The Bible and Music

Last week, I had to attend my grandfather’s funeral. While the event was sad, I was still able to recognize similarities from what we have learned in class to the Catholic service that followed the funeral. Growing up lacking a religious household, I had never attended a Catholic ceremony. We walked in, were seated in the pews, and waited for the priest to come up to the altar. I was expecting a speech about what happens to us in the afterlife, but what I heard instead shocked me. After the priest had situated himself at the altar, he opened his mouth and began to chant the scripture he was reading. I don’t fully understand why he did this but it made it interesting to hear. Even when they were singing hymns, it was interesting to see where they put the emphasis on the words. Although the event was melancholy, seeing what I have learned in class manifest itself in real life peeked my interest.