Happy first day of spring!  It's duck weather here today, but the last of the snow is disappearing and spring is definitely making its appearance.

For the Catholic Church, a new springtime is upon us.  Vatican II called for a renewal of so many aspects of the Church, but the one people think of most is the liturgy.  Anyone who has taken the time to read the document on the liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium has seen how far astray the interpretation of the renewal of the liturgy went.  If you haven't read it, to just put it in a nutshell (if that's possible): Vatican II did not call for the turning around of the altar, or the removal of the communion rail, or the stripping of our churches of statues or beautiful murals, nor the banishing of Latin from the entire Mass.  Vatican II did call for a full active and conscious participation in the Mass - but that did not mean everyone was supposed to be up and moving around doing things, rather it was most importantly inviting the faithful to make an interior offering of themselves along with the offering of the priest.  And they should also be singing the parts of the Mass they are supposed to be singing (like the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei).  Vatican II explicitly stated that Gregorian chant should have pride of place in the liturgy, and that the Latin language should be preserved. 

So why has it been so wintry in the Church since Vatican II, which was calling for a new springtime?  Well, historically it's always taken awhile for the shake-out following a major council to sort itself out.  And nothing happens quickly in the Church.  But there are signs of spring... it began as Pope John Paul II ushered in the new millennium.  I believe our schola and the growing numbers of parish musicians who are feeling called to delve deeper into what the Catholic Church intends for liturgical music are signs that the new springtime of the liturgy is finally arriving.  The result will be  restoration of the sacred as the sound of Gregorian chant invokes a holy atmosphere and people fall silent in meditation, then lift up their voices in a common language around the world to pray together.  It is humbling to be a part of this, because it really feels like the Holy Spirit is at work even in our own little efforts at the parish.