THE PARISH OF ST. VINCENT FERRER AND T ATHERINE OF IENA S . C S The Very Reverend Walter C. Wagner, O.P., Pastor James D. Wetzel, Director of Music and Organist ADVENT LESSONS AND CAROLS Sunday, December 15, 2019 3:00 PM The four weeks of Advent look to Christ’s coming—in meekness and mercy at his Incarnation and in judgement and glory at the end of time. During this season of expectancy and anticipation, the Church focuses our attention on the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament through which the ancient people of God were taught to hope for their Savior so that we can understand God’s new covenant, not as an abolishment of the ancient Law or the Prophets, but rather as a fulfillment of them. The lessons of today’s service survey the message of these Prophets of the Advent, with each emphasizing a different aspect of the Messiah’s nature (i.e. his restoration of Israel; his association with the Holy City; his conception in the Virgin; his humble birth in the ‘House of Bread’; his radiant joy; his justice; and his lineage as King). A retiring free-will offering will be accepted. Thank you for your generosity. A reception follows in St. Dominic’s Hall on the second floor of the Priory. All are cordially invited. Because of this Service, Vespers will not be sung this afternoon at St. Vincent Ferrer. PRELUDE Alexandre Guilmant March on a Theme by Handel, Op. 15, No. 2, ‘Marche Religieuse’ [Lift up your heads] (1837-1911) The People stand to sing. PROCESSIONAL HYMN 2 Text: based on the ‘O’ Antiphons of Advent, Latin, 9th century; trans. John M. Neale (1818-1866), alt. Tune: VENI EMMANUEL; Chant, mode i SIGN OF THE CROSS AND GREETING EXHORTATION The People sit. 3 FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 31:31-34 read by Menada Wind-Andersen God promises a new covenant. CAROL Sir Richard Rodney Bennett Susanni (No. 5 from FIVE CAROLS) (1936-2012) A little child there is yborn, It fell upon the high midnight. Eia, eia, susanni, susanni, susanni. The stars they shone both fair and bright. And he sprang out of Jesse’s thorn, The angels sang with all their might. Alleluya, alleluya, To save all us that were forlorn. Now Jesus is the childes name, Three kings there came with their presents, And Mary mild she is his dame, Of gold and myrrh and frankincense, And so our sorrow’s turned to game. As clerkès sing in their sequence. Now sit we down upon our knee, And pray we to the Trinity, Our help and succor for to be. ~Anonymous, 15th century The People stand. COLLECT of December 17th V. The Lord proclaims his word to Jacob. R. His laws and decrees to Israel. Let us pray. O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature, who willed that your Word should take flesh in an ever-virgin womb, look with favor on our prayers, that your Only Begotten Son, having taken to himself our humanity, may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The People sit. 4 SECOND LESSON Isaiah 6:1-11 read by Thomas Mirus God reveals his glory to the prophet and calls him to be his messenger. CAROL Sir John Stainer (1840-1901) I saw the Lord, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. O Trinity! O Unity! Be present as we worship Thee, And with the songs that angels sing Unite the hymns of praise we bring. Amen. ~Isaiah 6:1-4 Ave colenda Trinitas: Anonymous, 11th century Latin hymn; trans. John David Chambers (1803-1893) 5 The People stand. HYMN 6 Text: Hymns for Churchmen, 1854; Laurence Tuttiett (1825–1897) Tune: MELITA; John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) COLLECT of December 18th V. Lift up your heads and see. R. Your redemption is now at hand. Let us pray. Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who are weighed down from of old by slavery beneath the yoke of sin, may be set free by the newness of the long-awaited Nativity of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The People sit. THIRD LESSON Isaiah 11:1-10 read by Mary Ellen Foye A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. 7 CAROL Otto Goldschmidt (1829-1907) A tender shoot hath started This shoot Isaiah taught us, Up from a root of grace, From Jesse’s root should spring. As ancient seers imparted The Virgin Mary brought us From Jesse’s holy race. The branch of which we sing. It blooms without a blight, Our God of endless might Blooms in the cold bleak winter, Gave her this child to save us, Turning our darkness into light. Thus turning darkness into light. ~Otto Goldschmidt; trans. William Bartholomew (1793-1867) The People stand. COLLECT of December 19th V. Lord, show us your mercy and love. R. And grant us your salvation. Let us pray. O God, who through the child-bearing of the holy Virgin graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world, grant, we pray, that we may venerate with integrity of faith the mystery of so wondrous an Incarnation and always celebrate it with due reverence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The People sit. 8 FOURTH LESSON Micah 4:1-8 read by Lauretta Bruno The mount of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain. CAROL Charles Wood (1866-1926) O thou, the central orb of righteous love, Pure beam of the Most High, eternal Light, Of this our wint’ry world, thy radiance bright Awakes new joy in faith, hope soars above. Come, quickly come, and let thy glory shine, Gilding our darksome heaven with rays divine. Thy saints with holy luster round thee move, As stars about thy throne, set in the height. Of God’s ordaining counsel, as thy sight Gives measured grace to each, thy power to prove. Let thy bright beams disperse the gloom of sin, Our nature all shall feel eternal day, In fellowship with thee, transforming day To souls erewhile unclean, now pure within. Amen. ~The Reverend Henry Ramsden Bramley (1833-1917) 9 The People stand. HYMN Text: John Milton (1608-1674), alt. Tune: MORNING SONG; Sixteen Tune Settings, Philadelphia, 1812 attrib. Lucius Chapin (1760-1842); harm. C. Winfred Douglas (1867-1844) 10 COLLECT of December 20th V. A voice is heard, crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord. R. Make straight the path of our God. Let us pray. O God, eternal majesty, whose ineffable Word the immaculate Virgin received through the message of an Angel and so became the dwelling-place of divinity, filled with the light of the Holy Spirit, grant, we pray, that by her example we may in humility hold fast to your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The People sit. FIFTH LESSON Daniel 7:9-14 read by Stephanie Woods God reveals Christ and his kingdom to the prophet Daniel. CAROL Sir Edward C. Bairstow (1874-1946) Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and stand with fear and trembling, and lift itself above all earthly thought. For the King of kings and Lord of lords, Christ our God, cometh forth to be our oblation, and to be given for food to the faithful. Before him come the choirs of angels, with every principality and power; the Cherubim with many eyes, and winged Seraphim, who veil their faces as they shout exultingly the hymn: Alleluia. ~Cherubic hymn, Divine Liturgy of Saint James, 4th century; trans. Gerard Moultrie (1829-1885) 11 The People stand. COLLECT of December 21st V. Turn back to us, O Lord, our God. R. Show us your face and we shall be saved. Let us pray. Hear in kindness, O Lord, the prayers of your people, that those who rejoice at the coming of your Only Begotten Son in our flesh may, when at last he comes in glory, gain the reward of eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The People sit. SIXTH LESSON Baruch 4:36-5:9 read by Sister Martha Kunesh, O.P. The Prophet urges the people to look east because salvation is at hand. CAROL Simon Preston (b. 1938) I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on Christmas day I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day in the morning. And what was in those ships all three? Our Savior, Christ, and his Lady, Pray, whither sailed those ships all three? O, they sailed into Bethlehem, And all the bells on earth shall ring, And all the angels in Heaven shall sing, And all the souls on earth shall sing, Then let us all rejoice amain, 12 The People stand.