Seeking Harmony

I think I've always been an alto. I come by it naturally; I grew up hearing my mother and sister singing alto and it fits my limited range. On a really good day I can reach a "C" but it has to fall at the right place in the breath. The alto notes are the ones I key into when the organ starts playing the hymns. I'll try and sing the melody, but midway through the first verse I'm already searching for the lower registry and finding the notes that accompany the melody. Unfortunately, I'm just an average singer, and I can easily be influenced by the person sitting close to me, and sometimes I sit in quiet frustration when I can't find the right notes. So then I go back to the melody, but again I'm discouraged because it's not my place, it's not my voice. The wonderful part is when the harmonies do meld. Those completed chords can create an added dimension in the room, another real presence. In our weekly Taize service we usually end with "Ubi Caritas" and the altos have the absolute best line in the song. By the end, the chords have meshed and formed into a resonating wave in the air that remains long after the last voice has quieted. I stay in the room as long as possible with our lasting harmony in voice and in prayer.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, there is power in being together in unison, following the same lead, reinforcing each other, and creating a stronger voice. It allows us to be heard from a great distance. But God, there is also room for other voices and other leads. Even in the tension of discords, there is an unfeigned relief when the notes resolve. When we can compliment each other's voice, finding a balance that enhances the main declaration, we allow a richer, fuller harmony to resonate across the land. O God, we long to lift your name in our songs, in our words, and in our actions. Help us to listen carefully to each other so that our voices will engage and improve each other. Be a presence in our attempts to reach that lasting note of harmony in voice and prayer. Amen.