3 Ms: Metanoia in the Music of The Musician

By Sem. Carlo Emil Nieva Boado

Music as Metanoia
Music is not only a mirage that brings the self into a space beyond time where in
figments of the desired reality is met. Rather, this set of tones in harmony that tickles ones
auditory and excites the sensitive emotion of the listener brings us to a Truth that is really there,
present and alive. As they put it: Music is the language of the soul. What the soul cannot
understand, music can explain. What the soul cannot speak off, music can express. All of these in
a manner no mortal mind can ever fully understand.
Meanings of religious truths expressed in words are no different with those expressed in
songs. The only difference is that music in its soulful melodies brings us to a deeper
understanding of the sought after meaning. Music indeed is a great helps for us to experience the
Truth (God) in the written and spoken spiritual truths (instead of plain letters and symbols)
passed to us through our Tradition. As we appreciate the Truth, conversion can now be very
possible. Proof? Christians use songs and meditative music in their worship, especially in the
Holy Eucharist. The more heartfelt the song, the stronger we feel Gods presence, the more we
are moved to change our lives for the better.
From Musician to Priest
In my interview of the countrys most famous liturgical and inspirational music composer
Rev. Fr. Manuel Simplicio V. Francisco, S.J., I came to know more how these 12 tones conveyed
through different pitches, timbre, syncopation, and tempo can help us in our experience of simple
yet profound truths of our faith as they were sometimes embodied in our life experiences and
prayers, and how these songs (though based from the experience of its maker) becomes
universally accepted by many people as if it is their own song.
Father Manoling, as he was fondly called, was born and raised in Quezon City, where he
was musically influence by his uncle Louie Ocampo (one of the countrys famous musician). He
entered Ateneo de Manila University (where he was taught the Jesuit Spirituality) as early as his
preschool years straight to College, and until he became a full-fledged Jesuit Priest.
His vocation progressed dramatically (and painfully) as he discerned where will God lead
him to be planted, nurtured, and eventually grow to bear much fruit. And throughout his
discernment, music played a very important role as his expression of his prayers. Though he
entered the Novitiate of an active religious order, the Society of Jesus, he admitted that he also
considered the Diocesan priesthood for the reason that he does not want to be away with the
poor. Later on before he pronounce his first vows, a greater struggle in his discernment came: he
suddenly felt a strong call to the contemplative life. And so he asked permission to his Novice
Master if he can transfer to the other contemplative orders, but the Novice Master said in reply:
Manoling, ano ka ba naman, wala kang contemplative vocation. Napaka-restless mo, napakaactive mo (Manoling, what do you think you are doing? You do not have a contemplative
vocation. You are very restless and active). And upon hearing these words, he immediately ran

to the chapel (and for the reason that the council approved that he should take his first vows) and
there he fell to his knees and wept bitterly. But looking back to what happened to him, he said, I
cannot imagine my self being happier elsewhere. Alam ng Diyos kung saan man tayo liligaya at
papayapa (God knows where we will find our true joy and peace).
His Songs, His Life
He had inspired many people through his songs and continues to do so for over 36 years.
He has written enormous numbers of Filipino and English liturgical and inspirational songs such
as Hindi Kita Malilimutan, Mariang Ina ko, Panalangin sa Pagiging Bukas-Palad, I Will Sing
Forever, One More Gift, Your Heart Today, God of Silence, and many more.
Very few people knew that his songs speaks of his personal transformation from a nobody to a person chosen by God to preach His Gospel of Love through euphonious songs which
touches to the deepest core of the listeners essence (and in turn they will come to realize that it
also speaks of their longing to be one with the Divine) and aids them to deepen their personal
relationship with God.
From a personal night prayer sung to the Lord before he goes to sleep, Fr. Manoling did
not expect that other people will become interested in singing the song Take and Receive (Saint
Ignatius of Loyolas prayer which he composed in his junior high years) and even used as a
liturgical hymn sung at the Holy Mass. Tanging Yaman is another song of his compositions when
he was a Novice of the Jesuits that he did not anticipate the laity will be interested to sing since it
is based on mystical theology. He composed Hindi Kita Malilimutan in his high school years in
Ateneo and yet years after, in his missionary works in Ifugao, he will be surprised that even the
natives are singing this same song as a Communion hymn. One more unexpected experience of
this very humble music liturgist that he related in my interview with him is that when he went to
Saipan as a retreat master, he was amazed to hear One More Gift being sang there.
When asked of his favorite songs, he immediately said that it changes according to the
phase of his life. According to him when he is discerning to be a priest, Take and Receive was the
perfect song for him. Gabing Kulimlim, at some time of his life, became his significant song too.
As a student activist, Freedom Is At Hand spoke of his life. When he was in the Jesuit Novitiate,
Tanging Yaman and God of Silence which were based on Carmelite Spirituality became his song.
But for him, the ultimate song that he composed is Your Heart Today. When I asked him why of
all his songs he chose this song as his personal anthem, he answered: [It] expresses in a way my
own personal mission and prayer to embody Gods Love to whatever corner of the world that I
am into. In a way, if we compile all his songs chronologically, we will eventually determine that
these are sets of his prayers or religious experiences and his relationship to God expressed during
the different phases of Father Manolings life. This compilation is his spiritual autobiography.
Singing with him
To all liturgical composer-musicians, he gave the some useful words-from-the-expert.
According to him, we must take it from our personal experience of the Lord (in our prayer life).
He said, The more honest a song is to ones self, the more universal its appeal. That the songs
we compose must first and foremost speak to us. If the song does not move us, then the song

may not move others also. The song should lead me to prayer otherwise it will not lead others to
prayer. The song should allow me to encounter God through the melody, through the lyrics,
otherwise other people may not encounter God also through the song.
In my listening to him, Ive noted that we dont need proficiency in music for our songs
to be effective. Neither do we need new religious insight. Even though the lyrics are simple but
the melody comes from the heart, then it will also speak to others. What we only need is honesty
and truthfulness.
In my 20 minute interview with him, I saw how music influenced the life of Father
Manoling from his discernment to enter the priesthood until he became a Jesuit priest. I also
experienced how God chose him and his songs to become instruments of change and inspiration
for others to deepen their relationship to God. And so we who are benefitted by his inspiring
music and songs must also send the ripples of transformation to many others who are only
waiting for someone who will bring God to them maybe not only through our songs but through
our faithful life dedicated in serving the Lord and others. Truly, his advice that honesty and
truthfulness are the only things required to be an effective liturgical composer can also be applied
in our spiritual life. The more honest and truthful we are in living Gods message of Love, the
more we can truly inspire others even without us knowing it.