The Dialogue on Appropriate Liturgical Music Continues...

.... between me and an email correspondent first mentioned below
http://scelata.blogspot.com/2008/06/dialoguing-on-catholic-sacred-music.html

My correspondent:
I've attached a copy of [sacro-pop song]
I love this as an offertory song.
While it doesn't mention the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, it doesn't mention the trinity or the virgin birth either.
Me:
I agree, not every song needs to, or possibly could contain the Fullness of Truth.
(As long as it doesn't contradict it, or be so easily open to misinterpretation that it misleads.)
MC:
It does mention being fed bread, Jesus saying "This is my body", remembering Christ who died for us (now living) in the drinking of the wine,
Me:
Wow.
That, right there is an instance of what I'm speaking of -- no one drinks "wine" at Mass.
Unless we try to come to grip with that intellectually, through Faith and Reason, anything else, including emotions and good feelings is not just a distraction, but a dangerous distraction.
MC:
Jesus being with us and uniting us when we are gathered together at the table of the Lord and being set free at the table of the Lord. I don't care if this is written by a protestant, a Catholic, a muslim or a jew, when I hear this song, I get goose bumps and the message is a good message. I'm just a peon singer in a choir, but I believe liturgical music without inspiration is not doing what it's supposed to do - lead us to a closer relationship with God.
I guess I got on a soapbox there - sorry about that. Thanks again for writing and for exchanging ideas. If you have a favorite hymn in which reason takes precedence but which also touches the heart, let me know what it is. By the way, what are "the Reproaches"?
Me:
That is what is actually prescribed to be sung during the Veneration of the Cross at the service on Good Friday.
Do you know what the Propers are? the texts (which actually have melodies assigned,) that are already given to us what we are supposed to be singing in the "slots" where most parishes, (mine included,) just insert hymns and anthems according to personal and parochial taste?
In modern Catholic Church music we have gone so far in the neglect of what is laid out for Liturgical worship, that we not only seldom sing the Propers, many of us sing "Masses" that do not even respect the integrity of the text of the Missal.
I think the music we sing at Mass should be beautiful and fill us with joy, but if it is beautiful and fills us with joy and does not also draw us into the Truth it is merely seducing us with its beauty and with the emotions it arouses in us.
"If it feels good sing it" is just as dangerous a slogan as "if it feels good do it."
There has to be more that informs our choices.
Of course, new, gorgeous music should be created, but that is not the starting place for music in the liturgy.
I think looking at what the teaching authority, the Magisterium of the Church holds up as the ideal in music should be that starting place.