1: SPIRITUALITY OF THE MUSICIAN (INTRODUCTION)

The spirituality of the Catholic musician is nothing other than the same Christian life that defines us.
A Catholic musician is not distinguished by sex, race, or social position; they are distinguished by their soul. A soul
spread throughout the body, just as the soul of the Church is spread throughout the world. Without the
spirituality, the other parts lack value, they would be a lifeless body.

The Christian spirit is like the blood that is in our body, it is like the salt that gives flavor to the oceans.
soul lives in us just as light inhabits the day, we cannot see or touch it, but it is lived in faith and in the
love, in that great commandment that Jesus left us "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 15).

The spirituality of the musician is the positive and conscious response to God's love in our life.

The yes that we give to serve Christ through music is a way to repay the talents and gifts.
that God, through the Holy Spirit, has given us.

It is a way to share with our brothers the joy, the light, and the love that we have found in the
Sir. A grace that has been given to us to illuminate the path of many people who walk in the
sadness, in the darkness, in hatred and in indifference towards God.

The music that comes from the soul is the concrete expression of our intimate relationship and communication with God. It is
the reality of feeling like His beloved children in Jesus Christ through the 'adoptive filiation' that we receive through the
Virgin Mary and this communication becomes triple and effective when the Holy Spirit teaches us and places in
our lips, in our mind and in our heart the right language to deliver your message of
agreement with the time and space in which we live.

A message that is always relevant, understandable to the ears of the faithful who listen to us.

Spirituality also suggests a order of priorities. What is most important for you or for me as
Christians? In this sense, Christ is the center of our spirituality, which is reflected in your way of feeling.
to act, to speak, to sing and to pray.

In the spirituality of the musician, as in the rational, the gift of discernment is also housed with which
you discover how to use technological music media and resources to spread the faith. That is to say,
the gift that guides you and tells you: How are you going to deliver the message? What means will you use?

The Catholic musician must bare his soul, open his doors to the will of God. He is the most valuable treasure.
what we can find. That's why this treasure is protected, defended with courage, and cared for with prayer and with
a transparent sacramental life, but it is also shared.
CALL AND VOCATION

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart; I had appointed you;
named prophet for the nations

Before we were born, God already had a plan designed for each one of us, which aligns with the
God's purpose for all humanity. That plan is what we will name "the calling." At this point, it is
where our will comes in to fulfill its role; that is to say, it is within us the ability to choose if we want
to seek, to know, to accept, and to follow 'the calling' of God in our lives.

Although Jesus could have poured his life into the crowds, he did not, but preferred to work skillfully in
the formation of the character of twelve people completely different from each other; and just like the
potter with the clay, for three and a half years he shaped the character of each one of them, and then he breathed into them,
He said: Receive the Holy Spirit" John 20:21-22.

How was the Lord Jesus able to make twelve people without culture, without education, without wealth or position...
social, will they become the pillars of Christianity? The answer is simple: these people
they answered the call of God, and were willing to be molded by Him, in order to be sent.

Each one of those who have come felt that Jesus was calling them, that Jesus even called them by their name, like
like Samuel (1 Samuel 3, 1-10) or like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1, 4-10), perhaps all of us have set ourselves
happy when Jesus told us: I want you for such a place, for this, for that, I want you to be my musician
just as one day I called the Levites.

We cannot flee from the call, the Lord looks at us face to face and calls us by our name, and He does so very
clear as when he did with the prophets, the detail is that sometimes we do not pay attention to that call, or
perhaps we do not contemplate what that call means, sometimes it may happen that we believe we have been
a call has been made, and perhaps we have had it but not where we believe.

That is why we must discern well the call that the Lord has made to us; it is not enough just to want or to feel.
that we want to belong to an MCM, sometimes we just want to integrate because we believe we will be valued.
to take into account, or that we can shine, sometimes we even want to integrate because we like someone from the ministry.

Certainly, God can call us in many ways to serve Him, but it is important to discern that very well.
call that has been made to us and not doing it alone, we can support ourselves with a brother who has persevered in
faith, or with a spiritual guide or with a priest.

If we are already certain of our calling, we must start doing what is required of us.
LOVE TO THE CALL

Love for the call is to keep our spiritual life functional day by day, just as we nourish a
human relationship, it is important to nurture that relationship with our calling to service, and throughout this,
we must acquire and exercise various factors that will help that love last forever
fed with perseverance, discipline, and sacrifice.

Perseverance is to remain constant in a project, and we will not be able to be perseverant if we do not
we live in the Spirit, at all times there will be tribulations, problems, and situations in which it will be tested
test our faith. Generally, those of us who are involved in music tend to want to run before
even to walk, and when we do not progress as we want or as others are progressing, we get discouraged and
We throw in the towel, but we must always resist in the name of Jesus.

Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life to which you were called, and of which you made a good confession.
profession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

Prayer and perseverance will keep us on the path, but the path must also be accompanied.
of work and effort.

Discipline is what will help us become better each day to give greater glory to God, we cannot
settle for what we already know, we must always be focused on learning more, studying more, praying
more, to practice more, so that each day we can give the Lord a better praise, Ps 47:8.

We must have discipline to practice our instrument, to exercise our voice, study to know
how to carry out our service as it should be and not as we think is right.
But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made participants, then you are illegitimate children and not
true children. Hebrews 12:8

Sacrifice does not mean suffering all the time, sacrifice is leaving many things aside to serve.
correctly to the Lord and please Him alone. How many times have we had to attend until late hours of the
night to an essay, a prayer assembly, retreat, parish parties?, or set aside your social life,
some party, a trip to the movies, doing homework later than usual. Maybe if your answer is several times, or
some of us are speaking the same language.

There is no one who, without studying, sacrificing time for rest, vacations, friends, etc., would have achieved.
reaching important goals, often we measure people by their results but not by their processes
To reach certain points, sacrifices help us grow and value our calling.

If you have the desire in your heart to serve through the music ministry or any other ministry, you must
be ready to sacrifice your time, your fatigue, sometimes your rest. You will always be subject to it,
but God will be with you always, with greater responsibility comes greater commitment in personal prayer,
when you feel you are tired of your service, pray more, increase your commitment to your community,
get closer to those who live in constant prayer. Do not give up, do not abandon your mission, sacrifice is part
of your growth.

Serving the Lord with all humility, and with tears and with trials that came upon me because of the
intrigues of the Jews; Acts 20:19

4: INTERPRET THE MUSICIAN OF GOD

There is a subtle but fundamental difference between being an interpreter of Catholic music and being a Catholic musician.

The interpreter of Catholic music is an individual who knows something about music and who thus interprets music.
secular, it can also play Catholic music; without a greater commitment, that is to say it will do it well because
he/she has the talent for music, knows how to sing or play an instrument, and is able to perform a piece
impregnated with their emotions, but beyond that, nothing will happen, they could move the feelings of the
But that is not the goal, we do not want to use or promote sentimentality, and it seems at times.
that we are used to thinking that it is so, and if we see people crying, yelling, or dancing, then
we believe that we achieved the goal and that we are doing things right.

The Catholic musician is a servant; for him, music is not just art, it is more, it is a tool for
saving souls is a mission entrusted by God, it is an excuse to proclaim the gospel and a powerful weapon
to expel evil and dispel darkness. The Catholic musician is an artist, but an artist for God; moreover,
he is not only a musician, but he has a spirituality that validates him as a Christian, that keeps him in
the right path that allows him to proclaim the message of God, that is, to be a bridge between God and men,
a prophet, and his intention is not to make people cry or stir all their emotions but to lead them to that
meeting with a living God.

The food of the Catholic musician Not only for the musician, but for every Christian there are certain foods
spirituals that should be consumed frequently, to maintain a balanced diet and thus have the strength and the
vigor that is needed for the fight, these are:

Eucharist: Attending mass and receiving communion, ideally every day or as much as possible.

2. Periodic confession: true Catholics know that Jesus Christ himself instituted confession.
Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose will be loosed.

3. Adoration of the Most High: This is a moment of intimacy with God, which fills our hearts and helps us.
to believe in him more every day.

4. Personal Prayer: accompanies the spiritual life of the MD (Musician of God), it must always be present, for
prayer keeps you close to Jesus, as through prayer we talk to Him but it is also where
we can listen to it, if we do not pray we will only work according to our humanity, to what we
we believe or what we like, even to what we feel, and we should not let ourselves be carried away by sentimentalism,
therefore we should pray not only when there is community, or when there is a meeting with the brothers
PGO. We must pray personally, in community, with your MCM, etc.)

Always be joyful, pray without ceasing, give thanks to God in all circumstances, for this is His will for you.
you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

5. Prayer of the Rosary: Mary is our intercessor, our mother, and our best ally, to keep us in her
It costs nothing to pray, if we are faithful to the Rosary she will always be the first to help us in times of
difficulty and when we want to ask the Lord for something, He will surely be there to intercede for us.

6. Read the Word of the Lord: Take your Bible, may it never be lacking, carry it with you everywhere and once
At least once a day, entrust yourself to God and ask Him to speak to you.

7. Sing to the Lord: Singing is what you do best and it is the gift that the Lord gave you, use it too.
to sing to him in intimacy, for this use songs in which you tell him that you love him, that you praise him;
but never stop doing it, He is happy listening to you and every time you do this he always blesses you,
I assure you even more that he is your number one fan; if you are not a singer but are a musician, still play your
instrument for the Lord.

5: THE MOST REFINED INSTRUMENT MUST BE THE HEART

Anything that you or I do for God will be valued by the Lord, if we really do it.
with a joyful and simple heart, out of love for Him. In that sense, humility and simplicity of heart are
indispensable characteristics in the life of every believer; but above all, they are essential as
part of the character of everyone who serves God in any ministry.

God is pleased with a heart that is willing and set apart for Him. A true musician of God seeks day by day to
his creator, seeks the one who is the source and fountain of his life, and it is God who empowers through the
Holy Spirit, the heart of your musician, it is He who in secret (Mt 6:6), out of His infinite mercy, distributes
gifts and charisms to each one.

Being in the presence of God, the musician's heart is shaped according to the heart of God, just like the
clay in the hands of the potter (Jer 18). When being set apart and chosen for the ministry, God empowers us.

God is asking for humility in the heart mainly; this is the hardest part that musicians always
we will have battle, the problem with this is that the enemy knows perfectly well how to pull these strings,
it is very normal for us to receive compliments, applause, congratulations, etc. But we must always keep in mind that
Everything we do is for the Glory of God and for the sanctification of His people.

In walking with God as musicians, we will see a lack of humility in many musician brothers who still do not
they have recognized their true owner, and have not known how to thank their creator for the talent that He has given them
deposited in your hands, but we will also see ourselves going through vanities, boasts and
lack of humility, and this happens because we do not keep our heart in harmony with Jesus who is gentle
and humble of heart.

One of the things we must remember is that Christ didn't even have a place to rest his head.
9:58). If the King walked through the dusty streets, and even used a little donkey to make his entrance.
triumphant to Jerusalem, we as musicians should keep that example in our hearts. For that
reason, the humility of the musician in his heart, towards God must be a characteristic that is always present
present at the time of serving.

Let us never allow pride and arrogance to take root in our minds, for these are the
favorite weapons that today have trapped hundreds of Catholic musicians, who have fallen into this game
malevolent that the enemy has implanted in their mind, for that reason let us strive to remain with the greatest
possible humility

God is asking you for humility, so that you can keep your heart in tune with Him.

6: DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU

OnhtehtriddayhterewasamaraigeniCanaofGaeliea,ndhtemohterofJesuswashtereA
. ndbohtJesuswascaelda,ndhsidsicpielsot,htemaraigeA
. ndwhenhteywanetdwnieht,emohterofJesusadiunothm
iT
,heyhavenownieJ.esusadiunotheW
r, omanw
, hahtaveIotdowhtihtee?mniehoursinoytectomeH
. simohtersahtiunothteservanstW
, hastoeverhesahtiunotyoud,o.ti

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Also were
Guests at the wedding Jesus and his disciples. And, since the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him: They have no wine,
Jesus replied, "Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants,
Servants: Do what he tells you.

At the moment the wine runs out, María, always attentive to the needs of everyone, sensitive to the...
everyday problems, observes with the most delicate feminine sense, a situation of affliction and intervenes.
She makes our pains and our joys, our problems and our victories her own, and with
mother's sensitivity, she goes to Jesus and points out the lack and asks for a solution. She says: "They have no..."
wine.
Mary's intervention summarizes her permanent message to all of us, 'Do whatever He tells you.' This is
Mary's message to all Christians, the wisest words! Mary speaks to the servants and they obey;
Mary also addresses the whole world: 'Do whatever He tells you.'
We find in the center of the wedding at Cana a key teaching; Mary will lead us to Jesus! Never
there was no one on the face of the earth as close to Jesus as Mary. Therefore, if we want to be closer
From Him, to get to know Him better, to love Him more, better to follow Him, let us turn to His very kind mother. Talk to the Virgin.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, with love, trust, and ask for the grace to know Jesus more intimately.

Another thing Maria had learned: it is worth doing what Jesus commands us to do, we notice that Jesus feels
the pressure from his mother to solve a problem that was not his to solve. Like many mothers,
she did not want to accept that answer and leave things like that. She interceded with Jesus to do something: she spoke to
the servants and instructed them to do whatever Jesus orders them to do.

Do you have that faith to persevere? María knew that the word of Jesus has power; she had seen it many times.
Sometimes at home. And I knew that when Jesus says something, it must be done. Maria had the faith to tell Jesus the
problem, to hear his word, and to put that word into practice.
Do we follow Maria's example? When Jesus says something, sometimes we obey and sometimes we don't, do we listen to his
Word? María has always been an example of service, love, and humility.

Without the obedience of the servants, the presence and word of Jesus would not accomplish much. Thus, like the man
wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27), we must obey and put into practice the word
of God.

through the intercession of Mary there was soon relief. Our life is also full of difficulties and
shortages, and it will be until the end of our lives. Often, when we try to solve them, things do not
they improve or worsen and we get tangled up in them. The Marian invocation and image of Mary 'Untangler of'
"knots" has a clear reference to human problems and solves all kinds of difficulties and issues.
We all have setbacks, troubles, and conflicts. Our Lady can solve them; she wishes to fix them.
and hopes we will ask for it. What contradictions are we referring to? Countless! Perhaps some of these are
problems that you have: difficulties with parents, conflicts with a sibling, issues with a
schoolmate, difficulties with a subject or some misunderstanding with a loved one. Stop for a moment
momento and see what contradiction causes you great sorrow and speak with Our Lady; through the intercession of
Mary, Jesus will turn the 'water' of our lives into 'wine'; Jesus will provide relief from the difficulties of our
life.

There were six stone jars there, used by the Jews in their purification ceremonies. In each one
-

They held about a hundred liters. Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water.' And the servants filled them.
to the edge.

Jesus is going to perform a miracle, but He needs something to do it. He did not create wine out of thin air nor supplied bottles of wine;
He uses what we already have. These jars had a capacity of between 75 and 110 liters (20-26 gallons), These
The jars were already there, and they were empty. I can hear someone saying: "But they are for the purification rite!"
They are for water! We can't use them for wine!” But we have to trust Jesus and give what
We have Him. It may be very little, but Jesus needs it. Put it on the altar and make all your available to Jesus.
talents and your goods; then He can work His miracles.
Christ can multiply the little you have, just as he did with a few loaves and fish to feed the
multitudes (Mark 6:30-44). Jesus can fill the void in your life too.

It was a simple mandate, but it was a test of their obedience. Will they obey the son of the carpenter? Or will they
"There is no sense in filling these jars with water."

The problem is with the wine. This is madness.” But they were servants, and just like for us, it only affected them.
To obey. We can partly determine the measure of the miracle we receive.

Jesus simply said: 'Fill them for me.' If the servants are lazy and do not want to carry very heavy jars,
they can fill them halfway. But they filled them to the brim. When you do something for the Lord, do it to the
maximum. Fill them to the top. Use all your strength and your talents.

Now take a little and bring it to the person in charge of the banquet, Jesus told them. They did so.

Take the fullness that God has given you to share with others
There are some who have their jars full but don’t take anything out! God’s miracle is not for a show, but
to benefit others! They have to take it to others and try it! There are Christians who come every Sunday to the
church and halls are full. They receive miracles and food from the Lord, but they never savor his wonders. They do not extract
none of that fullness to share with others.

Once again we see the need for faith and obedience. It seems that the water turned into wine when the
the master tested it. The servants brought the water to their master despite the possibility of being scolded for
bring him water. But they did it in obedience to Jesus, and while they were going, Jesus performed the miracle.

Are there full jars that Jesus has given you? It may be that you are not experiencing anything because you have not...
taking the next step of faith. You may not know what to say, or you are waiting for some special anointing,
but when you obey his word,

God will perform his miracle. Take what Jesus has done in your life, share it with others, and you will see miracles.
The banquet manager tasted the water turned into wine without knowing where it had come from, although he did.
The servants knew that they had taken out the water. Then he called the groom aside.10and he said to him: ―Everyone serves
first the best wine and, when the guests have already drunk a lot, then serve the cheapest; but you have
saved the best wine so far.

do everything with excellence

It was not his idea to turn water into wine. It was not intended to be done by his Father. It may seem like something without much
importance, especially if you think that drinking wine is a sin. But everything Jesus did, he did with
excellence. If we walk as Christ walked, we will offer our best, not only to God and in the church, but
also at work and in the family.

Have you tried the new wine?

Imagine the boyfriend's surprise! His problem is already solved, and not only solved, but abundantly, with
the best wine in the history of the world. Have you tasted the love and power of Jesus? He wants to give you the best, and in
abundance. He does not want to destroy your life; He came to give you a better life.

I also didn't want to see a wedding ruined by a lack of wine. You can believe that the wine has already run out in your
life. You may walk around desperate, believing that the best days of your life are gone, but that's not the case.
We plan according to our wisdom, and many times we fail. We seek every possible way to
supply the necessary wine, but we do not have the resources, and it seems that the party is already over. We need to arrive.
at the end of our resources, and finally cry out to Jesus. He takes the empty jars of your life and fills them, and fills your
empty heart with its love and joy and power. It gives us the best, because it has reserved the best for last.
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee. Thus he revealed his glory, and his disciples.
They believed in him.

Have you seen the glory of Jesus? Have you seen His power and love? When you see the greatness of the Lord, you have to
answer Him. His disciples believed in Him. Their faith was strengthened by this miracle, and Jesus wants to strengthen
He wants to fill your empty jars and give you new hope. And He wants to walk with you, so that
you can walk as He walked.

7: DISCERNMENT OF CHANTS

We know from experience that music has a supernatural nature due to the effects that the music itself
it can produce in people. Music speaks directly to the heart, and for better or for worse, it influences.
strongly in the spiritual condition of those who listen to it.

For Mal. Like every creature, he was also an object of corruption in the fall of Adam, and Satan has taken advantage
from music to corrupt the hearts of many people: In secular music, there are elements of lust,
immorality, violence, rebellion, etc.

For Good. But the original purpose of the music created by God is one: To be a language of love. music
It leads and transmits admiration, tenderness, and communion with the loved one. That is why music is present.
in the visions of heaven, because it is the language of love. Being of a spiritual nature, the purpose of the
music is the Glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful. (SC. VI, 112) In a certain sense, we can say that the
Christian music is a sacramental (like holy water), as those who listen to it in their hearts can
to receive with her the grace and anointing of God. The 'minister' of music is the psalmist or singer, who exercises by
Hello, a spiritual ministry. That is why it is called the 'Music Ministry.' But what are the appropriate songs?
What we should sing and play for that sanctification, it is necessary to have good discernment of songs.

What is discerning the songs?

First, we will say that DISCERNING is the faculty of the soul by which virtue man can distinguish good from
bad and the true from the false. A norm for knowing the truth. It is the judgment by which we perceive the
difference between several things, distinguishing one from another, pointing out the difference that exists between them. (1 Thess)
5.21

Regarding the service of the Singing and Music team, discernment would be for them to be able to capture the songs that the
The Lord wants a moment of prayer. For this, they must learn to listen to the Lord knowing
to distinguish what comes from one's own flesh (personal psychology, criteria, personal desires not inspired by
God), or what inspires God.

This is very important because the singing is very strong to support or divert the prayer of the entire assembly.
A poorly discerned song, that is to say out of place, not suitable for that moment, can lower the entire commitment and
participation in the assembly prayer.
Capture which song can favor prayer; it’s not about singing what I like or not singing it.
that I don't like.

This discernment is made with and in spirit and with the mind. 1 Cor 14:15 "Then, what should I do? I will pray with the...
spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with the spirit, but I will also sing them with the
mind.

How are the songs discerned?

Being all attentive and docile to the Holy Spirit.

The fact that we are in the MCM does not mean that we will only focus on everything being
listen carefully, or in which are the songs we practiced, if not to be in a permanent prayer to be able to
being in tune with the ES. The entire singing and music team must be very in harmony with each other and attentive
towards the spontaneous prayer of the assembly participants.

Being in tune with the host of the Assembly.

Just because we are in tune with the ES, we do not stop being in tune with the AA, the same prayer will guide us to
discern the song that we can use at that moment, of course, we also need to have communication with it.
AA, because it could also happen that AA wants to lead the MCM,

The singing and music team must coordinate with the assembly leader on the 'signals.'
features for: starting a chant, changing chant, increasing or decreasing volume of the chant, background murmur or
only musical, total silence, rhythmic singing or slow singing, etc.

c) Knowing the 'classification of chants', according to its chant manual, knowing the rhythm, time,
lyrics and music of each song in their repertoire.

Who discerns the songs?

The coordinator of the Singing and Music team.

The assembly host in communion with the team coordinator of singing and music. Of course, it can.
suggest a song that the ES has inspired him, but that does not mean that he always has to tell him
MCM what songs to include, or what infers a song using the same letter as the ministry sings,
it could happen that the AA also infers those songs that it likes, or that it considers could 'reach' it.
more to the town

The members of the Singing and Music team, communicating this to their coordinator.

E.- Importance of silences.

Among the many moments of prayer, there are some in which the Holy Spirit evokes deep silences and
fecund, full of his presence. The MCM must know when these moments occur so that they do not
interrupt by mixing in some singing. It should also be able to discern when they are sterile, heavy silences, like
dead points in the prayer, to insert some chant that helps to return to the prayer and lift it up or
restart it.
 Do not sing just to fill spaces, it can hinder the action of the Holy Spirit. Be attentive to
let the Holy Spirit act in the Assembly, as He wishes and when He wishes.

2.- Classification of Songs

An important element that will help us better discern the songs is knowledge.
of these, in their character, types, functions, and themes.

a.- Classification of Christian music.

The Church recognizes three major types of Christian music:

Liturgical music

2. Concert music

3. Religious music

Liturgical Music is the music considered 'sacred', that is to say, music reserved entirely for the
liturgy of the church. It is for this reason that this music has certain requirements to be considered as such;
these are sacredness, religiosity, and art. As for the text itself, it must adhere to certain liturgical formulas,
And at the same time, they must be songs that enrich the celebration, therefore, 'not everything that speaks of God is useful.'
for the liturgy.

Concert Music is that music known as 'learned', of Christian content, composed for the
liturgy by great musicians of all times, in which the richness and excellence stand out over the text
musical that contains, which makes it more suitable for being listened to than performed. This
Music is not only enjoyed by Christians, but by all people who love music for what it is.
executed outside the ecclesiastical environment (rooms, theaters, events, etc). However, the Church considers it as
Christian music since that was the purpose of its composition. Examples of this music are The Messiah, by
Handel and the Ave Maria, by Bach-Gounod.

Popular Religious Music (Dogmatic Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium n. 118) is that which is created
popular Christian, which is used for all celebrations of a non-liturgical, but religious nature (prayers
communities, catechesis, retreats, evangelizations, novenas, adorations, etc) As for the text, this is
of free composition, respecting, of course, the teaching of the Church. These songs can also be
used in the liturgy, if the celebration requires it; but the proper chants should not be set aside
liturgical.

We will focus on the study of this last type of singing, which is the one that concerns us in our
punctual service like charismatic singing ministries. First, remember that it's also important to be able to
to train in the other areas of music service within our Church.
8: MCM A FAMILY OF PRAISE

We were talking about not being selfish with our songs and with what we learn and with what we do, as much...
for Christians in general and for musicians in particular, the only one worthy of praise and worship and the
The only one who should be exalted is God and no one else; now as a result of this and for this, God grants us a charisma.
and this is our duty to make it grow, to seek how to train ourselves in it and how to make it bear fruit, the important thing is
that we are not alone, there are always people with more experience than us and there are always those who possess
less experience.

For those with experience, we should never close the door to someone who asks us for help, for advice.
or simply a word of encouragement, we must be welcoming, open, good guides, hungry
to communicate what we know and give everything within our reach to help the younger ones in this
ministry of Catholic music, there is no competition here, on the contrary the more we are the better,
It is important that those of us who are, are good children of God and good servants, and the only way to do that is...
others become so through the teaching and guidance that the most experienced can provide
to deliver and the opportunities we can provide, invite them to talk, to pray and most importantly to sing.

For those of us with less experience, let us never forget that "asking gets you to Rome," every time that
let's see a more experienced musician, let's ask, seek advice, guidance, help, etc.; no
let's stop looking for how to learn, let's investigate, let's read everything that can help us grow in our
ministry and in our spirituality; no one is born knowing and every day we realize that we know.
Less, now according to your dedication to God, your trust and your closeness to Him, the Holy Spirit grants you teachings and
without realizing it, you suddenly know things you didn't know and that help you grow on this path, this is not
magic, that is the power of God and is a sign of the love He has for you; but for the same reason as everything that
Learning is a gift from God; likewise, you should also teach, expecting nothing in return.

9: HOW DOES A MUSICIAN OF GOD DRESS?

Currently, in our Ministries of Singing and Music (MCM), there is much ignorance regarding the
appearance and clothing that a musician of God (MD) must wear when providing a service, whether in
the Eucharist, in a retreat, prayer assembly or simply in their everyday style of dressing. The infinity of
opinions that exist about this, is what leads us to share something on this topic. For this we have
I sought to share with you, in the light of the Holy Spirit, what the Lord has shown us, based on the Word.
of God.

Since according to the letter of Paul to the Hebrews 4:12, 'the Word of God is alive and powerful, it is more
sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrates to the very depths of the soul and the spirit, to the most
intimate of the person; and subjects the thoughts and intentions of the heart to judgment.

In the Old Testament:

In the Old Testament, we can find certain references about the clothing that the people of
Israel, people of God, used to be in His presence:

The priests came out of the holy place. All the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, together with their
servants and other relatives were standing to the east of the altar, dressed in linen. They had platters, psalteries
They had harps. With them were 120 priests who played the trumpets. Then, all together, they began to play.
the trumpets and sing with one voice to praise and give thanks to the Lord, making the trumpets and the cymbals sound
and other musical instruments while singing: 'Praise the Lord, for He is good, for His love is'
eternal; at that moment, the temple was filled with the cloud of the Glory of Yahweh and the priests could not
his service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." 2 Chronicles 5, 12-14.

This reading refers to the attitude that the Levites should have towards the holy place, where they were going to
to remain the Ark of the presence of God; it says that they were standing to the east of the altar dressed in linen, not only
the singing Levites but all the servants and other relatives.

Linen at that time was only found in white and not in different colors as it is now.
we can achieve. For that reason, linen, always white in color, was a sign of inner purity, of
purification and respect for the Lord.

This respectful way of dressing of the Levites did not correspond to a custom or tradition of the people of
Israel. That is to say, they did not dress that way because 'it was the fashion,' but rather it responded to a deep faith in a
Living and powerful God. No one wanted to be in the presence of God without being properly purified. And the clothing
White symbolized then, and still now, purity.

Now, let us reflect that in this reading of Chronicles we find that the Levites were dressed in
this way because they were offering worship and sacrifice to God, when the ark was being moved
alliance together with the store of appointments to the holy of holies, to the temple that King Solomon had built for
that the Lord remained in that place. It also says that when the Levites and the 120 priests stood up
to play and sing in unison, praising and giving thanks with cymbals and other musical instruments, the temple
It was filled with a cloud, it was filled with the Glory of the Lord by His presence.

Likewise, we reflect that Paul reminds the Corinthians: "Do you not know that our body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 9:13), is the temple of God, it is where the Lord has decided to dwell, where
the alliance that He made with His people remains alive, and we are His people.

If we truly understand this, we will see the importance of our temple being adorned.
to celebrate the presence of our mighty God in our own heart.

How important it is then to choose carefully the garment that will cover our body, temple of the Spirit. What
important that the garment is dignified, respectful, that it is not inspired by a culture or by a fashion, but rather
that seeks to be pleasing to God in everything and to give glory to His Name.
In the New Testament

While this text from the Old Testament speaks to us about the clothing that the Church used in times of
King Solomon, also Paul, in the New Testament shares some principles about this in 1
1 Timothy 2:9-10: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, as is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

And I want women to dress decently, to adorn themselves with modesty and simplicity, not with hairstyles
exaggerated, nor with gold, pearls, or expensive dresses. Let their adornment be good works, as is proper
to the women who want to honor God.

Apparently some women in the time of Paul and Timothy, to follow a trend or fashion, dressed in
Inadequate form, or perhaps the commandment was given simply to prevent them from doing it.

It is very likely that the women of that time, just like those of today, enjoyed dressing in
ways they could look good; perhaps with the intention of attracting the opposite sex, which is
totally natural, but many times there is a risk of going to the extreme of losing the sense of respect for
his own body and therefore to God.

In the same way today, the members of our MCM risk dressing in a way
inappropriate. We have seen women wearing tight pants and blouses, blouses and short skirts,
deep necklines, luxurious or striking fashions, etc.; as well as men in shorts, t-shirts with symbols
of rock with satanic messages (which are generally ignored), etc.

A person who cares a lot about their outward appearance, who always seeks to meet the standards of
the world, fashions, could neglect what is most important: your inner life, piety, and the Christian life.

...that women dress decently, adorn themselves with modesty and simplicity...

Principles of women's clothing

In this letter from Paul, we can find three principles that one must necessarily consider when dressing.
Christian woman:

1.- Dress decently.

That is to say, to dress appropriately, neatly, with modesty and good taste in conduct and appearance.

2.- Dress modestly.

Free from pride, pretense, vanity, or sensuality.

3.- Dress simply.

Not in an ostentatious way, without luxuries, letting God act in us.

Applying these principles is the simplest way to avoid making a mistake and to not disrespect the Church.
above all to God. Although fashions, styles, and culture may vary from one place to another, the principles of
decency, modesty, and simplicity established by God, remain forever and everywhere.

The woman and the man who make up an MCM need to consider the effect produced by their way of
dressing among the people; ensuring that their clothing is not a focal point for their bodies. We have heard from
brothers complain that tight 'jeans' were a cause of distraction during moments of prayer.
Many times a sensual way of dressing can end up awakening sexual thoughts,
originating passions that will become true spiritual battles for those who turn to the
prayer meetings.

Paul in his letter to Timothy continues saying:

...no with exaggerated hairstyles, nor with gold, pearls, or expensive dresses.

Pablo invites the woman to keep her hairstyle discreet and simple, not to use too many pendants, bracelets, that
their hands look simple, without so many things that exaggerate their appearance. The 'piercing' is a trend that does not fit
neither in simplicity nor in modesty; exaggerated makeup is neither simple nor modest.

Thus, the woman should remember that she should only allow herself to be looked at by God; before the eyes of her loving Father, she
It is the most beautiful thing He has created. This can also apply to men, as nowadays they too
we see them made up, with earrings, piercings, etc.

I remember that some time ago we attended a prayer meeting where the ministry that encouraged the
The sentence did not take care of the appearance of the clothing. My surprise was to observe that a member of the ministry was dressed
a t-shirt with the legend 'Evil', with the number 666 and a drawing of a diabolical being; in a
at first this puzzled me and made me very sad, but after discussing it with my wife, we both
we came to the conclusion that they really do this out of ignorance, because they truly have no idea
of the spiritual battle fought in a prayer assembly. They simply follow a trend and fall into
this shape in the enemy's game.

...that their adornment be good works, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.
However, my dear brothers, it is important to add that it would be of no use to dress according to these
principles on the outside, if our inside is dirty, disordered, stained and inhospitable to God; that is,
It is not useful for you to continue being the center of attention in your life and not Christ Jesus.

Saint Peter speaks to us about this in 1 Peter 3:3-4.

Let your adornment not be external, such as elaborate hairstyles, gold jewelry, or dresses.
luxurious, but in the depths of the heart, in the incorruptible beauty of a gentle spirit. This beauty is worth a lot
before God.

In this way, let us cover our bodies, which are the temple of the Holy Spirit, with decency, modesty, and
simplicity; dignity and respect for the one who deserves everything, for the one who is worthy of praise and worship;

Regarding the life they used to lead, they were taught that they must put off the garment of the old nature,
which is corrupted by deceitful desires; to be renewed in the attitude of your mind, and to put on the garment
of the new nature created in the image of God, in true righteousness and holiness” Ephesians 4:22-24

10: THE CHALLENGE OF BEING A MUSIC MINISTER TODAY

Being Prophets In the Bible, if we read in the Old Testament about Isaiah, about Jeremiah, if we read about Ezekiel or
about Daniel, we found that they all have things in common; the same ones we can find in the
New Testament when we read the deeds and the letters of Paul and Peter, these same characteristics
we can see them even in John the Baptist and in Jesus himself.

Faith in God, love for God and His mission, courage in the face of adversity, and most importantly, they never remained silent.
when they had to announce and denounce; all this can be summed up in one word: -Radicalism.

All the named lived in difficult periods of time in which, by staying true to their mission,
Including put their own lives at risk, not in vain Juan, Pedro, and Pablo, died as martyrs.
Today we Catholic musicians are called to be prophets, just like John the Baptist, -A voice cries out in
the desert…-( Mk 1:3 ) we are called to proclaim the Good News and most difficultly to denounce evil.

The truth is that we also live in a difficult period of time in which many times it is better
to keep silent to prevent others from getting angry, feeling hurt, or criticizing us, however, what would the Bible say if
Juan would have preferred to have been softer in his words or if Isaías had kept quiet to avoid
to bother his contemporaries with his sermons, or if Paul himself had decided to be softer in his
letters and sermons so that they would not be pursued

Today there are many mute prophets, Christians who out of shame or fear remain silent, who prefer
to live with the evil and with the mistakes of his brothers and contemporaries to denounce it and combat it; what would happen if in
in a war the soldiers decided not to go into combat or when facing the enemy, they fled or hid.
to avoid combat; surely that army would never win a battle and moreover, it would never win a war.

Christian Radicalism Radicalism is the extreme way of dealing with certain issues; if we are going to be prophets
let's be just like those in the Bible, Radicals; not caring about what others say, evil exists and
it dominates the world and every day advances with greater strength, we can see with sadness that even our own
The church has been attacked by this, both inside and outside; in the face of this situation, the reaction of the immense
the majority of Christians have been - Keeping silent - and many of those who considered themselves as such in
instead of defending his mother Church, they turned their backs on her

Are we falling into the typical mediocre phrase: 'if you can't beat them, join them'?

The Catholic musician, within the army of Christ, is among the elite units, for our task is in
combat inserted in the enemy's field; and these units are characterized by their determination to act, by
the radical nature of his actions and for his excellent preparation.

When we start on the path of ministry, we encounter many difficulties inherent to what it means to be
servant of the Lord. Occasionally rejections, struggles for survival, spiritual conflicts in our
interior or external, frustrations because things do not go the way we planned; whatever it may be
difficulty as the Holy Father says in his words at the Apostolic Nunciature 'the various musics of the
life". sometimes makes it extremely difficult to persist in the music ministry, these days
I have been in prayer for discernment and I sat down to meditate on the words of the Holy Father at the Nunciature.
Apostolic Colombian where I could be very close with my husband singing the official hymn of the visit, and
I found the answers to my questions that I want to share with you, in addition to inviting you to read all of them.
homilies and words of the Holy Father during his visit to Colombia.

The words of the Holy Father that he shared with us that night have undoubtedly changed our perspective.
ministry and our vocation.

We share with you the tools that allow us to persist in the music ministry in the 21st century.

2. ACCEPTING THAT WE WERE WRONG

It occurs to me to think that when Peter felt that Jesus said to him: 'well, you are the rock', he gave him the name.
He must have thought: 'he told me this when he met me, he said I was Peter,' and he must have started to realize.
it is said that that same name had various melodies, various music. As various music has the
song that you sang. And so Pedro continued happy, emboldened, but 15 minutes later Jesus told him
He said the opposite, he told her: 'Step aside, you are a satan for me.' He was wrong.
4. NOT BE AFRAID

And then he was there locked up with fear, and then Jesus asks him three times if he loves him, and he remembers.
and he says I don't understand anything, and it's another melody of the same name

5. REMEMBER THE FIRST LOVE:

I would like each one of us to remember the first call, when Jesus gave us a name;
first vocation, the first love, and they will conjugate it in those diverse musics of life.

6. DO NOT GIVE IN DURING MOMENTS OF FRUSTRATION

In which life takes us, beautiful moments, fulfilling moments, moments of mistake, moments of
sin, dark moments, moments of wanting to break everything and start anew with something else.

7. NOT TO LOSE THE NAME NOR FORGET THE PATH

But do not lose the name. Jesus gave each of us a name and put us on a path, on a path.
of consecration in the life of the family and in the consecrated family.

8. Give the best to the Lord and to the brothers selflessly.

A path of delivery to Him and to the brothers in His name.

9. DEFEND OUR FAITH, OUR CALL WITH HUMILITY, PRAYER, AND ASKING FOR ALMS TO THE
Mister.

When Jesus calls us and gives us the name, He does not give us life insurance; we have to defend that.
We with humility, with prayer, and asking the Lord for alms.

I invite you to continue strengthening these points that are of vital importance for persistence in the
ministry, especially that your faith is placed in God and that your spiritual life is strong enough
to live in the various moments of life, without a doubt cultivate contemplative, communal prayer,
the sacraments, prayer with your family, don't stop learning and growing in the reading of the word of God, the
catechism of our Church, the documents of our Church. Let us be corrected by our brothers
of community, let us not separate music from testimony and let us be a coherent thread between the Lord's message
and those who need to hear it, God does everything for good.
We share with you these 10 tips to professionalize your ministry.

1. COMMITMENT: When you say yes, follow through. This is the principle of professionalism; sometimes we don't.
with the best musicians because they are unreliable, instead we prefer some people who are not experts
in x or y instrument but if they are committed.

2. ORGANIZATION: Logistics is very important, if you sing, if possible, buy your own microphone or
buy the outer capsule, this is for hygiene as saliva accumulates and very few clean it, likewise.
having your own guitar with good strings and tuned on time. And not to forget the lyrics and chords if they are helpful to you.
necessary.

3. LITURGICAL STUDIES: Know at least the basics of the liturgy of our Church, this will prevent ...
"you mess up" with some singing that is not in the right place.

4.MUSIC STUDIES: What you have learned is good, but remember that you are not a complete material, keep going.
improve and never stop your musical studies even when you already know the basics.

5. FIGURE AND LYRICS OF THE SONGS: A professional has the figure of the songs, the lyrics in order and with the
sufficient space between lines to see during your service. Borrowing all the time from others is a sign of
disrespect and irresponsibility.

6. PRUDENT REHEARSAL TIME: If there is any event, you should not leave the rehearsals until the eve of the
Same, better dedicate a good time to planning the ministry's agenda and you will see that they will not have
setbacks.

7. GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PRAYER: Do not hesitate to pray always, even if the prayer is short, this is what
It is available to all members at the time of rehearsal, especially if there are any inconveniences.

8. ATTITUDE TOWARDS SERVICE: Your posture is not just about standing upright, it's the way you ...
take your participation in the ministry. From the way you dress, how you talk about it, how you address it
to those you converse with, etc. Don't forget that the music minister is a public figure.

9. COMMUNICATION INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE MINISTRY: Talking to your brothers in the ministry is very
important, this makes you recognize them as your equals and there is respect. When there is no communication
ministries often have misunderstandings frequently and some even during the celebration of the
Eucharist or events.

10. WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE: Don't forget that nothing is set in stone; there will always be necessary changes at the level
personal and group. If you resist change, you resist Jesucristo renewing his work in you. So you must
be willing "Here I am, Lord."

A Catholic musician must project IN HIS LIFE the trinitarian representation of God. The Holy Trinity
indicates faith in three divine persons that make up one unique God. A dogma and a mystery that we believe in
light of faith. Similarly, the musician who pleases God must unify three essential parts into one being:
a) a rational part, b) another emotional one, and c) another spiritual one.

A rational being capable of understanding the world that God has given him to transform it with his work as
musician. In this part we find all the knowledge and wisdom of Catholic religious music that the
man has produced and learned throughout his history, along with knowledge about liturgy and
music, that the musician must apply based on the norms issued by the Catholic Church. Here, love for
God is the reason to serve the Church, others, those who suffer.

A sentimental being, sensitive to the wonders of God, capable of expressing all his feelings.

A clean and permanent exercise of religious musical work seeks honesty, wisdom, humility of
heart, charity, purity.

You can be a professional musician, but if you don't sing with love, you don't teach about God; you can sing with love,
but if you don't have faith, your song has no meaning.

Do you want to sing praises to God?

But you yourselves the song that you are going to sing...

You yourselves will be his praise... if you live holily...

Saint Augustine

11: AWAKE MY SOUL, I WILL AWAKEN TO THE NEW DAY

...Rise up, my beloved, my precious, come. For the winter has passed, the rains have ceased and gone.
Flowers appear in the field, the time for pruning has come; and we hear in our land the cooing of the dove.
2, 10 - 12
A tempo that also invites you, my dear musician friend, God is inviting you to live. For this spiritual spring is
in every area for our church, and at this special time, music and musicians are part of it as well. God is
raising up all around an army of evangelizing musicians and worshipers ready to proclaim and announce the
wonders of God. And be careful, because God is not raising up a couple of superstars of Catholic music; on the contrary,
you and I, from the different fronts of battles, from our own experience of God, from our own samples
aesthetic visions, musical forms or styles, we are called to be part of this new day of Catholic music
for His Church. Are you willing to be part of this movement of God? Well, welcome! Because this manual is
specially directed to all my brothers and fellow musicians who want to make this gift a vocation for life, a
loving and free response to God's plan for His Church and for the world, putting this at the service of others
wonderful and precious gift that God has entrusted to us: Music.

In Psalm 57, verses 8 to 10, the psalmist refers to a 'new day', that is to say, and as it...
we reflected in the introduction, on that spiritual spring that God has brought forth for his church, placing
a special emphasis on the personal experience that this new day requires from anyone who wants to be part
about him. Since you and I "ARE CHURCH, BODY OF CHRIST" (1 Corinthians 12:27), we cannot speak of a
waking up from this, without involving ourselves, without putting our own life at the disposal of the Spirit
of God, who is ultimately the one who invokes this awakening of the soul and the gift of music, in order to
understand and live fully the true dimension of our service: “To give thanks and play for him in
through the nations, in other words, putting our music at the service of the kingdom of God. Let’s take a look:

My heart is ready, my God, my heart is ready: I will sing and play for you. Awake, soul
Mine! Wake up harp and psaltery! I will awake to the new day! I will give thanks among the peoples, my Lord, I will play for You.
among the nations.

This is the true feeling that should exist among us who serve God in the ministry.
of the music: Let us prepare our heart, so that He may awaken us with His Holy Spirit to this reality, to this
spring, so that with our soul, our spirit, and our music at his disposal, we may be
truly channels of grace for His people.
For a long time there has been a false conception of the true role that music plays in the
evangelization and in the animation of our communities. Many think that music is only for
entertain, to fill a gap in the sentence, to fill; However, this new dimension of music,
It leads us to discover that we are facing a ministry that seeks above all for people to have
a personal experience with Jesus alive and real, not a sentimental experience, but an experience
true with God through the melodies and messages contained in the songs we sing, and I repeat,
not to entertain, but to lead others into the presence of God.

Something that I find important to emphasize in this aspect is the following: Music by itself operates at a level of
emotions, of feelings. For example, you can go to a secular music concert, that is, popular music not
Christian, and getting emotional to the point of tears with the performance of an excellent musician. Many young girls go to
concerts of their favorite singers, they cry, have hysterical fits, tear their hair out, scream until they lose their voices... or
perhaps a young person going through a heartbreak turns on the radio, plays a romantic song and, as we say in
Chile cuts its veins crying for its frustrated love... And all these experiences move our feelings, the
They are intense, but they don't change our lives, because music by itself has a power that only moves at one level.
emotional, sentimental, but not on a spiritual level, because in our spirit we only have the power of 'the message'
content in music, and be careful this can be a good message laden with the truth and grace of God, so
as it can also be a bad message, loaded with anti-values that distance us from God's loving plan for us
us. It is to this dimension, the spiritual, that the psalmist invites us to awaken; to discover that music by itself
It is not about skill, but rather it is the grace, the anointing of God in music that gives true value to this gift. That is to say, the
music is a medium, it is not the end, it is a channel, not a source, and that, especially brother musician, is something we have to
start living, because for many musicians, music becomes their ultimate goal, relegating God to a secondary place.

The musicians of this new day are those who have allowed themselves to be touched by the grace of God and by His anointing, which is nothing else
what, that their own personal and intimate experience of God's love in their life, and not those who believe that just by doing
Good music is enough. Wake up! That is God's call for you in this new time, wake up from your mistakes.
conceptions of the true role that music has in your life, God wants to use you, and to use you greatly, it depends on
God does not ask you for anything that He has not given you in the first place; it is only enough for your heart to be willing.
God will put it in its time and in its moment.