Why I Joined the Choir

 MARIE BURCHETTE

It all started with a dream.  I always loved music - all types of music.  My favorite types are “chansonettes francaises” meaning little songs in French and classical music.  When I was 9 years old, I started taking piano lessons but I only learned the position of the fingers and a few notes.  My mother stopped the lessons without warning.  However, my love for music remained.  At an early age I could memorize tons of songs.
 My dream started like this:  I was standing at the door of a one story house.  All of a sudden, all the houses around me collapsed and crumbled.  Everything was destroyed, but my house. Like a miracle, there was an instant metamorphosis.  The houses were replaced by tall buildings, some looking like temples. I was in awe! It was a wonderful sight.  I could not move and would not dare.  My only thought was that I was looking at the new Jerusalem. 
As I stood there paralyzed, shocked and amused, I heard a choir of angels (so beautiful and ethereal) from afar.  Immediately I saw Jesus and following him were seven elves.  Some were hopping, some twirling.There was a short distance between us, but Jesus was walking. When He got to my level, He turned His face toward me.  He used His right hand three times to signal me to come.  He looked straight into my eyes.  I gazed at Him and put my right hand to my heart and whispered, “ I am not ready”. It was like a “mea culpa”.  I was sad that I answered negatively to Jesus‘ call. I think Jesus also knew that I was not ready.  He knew me more than anybody.
So after Jesus passed, I looked to the mountains. What I saw kept me mesmerized. There was a rainbow on top of the mountains.  The scene was magnificent. My dream was over. Yes, I believe I saw new Jerusalem - the end and the new beginning.
You're probably wondering what the dream has to do with singing music?  Well, Jesus called me!  I was scared that He was going to ask me to leave everything.  I was young - only 16.  I wanted a family and children.  I really thought He wanted me to became a nun.  From 9-20 years old, I was in a boarding school.  After a while, people started calling me Sr/ Marie Leonard.  I never wanted to be a nun, so I was  afraid.
After I thoroughly analyzed the dream, my spiritual life started changing. To me it was some kind of awakening. All I thought of was that Jesus would want for me.  And in the dream, the elves represented children.  I wanted to even open my own daycare and call it “The Happy Elf”.  Since I was not an entrepreneur, I started working with children.  The sounds of angels singing made me think of singing and belonging to a Choir.
I try my best in life to please God and become closer to Jesus in everything I do.  I did get married and had five children.  I did not become a nun after all, but I know I can do God’s will in whatever I choose to do as long as it is helping people.  Love is not all we need, it is all we have.
 

LYNN OESER

I sing in the choir at St. Matthew because my soul sings in the choir of creation. As a little girl, the first hymn that I learned by heart was “Praise to the Lord, The Almighty”. That child whom I once was learned to sing with voice and soul in creation’s choir with the Angels, Saints, faithful brothers and sisters, sun, moon, stars, birds, creatures, trees, wind and rain.  My song is one of awe, wonder and deep faith that I am dearly  loved by my creator God.

 As an older child, my soul dwells in the sacred gaze of Christ at the foot of the cross.  I tremble at the obedience and humility of perfect love on the cross and in the incarnation.  Is this for me?  I ask “What Wondrous Love is This, O My Soul?”  As I ponder this love, I ask as the psalmist: “How can I repay the Lord for all the great good done for me.”  Psalms 116:12
 
As my soul journeys deeper into God, my song deepens as well.  I attend mass in joyful procession of a hymn of praise with my brother and sisters of faith.  In humility and supplication, our song begs for mercy and forgiveness for our sins and failings. In petition, our Souls Sing with the assembly for the needs of ourselves and others in the world.  In the Eucharist, our song is of Love and Thanksgiving.  What wondrous love is this to be welcomed into this banquet of Heaven and Earth?  We depart into the world with a hymn that gives Glory to God.

 “I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.”  Psalms 116: 14
 
Music fills the abyss of passion, emotion, feeling and love that human words cannot contain.  Into the world I sing:  “Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him.  All that has life and breath come now with praises before Him! Let the “Amen” sound from His people again-gladly with praise we adore Him.” 
Joachim Neander