PUSEY HOUSE OXFORD The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ Solemn High Mass with Blessing of Candles and Procession
The Blessing of Candles The congregation gather in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. When the sacred ministers enter, the choir sing the following antiphon: Senex puerum portabat: puer autem senem regebat: quem virgo peperit, et post partum virgo permansit: ipsum quem genuit, adoravit. The old man carried the child, but the child ruled the old man; him whom the Virgin brought forth, and after childbirth remained a virgin him whom she bore, she adored. The candles are blessed with Holy Water and Incense, distributed, and lit. They remain lit until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer. During this, the choir sing the following Canticle: Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. Gloria. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be. Music: Thomas Tallis (1505-85) The Celebrant then chants the following to herald the start of the procession: Let us go forth in peace In the name of the Christ. Amen.
Processional Hymn Sung by all The congregation follow the sacred ministers, servers, and choir into the Chapel of the Resurrection. Of the Father s heart begotten, E'er the world from chaos rose, He is Alpha from that Fountain All that is and hath been flows; He is Omega, of all things Yet to come the mystic Close, Evermore and evermore. By his word was all created; he commanded and twas done: earth and sky and boundless ocean universe of three in one; all that sees the moon s soft radiance all that breathes beneath the sun, Evermore and evermore.
He assumed this mortal body, Frail and feeble, doomed to die, That the race from dust created, Might not perish utterly, Which the dreadful Law had sentenced In the depths of hell to lie, Evermore and evermore. This is He, whom seer and sibyl Sang in ages long gone by, This is He of old revealed In the page of prophecy; Lo! He comes the promised Saviour; Let the world his praises cry! Evermore and evermore Righteous Judge of souls departed, Righteous King of them that live, On the Father s throne exalted None in might with Thee may strive; Who at last in vengeance coming Sinners from Thy face shalt drive, Evermore and evermore! Christ, to Thee with God the Father, And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee, Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving, And unwearied praises be: Honour, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory, Evermore and evermore! Words: Prudentius (348-413) Music: Piae Cantiones (C.14 th )
Following the Processional Hymn the sacred ministers line up on the altar steps, and the Gloria in Excelsis is intoned and sung by the choir: Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the onlybegotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Music: from Missa Quarti Toni T.L. da Victoria (1548-1611)
The Collect Almighty and ever living God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The First Lesson Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner s fire, and like fullers soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3: 1-5
Psalm Cantor GREAT is the Lord, and highly to be praised : in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill. All The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth : upon the north-side lieth the city of the great King * God is well known in her palaces as a sure rëfuge. Can. For lo, the kings of the earth : are gathered, and gone by together. All They marvelled to see such things : they were astonished, and suddenly cäst down. Can. Fear came there upon them, and sorrow : as upon a woman in her travail. All Thou shalt break the ships of the sea : [ - ] through the eäst-wind. Can. All Like as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God : God upholdeth the same for ëver. Ps. 48:1-7
The Epistle Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4: 1-7 The Gospel Acclamations As the Gospel procession forms, the Choir chant the Gradual: Suscepimus Deus, misericordiam tuam in medio templi tui: secundum nomen tuum Deus ita et laus tua in fines terrae. We wait for thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple : O God, according to thy name, so is thy praise unto the world s end.
Following the lead of the cantor, all join to greet the Gospel with the Alleluia: I will worship towards thy holy temple: And will sing praises unto thy name. The Gospel The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke Glory be to thee, O Lord. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death, before he had seen the Lord s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Luke 2:22-40 This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to thee, O Christ.
The Sermon Fr Mark Stafford The Chaplain The Nicene Creed
The Intercessions The Sub-deacon leads the congregation in a set of intercessions for the Church and the world. The response to each bidding is Hear our prayer. The Confession The Priest invites the people to confess their sins, kneeling: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all men: we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed, against thy divine majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ s sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Priest pronounces the Absolution to which all respond: Amen.
The Priest introduces the Peace as follows: In the tender mercy of our God, the dayspring from on high has broken upon us, to give light to those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you And with thy spirit. The Choir chants the Offertory Sentence: Full of grace are thy lips: because God hath blessed thee for ever. The Offertory Hymn 1. O Sion, open wide thy gates, Old types now disappear; A Priest and Victim, both in one, The Truth himself, is here. 2. No more the simple flock shall bleed; Behold, the Father s Son Himself to his own altar comes For sinners to atone. 3. Conscious of hidden Deity, The lowly Virgin brings Her new-born Babe, with two young doves, Her tender offerings. 4. The age d Simeon sees at last His Lord so long desired, And Anna welcomes Israel s Hope, With holy rapture fired.
5. But silent knelt the mother blest Of the yet silent Word, And pondering all things in her heart, With speechless praise adored. 6. All glory to the Father be, All glory to the Son, All glory, Holy Ghost, to thee, While endless ages run. Amen. Words: J. B. de Santeuil (1630-97) Music: NATIVITY Henry Lahee Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable unto God, the Father almighty. May the Lord accept the sacrifice at thy hands, for the praise and glory of his Name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church. The Celebrant says the Prayer over the Gifts. All reply: Amen The Eucharistic Prayer The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up unto the Lord. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God. It is meet and right so to do.
The Proper Preface for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord follows, which leads into the Sanctus and Benedictus: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth, Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini: Hosanna in excelsis. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. Music: from Missa Quarti Toni T.L. da Victoria (1548-1611) At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer all sing Amen.
The Lord s Prayer As our Saviour Christ hath commanded and taught us, we are bold to say: Agnus Dei Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem. O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us. O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us. O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: grant us thy peace. Music: from Missa Quarti Toni T.L. da Victoria (1548-1611)
The Invitation to Communion Behold the Lamb of God, behold him that taketh away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb. Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my soul shall be healed. The Communion Sentence Responsum accepit Simeon a Spiritu Sancto, non visurum se mortem, nisi videret Christum Domini. It was revealed unto Simeon by the Holy Spirit: that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord s Anointed. Please come forward to kneel (or stand if you are unable). The Church of England welcomes communicant members of all Churches who have been baptized with water in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to receive Holy Communion in faith, hope and charity. If you would like to receive a blessing, please fold your arms when approached or carry your order of service with you. If you would like to make enquiries about baptism or confirmation, or preparation to receive communion, please contact one of the clergy. Meanwhile, the choir sing the following anthem: Adorna thalamum tuum, Sion, et suscipe Regem Christum: amplectere Mariam, quae est coelestis porta: ipsa enim portat Regem gloriae novi luminis. Subsistit Virgo, adducens manibus Filium ante luciferum genitum: quem accipiens Simeon in ulnas suas praedicavit populis Dominum eum esse vitae et mortis et Salvatorem mundi.
Adorn thy bridal chamber, O Sion, and receive Christ the King: embrace Mary, who is the gate of heaven, who herself truly brings the glorious King of new light. She remains a virgin, though bearing in her hands a Son begotten before the daystar, whom Simeon, taking him in his arms, proclaimed to the people to be the Lord of life and death, and Saviour of the world. Music: Francesco Soriano (1548-1621) The Celebrant prays the Prayer after Communion at the end of which all respond: Amen. All then pray the following: Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen. Christ the Son of God, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, fill you with his grace to trust his promises and obey his will; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen. Go in the peace of Christ. Thanks be to God.
Recessional Hymn A great and mighty wonder, a full and holy cure: The virgin bears the Infant with virgin honour pure! Repeat the hymn again: To God on high be glory And peace on earth to men! The Word becomes incarnate and yet remains on high, And cherubim sing anthems to shepherds from the sky. Ref. While thus they sing your Monarch, those bright angelic bands, Rejoice, ye vales and mountains, ye oceans, clap your hands. Ref. Since all He comes to ransom, by all be He adored, The Infant born in Bethl em, the Saviour and the Lord. Ref. And idol forms shall perish, and error shall decay, And Christ shall wield His sceptre, our Lord and God for aye. Ref. Words: Germanus (C.3 rd ) Music: ES IST EIN ROS (Michael Praetorius)
Organ Voluntary Le Banquet Céleste Olivier Messiaen (1908-92) You are cordially invited to join the Preacher and Chapter for dinner, refreshments, and conversation in the Hood Room. NOTICES Daily Offices begin with Matins at 7.40am with mass celebrated at 8.00am, followed by a light breakfast. A ten minute pause for prayer and reflections takes place in the chapel at noon during the week. Evensong is sung at 5.30pm, Monday to Friday (with Benediction on Friday). All are warmly invited to worship with us. Ritualed Knowing This term we will continue our consideration of the embodied nature of our knowing and loving with the help of Benedict XVI s The Spirit of the Liturgy: the Eucharist is an entry into the liturgy of heaven; by it we become contemporaries with Jesus Christ s own act of worship, into which, through his Body, he takes up worldly time and enfolds it into the communion of eternal love. Mondays, 6 to 7:15 pm, 1st to 8th week. The Temple and the Psalms: The first of this term s lectures on New Perspectives on the Psalms will take place Tuesday of 4 th, 7 February at 6.15pm. David Mitchell, biblical scholar, Hebraist, musicologist, and musical director at Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral, Brussels, will give a talk titled The Jerusalem Temple Song in the Cantillation of Psalms 136 and 137. The lecture will be followed by drinks reception. Our second of this term s Recollection lectures will take place Wednesday of 4 th, 8 February. Dr Ian D. Logan, Senior Research
Fellow at the Faculty of Philosophy, Blackfriars Hall, will give a talk entitled "Anselms conception of God". Tea and coffee will be served from 3.30pm, with the lecture beginning at 4.00pm. Lent Retreat at Ascot Priory, Friday 17th to Sunday 19th March (the Third Sunday of Lent), Retreat Speaker: Fr Andrew Greany, Assistant Priest, St Barnabas with St Thomas, Oxford. For more information please contact pusey.chapel@stx.ox.ac.uk