OK, for all you baseball fans out there, who also happen to be musicians, I offer the following comparisons.
Baseball is about strategizing. In music, we also do a lot of strategizing. Where do I take a breath? What vowel shape do I produce to achieve the proper formant? What do I do to make the music come alive? What can I do make the congregation want to sing the music?
Like in baseball, we travel around the bases in music. To get to first base, we remember to pray and reflect on the scripture readings and the text of the music we are about to sing. To get to second base, we rehearse the music and through diligent practice iron out the trouble spots. To get to third base, we execute the plan and to make it to home plate, we get the satisfaction in recognizing we have achieved our goals.
Like in baseball, we may hit a foul ball or error. No matter how hard we may practice, we are not perfect. For instance, a cantor may skip a line when singing the responsorial psalm or an organist may begin playing the wrong piece of music. We might strike out completely if we don’t take care of ourselves by not taking care of our voices or not being prepared. We may not always agree and connect with each other.
We can’t always pitch a perfect game, or hit home runs. We can’t control everything that occurs at Mass. We need to be flexible and monitor and adjust accordingly. We don’t always make a spectacular catch.