Music has Healing Power

On Saturday, I went to see my favorite Rock-en-Español band Maná at a sold out concert at the Staples Center.  I’ve been following them since they debuted in the early 90’s in the states.  They just have such lyrically strong songs combined with a natural fusion of beats that give them a very original sound.  They are classic performers who let their music speak to the multitudes and don’t rely on outrageous costumes, dancing routines or spectacular visual effects.  Their music is enough to sell out stadiums.  Every time I see them I am always amazed by how great they sound live.  They are also really kind to their fans, usually if we ask for an encore after each performance they come back on stage and play another set of songs.  Unfortunately, I bought my set of tickets a little too late and was only able to get seats in the very back of the auditorium.  From my seat I was able to see the massive crowd present and to hear the beauty of our voices as we all sang along to our favorite songs.  As I sang in unison with the crowd many things happened inside my being, I realized how music can heal and transform and how we are all made to worship.  Music has power.

Many times in my life I have found refuge in music.  In my teens when I sang with a brush in front of the mirror I dreamt of fame as a way out of my difficult life.  In my early twenties, I found that sad ballads combined with alcohol intensified the turmoil inside and freed me from taking any responsibility to grow-up.  I became addicted to dwelling in the chaos inside and intensifying the pain by using music and alcohol.  When my brother passed “Hurt” by Johnny Cash became my anthem.  I used to ride in my car without destination the song on repeat at full volume trying to escape the pain inside: “I hurt myself, today to see if I still feel…”  Many times tears rolling down my face, sometimes slightly buzzed I drove hoping for the courage to disappear to drive off into nonexistence.  In my family of alcoholics I had learned to use music to intensify the pain and to do things with the excuse that I was drunk and thus knew no better.  When I began my adult Catholic conversion, a talk was given on the power of music and how music can help build or destroy.  I thought the thoughts expressed during the talk were restricting and I loudly vowed to never be converted in this area.  I remember in my small group I was so indignant- “music is art and art is a form of free expression I will never change and don’t you try to change me!”  

When I began attending Mass I would cry every Sunday not because of the great homilies or readings, but because of the music that was played.  I remember the first time I went to Mass I heard a solo man’s voice with acoustic guitar singing the lyrics “I give you thanks Jesus for having found me.”  Immediately I was overcome by tears and as I knelt the entire congregation disappeared and it was just Jesus and I and Jesus was telling me that I was found, saved and loved by Him.  He was showing me the path to Him and asking me to come.  I remember my sobs couldn’t be repressed and between messy tears and snot - healing was happening.  This was our routine for many Sunday’s I showed up cried and a little more healing occurred.  Slowly I ate my words and realized the power of music and with the help of God I transformed my habits and stopped using music to intensify the pain.  For a long time after that I only listened to Christian music- but now I listened to secular music too because through God music was redeemed and now it occupies a healthy place in my life.

As I looked at the massive group of Maná fans singing along to classic songs I realized that we all have a built in magnet inside to worship.  Many times we ardently, even obsessively, admire famous people because there’s something in our biological make-up that tells us we were made to worship.  Yet, that message gets lost in translation and many times we aim too low in what or who we worship just like the Israelites worshiping a golden calf.  While I listened to some of my favorite tunes I was sadden a little to see such a great public display of adoration towards four men that form a rock band and to compare that to the small groups that gather for perpetual adoration.  I remembered an activity that we did during a Jovenes Para Cristo retreat where we introduced three of our members dressed like famous people and the crowd went crazy with applause and hollering and then we introduced a member carrying Jesus on the cross and was that a juxtaposition!  There was stupefied silence as people realized the position celebrities have in their lives and the unimportant place given to God.  Many got down on their knees while others clapped and cried realizing that the King of Kings is the only one worthy of worship and adoration.  The speaker followed with a great talk on Catholic worship.  He was charismatic and he made a statement that has remained with me since, “when we go to concerts, games and other activities we naturally scream and holler, but when we worship God sometimes we are uncomfortable just occupying space.”  While I was singing along to Maná his words came to my mind and I thanked God for the band, for allowing me to be able to enjoy the music and appreciate the talent He has given the musicians.   

"Mi amor era pequeño 

pero ya lo he encontrado 

y ese pequeño amor 

hoy se ha agigantado"