From my May 12, 2019 Music Corner bulletin column
Today’s Psalm 100:1-2
We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness;
come before God with joyful song.
The first thing I notice is that the proclamation that “we are his people” is immediately followed by “Sing joyfully to the Lord.” Singing together joyfully is a spontaneous heartfelt response to being God’s people. Knowing this, how can we keep from singing? And when we forget, singing together in the Spirit enacts and makes real the spiritual fact: we are God’s people.
The second thing I notice is the image that we are “the sheep of his flock.” Who shepherds us into this realization that “we are his people” and into its sung expression? A quick answer is our music ministers by the power of the Holy Spirit. Shepherding begins with the gathering song which reminds us of who we are and opens our hearts for worship. The more complete answer is everyone who sings their faith at Mass. The auditory testimony of each worshiper shepherds others into the heritage and here-and-now reality of our spiritual kinship.
Here’s something to consider: The same is true outside of Mass.