Welcome To Tradition

With an interesting difference, this was a typical Sunday of Lent. The priest was again wearing violet, and of course, we sang Mass XVII, which is only used during Advent and Lent. With that, we sang Credo I. Because it is Lent, the Mass calls for a Tract rather than an Alleluia.

We sang Blessed Lamb at the processional. This is a thoroughly Lenten piece that speaks to Our Lord’s saving Blood.

At the Offertory, again, we sang Stella Coeli Extirpavit.

We moved our Holy Name observances to this Sunday and included a formal ceremony for the installation of the newly elected Officers. Thus, at the Communion, we sang Jesu Dulcis Memoria.

The installation ceremony began immediately after the Last Gospel with the hymn Veni, Creator Spiritus. After the installation of the Officers, we recited the Holy Name Pledge, then sang the Holy Name Anthem as a recessional.

Sometimes it’s just as interesting to know why we did not sing something as why we did. We did not sing a hymn in honor of Saint Joseph because the only fitting one in our hymnal – Hail, Holy Joseph, Hail– was used in our festivities after Mass in honor of Saint Joseph

We were fortunate to be able to have a sung Mass (Missa Cantata) for the Feast of Saint Joseph. Given that this was not a Sunday, there was no Asperges. And given that there was no Asperges, we sang the Introit as the processional.

Though it is Lent, due to the nature of the Feast, Father was wearing white, and we sang Mass VIII instead of the typical Mass for Lent, Mass XVII. It is still Lent, however, and so we sang the Tract instead of the Alleluia.

Even though it is Lent, the Gloria is called for. Because it is a first-class feast, the Credo is called for. We sang Credo III, which goes nicely with Mass VIII.

At the Offertory, again, we sang Stella Coeli Extirpavit.

At the Communion, we sang Parce Domine, and for the Recessional, Hail, Holy Joseph, Hail.

For the Second Sunday of Lent, we continue with our Lenten practices. The organ will be silent until Easter – with a couple of noteworthy exceptions, on Laetare Sunday and Holy Thursday. Of course, the Alleluia is suppressed entirely until the Mass of the Pascal Vigil. The priest was again wearing violet, and of course, we sang Mass XVII, which is only used during Advent and Lent. Note that there are two different versions of the Kyrie for Mass XVII. It’s entirely arbitrary, but customarily, here at St. Anthony’s, we sing Kyrie A during Advent, and Kyrie B during Lent. With that, we sang Credo I.

The Tract was considerably shorter today than it was last week, and it introduced us to the melodies we will hear again at the afternoon Liturgy of Good Friday.

We sang Blessed Lamb at the processional. This is a thoroughly Lenten piece that speaks to Our Lord’s saving Blood.

At the Offertory, again, we sang Stella Coeli Extirpavit. It is now two years that we are singing that.

We followed that with the seasonal Marian antiphon, Ave Regina Coelorum.

At the Communion, we first sang Adoramus te Christe, then sang Attende Domine.

We concluded Mass with The Glory of these Forty Days.

All in all, it was a very Lenten day.

There were several things that are noteworthy about the music for this, the First Sunday of Lent. Probably the most remarkable is the length of the Tract. Sung briskly, it takes almost 13 minutes to complete. There is a similarly long Tract on Palm Sunday, but today’s edges that one out slightly in terms of overall duration. The Tract itself is drawn entirely from Psalm 90. This is the psalm that the devil speciously quotes from when he tempts Our Lord, as recounted in today’s Gospel (which, of course, immediately follows this Tract).

He hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Another interesting thing about the music today is that all of the propers (Introit, Gradual, Tract, Offertory and Communion) are all drawn from that same Psalm 90. This is one of the very few times throughout the year where all of the propers come from the same psalm. And of course, Psalm 90 also shows up in the Gospel.

Also noteworthy today, we begin singing Mass XVII for Lent, and the organ will be suppressed until it makes a brief appearance on Laetare Sunday, and again on Holy Thursday. We arbitrarily choose Kyrie B during Lent (and A during Advent). We pair Mass XVII with Credo I.

We sang Blessed Lamb at the processional. This is a thoroughly Lenten piece that speaks to Our Lord’s saving Blood.

At the Offertory, again, we sang Stella Coeli Extirpavit.

At the Communion, we again sang Parce Domine, and included the previously omitted 4th verse, which speaks of the forty-day fast.

We concluded Mass with The Glory of these Forty Days before singing Stabat Mater during the distribution of ashes.

This was Quinquagesima Sunday. Once again, the priest was in violet, and will be until Laetare (Rose) Sunday. The Liber Usualis again calls for Mass XI (without the Gloria, of course). We paired that with Credo I.

Lent begins in 3 days and so, musically, we are setting the mood. We sang Blessed Lamb at the processional. This is a thoroughly Lenten piece that speaks to Our Lord’s saving Blood.

At the Offertory, again, we sang Stella Coeli Extirpavit. It will soon be two years since we first started singing it to ask Our Lady to preserve us from the current pestilence.

At the Communion, we again sang Attende Domine. This is another thoroughly Lenten piece that acknowledges our sinfulness and implores God for his mercy.

Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee.

We also sang Virgo Dei Genitrix in honor of Our Lady.

We concluded with God of Mercy and Compassion, again emphasizing our sinfulness and asking God for His mercy.