, too, is helpful, Teller said.
“The absence of music plays a significant role during this penitential time,” Teller said.
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“Lent gradually descends into the silence of Holy Saturday – the day when we remember that Christ went down to the grave.”
After Christ’s death on Good Friday, churches traditionally remain silent until the resurrection celebration at the Easter vigil, Teller explained. (iStock)
THE heart of Christianityhe said, “this is the mystery that Jesus, the eternal Word of the Father, fell into the silence of death for love of us.”
He added: “Traditionally, churches around the world remain silent when celebrating the death of Christ on Good Friday until the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday evening.”
During this period, “Christians put away their hymn books, lock the organ case and murmur their prayers in a low voice to commemorate the silence of Jesus’ tomb.”
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“In this way, the very absence of music heightens our awareness of the death of Christ,” Teller said.
“His death frees us from sin and opens the way to eternal life.”
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