The infamous words of John Rutter, "I Will Sing with the Spirit" come to mind each day during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In the new normal with social distancing there are fewer opportunities to gather for music or any other purpose, but this should not hinder our spirits. There are many ways to give and receive peace through music during pandemics. Virtual Rehearsals, Virtual Concerts, and even just singing because you have a song stuck in your head can be great ways to connect with the spirit within.

Considering that we are vessels for God’s action, a song we cannot get rid of may be His way of breaking through the logic in life. As a musician, I hear a lot of music every day, but for the past week I have not been able to stop hearing Rutter’s “I Will Sing with the Spirit.” Today, I see this as the message God was trying to communicate – even if we are not together physically, we can sing together each Sunday from our living rooms with a live-streamed mass and in fact each day. In the words of another great hymn, “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the LORD.”

We are not a people who work, worship, or live alone; God's creations are always with us and in those creations, God is present. Social Distancing is necessary to battle this horrendous virus, but it wreaks havoc with our social structures and our ways of life. Let us then call upon our Spirits to join each day for a little bit to remember that song lifts the heart. We may not stand or sit together, but we can pray together in song and be part of a whole in God’s creation.

I Will Sing with the Spirit