Lent I

Today is the first Sunday of Lent.  While the liturgy remains the same certain nuances signal change of liturgical seasons. 

·      The liturgical color has changed from green to purple 

       (or violet)

·      The entrance antiphon found on page 91 will be chanted.  

·      The procession will be accompanied by instrumental music

·      The Kyrie will be sung

·      The Gloria and the word Alleluia are omitted

·      The petitions and/or response will be sung.

·      The parts will be the Mass of Christ the Savior

The gospel for each of the 3 years in the lectionary cycle is the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert.   We begin a season of fasting, prayer and abstinence in preparation for Easter just as Jesus did in today’s reading.  Today’s music selections flow from this gospel. 

Our prelude, “Gracious God” (#118) begins “Lead Us, Lord into the desert; lead us through the wilderness.”  The refrain touches on another theme of lent; God’s mercy and Jesus’ redeeming love. 

I’ve placed “Led By the Spirit” (#125) at offertory because it combines the call from Joel 2 heard on Ash Wednesday with Jesus being led by the spirit in the wilderness.

The primary source of our communion song, On Eagles Wings (#436) is psalm 91.  It is what Satan quotes in his second temptation of Jesus.

“He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you…with their hands they will support you lest you dash your foot against a stone”

Psalm 91:11-12.

Today’s liturgy uses 2 verses from psalm 91 that are not mentioned in the song.   They are the entrance antiphon that will be chanted by the cantor.

When he calls on me I will answer him;

I will deliver him and give him glory,

I will grant him length of days

PS 91:15-16

The USCB commentary describes these verses as an “oracle of salvation promising salvation to those who trust in God.”  An oracle is a message from God.  There are three types of oracles: oracles of judgment, warnings and admonitions, and salvation. 

Our final song “Lead Me, Guide Me”  (#393) speaks similarly to our need to trust in God’s guidance and protection.  It was written by Doris Akers; a famous African- American, composer, arranger, pianist and choir director.

Wishing you a blessed Lent,

Bruce

“Today’s actions are tomorrow’s habits.”

Today we hear the third part of Jesus’ Sermon on the plain taken from the 6^th chapter of Luke’s gospel.

Two weeks ago we heard the “Blessed ares” and the “Woe To’s.” (You can find this on page 72).

Last weekend Jesus told us to “love our enemies” and “stop judging and condemning.” (You can find this on page 75).

Today’s passage begins with another familiar teaching. Jesus reminds us to remove the wooden beam from our own eye before attempting to take the splinter out of the eye of someone else.

The next line however, is the one that caught and captured my attention.

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, 

nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.”

                                                                                   Luke 6:43

This verse has caused me to consider the fruit of my life’s actions. Some of this fruit is good. Then again, some is not. (Yes Lord, some has been rotten.) 

What does this say about me?  More importantly; “How do I respond to Jesus’ challenge?” 

Two things come to mind.  The first was the line from today’s offertory song: “We till the earth, we tend the ground.”   Unlike trees, you and I have some control over the fruit we produce.  The second was a fortune that I recently obtained with my lunch special #14 .  You’ll find it at the very top of this article.

Perhaps this is a good reminder with the Lenten season beginning this Wednesday.  Here is a portion of what the United States Council of Bishops “Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence.”  You can find it at http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/us-bishops-pastoral-statement-on-penance-and-abstinence.cfm.

(14) For all other weekdays of Lent, we strongly recommend participation in daily Mass and a self-imposed observance of fasting. In the light of grave human needs which weigh on the Christian conscience in all seasons, we urge, particularly during Lent, generosity to local, national, and world programs of sharing of all things needed to translate our duty to penance into a means of implementing the right of the poor to their part in our abundance. We also recommend spiritual studies, beginning with the Scriptures as well as the traditional Lenten Devotions (sermons, Stations of the Cross, and the rosary), and all the self-denial summed up in the Christian concept of "mortification."

Blessed to be in ministry at St. Mary’s,

Bruce

“Do unto others…..”

Today is the sixth of seven Sundays of ordinary time between the seasons of Christmas and Lent.  (Lent begins on March 6^th). 

Our gospel is the second part of the “Sermon on the Plain” from the sixth chapter of Luke’s gospel. 

Do you remember the “blessed ares” and “woe to’s” from last week?  Today we will hear more familiar quotes from Jesus’ preaching such as:  “Love your enemies” and “Do unto others.”

For the second week we will sing Matt Maher’s “Unwavering” at offertory. The verses paraphrase the gospel while the refrain speaks of God’s unwavering love manifest in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Note: Unwavering is not found in the hymnal.  It is printed in today’s bulletin.)

We will also be repeating Ben Walther’s A Place at Your Table. The refrain of this song speaks to an element of Luke’s gospel known as the “Lucan reversal.”  This has to do with the shift of circumstances between life on earth and life in God’s Salvation.  An example of this reversal of fortunes can be found in “The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  (Luke 16:19-31)

Consider the words of the refrain to Unwavering:

Here in your presence the greatest are least,

The burdened find rest and the hungry can feast.

By love we’re invited, here mercy prevails,

God, in your goodness, we share a place at your table.

From     A Place at your Table Ben Walther

In honor of the good priests and musicians who been the foundation of my ministry,

Bruce

PS

Click on this link to see a great quote from the cover of this week's bulletin.  

PSS

Have you seen the new parish website?  It is excellent and is always changing.  Go to www.stmarysnutley.org  to find slideshows of pictures.

Blessed are the poor; the kingdom is theirs,

alive in the promise to be dead to the world.

Blessed are the meek, in awe of you, Father;

the Word at your right hand, the Spirit of truth.

From “Unwavering” words and music by Matt Maher

Today we hear the beginning of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain” These words, known as the beatitudes will be familiar to many. We will hear more portions of this passage for the next two weeks.

The words to the second half of the reading may be less familiar.  They are the other side of the coin.  “Woe to the rich….the full…….”  

The U.S. Bishop’s website comments:  {these woes} “threaten God’s profound displeasure on those so blinded by their present fortunate situation that they do not recognize and appreciate the real values of God’s kingdom. In all the blessings and woes, the present condition of the persons addressed will be reversed in the future.” 

Today’s offertory song “Unwavering” by Matt Maher highlights today’s gospel. Do not neglect the missional imperative of the bridge, which repeats 4 times for emphasis:

“Send us out to be your hands and feet”

*****

We will also be introducing the third of three new songs; Ben Walther’s “A Place AT Your Table.” (#350)

The song was inspired by a mission trip to Ghana. Notice how the refrain speaks of the reversal of fortunes noted in the quote from the U.S. Council of Bishops.

“Here in your presence the greatest are least, 

the burdened find rest and the hungry can feast.”

Blessed to be in ministry with you at St. Mary’s.

Bruce

Hallelujah Is Our Song

This weekend we will be singing “Hallelujah Is Our Song” (#171).  It is the second of three songs that I wish to introduce during the ordinary time between Christmas and Lent.  

I believe you’ll find the story of how it was written interesting. Sarah Hart invited three other writers (Sarah Kroger, Josh Blakesley and Trey Heffinger) to come together to share ideas and do some writing.  

In the course of catching up Sarah Kroger shared that she had been going through some difficult times but found comfort in the words of Saint John Paul II: 

“Do not abandon yourself to despair. 

We are an Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” 

The words of the composers are equally compelling and appropriate for so many of us, particularly at this time of year: 

What hope we have, 

even in the longest night, 

for the light will overcome.

We will not fear 

for we know the sun will rise.

Halleluiah is our song. 

Whether you are in the midst of profound joy, sadness or somewhere in between I pray that this song helps you recognize the care of God described in today’s scripture readings. 

Blessed to be in ministry at St. Mary’s, 

Bruce

P.S.    
These weeks are a great time to join our music ministry.  Why not give it a 2 month tryout?  See me or one of our cantors today.