The fourth virtual event in the Notre Dame Folk Choir’s The Way of the Cross series explored different forms of meditation and art to reimagine Scripture stories. This event was moderated by J.J. Wright, who spoke with three other collaborators on the Passion project: Kim Belcher, Julia Bellefeuille, and Noelle Dorvault. This discussion covered different ways we can contemplate Scripture to fit into our own lives, community, and Church, and was followed by an opportunity for questions and answers from viewers.
Featured guest Julia Bellefeuille began the event by introducing the concept of the Spiritual Exercises, a Christian tradition of prayer developed by Ignatius of Loyola. Spiritual exercises can help Christians meditate on the life of Christ and invite Him into their own lives. By fixating on specific moments in the biblical narrative and employing our imaginations, we can better understand what those events felt like for Christ and the people he interacted with. The Folk Choir took advantage of these spiritual exercises to imagine the first-hand perspectives characters and bystanders in the Passion story may have had as the events unfolded to deepen the project’s libretto and their performance. Reflecting on Scripture in a setting of togetherness was essential to the Choir’s collaborative process, teasing out new meanings that might resonate with audiences beyond their individual perspectives. While not the traditional way to go through these spiritual exercises, the communal approach to Ignatian meditation led the Choir to share the fruits of their contemplation, and thus, create a more robust, creative delivery of the Passion.
Beyond spiritual exercises, we are called to actively and consciously participate in the Word of God, both during the liturgy and outside of that space. This work leads us to develop a relationship with God both communally, through sharing or witnessing others’ perspectives during Mass, and individually, comprehending meaning on a deeper level. One way to deepen our understanding of Scripture outside of the liturgy is through striving to become more aware of the lessons of the Word of God in everyday life. Noelle Dorvault credits the Passion project in her more prominent acknowledgement of each human being created in God’s unique image. This is a fairly elementary concept in Christian faith, yet is so profound and impactful when truly understood and recognized outside of the liturgy. The Passion allows us to better see and understand the human emotions biblical characters were experiencing in the Upper Room as they tried to understand the events of the Passion. Recognizing that our own peers, and the characters in the Paschal Mystery, are all on their own journey with Christ, experiencing the ups and downs of their faith and relationship with Jesus, is an essential element in furthering our own personal journey in faith.
Finally, J.J. Wright explained how Scripture was not a perfect, immediate retelling of events; rather an account of the life of Jesus after being told and retold to new Christians over the decades following the Passion. These stories had to be contemplated and delivered in new ways to be understood by others and have a profound impact. Noting their original development process, the speakers emphasized the flexibility we have in our own understanding of and retelling of biblical stories. We should continue to search for new ways to make these stories accessible and relevant to our present lives. Passion plays, an example of this, are retellings of and revisions of the Bible’s original Passion story; through meditation and creative contemplation, these plays deliver the classic story in new ways, just as the Folk Choir did. By rereading Scripture and searching for new meaning, we witness the Holy Spirit working in us to find that new meaning and hear God speak to us in new ways. Empowering young people, like the students in the Folk Choir, with contemplation techniques such as Ignatian meditation, can lead a new generation to embrace their faith. These reflective practices can help young Catholics enter into their faith more honestly and have fuller understandings of the liturgy and the Church’s purpose. Art, whether visual art or music, is an essential part of being a full member of the Church. Furthermore, it can be a device to lead people into the Church or incorporate current members in a deeper way, as it can be a beautiful or more accessible way to develop a relationship with Christ and Scripture.
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