The percussion section never received the appreciation and respect they deserved in Stage Band. The rest of us often viewed percussionists as people who couldn’t play a real instrument. The assumption was that it was easy to bang on a drum or strike a triangle. While the triangle part may be true, it is far from easy to keep rhythm, and any band, from a jazz trio to a concert band is not the same without that beat.

Of course, by the time many of moved on to participate in Marching Band, we realized we could not even walk in unison without the percussion section. Our entire performance, music and choreography, was dependent on drums. Rhythm mattered.

Music is often an excellent analogy for life. There are many instruments with many parts. Some, when performed correctly, will never be noticed, or will receive limited attention. Others will receive an opportunity to solo, to stand out and shine, yet they must know when to step out of the spotlight and let the whole group receive the attention. All this diversity in sound, style, and roles come together to form something that no single instrument can produce.

Of course, just like a band, we are lost without rhythm. Missing a clear beat, the diverse group of sounds will stray away from each other. There will be nothing to hold them together. Without rhythm, things devolve from a sound that is slightly off to complete cacophony. Rhythm is essential to good music, and it is essential to good living.

With the recent requirement to stay home to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus, much of my daily rhythm was lost, and I know many people feel the same way. Technology allows for new opportunities, but established routines are radically disrupted. At first, it was chaos. Numerous decisions,and hampered communication, created a cascade of challenges, and the sense that there was barely room to breathe. Daily changes in the situation and in the resulting needs muted the beat, inhibiting the smooth flow of life.

In the middle of the confusion, I was thankful for the holy rhythm of my devotional life and prayer. As part of my spiritual commitment, I pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Developed from Saint Benedict’s Rule, this is a way for the whole church to pray together. Those to make this a part of their spiritual journey pause for prayer seven times each day. In this way, daily life is woven together in prayer. While everything else in my schedule changed, and continues to change, the holy rhythm of my prayer life with God and the church became the pulse behind my actions and the touch-points throughout the day.

Not everyone is called to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, though I certainly believe everyone should try it. However, we are meant to connect our lives with the holy rhythm of God. As we do, we begin to see the sacramental nature of time, of community, and of life. Too often, we try to fit the heartbeat of heaven into our schedules, instead of scheduling our lives around the divine rhythm. When we enter into prayer, and other spiritual disciplines, we create a framework for the rest of our lives to build upon. Then, when schedules and plans fall apart, there is one steady beat that calls us back, or prepares us for something new.

This may be a time when you are not sure what to do. It may be a time when you must transition into new ways of doing things. For some, this is a time of intense labor and service to care for the rest of us. Each of us faces these changes in our own way, but behind the unique sound of each of our lives, there is the percussion section of faith and prayer giving rhythm to each moment. The score may be different, but as we learn our new parts and follow God’s holy rhythm, the music we create will be beautiful.