By Deacon Roger Carr-Jones. Marriage and Family Life Cordinator
Do you use music in your prayer? Praying with music is not only a good way to pray, it often provides the medium to share our emotions. One the members of my prayer group, irrespective of the prayer material, will chip in with the words, ‘I’ve got a song’. Music, or in her case, a broad range of hymns, connects her more deeply to faith, the scriptures and the people around her. I have often noticed the power of music at funerals, where the often-eclectic choice of music becomes the most effective medium for families to express feelings, connections and remembrances.
Music has the ability to enhance our emotional and mental well-being, providing joy, comfort, and motivation. In Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Sacred Heart, though not directly referencing music, explores themes that speak of the spiritual power of music. God’s love, like music, is transformative, touching our deepest emotions and feelings.
Music improves our sense of well-being, frequently provides inner healing and is the medium by which we often encounter our deepest feelings. The power of music is good for our overall health, and the right choice can significantly influence our moods. Perhaps we can recall how, in our adolescence, music became a safe medium of self-expression and the means to growth in our creativity and discovery of our self-worth. Reflecting on this reminded me how music has an incredible power to evoke memories. It makes not only the past present but also the emotions associated with a given time.
How often do we notice this when we unexpectedly hear a song and find ourselves transported to a specific time and place? As couples, we keep singing the song of married love, at times needing a retuning service, when the sounds get discordant or the soundtrack slips. The Sacred Heart, always concerned for our wellbeing and happiness, helps us to discover new tunes and harmonies.
This musical theme drew me to the opening phrase of the inaugural homily of Pope Leo, where I was held by the phrase, ‘This is the time for love’, bringing to mind the first Beatle’s song, ‘Love, love me do, you know that I love you’. These words of the Pope, combined with this popular song, capture well the reality of the deep love of the Sacred Heart, of Jesus, for each of us, ‘He loved us’.
So, to quote the bard, ‘If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it.’ It is that excess of love that the Sacred Heart of Jesus offers each of us, and that he desires for us in our marriages: the excess demonstrated to the young couple through his first miracle at Cana.