Sorry I've been a bit lax on posting the music for Mass the last couple of weeks. Two weeks ago, I just totally forgot. Last week, I was waiting to see what the weather was going to give us. I think many of us can agree that this is the worst winter in this area since 2015. If you remember that year, for six weeks solid in February and even March, we got one snow storm after another. One storm gets plowed out, the next one would come in almost immediately after, and each of these storms gave us six inches or more of snow. This year, it seems like the snow likes to hit us on weekends, Sundays especially.
Before I print the lists for the past two weeks and this coming week, here is a blurb from last year (adapted for this year) about "putting the Alleluia away".
Today we enter the Sixth Sunday of the Year, or, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. In addition to hymns that may align with the day's Scripture, we also tend to use hymns that include the word "Alleluia" multiple times per verse. The recessional hymn for this weekend fits that description well. That hymn is Ye watchers and ye holy ones, which contains six to seven alleluias per verse. The postlude following the hymn, albeit organ only, is Festive Alleluia by Gordon Young, in which the primary theme is "Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, amen!"
On that Sunday, or even on Tuesday (Mardi Gras), some churches have a ritual for "burying" or "putting away" the Alleluia, which often includes a hymn, namely one called Alleluia, song of gladness. In the case of St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, a church that has a little of everything - Mass in English (Ordinary Form, of course) as well as Mass in Latin in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Form - the Alleluia (on a plaque) is carried to its "place of repose" (just like the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday), then "buried" under the cloth of the side altar, then incensed. See for yourself!
Alleluia, song of gladness, Voice of joy that cannot die;
Alleluia is the anthem Ever dear by choirs on high;
In the house of God abiding Thus they sing eternally.
Alleluia, thou resoundest, True Jerusalem and free;
Alleluia, joyful mother, All thy children sing with thee;
But by Babylon's sad waters Mourning exiles still are we.
Alleluia cannot always Be our song while here below;
Alleluia our transgressions Make us for a while forgo;
For the solemn time is coming When our tears for sin shall flow.
Therefore in our hymns we pray thee, Grant us, blessèd Trinity,
At the last to keep glad Easter In our home beyond the sky,
There to thee for ever singing Alleluia joyfully.
Notice how in that hymn tells us that we must for a time be mournful - mournful of our sins - mournful for the trials of Christ leading from his being tempted in the desert until his Passion and death - until the day of his Resurrection, at which we can sing "Alleluia!" once again.
On a lighter note, when I was music director at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Providence, we used to have a Mass on the day before Ash Wednesday (you know, Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday), followed by a "Bring Your Most Fattening Dessert" coalition in the school hall. Needless to say, my wife Ann would bring her own brand of Reese's peanut butter cups. MMMMM! They were so good, and usually amongst the first items to be devoured by those in attendance! Many other delicious treats brought in as well!
The next day, of course, was Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting!
And now, without further ado...
MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS
ORDINARY OF THE MASS:
Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (or recited, celebrant's discretion)
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: People's Mass (Jan Vermulst) (Listen)
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world (ICEL chant)
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world (ICEL chant)
Amen: Danish Amen
Sunday IV - February 1
PROPER OF THE MASS:
Readings: Breaking Bread book, page 65
Psalm 146: R./ Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (Richard Rice)
Alleluia I for Ordinary Time (BMP)
Hymns, etc.:
Entrance hymn: #708 Come, thou almighty King ("Italian Hymn")
Offertory hymn: #524 I heard the voice of Jesus say ("Kingsfold")
Offertory hymn: #524 I heard the voice of Jesus say ("Kingsfold")
Communion hymn: #651 O breathe on me, O breath of God ("St. Columba")
Recessional hymn: #728 Crown him with many crowns ("Diademata")
Sunday V - February 8
PROPER OF THE MASS:
Readings: Breaking Bread book, page 67
Psalm 112: R./ The just man is a light in darkness to the upright. (BMP) (Listen)
- The listen link is from a Mass that took place this past Sunday at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. I am happy to say that most of the Psalm settings sung there come from the pen of yours truly. Fast forward to about the 14-minute mark and you'll hear this Sunday's Psalm setting in action with their excellent choir.
Alleluia I for Ordinary Time (BMP)
Hymns, etc.:
Entrance hymn: #313 All people that on earth do dwell ("Old Hundredth")
Offertory hymn: #481 Faith of our fathers ("St. Catherine")
Communion hymn: #582 Immortal, invisible, God only wise ("St. Denio")
Recessional hymn: #207 Holy God, we praise thy Name ("Großer Gott")
Recessional hymn: #207 Holy God, we praise thy Name ("Großer Gott")
Sunday VI - February 15
PROPER OF THE MASS:
Readings: Breaking Bread book, page 69
Psalm 119: R./ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord. (Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB)
Alleluia I for Ordinary Time (BMP)
Hymns, etc.:
Entrance hymn: #213 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty ("Lobe den Herren") (Listen)
- This listen link fresh from Westminster Abbey, London.
Offertory hymn: #411 Love divine, all loves excelling ("Hyfrydol") (Listen)
Communion hymn: #25 Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory (Mode III) (Listen)
- This listen link contains the original Latin, as well as translations in Polish and English. The English translation in the video differs from that given in the hymnal, but the tune is the same.
Recessional hymn: #716 Ye watchers and ye holy ones ("Lasst uns Erfreuen") (Listen)
Postlude (organ): Festive Alleluia (Gordon Young)
Now THAT'S putting the Alleluia away with a bang!
Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP
