Sunday, June 16, 2013

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

16 June 2013

EntranceThere's a wideness in God's mercy
Penitential RiteAt the Table of the Lord (Collegeville Composers Group)
GloriaAt the Table of the Lord (Collegeville Composers Group)
Psalm 31Forgive, Lord (mtgf)
Gospel AcclamationAlleluia (Murray)
Profession of FaithCredo III
Preparation of GiftsThy mercy, O Lord God (Benedetto Marcello)
Eucharistic AcclamationsMissal
Lamb of GodLuton (mtgf)
Communion AntiphonThere is one thing (mtgf)
CommunionNo longer I (Bob Hurd)
FinalSing of the Lord's goodness (Ernest Sands)

This is a gospel I expect to find music/texts which are more directly connected. I am not looking for a hymn that retells the story but some images. I am not sure why it has not inspired contemporary composers (or at least I am not aware of anything). The Communion antiphons which can pick up a thread of the gospel do not offer anything either in Missal or Graduale Romanum. It is worth remembering that the majority of Gospel readings in 1962 Lectionary were from Matthew which must be a factor. There are also few 'popular' motets about either forgiveness or healing. The 'canon' is fundamentally Eucharistic. This all may say something about present viewpoints rather then ancient lack.

The motet by Marcello does speak of mercy flowing like a fountain which seemed a suitable image for the gospel. Without having the score to hand the English text is I think authentic - like Haydn he provided settings for an English market.

I noticed in the psalm setting, which dates from 2004, I had used the revised Grail 1993 edition. The first verse begins 'Happy those…' as opposed to 'Happy the man…' — the most recent Grail revision 'Blessed the man…'. Though the tradition does understand the 'man' as referring to Christ this obviously not the case here. I would probably prefer 'the one' but the more important point I think the revised Sunday Lectionary, keeping with tradition applies the psalm forward and backward. The happy person is David, but it is also the woman in the gospel and so 'man' narrows down the layers of meaning which Lectionary inspires.

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