Profile: Catholic Musician Michael James Mette
“We’re called to be like missiles and explode the world with the Gospel message. Sometimes you can go too far in either way. Sometimes people get so pious and righteous they almost draw walls around walls and they’re insulated from people that really need the Gospel. We need to be immersed in the world but not fall victim to it.” Musician and Youth Minister Michael James Mette
After I heard the reading from Isaiah “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8), I turned to my friend next to me and said, “That’s for darn sure.”
My mind sometimes tries to put a negative spin on this verse, thinking Why the heck is God trying to limit this awesome plan I have set for my life?? But in a recent interview with singer and youth minister Michael James Mette, he reminded me that it’s actually the opposite. Michael said, “I try to always not limit God’s plan. I have a terrible tendency to think too small sometimes. But God says, ‘you know what I really want is something GREATER than that.’”
Want an example? This is how Michael described his successful 40 days of Praise Tour that took place over Lent. God changed his original idea of singing praise and worship songs and posting them on Youtube into a cross-country adventure.
“The original 40 days of praise was about me sitting and putting music and teaching worship on Youtube. I didn’t envision it being something that I would support my family on. And now God took this little idea that I had, really His idea that I participated in, and He has really used that on a global scale.”
Although Michael started his journey singing back in grade school singing at Mass, he says he wasn’t always as on fire with faith as he is today. Even though he came from a very pious family and said his parents did their best to instill their faith in him, Michael says he was very disillusioned by what was around him growing up.
“Church was full of people punching the clock going to Mass, not radically living the faith. I saw a lot of people that didn’t take their faith seriously. I felt that God was calling me to do great things, but there wasn’t a role model for that.”
Michael joined the Air Force after high school and moved to Abilene, TX, where he became involved with a radical prayer group. Coming from a very stoic side of religion, the charismatic ways inspired him to be more outspoken and on fire about his faith. He soon became involved with life Teen and was blown away by the music at church. Since then, his life has been devoted to living for the Lord. He now knows his calling is to provide for his family by leading worship.
“It’s become clearer and clearer that God has given me a unique set of gifts for speaking and singing, and coupling that with the need in the church. The 40 Days of Praise was a testing ground to see if this is where God wants me to be in the church. And it’s been confirmed over and over again. I need to be doing music and speaking out throughout the country.”
PART 2
Michael now lives at home in St. Louis with his wife and daughters, and serves as a youth minister. He is passionate about spending time with his girls and making time for prayer with his family. Talking with him you can easily see how he is also passionate about building relationships with high school teens. He sees high schoolers as people not yet stuck in their ways, and with enough excitement and energy to make necessary changes in their lives.
“By the time you get to college people get more and more solidified. In grade school there are so many other influences and (the kids) don’t identify themselves as individuals enough.”
High schoolers have an openness to change and the desire to build lasting habits and seek virtue, he said.
“They have a wonder and awe and mystery about them.”
Michael goes on stage with a rosary on his left arm and spiking glue in his hair. He may start the show with Cold Play’s “Viva La Vida” or with Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling” and end the show with Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” but he fills what’s in between with the Gospel. He opens with secular music to show how we need to be immersed in our culture and need to use cultural mediums for good.
He explained that as people grow in their faith and in virtue often their tendency can be to separate themselves from the world. But Mass sends us out, according to Michael who added that Mass comes from “missa”–which means “to let go, send”–and is akin to the word “missile.”
“We’re called to be like missiles and explode the world with the Gospel message. Sometimes you can go too far in either way. Sometimes people get so pious and righteous they almost draw walls around walls and they’re insulated from people that really need the Gospel. We need to be immersed in the world but not fall victim to it. The water we’re swimming in is poison. It is a fine balance, to be a Catholic in the world, not of the world.”
One of the things Michael does during a show is provide an opportunity for healing. He invites people to respond to hurt with love by writing a thank you card or writing to say they’re sorry. He strives to move beyond simply performing worship music, and dig deeper and really allow teens to reflect on Christ in their lives.
“Music is good, but if people leave the show and think, ‘that was fun he had fun, spiky hair,’ I feel like I haven’t done a good job. But if I’m able to start something, to help someone let go of a hurt, fix a relationship, train them to help them recognize the good in someone, then I’ve done God’s work.”
With parish-based ministry, Michael is able to build relationships with teens and continue to cultivate their faith. He has faith enough of his own that if he plants the seeds, God works in His own time to form conversion. When on the road, he uses more of what he calls a shot-gun approach. He has one hour to plant seeds. And a lot of times, he doesn’t get to see that fruit, but he prays that the youth ministers at that parish can see it.
“When God works wonders, a lot of times he conceals that for our pride. Not ‘I’m awesome! I’m the man!’ It comes back to, ‘no, no, Jesus is the man.’”
With a new music video and music on iTunes, it would be easy for Michael to get carried away with a rock star attitude. Instead, he models his life after the saints, holding true to St. Francis of Assisi, one of his favorites, who showed us how to preach the Gospel through everything we do. He combines his love of God and love of music to provide a contemporary devotional for Catholics.
Michael truly inspires us to remember that God’s ways are not our ways, but that God has a plan, “God always surprises s with his generosity. The Lord and I have an arrangement, I preach the Gospel the best I can and He provides for my family. The more we submit our will to God, the more He provides for us. “
Michael James Mette comes from St. Louis, MO, and is available for youth rallies, parish concerts, school assemblies and conferences/speaking engagements.
http://web.me.com/michaeljamesmette/Michael_James_Mette/Home.html
Check out Michael’s latest music video, “Know, Love, Serve.”
