Monthly Archives: March 2014

Homily for Lent IV (EF)

30 Sunday Mar 2014

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Detail from Aachen cathedral

Detail of the Civitas Dei mosaic from Aachen cathedral

This homily was given at Old Saint John’s, Silver Spring, Maryland, at a Low Mass in the extraordinary form of the Roman rite:

In the richness of the Church’s year, today reveals itself as a moment of particular joy and consolation. Still marked by the subdued character of the lenten season it stands out all the more as the organ opens wide her mouth in praise of God, as the flowers of the frustrated spring adorn the holy altar, and as the sacred ministers – now for seven weeks in ‘royal purple dight’ – are clad in rosy hue. The very first word of the Introit at this Mass reveals the character of our prayer: Lætare, rejoice! On this day, Holy Mother Church does not simply allow us to let up from our observance of her solemn fast but encourages it, as she consoles her ‘children of promise’. As the collect prays, ‘Grant […] that we, who are justly afflicted for our deserts, may be relieved by the comfort of thy grace’.

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Homily for Lent III (EF)

23 Sunday Mar 2014

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Hanging rood in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Richmond, VA

Hanging rood in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Richmond, VA

This homily was given at Old Saint John’s, Silver Spring, Maryland, at a Missa Cantata in the extraordinary form of the Roman rite:

This third Sunday of Lent focusses somewhat on the spiritual warfare, of which we first spoke on Ash Wednesday. In the offertory antiphon at that Mass we recalled the words of Psalm 29, ‘Thou hast taken me under thy protection, and baulked my enemies of their will’. Today, we assess the progress of our campaign against sin and the devil, as we hear of the miracle of the Lord and his mastery over evil. 

In presenting these readings the Church guides both those preparing for baptism at Easter, and those – already initiated into her life – who are called in this holy season to return to God’s friendship. Each of us, in these forty days, is challenged to bring ourselves into a deeper and more profound relationship with the Lord and his holy Church, by relying more and more on his grace, and less on our own strength. We are to turn away from our own desires, and desire only the life of Christ for ourselves and the world, in order that we might be made ready for the life of the world to come.

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Recollection on Saint Joseph

20 Thursday Mar 2014

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Saint Joseph, the Oxford Oratory

Saint Joseph, the Oxford Oratory

Last night I gave an evening of recollection on Saint Joseph, the patron of the universal Church, as part of the Lent series at Saint Thomas Apostle, here in Washington. The parish has recently become home to a community-in-formation for the Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. You can find out more about the parish here and the nascent oratorian community here. This was also in collaboration with the parish young adults group and Juventutem DC. You can hear the recollection here.

Music for Lent

03 Monday Mar 2014

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Stations of the Cross at the convent of the All Saints Sisters of the Poor, MD

Stations of the Cross at the convent of the All Saints Sisters of the Poor, MD

Following my post on suggested music for Advent and Christmas, here is a short guide to some appropriate works for the coming season of Lent, and for Holy Week.

The annual performance of Gregorio Allegri’s setting of Psalm 50 (51), Miserere mei Deus, is in many respects the musical opening of the season of Lent. There are many fine recordings of this work. Of all of them, the 2006 Sarum Voices recording is very enjoyable, over and above (to my mind at least) many more established groups. If you want something really special, though, it is to the 2001 Ensemble William Byrd recording with Graham O’Reilly that I would turn. This is based on a couple of late 19th-century Vatican manuscripts and makes extensive use of the highly elaborate (and much earlier) abbellimenti – the infamous Sistine Chapel ornamentation which made the work so popular, and so guarded. The recording also makes use of some beautiful renditions of the accompanying chant (the antiphon Christus factus est, for example) and contains a fine recording of Domenico Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater with the exquisite Eia mater, fons amaris, and Fac ut animæ donatur sections. You can listen to the performance of Allegri here and read more about the edition here.

The vast quantity of music for the office of Tenebræ is also a great source for music during this season. In a contemporary mould, James MacMillan’s Tenebræ responsories have recently been released by Hyperion, sung by the splendid Westminster Cathedral Choir. The recording also includes his resounding Tu es Petrus, sung in the presence of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI during his 2010 visit to the United Kingdom. A video of that can be seen here. Other settings and performances that I enjoy include those by Carlo Gesualdo sung by The Hilliard Ensemble (click here), the setting by Cristobal de Morales sung by the incomparable Doulce Memoire (click here), and Tomás Luis de Victoria’s 1585 complete set of music for Holy Week and the sacred triduum performed by La Colombina (click here).

That should get you started! At some stage I will try to post some recommendations for settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and also some more English polyphony that might aid our Lenten observance. In that vein, I will leave you with William Byrd’s heart-rending setting of Ne irascaris, Domine for five voices, found in his 1589 Cantiones Sacræ. Here is a performance of the motet by Stile Antico, an English choir who I will be fortunate to hear (thanks to a generous godmother!) at the Boston Early Music Festival in Cambridge, Mass., this coming Friday… snow permitting! If you’re used to ecclesiastical Latin, listen to the impressive percussive effect that comes from the English pronunciation of the text (Si-vi-tas Sancti, &c).

Homily for Sunday VIII of the Year

02 Sunday Mar 2014

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Noah and the Ark, US Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, MD

Noah and the Ark, US Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, MD

This homily was given at the church of the Epiphany in Georgetown, D.C.

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
that the course of our world
may be directed by your peaceful rule
and that your Church may rejoice,
untroubled in her devotion.
(Collect for the Sunday XIII of the year)

In certain old European churches, particularly in areas of Poland and Bavaria, it is possible to find a large and ornate pulpit built to represent a sailing ship. From here the priest guides the faithful through the readings and prayers of the Mass during the homily, explaining and teaching the faith in order to bring about a deeper and more profound relationship between the individual Christian and the mystical body of Christ, the Church.

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