Seeing this image of Saint Cecilia sitting on my desk may be odd. Only a few know that this is the posture they found her in after her martyrdom. Her face covered, her throat slit, holding out two fingers with her right hand and one finger with her left. Some have interpreted this to be her proclamation of the one Christ being both divine and human. A seminarian gave me this statue many years ago. He traveled to her home in Trastevere in Rome. This statue has held much sentimental value to me as the years go by. She is my patron. She is my muse. She sings her songs of praise to God for all eternity. She moves my heart to praise God with her.

Music is vital to our liturgical worship. Pope Benedict XVI said that music is “necessary and integral.” Through its beauty, our souls cooperate and express faith. Music is not an embellishment or an accessory to the liturgical experience. Music “is the liturgy itself.” Music roots the Word into the depths of the soul.

Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Paul Claudel’s conversion experience after hearing the Magnificat at Vespers of Christmas in the Cathedral of Notre Dame. This quote speaks of how music penetrates the soul, moves the soul to truth, and ultimately to worship. Paul Claudel, the French poet, said,

“At that moment, I understood the event that dominates my entire life. In an instant my heart was moved and I believed. I believed with such a strong force of adherence, with such an uplifting of my whole being, with such powerful conviction, in a certainty that left no room for any kind of doubt, that since then no reasoning, no circumstance of my turbulent life has been able to shake or touch my faith.”

I celebrate this feast day with all my musician friends and colleagues. Let us recommit ourselves to music and rediscover a deep love for God in our souls. May music form our hearts to love more deeply and sing a song of praise to God, who sang the universe into being.

For our listening contemplation today. Tallis’ Verily, Verily.

Saint Cecilia … pray for us.