Thursday of the Third Week of Lent - March 27

Jeremiah 7:23-28 Luke 11:14-23

As parents to a 14 month old, my husband and I do a lot of singing. Whether we’re singing along to silly nursery rhymes, attending choir rehearsal at Visitation, or making up songs to distract our daughter from a diaper change, it seems like we sing all day long. It fills me with nothing but joy to teach my daughter the love of music and to watch her pick up on her favorite tunes. She has even started to sing along and hum herself to sleep.

I have personally noticed that when I sing to my daughter, something changes within me, if I am receptive to it. Frustration can change to tenderheartedness; worry can turn to gratefulness; and chaos can quiet to a gentle calm.

The Psalmist invites us to enter the presence of the Lord singing joyfully. I don’t believe this is an arbitrary suggestion. We really should physically sing when we enter the house of the Lord!

Our hearts are prone to stubbornness and pride, as Jeremiah knew, “...they have turned their backs, not their faces, to me.” Even in the face of Christ’s miracles, the people were skeptical and cynical, questioning his identity and authority. However, when we enter God’s presence with singing and kneel before him, we can shed our pride and participate with the heavenly chorus, which never ceases to sing “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Hosts...”

As we participate in the miracle of the Mass each week, and as we prepare our hearts to experience Christ’s passion and resurrection during Holy Week, we have a choice to make. Will we harden our hearts and turn away? Or will we hear the voice of the Lord, return with our whole heart, and enter his presence with singing?

Q: How does the act of singing speak to my heart?

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