One of the things I teach future priests in my liturgical music class at VTS is the rule of 25-50-25. It is a simple guide for the selection of music that states over the course of a year your music choices should reflect 25% “golden oldies,” 50% established repertoire of the parish, and 25% new music. This rule is a helpful guide which keeps us anchored in our tradition, in the familiar, yet allows us to continually grow as we are created to do. It ensures we have familiar music to sing in worship and gives us space to learn new things.

I love Advent and I love Advent hymnody even more. Often our Advent hymns get overlooked as we rush to hear or sing our beloved Christmas carols and we miss out on the depth and wonder – the mystery - these Advent gems offer us. This Sunday we get to sing two of what I think are probably everyone’s favorite Advent hymns. Here is a little about them.

America’s beloved children’s choir expert, Helen Kemp (1918-2005) had a wonderful chant which she uses regularly with her children’s choirs and in her workshops with adults:

“Body, mind, spirit, voice, it takes the whole person to sing and rejoice!”

Music consoles. Music heals. Music alters, and it transforms.

In western culture, music is often thought of as “one” of the arts. We often relegate it to areas of life regarded as decorative or enhancing instead of foundational. In some eastern communities, however, there is no word for music. It is inseparable from life. It is an essential, foundational part of being human.