SUNDAY IV --- NO, WAIT! PRESENTATION OF THE LORD! (8:00 version)

You read that right, folks!  This coming Sunday is NOT the Fourth Sunday of the Year.  This Sunday, February 2, is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, a feast that trumps the usually numbered Sunday of the Year.  This is the feast that is also known by many as Candlemas, as the liturgy starts with the Blessing of Candles.  In the traditional (Extraordinary Form, that is, the Roman Missal of 1962) calendar, this Sunday would be known as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, though the liturgical pattern and Sacred Scripture is very similar.

In terms of music, Father may opt to do a blessing of candles and process afterwards, or do a simple entrance.  The hymn during said procession (or entrance hymn if simple entrance) is Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates.  Though it seems to be an Advent hymn (and is grouped in sections marked "Advent" in most hymnals that are arranged by season/category), Lift up your heads... includes passages (albeit paraphrased) from Psalm 24:7-10, the Responsorial Psalm of the day.

The offertory hymn, In his temple now behold him, is taken from the Gospel reading of the day and is sung to a very familiar tune, the Tantum Ergo set to the tune "St. Thomas" (named aptly after St. Thomas Aquinas, author of the Tantum Ergo and the larger hymn it is excerpted from, Pange Lingua.)

During Communion, the Canticle of Simeon will be sung, using a tone by the French Jesuit Pérè Joseph Gelineau, SJ.  This proclamation made by Simeon is also presented in the day's Gospel.  While this canticle is not contained in the response (Guard us, O Lord, while we sleep, and keep us in peace), it is contained in the verses.  This is known in Latin as Nunc Dimittis and is chanted in the Office of Compline (or "Night Prayer").

I mentioned St. Thomas Aquinas a couple of paragraphs ago.  He will resurface in our meditation hymn, Godhead here in hiding, a translation of Adoro Te Devote, also authored by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The recessional hymn, Praise the Lord, ye heavens, adore him, is sung in the Breaking Bread hymnal to the tune Hymn to Joy, the tune most commonly associated with another hymn you're probably familiar with, Joyful, joyful, we adore thee.

That said...

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Entrance antiphon: The Lord will come to us with mighty power... (Mode VIII)
Processional hymn: #59 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates ("Truro") (Listen)
Psalm 24: Who is this King of glory? It is the Lord! (Jon Laird)

Alleluia I for Ordinary Time (BMP)

Offertory hymn: #222 In his temple now behold him ("St. Thomas") (Listen)

Sanctus: #874 Heritage Mass

Memorial Acclamation: We proclaim your death, O Lord... #875 Heritage Mass

Amen: #878 Heritage Mass

Agnus Dei: #879 Heritage Mass

Communion responsory:  Canticle of Simeon, R./ Guard us, O Lord, while we sleep, and keep us in peace (response by Guy Weitz and Dom Anthony Gregory Murray, OSB; versicles by Pérè Joseph Gelineau, SJ)

Meditation hymn: #370 Godhead here in hiding ("Adoro Te Devote") (vv. 1, 2, 3, 7) (Listen)

- NOTE: The verses in Latin are on the left page, English on the right.  We will sing the verses in English.

Recessional hymn: #534 Praise the Lord, ye heav'ns, adore him ("Hymn to Joy") (Listen)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP