By doing this, music actually evokes and intensifies these same emotions in the soul. For instance, when I listen to Gregorian chant I am calmed, when I listen to romantic music I feel enamored, when I listen to joyful music I feel happy. Because it has such a powerful effect on us we must select our music wisely — we are, after all, choosing the very emotions we wish to experience.
We must also be aware that we have a tendency to act according to the emotions we experience. When we feel anger, for example, we tend to perform angry acts. Certain kinds of emotions incline us to sinful acts while others incline us to virtuous acts.
If I listen to Madonna, a musician who typically strives to elicit the base passions, I invite these passions to flare up within me and urge me to the sinful acts which they naturally provoke. On the other hand, if I listen to Strauss or Handel or Bach, I can expect to fill my soul with emotions favorable to good and constructive acts. Such music moves me away from the baser passions and encourages reflection and noble convictions.
A great deal of progress in virtue is related to keeping our passions and emotions in line with reason. In other words, if I listen to music that imitates a warlike and rebellious emotion, and consequently stir up in my soul these same emotions, my pursuit of the virtues of patience, submission and obedience will become very difficult. If I wish to become virtuous, I should expose myself to the music that is most likely to influence my emotions toward the practice of virtue.
As Catholics, we should try to listen to the music that imitates a reasonable, ordered, honorable emotion, and not to that which imitates unreasonable, disordered and dishonorable passions. If we follow this simple rule we will go a long way toward helping ourselves become virtuous.
Fr. Sullivan, M.J., is a priest with the Miles Jesu order. Miles Jesu is an Institute of Consecrated Life dedicated to promoting reverence to the Blessed Sacrament, devotion to Our Lady and faithfulness to the official teachings of the Church. For information on Miles Jesu and its Seminary Program, please call 1-800-654-7945 or visit their website at www.MilesJesu.com.
