NPM Day 2

Today was another fun day at the National Meeting of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.  We began with morning prayer.  Today is the memorial of St. Scharbel. Following the example of the fifth-century St. Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875 until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.

The reading was sung in Arabic. 

The Plenum (keynote) of the day was Fr. Michael Joncas speaking on the connections between liturgy and life.  He took as his basis the hymn O sacrum convivium.  O sacrum convivium! in quo Christus sumitur: recolitur memoria passionis ejus; mens impletur gratia; et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (O sacred banquet! in which Christ is received, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory to us is given. Alleluia.)

He spoke about the life of the disciple as memory (the memory of his Passion is renewed), present life (the mind is filled with grace), and future (a pledge of future glory to us is given).  He linked these to quotes from the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II.

I went to workshops on the use of technology and music for the RCIA.  Tomorrow is the day in which the publishers present their "showcases" which highlight a lot of their new music. Should be fun - lots of singing.