There was considerably less head scratching among the Faithful this Sunday morning! Having been through the confusion of last Sunday, most people now understood that Father would be saying the Mass for the ***Resumed Sunday ***for the 6th Sunday after Epiphany.
The various readings change for each of the last several Sundays after Pentecost, but the five propers sung by the Schola (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, and Communion) do not change, and are taken from the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost.
As a simple Sunday after Pentecost, the Sunday was a second-class feast, thus Father and the altar were wearing green, and so, we sang *Mass IV *(for Ordinary Feasts). And as we do, we paired that with *Credo IV*.
It’s always the intent to have a solid rationale for making a particular musical selection. It must be admitted that in this instance, the motive was a bit slender. Earlier in the week, we had had the feast of the Dedication of the Pope’s Cathedral, St. John Lateran. This church is formally known as the Archbasilica of the Holy Savior. So, for the feast of the Dedication of the Archbasilica of the Holy Savior, we sang *Soul of My Savior *as the processional.
The Alleluia for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost is noteworthy.
In the Alleluia itself, there is a very clear wailing, as of the Holy Souls in purgatory. Toward the end, this dissipates and resolves into a very beautiful and peaceful melody. The same thing then occurs again in the alleluiatic verse:
> ℣. De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine exaudi orationem meam.
> ℣. Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my prayer.
You can hear it at the link, below.
At the Offertory, we once again implored Our Lady for relief from the current pestilence, singing *Stella Coeli Extirpavit*.
At the Communion, again with the Holy Souls in mind, we sang *Languentibus in Purgatorio*.
And at the recessional, *Help, Lord, the Souls*.