EASTER. Singing the Joyful Alleluia! YEAR A. by Cathy Murrowood

Transcription

1 EASTER Singing the Joyful Alleluia! YEAR A by Cathy Murrowood Detailed hymn suggestions, full order of service and a wide range of additional material for liturgical events are available at LiturgyHelp.com 1

2 The fifty days of Easter joy arise out of the celebration of the Sacred Paschal Triduum, the three day centre of the Liturgical Year. Christ s suffering, death and resurrection has changed everything. The world is redeemed and new hope is born. Lenten lament, fasting and penance give way to the great festival that is Easter. During Easter we rejoice in the resurrection, ascension, and bestowal of the Spirit. Death is no longer the end for us, for our baptism gives us a share in Christ s victory over sin and evil with the promise of eternal life. Entering the season of Easter with full and open hearts enables us to ponder the meaning and consequences of this life we share with the Risen One. Christ stands in triumph at the Father s right hand; we stand erect, confident and joyful in prayer, grateful for the gift of his Spirit which continues to enliven the Church. Our participation in the Eucharist immerses us in depths of this mystery as Christ is revealed in Word and Sacrament. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Sundays are no longer termed after Easter but of Easter. The Church views the weeks of Easter as one single feast, indeed a single Sunday, and places it second (after the Sacred Triduum) in its presentation of the Liturgical Seasons. It is quite a feat for Christians who inhabit a world which favours bite-sized information snacks, fast-paced activities and single-day events, to express Easter joy for fifty days without ceasing. Sometimes there is a great start to Easter and a big finish with Ascension and Pentecost. The challenge is to plunge deeply into the mysteries of the season, keeping the momentum of rejoicing for the full period. This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad. Psalm 117:24 2

3 Readings: Easter, Year A The prayers and readings for the Sundays of the Easter season provide a rich framework for celebrating the joy of the resurrection. The fruits of the Spirit, the personal encounters with Jesus and the centrality of faith are evident in the scriptures. Year A, for the most part, focuses on Peter s First Letter and John s Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles give us insights into the early communities, replacing the usual Old Testament reading throughout Easter. LiturgyHelp has detailed lists of hymns related to each reading as well as helpful scripture commentaries and reflections by a variety of scripture scholars and homilists. The Second Sunday of Easter After the account of the empty tomb on Easter Sunday (with its optional Emmaus reading in the evening on the First Day), the Second Sunday of Easter s First Reading presents the community as remaining faithful to the apostles, unified, performing miracles and signs, sharing their goods and breaking bread together. It is a demonstration of the Spirit at work. Peter s First Letter speaks of the hope of eternal life that was won by the resurrection and of the importance of faith. John s Gospel conveys the joy of the frightened Apostles as Jesus comes among them. He breathes his Spirit on them and commissions them. The encounter of Thomas the doubter with Christ speaks directly to those who will require even more faith than Thomas, and the happiness that this deeper faith will bring. The Third Sunday of Easter The Acts of the Apostles presents Peter on the day of Pentecost calling the people to conversion, emphasising the death of Christ and God s plan for the salvation of the world. Peter s Letter reminds us that Christ paid a high price for our salvation so that we could have faith and lasting hope. It is Luke s beloved story of the disciples on their way to Emmaus who do not recognise Christ that is proclaimed this day. We are reminded that Christ is present in every sacramental encounter if only we have our eyes open. The Fourth Sunday of Easter The Good Shepherd provides a framework for the Word of God this Sunday. The account of the day of Pentecost continues in the First Reading with the conversion and baptism of the remaining crowd after Peter addresses them again. This reading and the Shepherd Psalm, with its pastoral and sacramental overtones would resonate with the Neophytes among us who have joined the community of faith. Peter, in his letter, reassures us that even though we may stray, we return to the Shepherd forgiven and healed for Christ has already suffered for our failings. In John s Gospel, Christ is presented as the gateway for his sheep. All must recognize him, follow him and pass through him. The sheep that identify with Christ will have life to the full. The Fifth Sunday of Easter The action of the Spirit is evident as community tensions surface in the Acts of the Apostles. The concerns about prayer, outreach and its growing numbers are resolved by the whole community who appoint those who will exercise ministry on their behalf. Peter s powerful and beloved characterisations of Christ, the keystone, and the priesthood of the people of God, fix the Church firmly on the living Christ. John s Gospel explores this relationship more deeply. The intimate indwelling of God in those who believe will lead them to follow Christ s example and ultimately have eternal life. Although Christ indicates that he will return to the Father, he will never leave those who trust in him alone. 3

4 The Sixth Sunday of Easter The Acts of the Apostles continues with the missionary activities of the early church, preaching, curing the sick and laying their hands on the baptised. The joy of conversion and the workings of the Holy Spirit are highlighted. Peter reminds the community of the importance of Christian hope, especially in the face of suffering. Paul s Gospel follows on from last Sunday with his farewell discourse and the promise of the Spirit, his gift of love from the Father. This abiding presence enlivens and guides the Church today in its continuation of Christ s mission in the world. Some readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter are optional for this day if the Ascension is celebrated on Sunday. Ascension The Ascension of the Lord celebrates Christ s eternal position with the Father, communicating his Spirit to the Church, his risen body at work in the world. The account of the Ascension of Christ that begins the Acts of the Apostles is followed by Paul s blessing on the Ephesians praying for wisdom and knowledge of Jesus Christ and the enlightenment of the Spirit. Paul emphasises that Christ has been raised and is seated with the Father because of his sovereignty over all. The final words of Matthew s Gospel are proclaimed today. Matthew s theology is central: go, make disciples of all nations and know that I am with you always. These words are the great commission to Christ s body, the Church. Pentecost In the Mass of Pentecost Day, the description of the descent and power of the Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles is followed by Paul s famous First Letter to the Corinthians about the variety of gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Christ animates us into service because we were all baptised into Christ; we are his body. John s Gospel is the shorter version of that which was proclaimed on the Second Sunday of Easter; the once fearful disciples were filled with joy as Jesus appeared to them. John does not distinguish between the Spirit of Easter evening and the Spirit at Pentecost. The transformed disciples, and all who follow in their steps, are sent out in the name of Christ. The Pentecost feast heightens the Church s joy at the reception of the Spirit and the desire to continue Christ s mission on earth. There are two Pentecost Vigil Masses (the extended and simple forms) in addition to the Mass of Pentecost Day. In the Extended Vigil, an Introductory Prayer is prayed after the Kyrie. Four Old Testament readings with their Responsorial Psalms and Prayers, much like the pattern of the Easter Vigil, are proclaimed. The Gloria and the Collect follow and the Liturgy of the Word continues with the Epistle and the Gospel. The Extended Vigil may also begin with Evening Prayer of the Church. The Sequence is sung on Pentecost Day only. Lord, send out your Spirit And renew the face of the earth. Psalm 103:30 4

5 Music and Easter It is clear that the workings of the Spirit and the mission of the Church are not only celebrated during the feast of Pentecost but throughout the entire Easter season. The historical accounts remind the sacramental Church that we were instituted by Christ and that the same Spirit which was alive in the early community is present today. Similarly, the resurrection event and the ascent of Christ to the Father are a cause for joy throughout the season, for Christians live in the knowledge that salvation has already been won. Every day we rejoice in the resurrection and enthusiastically continue the same mission taken up by those early communities. This understanding of the Easter season as one single day of rejoicing guides our musical choices. Dividing the Easter weeks into separate celebrations of the Resurrection, the Ascension and Pentecost misses the interplay of the Easter mysteries as they are presented throughout the fifty days. Choosing texts which sing of Christ s resurrection day, new life, the action of the Spirit, mission, discipleship, Christian hope and the unity of the community of faith are encouraged throughout Easter. The choice of all music needs great care as it bears the weight and depth of the mysteries of this significant season. Sequences Two of the four Sequences that appear in the Roman Missal are in the Easter Season. The first is on Easter Sunday, the Second is on Pentecost Day. These texts (which have been translated and in some cases modified) are ancient hymns, usually arranged in couplets which were sung before the proclamation of the Gospel. Many were very popular in the Middle Ages. As only a few are prescribed for liturgical use, these sung Sequences add much to the solemnity and special joyful character of these two Easter days. The Sequence is sung before the Gospel Acclamation. A number of settings combine the music of the Sequence with a Gospel Acclamation, providing the perfect accompaniment for a longer Gospel procession. Many composers have combined a people s refrain with choir and cantor elements. The Easter Sequence is perhaps more suited to chant as the rhythm of the text varies considerably. The Pentecost Sequence has a more structured meter, inviting greater musical variation. LiturgyHelp has an extensive listing of Sequences on the Scripture-based music pages for Easter Sunday and Pentecost Day. EASTER SEQUENCE Easter Sequence Christians to the Paschal Victim, Chant setting Easter Sequence Christians, Praise the Paschal Victim / Victimae Paschali Laudes, Chant (CWBII, One In Faith) The Easter Sequence, J. William Greene (GIA) Extended responsorial setting with simple people s refrain, Plainsong Mode I, Cantor and SATB verses Sequence of Easter, modified, tr. by James Quinn (CWB, Laudate) GELOBT SEI GOTT simple tune, metric hymn Sequence Christ Is Arisen, modified, Randall DeBruyn (OCP) RISEN KING, verses with refrain, lilting melody, some repetition Sequence Let Christians All Their Voices Raise, modified, Tr. by Jerome Siwek (RS2, WLP) O FILII ET FILIAE 888 with Alleluias refrain, Chant Mode II Sequence Christian People, Sing Your Praises, modified, Adapt. by Ann Celeen Dohms (WLP) Haunting melody, cantor setting with people s refrain 5

6 With Gospel Acclamation: Sequence for Easter and Gospel Verse, Erica Marshall (Willow Music) Simple melody for cantor(s) with assembly acclamation, some meter changes in verses Easter Sequence and Gospel Acclamation, Howard Hughes SM (GIA) Setting for cantor/choir with call-response people s refrain PENTECOST SEQUENCE Holy Spirit, Lord Divine, Chant, (CWBII, WLP, Laudate, GIA) Holy Spirit, Lord Divine (Sequence), WEBBE, Samuel Webbe, metric hymn (W4) Come, O Holy Spirit, Come (Sequence), Randall DeBruyn (OCP) Chant-like melody, meter changes, verses have two different melodies By The Waking of Our Hearts, modified, Ricky Manalo (OCP) Gentle melody, verses and simple refrain Come Now, Holy Spirit (Sequence), modified, Peter Kearney (AOV2) Metric hymn, simple melody Come, Holy Spirit (Sequence), modified, Stephen Dean (OCP, Laudate) Prayerful mantra with attractive cantor overlaid part Come, O Holy Spirit (Sequence), modified, Owen Alstott (OCP) HYMN TO JOY, D; metric hymn, simple setting Holy Spirit, Lord of Light, modified, Paul Sarcich (GA, Laudate) Simple melody, meter change, narrow range Veni Sancte Spiritus (Sequence), modified, Christopher Walker (OCP, GA, Laudate) Simple lyrical mantra, verses may be sung over ostinato by cantors/choir Veni Sancte Spiritus (Sequence), modified, Taize Simple and prayerful ostinato, refrain with cantor verses With Gospel Acclamation: Come, Holy Spirit, on Us Shine/Gospel Acclamation, modified, Tr. by Jerome Siwek (OCP, WLP, RS2) O FILII ET FILIAE 888 with Alleluias refrain; Chant mode II Pentecost Sequence/Gospel Acclamation, modified, Tom Kendzia (OCP) Simple melody, easily learnt, key changes You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe. John 20:29 6

7 Alleluias, Acclamations and Psalms Music has an important role to play in conveying the unity of the fifty days as a single feast and the joyful character of the Easter festival. Musical settings of Mass parts would ideally continue throughout the whole Easter season. The best choices will invite full participation. The Greetings, Acclamations, Gloria, Presidential Prayers, the Gospel and other dialogue elements, when sung, create a heightened sense of celebration. Joyful settings and flourishing musical arrangements, if resources are available, enhance the sense of celebration like no other art form. We are encouraged to praise God with all our hearts and voices. Alleluia is the basis of our song; no other word shouts Easter as much as alleluia. The first alleluias ring out in the Easter Vigil and continue to echo throughout the fifty days. Alleluia is an important sung element of the Easter liturgy. For communities with little or no music support there are many Gospel Acclamation settings that can be sung unaccompanied. Optional Alleluia refrains are also given for the Responsorial Psalms of Easter and with a festive flourish they complete the Dismissal Rite at the end of Mass. The Responsorial Psalms for the Sundays in Year A are Psalm 118 (117), the Easter psalm, with various responses; Psalm 16 (15), The Path of Life; Psalm 23 (22) The Lord is My Shepherd, Psalm; 33 (32) Let your Mercy Be on Us; and Psalm 66 (65) Let all the earth cry out, one of the Common Easter Psalms. These are used widely throughout the Liturgical Year. The psalms for Ascension and Pentecost are the same each year. There are numerous psalm settings for each of the Sundays of Easter listed on the LiturgyHelp psalm music pages. Metric Hymns: Blending New and Old The Easter juxtaposition of the early Church communities and the living Church of today may in some ways make us mindful of the balance needed in affirming and drawing strength from tradition and at the same time exploring new ways to express our faith in this age. Music is no exception. There is much metric hymnody that captures the joy of Easter. Many of these hymns have strong well-known tunes and inherited texts that have been sung by those who have gone before us and stood the test of time. The metric hymn is well suited to big occasions and long entrance processions and promotes a sense of shared faith and unity. This musical form may also work well during the preparation of the gifts and as a hymn of communal praise and thanksgiving after Communion. A simple metric melody can sometimes cradle a denser and more poetic text. There is more space to savour the profound mysteries of faith inherent in the words. Simpler music can also encourage singers who lack confidence to participate, if it is not set too high. Singing every verse the same way however is sometimes a recipe for fatigue. For those who find the language of a long text difficult to process or comprehend, a sense of disengagement may occur. Some careful thought by the musicians may breathe life into these well-loved hymns from the past, especially for community members whose lives are dominated by completely different styles of music. METRIC HYMNODY Most metric hymns do not have a verse and chorus but consist of a series of verses or stanzas. A metric hymn has a pattern of pulses or beats that is repeated in each of its verses. This pattern is represented by a numerical meter, for example: A meter generally is worked out by counting the syllables in each line of a verse. For instance the hymn tune OLD HUNDRETH (All People That On Earth Do Dwell) has eight syllables in each of the four lines = This meter is the same for every verse. (The dots indicate a rhyming scheme or thematic unity.) Many tunes share the same meter. For this reason metric hymns are very versatile. They enable musical repertoire to be expanded easily. A fine hymn text with an unknown tune can be sung instantly simply by substituting a different tune that has the same meter as the original. Alternatively, a fresh or contemporary text can be paired successfully with any well-known tune that fits the meter of the new text. Metric hymns work especially well with the organ. Choral and instrumental arrangements can add great beauty. Many metric hymns can also be sung unaccompanied as they often have simple and unadorned tunes. 7

8 Sprinkling Rite During Easter, the Christian Community continues to walk with those who have been newly initiated, the Neophytes. This period of Mystogogy, stemming from an early Church tradition of reflection and catechesis, is a reminder to the whole Church that all are baptised in Christ. New life and Easter go hand in hand. The prominence of the Paschal Candle is a constant reminder of this. An excellent ritual expression of our baptism is the Sprinkling Rite. Omitting the Penitential Act on Sundays and using the blessed Easter water in the Introductory Rites is to be encouraged. It is a joyful reminder of our baptism and our ongoing life in the Spirit. There are many musical settings of the ritual sprinkling texts reserved for Easter in the Roman Missal, as well as music with other suitable texts. A number of new Mass settings have also included music for this optional rite. Some hymns have verses that include baptismal imagery. These hymns may serve a dual purpose. When these hymns are sung at the beginning of Mass the baptismal verses are often reserved to accompany the sprinkling of Holy Water after the Greeting. This can be a good option as it can avoid overloading the Introductory Rites, especially when the Gloria is sung as an extended musical setting. MUSIC FOR THE SPRINKLING RITE Mass Settings Come To the River (Mass of Glory), Bob Hurd (OCP) If We Have Died to Ourselves in Jesus (Mass of Creation), Marty Haugen (GIA, GA) Joyful, lilting melody, simple refrain, many verses Living Streams (Mass of Christ the Savior), Dan Schutte (OCP) Gentle melody, repetition, single refrain Sprinkling Song (Mass of Joy and Peace), Tony Alonso (GIA) Joyful lilting melody, choir or cantor verses I Saw Water Flowing (Mass of Renewal), Curtis Stephan (OCP) Simple melody with verses and refrain, narrow melodic range Sprinkling Rite/Rito de la Aspersion (Misa Luna), Peter M Kolar (WLP) The Waters of the City (Mass of Wisdom), Stephen Janco (WLP) Other Baptised in Water, BUNESSAN, Michael Saward (OCP, GIA, GA, CWB, WLP, Laudate, Celebration) Metric hymn, lilting tune, moderately high Blessing of Water, Richard Proulx (GIA, GA, CWBII) Chant with simple people s refrain Easter Vigil Initiation Acclamations, Tony E. Alonso (RS2, WLP) Attractive and lilting call-response verses with alleluia refrain I Saw Water Flowing, Psalm Mode VIII.G, adapt. Geoffrey Cox (CWBII) Chant refrain with verse tone I Saw Water Flowing, Bob Hurd (OCP) Lyrical melody, haunting tune 8

9 I Saw Water Flowing, Michael Philip Ward (WLP) Simple call-response setting, flowing melody I Saw Water Flowing, Randall DeBruyn (OCP) Simple melody, narrow melodic range Isaiah 12: We Shall Draw Water, Paul Inwood (OCP, AOV, GA, Laudate, Celebration) Joyful melody, simple refrain, cantor verses River of Glory, Dan Schutte (OCP) Attractive melody, gospel style Song Over The Waters, Marty Haugen (GIA, GA) Lyrical melody in verses and refrain, moderately high Springs of Water, Mike Hay (WLP) Simple melody, easily learnt Springs of Water, Bless the Lord, Phoebe P. Knapp adapt. Lynn Trapp (OCP) Joyful and rousing melody, simple refrain, cantor verses with people s response Springs of Water, Bless the Lord, Percy Jones (CWBII) Simple melody Springs of Living Water, Bernard Kirkpatrick (CWBII) Simple lilting melody with antiphon, cantor/choir verses have alleluia acclamation Waters of Life, Laura Kutscher (WLP) HYMNS: GATHERING/SPRINKLING COMBINATION All Creatures of Our God and King, (GA, OCP, GIA, CWB, WLP, Laudate, Celebration) Strong and rousing hymn, moderately high Church of God, Margaret Daly, Sr. Pamela Stotter (GA, CWB, WLP, GIA) Simple refrain, joyful melody, moderately high Come and Let Us Drink of That New River, Kenneth D. Smith (GIA) Metric hymn, simple tune, some repetition Come to the Feast, Marty Haugen (GA, GIA, AOV) Lively and simple people s parts, call-response, cantor/choir required Gather Your People, Bob Hurd (OCP, GIA, GA, AOV, Laudate) Gospel style, tuneful refrain and verses Glory and Praise to Our God, Dan Schutte (GA, CWB, GIA, OCP, WLP, Laudate, Celebration) Lively and tuneful, simple refrain and verses, verse four melody differs God Our Fountain of Salvation, Christopher Walker (OCP, Laudate, Celebration) Memorable refrain, meter changes in refrain, verses more challenging One Lord, Owen Alstott (OCP, AOV) Simple and haunting melody, cantor verses River of Glory, Dan Schutte (OCP) Attractive melody, gospel style Song Over The Water, Marty Haugen (GIA, GA) Lyrical melody in verses and refrain, moderately high 9