STATIONS AND SOUP AT SEVEN and LAETARE SUNDAY AT EIGHT

Laetare, Latin for "Rejoice", as begins this day's introit: Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and all who love her!  Be joyful, those in mourning!  Exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast!

The man born blind now can see.

MUSIC FOR STATIONS

Friday, March 13 (7:00 PM)

Entrance hymn: #407 There's a wideness in God's mercy ("In Babilone") (Listen)
Recessional hymn: #712 Lift high the cross ("Crucifer") (Listen)
- Fanfare courtesy of Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston, MA, Richard J. Clark, organist/director.

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday IV in Lent (Laetare) - Sunday, March 15 (8:00 AM)

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:
Kyrie XVI or recited
Sanctus (ICEL chant)
Save us, Savior of the world (Memorial Acclamation/ICEL chant)
Single Amen (do do-re)
Agnus Dei XVIII: #843

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings are on page 82 in the Breaking Bread hymnal

Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want (Owen Alstott)

Gospel Acclamation: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory (Fr. Samuel F. Weber, OSB)

Hymns, etc.:

Entrance hymn: #709 Take up your cross ("Erhalt uns, Herr") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: #519 The King of love my shepherd is ("St. Columba") (Listen)

Communion hymn: #424 Be thou my vision ("Slane") (Listen)

- Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart...waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Recessional hymn: #447 Amazing grace ("New Britain")

- Verse 1: I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

- I doubt we need a listen link for "Amazing Grace".  ;)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

STATIONS OF THE CROSS at SEVEN (PM) and III LENT at EIGHT (AM)

Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world.  Give me living water that I may never thirst again. (John 4:42, 15, this Sunday's verse to the Gospel Acclamation, which are also excerpts from today's Gospel reading.)

These passages drew me to today's offertory hymn I heard the voice of Jesus say (Breaking Bread hymnal, #524), as the second verse alludes to them.

    I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold I freely give

    The living water, thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink and live."

    I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life giving stream;

    My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in him.

That said, I now present to you:

MUSIC FOR STATIONS

Friday, March 6 (7:00 PM)

Entrance hymn: #146 The glory of these forty days ("Erhalt Uns, Herr") (Listen)
Recessional hymn: #712 Lift high the cross ("Crucifer") (Listen)
- Fanfare courtesy of Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston, MA, Richard J. Clark, organist/director.

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday III in Lent - Sunday, March 8 (8:00 AM)

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:
Kyrie XVI or recited
Sanctus (ICEL chant)
Save us, Savior of the world (Memorial Acclamation/ICEL chant)
Single Amen (do do-re)
Agnus Dei XVIII: #843

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings are on page 79 in the Breaking Bread hymnal

Psalm 95: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Owen Alstott)

Gospel Acclamation: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory (Fr. Samuel F. Weber, OSB)

Hymns, etc.:

Entrance hymn: #561 Praise to the Holiest in the height ("Newman") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: #524 I heard the voice of Jesus say ("Kingsfold") (Listen)

- I generally play this tune a tad slower, but couldn't resist posting the fanfare from Boston.  I have to admit that I wasn't expecting a "Picardy third" at the end, that is, when a hymn is in a minor key, but the final chord is major.

Communion hymn: #407 There's a wideness in God's mercy ("In Babilone") (Listen)

- Another hymn I play a tad slower.  There is another video from the same channel where the announcer announced "There's a WILDERNESS in God's mercy" (tee hee).  I've heard my share of hymn announcment bloopers ("The strike is o'er", for example), but my first time stumbling onto that one.

Recessional hymn: #132 Forty days and forty nights ("Heinlein") (Listen)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

STATIONS OF THE CROSS at 7:00 PM and II LENT (aka in some circuits, "Transfiguration Sunday") at 8:00 AM

Each year on the Second Sunday of Lent, one of the evangelists (this year, Matthew) gives an account of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Though the actual feast of the Transfiguration falls on the fixed date of August 6, the Gospel echoes that theme this Sunday.

Today's hymns reflect the Transfiguration theme as well.  The recessional hymn, The glory of these forty days, mentions Moses and Elijah in the second verse.  The middle verses of today's offertory hymn, Beautiful Savior, depict the dazzling brightness of the garments of Christ.  Finally, today's entrance hymn, 'Tis good, Lord, to be here, gathers all the elements of today's Gospel reading.

That said:

MUSIC FOR STATIONS

Friday, February 27 (7:00 PM)

Entrance hymn: #132 Forty days and forty nights ("Heinlein") (Listen)
Recessional hymn: #712 Lift high the cross ("Crucifer") (Listen)
- Fanfare courtesy of Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston, MA, Richard J. Clark, organist/director.

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:
Kyrie XVI or recited
Sanctus (ICEL chant)
Save us, Savior of the world (Memorial Acclamation/ICEL chant)
Single Amen (do do-re)
Agnus Dei XVIII: #843

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings are on page 77 in the Breaking Bread hymnal

Psalm 33: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you (Richard Proulx/Pérè Joseph Gelineau, SJ)

Gospel Acclamation: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory (Fr. Samuel F. Weber, OSB)

Hymns, etc.:

Entrance hymn: #126 Tis good, Lord, to be here ("Swabia") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: #209 Beautiful Savior ("St. Elizabeth") (Listen)

- I take this just a tad slower.
Hymn during Communion: #222 Soul of my Savior ("Anima Christi") (Listen)

Recessional hymn: #146 The glory of these forty days ("Erhalt Uns, Herr") (Listen)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

STATIONS OF THE CROSS at 6:30 PM and I LENT at 8:00

I'm once again honored and humbled to be your organist for Stations of the Cross ("Stations and Soup") on the Fridays of Lent! ;)

During Lent, with the exception of the Fourth Sunday (Laetare Sunday, March 15), the following two rules are observed:

    1. I take a little bit off the organ.  It may not sound like much, but some brighter stops are put

        to less use (e.g., using only the swell mixture where normally the great mixture would be used

        or taking off a brighter principal stop).

    2. There will be no prelude or postlude (that is, the instrumental music before and after Mass).
        So if you don't hear any music before the entrance hymn, rest assured of two things: 1. I did
        show up to Mass, ready to do my work, and 2. I did not fall asleep. ;)

The liturgical norm during Lent, except for the Fourth Sunday and Solemnities (there are two: St. Joseph Day, March 19, and Annunciation, March 25), is that the organ should only be used to support singing.

With that, I present to you...

MUSIC FOR STATIONS:

Friday, February 20 (6:30 PM)

Entrance hymn: #140 Lord, who throughout these forty days ("St. Flavian") (Listen)

Recessional hymn: #712 Lift high the cross ("Crucifer") (Listen)
- Fanfare courtesy of Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston, MA, Richard J. Clark, organist/director.

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday I of Lent (February 22)

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:

Kyrie XVI or recited

Sanctus (ICEL chant)
Save us, Savior of the world (Memorial Acclamation/ICEL chant)
Single Amen (do do-re)

Agnus Dei XVIII: #843

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings are on page 75 in the Breaking Bread hymnal

Psalm 51: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned (C. Alexander Peloquin)

Gospel Acclamation: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory (Fr. Samuel F. Weber, OSB)

Hymns, etc.:

Entrance hymn: #561 Praise to the Holiest in the height ("Newman") (Listen)

- This hymn alludes to the original sin of Adam (and Eve, too - it takes two to tango), which is cited in both the first and second readings of the day.

Offertory hymn: #368 Shepherd of souls ("St. Agnes") (Listen)

- That allusion to not living by bread alone explains my use of this hymn on I Lent.

Responsory during Communion: #138 Have mercy on us, Lord (Mode V)

Recessional hymn: #140 Lord, who throughout these forty days ("St. Flavian")

- The first two verses allude to Jesus' overcoming the temptations of Satan in the desert, the day's Gospel.

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

THE REMAINDER OF WINTER "GREEN SEASON" and "PUTTING THE ALLELUIA AWAY" REVISITED

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)

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")

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")

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

SUNDAY III at EIGHT!

"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men!" The base of this Sunday's recessional hymn, Go, make of all disciples.

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)

Amen: Danish Amen

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings: Breaking Bread hymnal, page 63

Psalm 27: R./ The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Richard Proulx/Joseph Gelienau, SJ)

Alleluia I for Ordinary Time (BMP)

Hymns, etc.:

Entrance hymn: #540 The Church's one foundation ("Aurelia") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: #721 At the Name of Jesus ("King's Weston") (Listen)

Communion hymn: #424 Be thou my vision ("Slane") (Listen)

Recessional hymn: #196 Go, make of all disciples ("Ellacombe") (Listen)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

BACK TO "GREEN SEASON" - SUNDAY II (8:00 Edition)

Most people hear the word "green" these days in an ecological sense.  "Going green" as in "saving the planet" and related causes.

"Going green" takes a different meaning when it comes to gaming. My wife Ann for a long time played an online computer game called "Toontown" (yes, adults play this game too), though after her longtime "Toontown" partner died, she hasn't played as much.  But anyhoo, "Going green" in "Toontown" has a negative spin to it.  It means that your character ran out of energy and died.

To help demonstrate my age, "Sesame Street" was in its premiere season when I was in kindergarten (or as we called it then, "junior first"), and occasionally the teacher would wheel the TV into the classroom.  Kermit the Frog used to sing this song during that season called It Ain't Easy Being Green.

It really ain't easy being green (and contrary to popular opinion and proper grammar, "ain't" is a word in my dictionary).  Unless you've been experienced with the liturgical calendar (most likely as a priest, catechist or even a musician in a Catholic church), you may not know what to expect as to the "theme" of a given day's Mass, that is, what Scripture gives us for the day during what is often known as the "green season", that is, Ordinary Time, or, in fidelity to what the Roman Missal calls it in Latin, "Time through the Year" (literal translation).

What gives Ordinary Time the "green season" nickname is not "going green" in an ecological sense or even in a gaming sense.  It's not being that famous "Sesame Street" frog who went on to host "The Muppet Show".  In the liturgical sense, green is the vestment color worn by the priest celebrating Mass during Ordinary Time.  And considering Advent only has four Sundays, Lent five Sundays, Easter eight Sundays (including Easter Sunday itself and Pentecost), and Ordinary Time has 32 Sundays (numbered 2-33, Week 1 begins on the day after the Baptism of the Lord, which is a Monday or Tuesday, and Sunday 34 is Christ the King, in which the priest wears white), The priest wears a green vestment for Mass for more than half the Sundays throughout the liturgical year.

Two "seasonal hymns" in "green season"???

In last week's Gospel reading (Baptism of the Lord), we heard Matthew's account of John the Baptist's announcment that Jesus is coming to be baptized.  In this week's Gospel reading (Sunday II through the Year), we hear John's account of the same.  We begin today's Mass with the hymn On Jordan's bank, which begins "On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry announces that the Lord is nigh."  Though On Jordan's bank is often considered an Advent hymn (the second verse definitely has Advent themes), it is really fitting for the Baptism of the Lord and even this Sunday.

Another hymn that may appear to be off-season also fits well, Songs of thankfulness and praise (normally fitting for Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord), with its second verse which begins, "Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest and King supreme."  

That said...

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)

Amen: Danish Amen

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings: Breaking Bread hymnal, page 61

Psalm 40: R./ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. (Richard Proulx/Joseph Gelienau, SJ)

Alleluia I for Ordinary Time (BMP)

Hymns, etc.:

Entrance hymn: #41 On Jordan's bank ("Winchester New") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: #368 Shepherd of Souls ("St. Agnes") (Listen)

Hymn during Communion: #678 Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All ("Sweet Sacrament") (Listen)

Recessional hymn: #112 Songs of thankfulness and praise ("Salzburg") (Listen)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP