9th Sunday in Ordinary Time

6 March 2011

Entrance	Christ is made the sure foundation
Gloria	St Augustines (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 30	O Lord, be a rock (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	These words (Tom Lowenthal)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Exultate iusti (Viadana)
Final	All creatures of our God and king

A Sunday to say farewell to the Alleluia hence the final hymn. The praise of water was appropriate as we had a baptism this morning as well. It was Sunday of leave taking of a number of texts and music. I think it will be the last time we sing 'Christ has died'. The Mass setting we sing before September and the new translation offer a choice of acclamations. It will be the last time we sing the Mass of Creation in its current guise. It is also farewell, I think, to St Augustine's Gloria. I am not aware that a rewrite with the new translation is planned. I have always enjoyed its sprightliness and forward drive. I was once in a parish where the parish priest did not like it because the refrains are in Latin.

Our organist he did not know the tune of Westminster Abbey, though we have sung Christ is made the sure foundation before, perhaps we did it unaccompanied. I am not sure it's a tune I would introduce unaccompanied. Anyway it linked to the gospel and also with the baptism. These words can sound like an off-cut from Fiddler on the Roof but it is a good memorable tune and arrangement and as well as being based on the first reading it spoke of baptism and the handing on of faith.