Composure at Mass
Thu, 09/10/2009 - 03:16
Well, I have to say I really appreciate the comments about greater composure in liturgy. I, for one, find it distracting and disconcerting to hear applause following musical performance in mass. The musicians, if they are in the right frame of reference, are trying to rejoice in the glory of God and lead others to do so. Those hearing mass should be rejoicing in the same glory of God already and can best respond by praying harder!
I'm still pretty certain that no one is teaching that applause is a form of prayer.
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/09/pope-benedict-asks-for-grea...
I think applause is a consequence of moving the choir to the front of the church. When the choir is in the back, or up in a loft, the people can focus on the altar, and the music becomes incidental to the action at the altar. When the choir is at the front, the music takes on an attention-demanding, concert quality. The musicians themselves feel this pressure to "perform," which is how you wind up with grandiose performance pieces after communion as "meditation" songs. When the musicians are out of sight, they feel less pressure to fill up quiet time, and the congregation feels less social pressure to acknowledge a "performance" well done. I don't think applause necessarily indicates that anyone is in the wrong frame of mind (or trying to create the wrong frame of mind in the congregation). I think it's basic psychology: people behave differently when they know they're being watched. Remove the watching, and you remove the temptation to get in the wrong frame of mind.