Apostles for today - November 2025

 Apostles for today 

 November 2025 

 

“The Lord Ascends Amid Shouts of Joy”
Jubilee of Choirs

The choir is a symbol of the joyful Church: many members forming one body, each cooperating for the good of all and for the ultimate purpose — the praise of God. Every time our choir gathers, something mysterious yet simple takes place: many different voices, with unique tones and personal stories, weave together into a single harmony, forming one united song. It is a concrete sign that the Holy Spirit continues to work in the Church, transforming diversity into communion.

“The Lord ascends amid shouts of joy.” The Ascension of the Lord is not an absence, but an elevation that draws all humanity with Him. It is the feast of a Presence that does not abandon us, but opens heaven for us and calls us to look higher — to live our faith in the key of praise. Song rises to heaven as a prayer that lifts the mind and heart to God.

For years, with the “Madonna della Libera” Choir, I have experienced that liturgical singing is not a mere “decoration” of the Mass, but a privileged path to encounter God. Every time we sing, I feel that the Lord uses our voices to speak to people’s hearts. Even when rehearsals are tiring, when strength is lacking, or intonation is imperfect — something happens: the community prays with us.
St. Vincent Pallotti wrote: “everything that is good, holy, and beautiful must be directed toward making God known and loved.” And this is precisely what we live through liturgical song: art at the service of faith, beauty that becomes an instrument of evangelization.

The choir does not sing for itself, but to lead everyone to an encounter with the Risen Christ, who ascends and carries us with Him into the joy of the Father. Song moves upward and outward — as praise to God and as a means of communion. Singing together strengthens bonds of unity and fraternity. No voice dominates; none is superfluous. Even the most timid voice has its place in God’s musical design.

During rehearsals, between a smile and a chord to be fixed, something precious is built: fraternity. It is a small workshop of a synodal Church, where we learn to listen, to harmonize, to make room for one another.

I often think that the choir is a living image of the Christian community: if each sings on their own, the result is confusion; but when we listen to one another and attune not only our voices but also our hearts, harmony is born. And that harmony becomes a proclamation: the Lord ascends amid songs of joy — not because everything is fine, but because even amid limits and fatigue we can offer a song of faith. And it is within that faith that God becomes present.

St. Vincent Pallotti urged us to never extinguish hope, writing: “The charity of Christ impels us to bring everywhere the light of the Gospel, so that no one may remain without hope.”
During the Jubilee of Choirs, this call resounds strongly: every voice, every note, every act of love lived in liturgical service is a small light shining in the darkness of the world. As a choir director, I feel that my task is not only to help others sing well, but to help each person discover their own spiritual voice. Every rehearsal is also a small exercise of faith: we learn to trust, to wait, to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

For this reason, the Jubilee of Choirs is an opportunity to renew our mission: to sing in order to evangelize, to sustain the liturgy, to transmit the joy of faith. And every time the Lord ascends among our songs, the whole Church rises with Him.

“The Lord ascends amid shouts of joy” is not just a title; it’s a path, a call. It’s the experience of every choir that, despite difficulties, continues to sing, knowing that every note offered with love reaches the heart of God. May the Queen of Apostles and St. Vincent Pallotti help us to let the song of hope resound in the Church and in the world.

For personal and community reflection:

1. How do I live my service in the choir: as a technical commitment or as a form of prayer and
    missions?

2. How does singing help my community experience the joy of the Risen Lord?

3. What off key notes (fatigue, tension, misunderstandings) can I transform into opportunities
    for communion and growth?

4. How can I help others discover the beauty of singing as an instrument of faith?

Marco Rosiello
Director of the “Madonna della Libera” Choir, Melizzano (BN)

 

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