26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

29 September 2013

Entrance	Gather us in
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 145	My soul give praise to the Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	A touching place (John Bell)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	By this we came to know the love of God (mtgf)
Communion	What does the Lord require (mtgf)
Final	The kingdom of God

Almost 30 years ago when Gather us in was new I remember a member of the congregation saying how much she liked it because of the line 'we are the old who long for your face' and that it was good to feel included. What I find surprising looking back is realising the person would probably have been in their 50s. It easy to knock what some would see as a sentimental, emotional response to liturgy but that need to see oneself as potentially redeemed is important. Today Gather us in was intended to gather in both rich and poor — Dives and Lazarus.

It stuck me that if one of the purposes of music is to make connections we could have sung In Paradisum today — et cum Lazaro but the music has a subject: 'you' and so would not make out of context.

I did briefly wonder about a hymn text that could be sung to Kingsfold or as it is know in ENglish folk song circles Dives and Lazarus. I suspect more people may have wondered why we were singing The Star of County Down.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

22 September 2013

Entrance	Christ be our light (Bernadette Farrell
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 112	(mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	I am the good Shepherd (mtgf)
Communion	In perfect charity (Randall DeBruyn)
Final	Tell out my soul

A number of years ago, when we were in Year C, it was noted that series of Sundays about sin, forgiveness and God's mercy can if reflected to strongly in the music choices create a dour impression to the newcomer. A example would be last week's Opening Hymn Our Father, we have wandered which speaks of the 'evil that we do'. (As a footnote it was, I think, one the hymns commissioned by ICEL at the time of the translation of the Rite of Penance to provide a hymnody which better reflected the theology of the rite.)

This week beginning and end were hopefully in the well-known category so newcomers could recognise the familiar. I was a meeting in the week where Christ be our light was new to a school teacher.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

15 September 2013

Entrance	Our Father, we have wandered
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 50	I will leave this place (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Out of the Depths (Scott Soper)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	How precious is your mercy (mtgf)
Communion	Lord, for thy tender mercies sake (Farrant)
Final	There's a wideness in God's mercy

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

8 September 2013

Entrance	Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels & Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 90	O Lord, you have been our refuge (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Restless is the heart (Bernadette Farrell)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels & Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	I am the light of the world (mtgf)
Communion	The love of the Lord (Michael Joncas)
Final	Will you come and follow me

We don't often note special Sundays. I suspect that this is in part a matter of administration as much a general view that they are effectively a distraction rather than an a helpful addition. When I came to the college this was Sunday after the last night of the Proms and we would sing Jerusalem — at least the festivities didn't extend to Land of hope and glory.

This Sunday the first hymn reflected the calling of the disciples but also had passing reference to Syria and peace. At Communion the Love of the Lord reflected giving up everything for the treasure which is Christ. Restless is the heart was written for an Irish Church Music Association Summer School and I presume the refrain, which is based on St Augustine, was inspired by a wall hanging which used to hang at the Irish Liturgy Centre in Carlow (and now does in Maynooth - or did at least the last time I was there).

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 September 2013

Entrance	We come as guests invited
Penitential Rite	At the Table of the Lord (Collegeville Composers Group)
Gloria	At the Table of the Lord (Collegeville Composers Group)
Psalm 67	In your goodness, O God (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Alleluia (Murray)
Preparation of Gifts	What does the Lord require, only this (mtgf)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Luton (mtgf)
Communion Antiphon	How great is the goodness (mtgf)
Communion	O sacrum convivium (Croce)
Final	My soul proclaims (Bernadette Farrell)

September brings the next change of Mass settings which, unlike the previous ones in the year, are staggered over a couple of weeks. So this week it was back to the Mass of Creation which will see us through to Christmas.

Banquets and humility were the two strands in the music choices. Banquets in Luke are often seen as eucharistic this led to the Entrance Song and to the motet at Communion — O Sacred Banquet. The Magnificat also seems to be echoed in the Gospel: the first shall be last and the humble shall be raised up. Bernadette FArrell's setting also spoke to the situation in the Middle East/