22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

29 August 2010

Entrance	Gather us in (Marty Haugen)
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Jeanne Jugan Gloria (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 67	In your goodness, O Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Alleluia (Murray)
Preparation of Gifts	What does the Lord require (mtgf)
Eucharistic Acclamations	No Greater Love (Michael Joncas)
Lamb of God	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Communion	Those who eat my flesh (Bob Hurd)
Final	For the healing of the nations

Many years ago when Gather us in was new I remember someone I know saying to me how much they like the song because they felt included in it and quoted the line 'we are the old who yearn for your face'. Though there is always a danger of too many we/me centred texts this sense of affirmation and inclusion — inclusion in the Body of Christ is important. What I now see as intriguing about that comment is realising the person was probably in their mid-50s at the time.
What does the Lord require? uses the familiar text from Micah 6 for the refrain and the verses are a simple chant setting of the Beatitudes. Originally conceived as a piece for a Saint's day — saints as embodying the beatitudes, saints as people who walk humbly with God. Today it picked up the strain of humbleness in both the first reading and the gospel.