Music to pray with

When coping with the helter skelter pace of modern life gets too much for us to handle, nothing beats taking time out to start each day with a prayer. And as every church-goer has known through the ages, these moments of piety take on a deeper, more contemplative mood if accompanied by the right sort of music. This sort of music is what the Lauds series of albums is all about.

Produced by the Jesuit Music Ministry and the Jesuit Communications Foundations Lauds derives its title from the morning prayer of praise in the Liturgy of the Hours. Unlike the religious who have freed themselves from most of the demands of the world, we do not have the time to say these prayers properly at designated periods during the day. Listening to Lauds though makes hours of prayer possible.

The music that these albums offer takes listeners to an island untouched by noise and other cares. You can be in the middle of the most messed up traffic jam or surrounded by people hurrying by, but the moment you hear these melodies you will know there is peace if you will allow your consciousness to drift into total communication with God.

Lauds features the simple and prayerful piano music of the young Jesuit priest Arnel Aquino. The series actually started five years ago when a tape of his music was passed from hand to hand and became the beginning of a prayer without words ministry. The album was made up of Aquino’s own compositions plus the works of other Jesuits. With the rising popularity of the religious music market, it was inevitable that he would be asked to make more of his instrumental recordings and one of those he chose to do was the Lauds series. The result is almost unobtrusive but does not fail to touch the heart.

Lauds I lifts up the listener on wings of prayer with cuts like the Anima Christi, Pagsibol and Panalangin Sa Pagiging Bukas-Palad. The second volume is a journey through the holy places of Bethany and Jerusalem where the soul heals and faith is affirmed. Lauds III is also another voyage. It revisits the songs of faith from childhood and one’s first encounters with God. The fourth and certainly the best of the series is To a Lonely Place to Pray where meditation reaches its highest moments through How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place, Purihin ang Panginoon, One Thing I Ask, Coming Home and others.

Still on prayer music: I missed the concert that paid tribute to Fr. Eddie Hontiveros, SJ at the UP Theater last month. Thankfully though a collection of his best known works has been released also by the Jesuit Communications Foundations and can now be enjoyed and of course prayed with anywhere you are.

Fr. Honti pioneered the writing of Filipino liturgical music in the ’60s. This was after the landmark decision of the Second Vatican Council to inculturate the Roman Catholic faith and to allow the use of songs in the native language for church services. He has since written hundreds of songs since, most of which have become important parts of our spiritual lives. Most of all though, his work influenced younger Jesuits who have also made many notable contributions in the field of Filipino religious music. Among these are Manoling Francisco, Fruto Ramirez, Nemy Que, Charlie Cenzon, Jboy Gonzales and the aforementioned Arnel Aquino of Lauds.

The Fr. Honti collection is titled Purihi’t Pasalamatan. It is nearly an hour of well-produced materials made up of 19 of his most famous works. The album is designed as a companion to those who wish to follow the four weeks that comprise the Spiritual Exercises formulated by the founder of the Jesuit order, St. Ignatius of Loyola. It is said that these have proven most helpful to those who wish to find out God’s will for their lives and the accompaniment of Fr. Honti’s music surely makes this quest more enjoyable.

Performed by the Himig Heswita, with vocal arrangements by Fr. Honti himself, Purihi’t Pasalamatan includes Pananagutan, Paghahandog ng Sarili, Aba Ginoong Maria, Hesus Na Aking Kapatid, Dakilang Pag-ibig, O Diyos, Iniibig Kita, Sa Dapithapon, Pagmamahal Sa Panginoon and others.

A stroke 10 years ago left Fr. Honti partially paralyzed but this has in no way kept him away from his music as he continues to write songs and inspire others to follow in his footsteps.