Did Jesus Sing? Implications for Music Ministry Today

There are many ways in which Jesus is thought about and perceived. Some of us might look upon Jesus and see him as the Suffering Servant. Other points of view steer towards the Messianic Liberator and model of peace and justice for all. Still, other points of view see Jesus as the High Priest, or, the perfect manifestation and incarnation of Love.

There are, of course, many other ways we view Jesus.

But how often do we stop and think of Jesus as a singer? As a Liturgical Music Minister, I have often thought about this and wondered if in fact Jesus actually sang. If he did, what did he sing? How does this idea of a singing Jesus have any relevance or impact on how we live our lives as Music Ministers…and as a Church? With this image of Jesus in mind, are we able to construct a spirituality for the Music Minister?

Scriptural reference to a singing Jesus is fairly limited. There is explicit mention of Jesus and his disciples singing the evening hymn at the Last Supper prior to them going to the Mount of Olives (Matt 26:30; Mark 14:26). In his introductory commentary on the Gospel of Mark, Michael Fallon msc, suggests what we are witnessing in this particular instance is a singing of the final three Hallel psalms (psalms 113-118) of the Mishnah (the Mishnah being the first written recording of Jewish oral law composed and redacted about the year 200CE). It is possible, Fallon suggests, that at the time of Jesus, such psalms were sung which speak about the wonder of God in creation and history and are perhaps part of the evening hymn which is mentioned in the Gospels.

This singing Jesus we see in this particular scene, occurs in the context of a meal. But this example of ritual meal, commonly held and understood to be a Passover Meal [although many scholars dispute and question this], is but one of many kinds of ritual meal that occurs in Judaism – and which Jesus would have been involved in.

By looking at the different kinds of meal rituals that were custom in time of Jesus, we get an insight as to what was, or could have been celebrated by Jesus, but perhaps more importantly for our discussion on the idea of a singing Jesus; whether or not these meal rituals involved singing, how this was done and the implications for us today.

All meals in Jewish lived experience are considered as sacred, and in the time of Jesus, this was also the case. Throughout the Gospels we watch Jesus using meal times as a place to teach, which in turn gives all a glimpse into what and who God is and how we come to know Love. Some commentators such as David R. Holeton have suggested that the Eucharist which we celebrate today, [which draws upon varied Jewish meal customs], is an ‘antipasto’ to the Eschatological Banquet!

So what are these different meals?

Three forms will be examined here. They are the Paschal Meal, the Habburah and also the Todah Meal.

The Paschal Meal [Passover] has many ritual moments throughout, but essentially has three major sections: the Haggadah (the narrative story which gives the meal’s relation to salvation of the people of Egypt), the Berekah (which is a thanksgiving for the things that have been narrated) and also an explanation of the symbols used in the meal. Towards the end of the Paschal Meal is a moment of song and singing accompanied by the consumption of wine. This moment is known as the Hallel which involves the chanting/ singing of psalms 113-118, more often than not on joyous and festive occasions. Is this what Jesus was singing with his disciples as the ‘evening hymn’ at the Last Supper? Whether the Last Supper was a Paschal Meal or not [as many scholars dispute]; it is certain that Jesus did celebrate the Paschal Meal during his life as a Jew…and consequently, would have sung the Hallel.

Another form of ritual meal is the Habburah. This type of meal was principally celebrated in the Synagogue. In Luke 4 we witness Jesus at work in such a Habburah where he reads from the scroll and explains the fulfillment of the scripture as himself. In such situations, people gathered in communion at the synagogue, usually around the scriptures, with various teachings given from the Rabbi. This was usually done around a table as a sign of religious companionship of those gathered where additional prayers and psalms were offered. Interestingly, these occasions were bread-alone celebrations, often celebrated without wine. For our purpose of discussion, this is an aside. The recitation of scripture and in particular, the psalms in the Habburah is a given. The chance of those psalms being chanted, intoned or sung is a given. As a practicing Jew, who frequented the Synagogue, Jesus would have been exposed to the Habburah, partaken in it and prayed and sung the psalms.

Many scholars see the synagogue celebration and elements of the Haburrah as the ancestor of the Liturgy of the Hours. With such heavy usage and emphasis on the psalms, one can easily make the connections to this line of thought.

The Todah is another ritual meal which involved singing of the psalms. It was principally a form of Jewish Liturgy that occurred in the Temple and was experienced with others present, and involved offering animal sacrifices to God. While the idea of burnt offerings and sacrifices may be familiar to us from our reading of the Hebrew Scriptures (see Genesis 22:9-14 and Leviticus 7:12-15), these forms of worship and praise to God can be traced back to and resembles the thanksgiving offering given to God by Melchizedek and shared with Abraham in thanksgiving for the rescue of the people of Salem (Genesis 14: 18-20).

In the Gospels, the Todah occurs as seen at the Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2: 22-38).

Usually, the Todah would be offered by someone who had been delivered from great danger, such as the recovery from a grave illness. The person giving thanks would gather family and friends to the Synagogue where a lamb would be sacrificed along with bread and wine which were consecrated and shared with all present (including the wider community/ the poor who were also in the Synagogue at the time). Accompanying these ritual actions were the recitation of prayers and songs of thanksgiving, such as psalm 116.

So yet again, we see the use of sung psalmody in Jewish liturgy, which would have been unavoidable for Jesus to not experience in some way. Was he a leader in such song? Was he an active participant in such ceremonies? It seems unlikely that Jesus brought up as a Jew and portrayed even as a Rabbi in the Gospels as previously discussed in Luke 4, would have not partaken in singing in some form or another. Ritual practice and structure expected people to sing Hallel (as seen in the structure of the Passover for instance).

The Last Supper scene depicts the group (including Jesus) singing the evening hymn; ‘When they had sung the hymn…’ We see from this that Jesus did sing and wasn’t afraid to sing. Further, one can confidently say that he wasn’t ideologically opposed to singing, or even that he felt self conscious about singing and decided for the benefit of his disciple’s aesthetic sensibilities, he would politely decline from singing. No! Jesus’ sung involvement was communal and participatory and it most definitely is shown by the use of the word ‘they’.

Establishing this willingness to sing is a solid foundation to assert that Jesus’ openness to sing in other Jewish Liturgical settings is highly likely, if not certain.

But still, are there further, (perhaps less explicit, yet plausible) references in the Gospels which suggest that Jesus did actually sing? To explore this idea, we need to look at a most defining moment of Gospel narrative: the Crucifixion.

At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “E’loi E’loi lema sabachthani?” which means, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ – Mark 15:34

The scene of the Crucifixion is not a place where one would think or associate the use of singing. However, what we see here is Jesus from the depths of his being, crying out to God. Crying out! This is no mere verbal utterance or under-the-breath type of statement. Crying out implies a raising of pitch, other than a normal tone of voice…but can it be viewed as singing per se? To open this question up further, we need to look at precisely at the words Jesus is saying.

It is fascinating and not really surprising that Jesus’ final words ‘E’loi E’loi lema sabachthani’ are the opening words to Psalm 22. And while these words suggest extreme despair and anguish not only on the part of Jesus but also the Psalmist, to only think that Jesus in his agony on the cross is somehow connecting his own suffering to the suffering of the Psalmist in Psalm 22 – is to not see the entire picture of what is happening in this moment.

As was the custom in the time of Jesus, very often the citing of the first words or verse of a particular text or scripture passage was a way of identifying an entire passage or body of text.

In this instance, we see Jesus calling out the opening lines of Psalm 22; a plea to God for deliverance. But for us to leave this scene with only the first few lines of psalm text is not sufficient. For if we continue to read the rest of the psalm, the text moves through a stage of misery and hopelessness at the beginning and then suddenly turns to become a psalm ending on a note of optimism and hope.

Out of seeming despair comes triumph.

Is this what Jesus was doing while dying on the cross? Was he crying out in despair – and only despair? Or was he alluding to the rest of Psalm 22 and acknowledging that his Crucifixion was not a failure and defeat – but a triumph that would give rise to a new creation through his resurrection?

We have already touched on the psalms being used in Jewish liturgical practice. We know that many were composed as songs by David to be played with instruments and singing before King Saul. As Judaism developed, in many instances, the psalms were sung, chanted and intoned. With such a musical origin and connection applied to the psalms, is it possible in this final moment of Jesus’ life – the moment, in which he fully fulfilled the scriptures, that the crying out of Jesus does in fact become the penultimate Song of Jesus?

So what does all this mean for us today? In particular, what does this mean for musicians who are actively involved in a ministerial capacity in the Church? Is there scope here for us to construct an underpinning spirituality for music ministers that helps and propels us deeper into our ministerial calling?

Absolutely.

The act of speaking words said by Jesus himself for many is a powerful experience. The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer taught by Jesus to his followers has remained with us through the centuries and remains a unifying prayer for all Christians. It is powerful as it is a prayer we all know and can say [or sing] to form communion with each other and God. It is powerful too, because they are the words which Jesus spoke himself. This idea of actually speaking words that Jesus himself spoke is a holy and sacred thing – that leads itself beautifully to prayer and a deepening into Love.

The words of Institution in the form of the anamnesis, which priests and those ordained speak to recall the words of Jesus at the Last Supper at Eucharist are also powerful words we can speak (or sing/chant), that connect us to what Jesus actually spoke himself. And while there is great drama and prayerfulness in hearing these words spoken, not all of us actually get the chance to speak/sing/chant these words. This seems to be a grace filled pleasure reserved only for the ordained!

Where else are there words and phrases which Jesus spoke which we too can say and pray that will help form us in the prayer of our lives? The Psalms are clearly the answer.

But for music ministers, there is added significance for us using the Psalms as a ‘backbone’ to our prayer life. For the Psalms are simply not words alone that Jesus spoke – they are also texts that were sung and became the songs that Jesus himself was to fulfill. This knowledge is enormously empowering.

What opportunities and situations present themselves in our Catholic liturgical tradition where we can actually sing the Psalms? The first place, which is probably most accessible, is to be found at any given Eucharist celebration in the form of the Responsorial Psalm. As music ministers this is an important responsibility to prepare and sing the psalm at Eucharist and encourage antiphonal participation by the congregation. The psalm is vital in the Liturgy of the Word as it forms the link of the Hebrew Scriptures to the Christian Scriptures and further highlights Jesus as the fulfillment of the Psalms. It also presents us with a small sliver of the bigger story of salvation, from which we draw inspiration and hope.

Many scholars have commentated on how one should go about preparing for the delivery of the Responsorial Psalm at Mass. Many speak of a prayerful study of the text in the days leading up to a given Eucharist celebration so that the Cantor can lead the psalm in a prayerful manner that hopefully is catching to others in the assembly.

Prompted by the wisdom of Joseph Gelineau, Kathleen Harmon in her recent book ‘The Ministry of Cantors’, suggests that one who sings a psalm, becomes for God [and I would further add here - for all of creation] that psalm.

While initially, the idea of ‘becoming a psalm’ may seem fanciful and an outrageous statement to bolster a spirituality for the psalmist/ music minister/ assembly, given the fact that in a similar way, we speak of becoming a ‘Eucharistic people’ through the consumption of consecrated bread and wine – the initial suggestion does have a ring of truth to it that is worth pursuing. From another perspective, we can call upon the wisdom of St Augustine where he suggests that instead of a Eucharistic Minister administering Communion and saying ‘The Body of Christ’ to which the recipient says ‘Amen’, one could simply offer the bread saying ‘Receive who you are’.

Obviously, this idea never caught on and became standard liturgical practice…but it does have a lovely sentiment which speaks to what Harmon is getting at when she suggests that we ‘become the Psalm’. It stands to reason that, we who receive the richness of the psalms, particularly via singing them, are transformed by their beauty and in just the same way we aspire to become a Eucharistic or even a ‘Gospel’ people…we can become a ‘Psalm’ people, who like Jesus, not only sing the psalms, but like Jesus too, find our fulfillment and discover our own story of salvation within their words. Here lies the foundation of a spirituality for any music minister…which includes the assembly who are of course the primary singing voice of any Liturgical celebration!

But singing the responsorial psalm at Mass isn’t the only place where the Psalms can be sung. The Liturgy of the Hours is perhaps a far more concentrated place where one can be exposed to the psalms…to the songs of Jesus.

For many parishes in Australia [if not elsewhere], the Liturgy of the Hours is a foreign Liturgical practice. If it is celebrated, it often doesn’t include singing, but instead, involves a small group of people speaking a series of psalms, Canticles and responses. Is it possible for this limited experience of the Liturgy of the Hours to change? Is it possible for the number of people exposed to this beautiful and powerful tradition of our Church to increase? Is it possible for the way in which the Liturgy of the Hours is currently celebrated [by and large, in a spoken capacity] to become a Liturgy that is predominately sung?

Sacrosanctum Concillium states that the Liturgy of the Hours is composed and performed by the church but because of the Church’s union with Christ, the Head, he claims the prayer as his own, so that when the Church sings the Liturgy of the Hours, he himself is wholly engaged before God. “It is the very prayer which Christ himself together with his Body addresses to the Father” (CSL 84). The extension of this is that we become the body of Christ in offering and becoming the Psalms to God.

Elsewhere, in the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, we read the Hours is the counterpart of Jesus “singing his divine song of praise” throughout eternity (GILH 16).

Can the Liturgy of the Hours become a staple part of Parish liturgical life? My previous post ‘Evening Prayer: Reclaiming and living our Liturgical Tradition’ speaks to this question and offers some practical steps as to how this might be played out [not just in a parish setting, but school and domestic settings too]. Essentially, I feel change will not come, unless people are exposed to the Hours in a positive and well organised way.

Do we dare take the risk and rise to the challenge of singing the songs of Jesus? Walking in the steps of Jesus is often a hard thing to do…actually singing the Psalms that Jesus sang and fulfilled through his incarnation, likewise, is a challenge. But the gauntlet is down. Before us we have a treasure trove of psalmody that is the gateway to a spirituality that we can claim as our own to further and sustain our faith journey and ministry. The avenues to pursue the psalms lie in the form of the Responsorial Psalm and the Liturgy of the Hours.

The idea and image of a singing Jesus is hopefully now more real. We too, can sing the songs of Jesus [in the form of the Psalms] and become empowered and enriched by his song.

What a song to sing!