Consume Me

By Tom Booth

I have heard Holy Week called "The Week That Changed the World." That statement is so true. However, in parish music ministry we had other names for it as well: "Kiss Your Family Goodbye Week" or "Heck Week." A lot is demanded of pastoral musicians during this holy time. Most everything is sung it seems! Sequences, readings, acclamations, Alleluia (yes!), songs and psalms, etc...

We need to have a good mindset going into Holy Week: that of servant. We kind of give away our week for the greater glory of God, and for the good People of God. We are called to give away our lives for that matter, so it is good practice for our daily spirituality. So, let us do so joyfully. God loves a cheerful giver and God loves a cheerful musician as well.

Whether you are the music leader for all liturgies, or whether you are playing the bass at the Holy Thursday Mass, do it joyfully. Diligent preparation will help this to happen. Get the music early, organize your octavos, make the phone calls lining up musicians as soon as possible so that you can pray the Triduum, not just survive that Paschal mystery frenzy of liturgical activity!

Here is a suggestion: Take at least 30 minutes of personal prayer on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Take a walk, pray the rosary, go to your favorite lonely coffee shop and read the Gospel reading for that evening while sipping some "jo." Whatever it is, do something simple with the intention of spending time with God.

Mother Teresa used to say, "Do small things with great love.” Holy Week is no small thing. Maybe she would say to us do big things — serve the People of God during the Paschal Triduum — with even greater love! Let us do so simply, gently and with peace in our hearts.

Listen to Trevor Thomson's Consume Me. It's a "cool" song. I am a fan of Trevor and his music. Put on headphones and let the song remind you that Jesus will lead you, light your way, show you the way and complete you. He will "lift us up from the darkness." And this is what we celebrate during Holy Week: the victory over sin, light in the darkness and an empty tomb for you and me.