“Spiritual accompaniment must lead others ever closer to God… to accompany them would be counterproductive if it became a sort of therapy supporting their self-absorption and ceased to be a pilgrimage with Christ to the Father.”
– Pope Francis
One of the things I love about a parish school is that if you’re there long enough, you get to watch your children grow up right before your eyes along with all the other children in the community. I remember the first time I heard one young girl named Emma sing at Mass. On that day, this kind, somewhat reserved, fourth or fifth grader made her way to the pulpit as the cantor. Out of this one little person came the powerful voice of an angel. When Emma moved into middle school, she began to sing as the solo cantor at weekend Masses, and it is always a delight.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed Emma putting her binder where the cantor normally sits and I thought, “Great! We are in a for a treat.” However, as Mass was about to start, I noticed a tiny person with her, a younger schoolmate. Emma walked this young lady to the pulpit, pointed to a spot in the binder, and placed a gentle hand on the girl’s arm. The shy girl began to read the words inviting everyone to stand for the entrance song. This smaller child was apparently our cantor. She didn’t quite have Emma’s pipes yet, but you could tell God gave her the gift of music, too.
A couple of weeks later, the same thing happened, though this time, a young man who was maybe eleven years old and looking quite nervous. Emma stood right there, one step behind him, always present. She sang the words with him, but I couldn’t hear her voice. She smiled as she helped him know when to sit or stand. As the priest asked us to congratulate the young man on a successful first time as cantor, I found myself clapping more for his coach and cheerleader, Emma.
After Mass, I gave them both a high five and thanked Emma for being a leader. As I watched them congratulate each other, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever be a leader like Emma. While singing at Mass isn’t a performance, a lot of eyes are on the singer. In moments of life and leadership, especially when the stakes feel high and I have no doubt I can hit the high note, am I willing to step back from the spotlight to encourage someone else to try it instead? Am I comfortable risking certainty of “success” in the present for the potential return on investment in someone else’s future? In my walk of faith, am I more concerned with others hearing my voice, my story, my witness or helping them discover their own? I often share the importance of accompaniment, but do I have the discipline to take a slight step back with someone so they can take one step forward?
I can’t wait to watch how many more cantors Emma helps to bring to that pulpit. As we get ready to proclaim the good news of Christ’s birth this year, let’s remember that, no matter how good of a voice God may have given us, He doesn’t want us to only use it alone. Merry Christmas!
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