Last month I wrote regarding having silence 10 minutes before Mass to give time for spiritual preparation for the congregation and the musicians involved in the liturgy.
In relation to that, I want to encourage 5-10 minutes of thanksgiving prayer after Mass.
For 10-15 minutes after receiving Communion, we are a living tabernacle of the Almighty God.
No other religion or Christian denomination allows for such intimate union with God.
“The faithful are to be recommended not to omit to make a proper thanksgiving after Communion. They may do this during the celebration with a period of silence, with a hymn, psalm or other song of praise, or also after the celebration, if possible by staying behind to pray for a suitable time.” - St. John Paul II
“Since the precious time of thanksgiving after communion is personal encounter with the Lord Jesus in the sacrament, it can be most helpful to remain recollected in silence.” - Pope Benedict XVI
“Surely you have nothing so important on that you cannot give Our Lord 10 minutes to say thanks. Love is repaid with love.” - St. Josemaria Escriva
It has been instructed often by great saints and popes to use this period after Mass fruitfully. This time with the Lord is most precious, and yet after Mass almost everywhere, everyone is running from the pews to leave the Church on Sundays and go on with their daily lives, as if no one in the building has 10 minutes extra for the Lord.
Sometimes we do have to leave quickly after Mass, especially during weekdays, but in leaving, may we keep the reverence and silence for those still praying and who have that desire to spend time with Christ after receiving Him in Communion.
It is not really our job as sacred musicians to teach the faithful about prayer after Mass, the priests should be teaching and encouraging this from the pulpit, but we as musicians can help facilitate an environment for prayer. Once the processional hymn or postlude is finished, consider how we can support this prayerful silence.
Firstly, we should be good examples of reverence and silence ourselves.
Secondly, consider providing a prayer for the musicians and choir to say before and after the liturgy, whether in the choir room, or in the church quietly together.
Thirdly, to educate and instill a new culture in the parish, it may require an announcement after Mass to remind the faithful of this new intentional practice.
In my experience, the parishes that are deeply Eucharistic-centred, rather than community or congregation focused, naturally create this reverence and prayer-life in the parish. And coincidently, the community life outside the Church in the foyer is more thriving than many churches elsewhere, because ‘where two, or three gather in my name, there I am also.’ Christs dwells and flourishes in hearts and minds of communities that are focussed on Him, because it is there you find true commonality and fraternity.
So as we enter the Jubilee year, with a desire for renewal, let’s encourage our parishes to pray again. Learn to pray in the silence of our hearts, to not be distracted by the outside world, to focus our minds on the Eucharist and tabernacle before and within us, and allow our churches to be places of prayer again.
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