5th Sunday of Lent (Year B, 2012)

Sunday, 25 March 2012

 

Entrance	Deep within (David Haas)
Kyrie	Mass XVII
Psalm	Ps 50 (Stephen Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Prayers of Intercession	Lord, in your mercy (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	Miserere Mei (Antonio Lotti, c.1667-1740)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass XVII
Agnus Dei	Mass XVII & Missa Aeterna Christi Munera (G.P. da Palestrina, 1525-1594)
Communion	Unless a grain of wheat (Bernadette Farrell)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Lift high the cross

 

The Lectionary prompted several of our musical choices today. From the first reading from Jeremiah, the words Deep within them I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts, were echoed in our entrance song by David Haas. We sang Bernadette Farrell’s setting of the Gospel text from John 12 at Communion, and the Lotti, like today’s responsorial psalm, was from Psalm 50.

The Gospel text also included the words when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself, which we sang again in our closing hymn:

O Lord, once lifted on the tree of pain,
draw all the world to seek you once again

The words seem to be a rather clumsy rewrite of the original:

O Lord once lifted on this glorious Tree
as Thou hast promised draw men unto Thee

An internet search throws up any number of attempts at a gender-inclusive rewrite (draw us all, draw the world, and so on), but it’s more of a mystery why the cross might no longer be deemed glorious.