His Holiness, Pope Paul IV, held a meeting with leaders of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Rome on October 10, 1973. There he said: "Even in the best experiences of renewal, the weed can get mixed with the good seed, therefore, a work of judgment is indispensable, which corresponds to those who have this mission of the Church: 'Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good' (1The. 5:19-21)".
Every servant (in the Charismatic Renewal) must be enabled with this gift: They must be able to put in order everyday inspirations and impulses so that their will will be able to be joined to God's Will.
The Music Ministry, as a basic ministry (of the Charismatic Renewal), should cultivate this gift, so that their songs do not spoil God's purpose with their service. Selection of music is an ability that is acquired or given. Acquired through knowledge and practice of it. Given as a gift that comes from God.
When a person starts his/her service on the music ministry his/her first experiences are about the songs and their use by the ministry. For example, he/she notices that at the beginning of the prayer meeting they sing very joyful songs, with a rhythm that motivates the participants. Songs that allow them to forget about themselves and enter the Presence of the Lord. This is followed by songs for the Holy Spirit, songs that invite the congregation to give praise and thanks. Next come songs of praise and worship, witness, faith acknowledgement and petitions. At the end, songs that make people go home with their hearts filled with the love of Jesus and His promises.
With time, the servant learns these songs and gets the ability to use them at the right time. This gift is acquired by experience. It is a natural gift. Selection of songs, as a charismatic gift, is only present when there is a daily living pattern of God's activity, in which you yield to His power constantly and are united to His Will. God shows the person which song to use for each moment of the service. It comes as an inspiration, "intuition" that is surely received. The song comes as a light that shines the path of a prayer or service. Being able to select songs is a very important charismatic gift, because the inspiration where a song comes from could be God (ideally), the person himself or fallen angels (not desired, obviously).
That is why its' use must be shared with the other members of the Music Ministry, especially those who have been in the ministry the longest, or those who have grown in their spiritual life. Sometimes this judgment falls on:
Every member of the Ministry must know and dominate as many songs as possible. The richness of this knowledge makes the service more fruitful. It is also necessary that the members have the spiritual experience of the Lord and learn how to accompany other inspired chants such as the singing in tongues. This makes the prayer meeting richer in variety and content and makes it more sensible to the action of the Holy Spirit.
A moment of silence is an important part of the prayer meeting and when to allow it to run its full course is a part of the ministry's discerning ability. Some musicians use the songs to fill time between prayers, not realizing that the song itself is prayer. That is why it is advisable to be open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
When the Music Ministry becomes a source of joy and peace, then it is evident that the proper song has been selected(Gal. 5:19-23). It becomes a community of love where the acceptance of each other is a reality. Patience and fidelity to the Ministry allows the Lord to use them as worthy instruments. They can not allow jealousy and dissention take root among them. Only in this way will the music flow with the force and power of the Holy Spirit, and the participants will rejoice in praise and worship to the Almighty.
