8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

27 February 2011

For the first time since in over 12 years, I think, there was no music at Mass this morning. The singers went with the College Choir for the Church Colleges Choir Festival in Lincoln and our organist was on vacation in New York.

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

20 February 2011

Entrance	Brother, Sister let me serve you ()
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 102	The Lord is compassion (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Love one another (mtgf)
Final	God is love, his the care

Two baptisms this morning. I sometimes wonder if the congregation realise this is a surprise — the lack of reference to them in the Mass leaflet is the clue. Our deacon suggested before Mass that he could not make any connections between the readings and baptism so he would reflect on the MIddle East instead. Though he is experienced enough to weave some references to Baptism into the homily but the focus was regime change. And the connection with music? Well it seems to me that there is a balance between relating the gospel to current events, particular an area one has an interest in and making a judgement about the congregation that will hear it. First and last hymns were chosen was because there were two large baptismal parties and as is often the case many seem not over familiar with participating in Mass. The Servant Song because it is something the congregation knows well and it is suffused with baptismal imagery. The final hymn because I find it is well know and it is 'upbeat'.

I wondered today about the language of the Rite of Baptism given the recent debate in the Anglican General Synod. I find this a hard question, partly because I cannot listen without my 'informed' ear, but there is also a question of people's expectations. The danger is however you describe how language works in liturgy it sounds like a defence of impenetrability - for example if you suggest it may not all be meant to be taken in instantly. I also guess there is a divorcing of text from context - as this gives meaning.

A final passing thought. For another context I was wondering Ubi caritas: Hurd or plainchant? And realised I think of the chant as strongly linked to Maundy Thursday and would not be right at another time whereas Hurd (etc?) I am quite happy with elsewhere. It is not wholly rational this liturgy stuff.

6th Sunday in Ordinary

13 February 2011

Entrance	Your words are spirit and life (Bernadette Farrell)
Penitential Rite	St Gabriels I (mtgf)
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 118	They are happy who follow God's law (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	In perfect charity (Randall DeBruyn)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Teach me, O Lord (Christopher Walker)
Final	Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him ( )

The lateness of Easter means that we are into a series of Sundays that usually fall into the gap of the liturgical year. One of the strokes of genius in the reform of the liturgical year was to make Ordinary Time one season — exploring the life and teaching of Jesus — with some Sundays which are never celebrated each year. For the church musician this means psalms which if they do not recur in the Sunday cycle are rarely sung and Gospel that are heard less often. So today we had a simple setting of the responsorial psalm but the opening song was a similar meditation on the law and at Communion we sang a more expansive setting from Psalm 118. I was interested to note that my instinct if we are singing a second psalm setting is to place it at Communion rather than the Preparation of Gifts. As is often the case the act of Communion adds a level of meaning to the psalm - so the way we should follow is the procession to receive Christ's Body and Blood.

In perfect charity has a text based or inspired by St Francis of Assisi by the composer Randall DeBruyn. It is sung to a fine, long, well-constructed melody which he has arranged to make a satisfying choir piece.

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

6 February 2011

Entrance	God, whose almighty Word
Penitential Rite	St Gabriels I (mtgf)
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 111	Good people are a light (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Return to God (Marty Haugen)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Bread for the world (Christopher Walker)
Final	Christ be our light (Bernadette Farrell )

I am often aware that much of my knowledge of scripture comes from singing it and so it was with the first reading today. This means that the reverse can also happen. On reflecting on the passage a melody came to mind and so we sang Marty Haugen's Return to God.

Light was the dominant theme today - salt is a seemingly less attractive option for text writers - and light was there in all the musical choices.