Noise During Church

At church last night, during one of the most solemn and holy nights of the Christian year, I could hear cars outside with basses thumping at mind-numbing levels. Sirens screamed because someone needed help, or a crime was being committed somewhere. Shouts and laughter from passersby along with traffic noise intruded on the powerful story of salvation being portrayed in front of me.

From where I sit in the choir of this church, I often hear the sounds of an urban neighborhood while in the midst of worship.  But instead of finding it annoying, I think being close to the chaos of the outside world makes worship all the more meaningful. It keeps things in perspective.

I’ve always enjoyed the juxtaposition of the sacred and the secular.  At St. Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City, the ethereal music of the men’s and boys choir is accompanied by the sound of the subway rumbling underneath the sanctuary—a reminder that the real work is down and dirty-- in the tunnels and on the streets and wherever else we encounter our fellow humans. To remind us that we’ve got to walk bravely into the craziness, holding on for dear life to what we say and pray and sing. It's not easy and some days, it feels nearly impossible.

It felt impossible this week watching the horror of the bridge in Baltimore tumble into the water. It felt impossible when we heard someone espouse conspiracy theories and hatred, proudly citing those as foundational to the church this person attends. More days than not, it feels impossible when watching the news. But all the more reason to hold on to faith and belief because that’s all we have to prevent the undertow of the world from pulling us out to sea.

Tomorrow, the trumpets will sound, and the altars will be resplendent with flowers. Pastors will offer inspirational Easter sermons, and choirs will proclaim the resurrection with glorious music. People who seldom come to church will show up and families will gather to share food and fellowship. Children hyped up on candy will run helter-skelter hunting brightly colored eggs. It’s once again, a happy ending after all the darkness and introspection of Lent. Whew, we made it through another one. Let’s get dressed up and celebrate. Yes. By all means.

But outside, the noise of sirens and shouting continues. And if those sounds occasionally interrupt our worship, all the better.