Processional
We Gather Together “We gather together to sing the Lord’s praise, to worship the Father through Jesus, his Son. In this celebration, all sing with jubilation! We are his holy people whose freedom he won.” ~ Sofia Scattarreggia, soprano, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 95 R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” ~ Sofia and Margaret Gospel Acclamation ~ Matt Alexander “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light; on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.” (Matthew 4:16) Offertory Come Down, O Love Divine In the first reading, Moses prophesied the coming of Christ, with the warning that we must listen and attend to Him as the one true God. The words of Come Down, O Love Divine echo the words of our psalm by inviting us to sing joyfully of His arrival and to listen to His words and teachings. ~ Sofia and Margaret Communion Draw Near “With heav’nly bread makes those who hunger whole, gives living waters to the thirsting soul: judge of the nations, to whom all must bow, in this great feast of love is with us now.” ~ Sofia and Margaret Recessional Love Divine, All Loves Excelling “Come, Almighty, to deliver, let us all your life receive; suddenly return and never, nevermore your temples leave. Lord, we would be always blessing, serve you as your hosts above, pray, and praise you without ceasing, glory in your precious love.” ~ Sofia and Margaret
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Introit
“The Lord, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, and he called out to them: ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ V. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.” (Mt 4: 18-19; Ps 19: 1) Processional Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You We open with a hymn of thanksgiving. The message of today focuses on the importance of repentance and of following God now rather than waiting. Tomorrow may look like an attractive time to change your life, but tomorrow will never be today. For as long as you live, there is only now - tomorrow is never guaranteed. ~ James McCarthy, baritone, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 25 R. Teach me your ways, O Lord Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice and teaches the humble his way. ~James and Margaret Gospel Acclamation ~ Matt Alexander “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1: 15) Offertory Antiphon: “The Lord’s right hand has shown strength, the Lord’s right hand has exalted me. I shall not die, but live; and I shall declare the works of the Lord.” (Ps 118: 16-17) This is also the Offertory Antiphon at the Easter Vigil. The inclusion of such a glorious passage on what we might call an “ordinary” Sunday in the doldrums of winter reminds us that each day with Christ is miraculous. (Surely it seemed like an ordinary day to Andrew and Simon in the fishing boat, until they received the call from Jesus!) Each day we are being resurrected anew with our Lord, given new life in order to declare His works. César Franck’s setting of our Offertory Antiphon conveys the wonder of Christ’s victory over sin and death. Lord When You Came to the Seashore The Gospel tells of Simon and Andrew following Jesus after He called to them as they were pulling in fish from the Sea of Galilee. Jesus asked them to follow Him, and they dropped everything and came. Are we ready to do the same? ~ James and Margaret Communion Antiphon: “‘Follow me; I will make you fishers of men.’ Whereupon they, leaving their nets and their boat, followed the Lord.” (Mt 4: 19-20) Are we, like the fishermen in today’s Gospel reading, willing to leave all of our possessions and attachments to follow the Lord? Let us pray for the courage and conversion of heart that we need in order to share the Gospel with the world. Then we will become messengers of Christ, as celebrated in "How Lovely Are the Messengers" from Mendelssohn’s St. Paul oratorio. One Communion of Love “Jesus, in this great sacrament, you nourish and strengthen our holiness, that we might walk in the light of one faith, and in one communion of love.” ~ James and Margaret Recessional Sent Forth by God’s Blessing If you want good grades, you study. If you want a good job, you train. If you want good friends, you go out and meet people. Why then, do we think Heaven and holiness (which we should most desire above all things), will just fall into our laps? The greatest things to attain also take the most work. Stop waiting until the right moment to start tackling your faults (we all have them): make a resolution, come up with a plan, and begin. Sent forth by God’s blessing and armed with His sacraments, with the Church, with our SERCC community, we have everything we could possibly need to succeed. ~ James and Margaret Processional
All Creatures of Our God and King Our readings today tell us that our bodies are made by God, for God. Let us greet our Creator with our presence in both mind and body, whether in church or at home. He deserves our faithfulness, wherever we might be. ~Sofia Scattarreggia, soprano, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 40 R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will I have waited, waited for the Lord, and he stooped toward me and heart my cry. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I “Behold I come.” “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” I announced your justice in the vaste assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O lord, know. ~ Sofia and Margaret Gospel Acclamation ~ Matt Alexander “We have found the Messiah: Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.” Jn 1: 41, 17b Offertory Antiphon: “Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; shout with joy to God, all the earth; sing a psalm in honor of his name; come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what great things the Lord has done for my soul, alleluia.” (Ps 66: 1-2, 16) St. Paul tells us, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (I Cor 6: 19) Let us rejoice that Christ has purchased us as His own. Click here to listen to a setting of our Offertory antiphon by Palestrina. Here I am, Lord This hymn echoes the words of Eli, who heard God calling and responded with “Here I am. You called me.” Samuel also responded to God and called out “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Are we ready to do the same? To listen, and to follow? We will only find satisfaction and order in our lives when we listen to God’s more perfect plan for us. ~Sofia and Margaret Communion Antiphon: “Andrew said to his brother Simon: ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ); and he led him to Jesus.” (Jn 1; 41-42) Take and Eat The refrain of this hymn goes “Take and eat, this is my body given up for you.” How well this ties with today’s lesson that our bodies and souls were made by God, for God. And His Son gave us His body, so that we might more perfectly give our selves to the Father. Yes, Take and Eat, but with the selfless intention of giving ourselves right back too. ~ Sofia and Margaret Recessional Go Make of All Disciples We’ve heard the Word, received Holy Communion, and hopefully spent some time in earnest prayer and left with renewed conviction to work on some specific part of our spiritual lives. By living a good example, we can bring others to Christ too. Let us go out and be good disciples of Christ, living and leading holy lives. ~Sofia and Margaret Processional
Baptized in Living Waters As we observe the Baptism of Our Lord, we recall also the gift of our own baptism, when we were told that, “The God of power and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has free you from sin and brought you to new life through water and the Holy Spirit.” We are clothed in Christ and are called to share Christ with the world. Isaiah 12 R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior; With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation. R. Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name; among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name. R. Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth. Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel! R. Offertory Offertory Antiphon “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord; the Lord God is our light, alleluia, alleluia.” (Ps 118: 26-27) Our Psalmist proclaims, “With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation.” (Isaiah 12) Let us give thanks to God who in his great love came down to earth, walked among us, and opens to us the way of salvation. The first phrase of our Antiphon, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” appears also in the Sanctus we sing each week during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. For it is for this great sacrifice of His Body and Blood that our Lord has come to earth for our sake. Michael Haydn’s “Benedictus" conveys the joy of this mystery. When John Baptized by Jordan's River Through baptism, modelled for us by Jesus himself, we are given a new birth in Christ. The same is true every time we go to Confession, as God forgives our sins again and again, and invites us begin anew, “daily to grow, by grace defended, filled with the Spirit from above.” Communion Communion Antiphon “As for all of you who have been baptized in Christ, you have put on Christ, alleluia.” These are the words we hear just after our baptism, when, clothed in a white garment which symbolizes our Christian dignity, we are called for the first time to “walk always as children of the light.” I Received the Living God Just as in our Baptism we received the living God, God continues to pour out his blessings upon us, as He invites us to receive Him again and again in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Recessional Baptized in Water Sent forth in joy, we praise God for the gift of baptism He has given us. Introit
Behold, the Sovereign Lord is coming; kingship, government and power are in his hands. V. Endow the King with your judgment, O God, and the King’s son with your righteousness. (Mal 3: 1; 1 Chron 29: 12; Ps 71: 1, 10-11) Let us prepare to celebrate our Lord’s coming by listening to the Introit from last year's Epiphany Mass at the Vatican. May our hearts overflow at the sight of our Lord, who loves us so much that he has come to us in the form of a child! Processional We Three Kings What gift can we bring to our Lord this Epiphany? Let us offer our thanks and praise for all that He has done for us, and resolve to serve Him ever more fervently in the coming year. For St. Paul tells us that we have been made “copartners in the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Eph 3: 2-3a, 5-6) Psalm 72 R. Lord, ev’ry nation on earth will adore you O God, with your judgment endow the king, And with your justice the king’s son; He shall govern your people with justice And your afflicted ones with judgment. Justice shall flower in his days, And profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; The kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay him homage, All nations shall serve him. For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, And the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; The lives of the poor he shall save. Gospel Acclamation ~ Matt Alexander “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (Mt 2: 2) Offertory Antiphon: The kings of Tarshish and the islands shall offer presents; the kings of the Arabians and of Sheba shall bring gifts; all the kings of the earth shall adore him, all nations shall serve him. (Ps 72: 10-11) John Sheppard's setting of our Offertory Antiphon Reges Tharsis helps us to glimpse the awe with which the kings of the earth adored the baby Jesus. Let us pray for this same sense of wonder to fill our hearts as we meditate on the great gift of Christ’s birth among us. What Child Is This Jesus comes to us as a poor, helpless child, and yet is our Lord and King who brings us forgiveness and salvation. Let us meditate on this glorious mystery, this seeming paradox of one who is all-powerful and yet a defenseless baby. Communion Antiphon: We have seen his star in the East, and we have come with our gifts, to worship the Lord. (Mt 2: 2) Let us pray for the courage to proclaim our Lord’s coming, and the wisdom to worship him and give ourselves wholly to Him. Here is a beautiful modern setting of our Communion Antiphon by Oliver Sterling. Gift of Finest Wheat We have been given the gift of the baby Jesus, a gift which becomes, too, the gift of the Eucharist. Let us meditate especially on Verse 4 today: “The myst’ry of your presence, Lord, No mortal tongue can tell: whom all the world cannot contain comes in our hearts to dwell.” Post-Communion Sing of Mary We remember Mary, whose Solemnity we celebrate on January 1. “Joyful Mother, full of gladness, in your arms your Lord was borne.” May Mary be a model of humility and devotion for us all. Recessional As with Gladness As the wise men followed the guiding star, let us follow Christ who offers to be our steadfast guide through all of life’s trials, ever giving thanks for His boundless love. Introit
“God is in his holy dwelling place; the God who causes us to dwell together, one at heart, in his house; he himself will give power and strength to his people. V. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; and let those who hate him flee before his face.” (Ps 68: 6-7, 36, 2) How beautiful it is that Jesus found a home on earth with Mary and Joseph, and in the hearts of us all. Let us rejoice in this mystery as we meditate on our Gregorian Introit. Processional We Three Kings of Orient Are Today celebrates the Holy Family. Let us come before the Lord as the Three Wise Kings did, bearing the gifts of our hearts and offering our service to the King of Kings. ~ Sofia Scattarreggia, soprano, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 128 R. Blessed are they who fear the Lord and walk in his ways. Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. ~ Sofia and Margaret Gospel Acclamation ~ Matt Alexander "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has psoken to us through the Son." (Heb 1: 1-2) Offertory Antiphon: “In you have I put my trust, O Lord; I said: ‘You are my God, my destiny is in your hands.” (Ps 31: 15-16) Having reached the culmination of our Advent time of anticipation, we submit ourselves wholly to our Lord. As St. Paul tells us in our Second Reading, “let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” (Col 3: 15-16) What Child is This The Offertory is a beautiful moment in the Mass for us to take a minute while the priest is preparing the altar to reflect on the message of the week. Each hymn we as musicians introduce is meant to assist us in this meditation. What Child is This is a carol that takes a snapshot of what it might have been like to kneel next to Jesus in his manger and marvel at our Saviour as a child, having placed His complete trust in His mother, Mary, and father, Joseph. He demonstrates that in order to be trusted, we must trust first. Are we ready to place our complete trust in Him? ~ Sofia and Margaret Communion Antiphon: “My son, why have you treated us so? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. How is it that you were seeking me? Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business?” (Lk 2: 48-49) One Communion of Love The readings emphasize the importance of trust and love in a family. The love within the Holy Family should inspire us in our own lives to mend broken relationships, commit to those who need support, and care for those who depend on us. This requires sacrifice, but one that leaves you and everyone around you with a happier and more fulfilled life. The love shown to us by God by sending His only Son to save us from our own failures is renewed in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The biggest, most selfless sacrifice, but one that made the joys of Heaven possible and more beautiful with all the additional saints joining the angels in worshipping Christ and praying for those of us who still need to get there. ~ Sofia and Margaret Recessional Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Speaking of angels, this is one of our very few well-known carols/hymns that sing of angels! What a shame we so often forget about these invisible, immortal spirits. What an existence they must lead, not constrained by time and space as we are. And certain angels sing constantly! They are present at every Mass, even if we don’t sense them, humming with “Hosannas” and “Alleluias.” Their joy is so complete that all they can do is sing! Saints who have had inklings of their songs say that their music is far too transcendentally sublime to describe. This is what this carol is trying to show: Angels absolutely bursting with inconceivable rapture at the birth of Christ. If only we could match even 1% of the angelic choir’s enthusiasm... ~ Sofia and Margaret Introit “Skies, let the Just One come forth like the dew, let him descend from the clouds like the rain. The earth will open up and give birth to our Savior. V. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.” (Is 45:8, Ps 18) As we prepare for our Lord’s coming at Christmas, let us in joyful anticipation listen to Rheinberger's setting of our Introit. Processional The Advent of Our God “The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be; Himself a servant’s form puts on to set all people free. O Zion’s daughter, rise to meet your lowly King, let not your faithless heart despise the peace He comes to bring.” ~ Sofia Scattarreggia, soprano, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 89 R. Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord The promises of the Lord I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, “My kindness is established forever;” in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” “He shall say of me, ‘you are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’ Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.” ~ Sofia and Margaret Alleluia Verse ~ Matt Alexander “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Offertory Antiphon: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” (Lk 1:28) Let us reflect on the Annunciation while listening to Vladimir Vavilov’s setting of the Ave Maria. Savior of the Nations, Come “Savior of the nations, come; Virgin’s Son, make here your home. Marvel now, both heav’n and earth, that the Lord choe such a birth. Not by human flesh and blood, by the Spirit of our God was the Word of God made flesh, Mary’s offspring, pure and fresh.” These words were written by Pope St. Ambrose of Milan, c 340-397, who fought the Arian heresy that attacked the holy Trinity. His name is associated with the Nicene Creed we recite at Mass (“I believe in One God…”). In this hymn, St. Ambrose teaches us of the divinity of Christ - that He is indeed the Son of God, and not a product of man. ~ Sofia and Margaret Communion Antiphon: “Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” (Is 7:14) Let us prepare to welcome our long-awaited Savior by meditating to William Byrd's setting and the beautiful paintings that accompany the linked video. Gift of Finest Wheat Can we prove ourselves worthy of being sons of God and brothers to His Son? Yes, but not without the Son’s help. He desires to enter our hearts with a love far more intense than we can ever imagine. All He needs is the invitation. We make this possible by bowing our wills to His and receiving Communion without the stain of sin on our hearts. It’s not that hard! Just do it. Go to confession, confess with joy (guilt in the confessional is pride), and enter into communion with Christ. In Him is eternal life. ~ Sofia and Margaret Recessional O Come, O Come, Emmanuel We all know this one: it’s a carol we sing every year. In fact, people have been singing this since the 9th century! Veni veni Emmanuel is one of several “O” antiphons sung as part of the Magnificat attached to the Vespers of the Daily Office that lead us up to Christmas in the final days of Advent. They represent the last step in the chronological readings leading to the birth of Christ. ~ Sofia and Margaret Introit
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious over anything; but in all manner of prayer, let your requests be made known unto God. V. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have put an end to Jacob’s captivity.” (Phil. 4: 4,5, Ps 84) Processional Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn This Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday, or the Sunday we rejoice at the good news of the coming. This hymn sings of awakening to greet the new morn, which doubly interprets as our preparation to meet the New Morning, Jesus Christ. ~ Sofia Scattarreggia, soprano, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Luke 1 My soul rejoices in my God My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy. ~Sofia and Margaret Alleluia Verse ~ Matt Alexander “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.” Offertory Antiphon: “O Lord, you have blessed your land, you have put an end to Jacob’s captivity; you have forgiven the guilt of your people.” (Ps 85:2) Isaiah proclaims in our First Reading, “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of justice.” (Is 61:10) Clothed with the Spirit of the Lord, we can bring true joy to the world. Many of our choristers will remember singing Rheinberger's setting of today’s Offertory Antiphon. People, Look East “People look East. The time is near, of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table. People, look East, and sing today: Love the Guest is on the way.” ~ Sofia and Margaret Communion Antiphon: “Say: ‘Take courage, you who are fainthearted, and do not fear; behold, our God will come and he will save us.’” (Is 35:4) All through today’s readings, we are instructed and urged to find strength in the Lord. For when He is with us, how can we be afraid? Lasting less than a minute, the Gregorian chant version of our Communion Antiphon conveys its essence with perfect simplicity. Let the Hungry Come to Me God invites us into his home and heart just as we are invited to welcome Him into ours. ~Sofia and Margaret Recessional Emmanuel “Emmanuel, Emmanuel, come and live in our midst; Emmanuel, Emmanuel, come, make your home in our hearts!” ~ Sofia and Margaret Introit
“People of Zion behold, the Lord is coming to save all nations; and the Lord shall cause you to hear his majestic voice for the joy of your heart. V. O Shepherd of Israel hear us, you who lead Joseph like a flock!” (Is 30: 19, 30, Ps 79) Advent is a time of great hope and anticipation! These words from the Prophet Isaiah bring light to our darkness. In our First Reading, Isaiah exhorts us, “In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Is 40:3-5) What better to express the budding joy of Christ’s coming than this excerpt from Handel's Messiah? Processional The Advent of Our God The prophet Isaiah foretold God’s coming. He told us to cry out at the top of our voices, “Here is our God!” Yes, Jesus came long since, but this incredible miracle is still as incredible as it was 2000 years ago! We’re called to live our lives as the first disciples did because the Church instituted by Christ, and its teachings, are as timeless as God Himself. Time does not remove us from the responsibility of living holy lives. The Mass we have the privilege of attending, even from our homes, is as sacred and miraculous as the first Mass celebrated by Jesus. Let us remember this as we begin this new liturgical year and revisit the miracle of the Lord’s coming. ~ Sofia Scattarreggia, soprano, and Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 85 Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord - for he proclaims peace to his people. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps. ~ Sofia and Margaret Alleluia Verse ~ Matt Alexander “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Lk 3:4,6) Offertory Antiphon: “You will turn toward us, O God, and restore our life again, and your people will rejoice in you. Show us, Lord, your mercy and grant us your salvation.” (Ps 85:7-8) This passage from Psalm 85 comes right before the verses of Psalm 85 featured in our Responsorial Psalm today. Again, this message of hope pervades, even in the midst of whatever darkness we may be going through. This is a great gift of our faith. Here is a joyful setting of our Offertory Antiphon by Palestrina. On Jordan’s Bank Our Gospel tells us of John the Baptist baptizing new Christians in the waters of the Jordan River. Like those early Christians, we must acknowledge our sins to be cleansed of them, so that we may better prepare our hearts and souls for the coming of Christ. ~ Sofia and Margaret Communion Antiphon: “Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high; and behold the joy that shall come to you from your God.” (Baruch 5:5, 4:36) The Book of Baruch is thought to date to about the last two centuries B.C. Our Communion Antiphon is made up of two verses, and each verse, when read in full, exhorts us too look towards the east in a vivid prophecy. Baruch 5:5 reads: “Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and look about toward the east, and behold thy children gathered from the west unto the east by the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the remembrance of God.” Baruch 4:36 reads: “O Jerusalem, look about thee toward the east, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from God.” Let us take up this exhortation with the generations before us, joining in one heart with Heinrich Isaac’s setting, offered from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Gift of Finest Wheat Grant us the grace of humility, Lord, for our pride keeps us from You. As we receive You in the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves as an imperfect gift. Only through Your grace can we attain the salvation of heaven, and rejoice in Your goodness as saints by Your side for eternity. ~ Sofia and Margaret Recessional Emmanuel In this closing hymn, we invite Christ to enter our hearts and make us more perfect by His presence. “Emmanuel, Emmanuel, come and live in our midst; Emmanuel, Emmanuel, come, make your home in our hearts!” ~ Sofia and Margaret Introit: “Unto you have I lifted up my soul. O my God, I trust in you, let me not be put to shame; do not allow my enemies to laugh at me; for none of those who are awaiting you will be disappointed.” (Ps 25:1-4)
(Ad te levavi animam meam: Deus meus, in te confido, non erubéscam: neque irrideant me inimici mei: étenim univérsi, qui te expéctant, non confundéntur.) Our Introit—the opening verses of Psalm 25—provides a great reminder to place our hope and trust in God, and never to be overly wrapped up in the cares of the world. Here is a beautiful setting by Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger, a certain remedy for all anxiety! Processional Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn On this first Sunday of Advent, the first hymn we sing encourages us to look forward to the coming of Christ, our Saviour, and to take delight in spreading the good news. ~ James McCarthy, baritone, Margaret-Mary Owens, organ Psalm 80 R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. O shepherd of Israel, hearken, from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth. Rouse your power, and come to save us. Once again, O LORD of hosts, look down from heaven, and see; take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted the son of man whom you yourself made strong. May your help be with the man of your right hand, with the son of man whom you yourself made strong. Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name. ~ James and Margaret Alleluia Verse ~ Matt Alexander “Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation.” (Ps 85:8) Offertory Antiphon: “Unto you have I lifted up my soul. O my God, I trust in you, let me not be put to shame; do not allow my enemies to laugh at me; for none of those who are awaiting you will be disappointed.” (Ps 25:1-4) Our Offertory Antiphon is the same as our Introit! Again, we are urged to focus on God above all else—in our Advent season of waiting and watching, let us embrace this call wholeheartedly. And here is another glorious setting, written about 300 years before Rheinberger’s, by Palestrina. The Advent of Our God “The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be; Himself a servant’s form puts on to set all people free. All glory to the Son, who comes to set us free, with Father, Spirit, ever One, Through all eternity.” Communion Antiphon: “The Lord will bestow his loving kindness, and our land will yield its fruit.” (Ps 85:13) As a vine cared for and strengthened by God (Psalm 80), we will yield much fruit through the grace bestowed on us by our Lord. Here is an ethereal setting of our Communion Antiphon by James MacMillan (b. 1959). Let the Hungry Come to Me God invites us to receive the Eucharist as the most direct and powerful way to receive Him, as given to us through the sacraments of the Church. Now in this time of preparation, we must make doubly sure to be fully prepared to receive Him into our hearts, and to make sure that we receive Communion with intention, humility, and without the stain of mortal sin on our souls. Advent is a beautiful time of the year that encourages us to examine our consciences and take advantage of the sacrament of Confession, so that we can more fully love Him and rejoice in the joyous and wondrous feast day of Christmas. ~ James and Margaret Recessional People Look East You might recall that churches are traditionally built so that the altar faces east. While this isn’t always possible, the notion of liturgical east and west still exists, so that as we celebrate Mass in the morning, we face East to greet the rising sun, a symbol of Christ and the second coming. This hymn sings of looking East, so that we may orientate ourselves in the right direction, both spiritually and physically, for the coming of Christ. ~ James and Margaret |