CUT LOOSE YOUR STAMMERING TONGUE
"People in love make signs of love. Love never expressed dies. Good celebrations (of liturgy) foster and nourish faith. Poor celebrations hinder and destroy faith." The first part of this statement is self-evident. Signs of love -- a touch, a kiss, a word of love and affirmation, a brave intervention by family in the life of an addict, embracing another in moments of disappointment or sorrow, a well prepared meal, making an apology or an amend-- express and deepen love. The opposite is self-evident. Love never expressed leads to cynicism, resentment, coldness, hate, and death. How Sad!
We make signs of love because we are embodied. Our bodies express who we are, how we feel, and what we desire. There is a valid expectation that what we do manifests our identity and our hearts. Catholics are not involved in a private, isolated worship. Catholics are community and act communally in worship. The gathered people listen attentively and sing loudly. The gathered people move reverently in procession and sit reverently in stillness. The gathered people keep watching God by watching each other in lifting up our hands in praise. Assemblies pay attention to signs of love.
One who fostered and nourished good worship was Leon Roberts. On January 22 Leon Roberts died of stomach cancer. This African American was 48. Throughout his life his vital music ministry helped cut loose the stammering tongues of all kinds of CAtholic people. His dynamic music shaped the local church in Washington, DC and nationally. We have sung his compositions and joy-filled tunes in Sunday worship here at St. Malachy. We thank God for the life and person of Leon Roberts. May God give him a fine place in the heavenly chorus!
Many African American Catholics have helped us become the church we are today. The example of holiness in the late Bishops Joseph Francis and James Lyke inspired 2.3 million African American and countless other Catholics today. The courage of Fathers Augustus Tolton and Charles Uncles paved the way for the quality of service being done by Bishops Joseph Howse and Wilton Gregory (now Vice-President of the U.S. Bishops Conference). The pioneering work of Mother Mary Elizabeth Langue continued fruitfully in the scholarship of the theologians Sister Jamie Phelps, M. Shawn Copeland, and Diana L. Hayes. The dedication of Catholic parents enabled many Catholic schools to flourish today as families learn and love, do justice and create hope. The revival preaching of Sisters Patricia Haley, Bea Jeffries, and the late Thea Bowman give vitality to Catholic devotional and liturgical prayer. The vital music of Father Clarence Rivers connects with the wonderful liturgical music of Warren Grayson Brown.
We have come this far by faith. Long is the road we still have to go. Systemic prejudice and institutional racism still can trouble our souls. But maybe, just maybe, if we learn to join hands, if we learn to sing together, if we learn to serve together in sanctuaries and streets, if we learn to watch a crucified God, we can glimpse the light, we can see the glory, and we can keep on keepin' on!