FOR centuries music has been associated and has been an important part of the religious culture to promote and influence religion among the people. Music helps to enhance human consciousness in a pleasant way that makes humans praise through a medium of worship, which is more enjoyable.
There is a significant emotional dimension to churchgoing music as it often facilitates an outpouring of emotions by worshipers. Religious music can also be seen as a form of proselytization where potential worshippers are attracted via music to join existing worshippers.
Music and religion belong together like fish and the ocean, light and life, the voice and the ear. In the entire universe, we humans are probably the only beings capable of creating and hearing music.
The ability to hear is one of the specific gifts that our Creator gave us. Our more and more fragile blue planet is surrounded by a thin layer of gases only a few kilometers high. Only this atmosphere is the reason why sound waves can spread through the air. Everything behind this atmosphere is ruled by the sheer endless vacuum of outer space, where galaxies and stars explode and implode in impenetrable silence.
I always thought about it while being on air with several radio music programs in the Philippines during the last 20 years.
According to the biblical narrative, the world began when God broke through this deadly quiet: “And God said: Let there be light!” (Genesis 1:1). God spoke – and light and life resulted from His audible voice. Because life was created by the word, it depends on the word. That is why it is in the nature of every person to listen. Like a parabolic mirror, our souls are created to listen to the eternal space of the hereafter, to try and sense whether a word, a sound or a voice is trying to reach us from there, in order to fill us with meaning.
Whether it’s background music for prayer or a full-on worship song, Christian music can create an ambiance that fosters spiritual connection. It can help clear our minds of distractions, allowing us to focus solely on communicating with God.
I love music. I can’t live without them. Hold on, this is not one of my earlier columns in this paper. But from time to time, I need to express myself if it comes to this topic. And, I know that Filipinos love big tunes with great words and beautiful melodies, especially when it comes to classical music. Classical music as in Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frederic Chopin, or especially now, during the season Johann Sebastian Bach or Georg Friedrich Händel. And we should never forget such great Filipino composers such as delos Reyes or Buencamino (especially his Mayon Concert Fantasy).
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