Prepare ye the way of the LORD
Mount Calvary Church
Eutaw Street and Madison Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland
A Roman Catholic Parish
Anglican Use
The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of S. Peter
Rev. Albert Scharbach, Pastor
10 A.M.
December 9, 2018
Advent II
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Common
Merbecke
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Organ Prelude
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, Dietrich Buxtehude BuxWV 211
Organ Postlude
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, J.S. Bach, BWV 599
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Anthems
Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599)
Veni Domine, et noli tardare. Veni ad salvandum nos, Domine Deus noster. Et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus. Sicut mater consolatur filios, consolaberis nos. Veni Domine, et noli tardare. Et gaudebit cor nostrum corde perfecto.
Come, Lord, and do not delay. Come and save us, O Lord our God. And show Thy face and make us safe. As a mother consoles her children, so shall you console us. Come, Lord, and do not delay. And our heart shall rejoice in Thy perfect heart
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Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lord is nigh. Awake and harken, for he brings glad tidings of the King of kings! Then cleansed be every heart from sin: make straight the way for God within, and let each heart prepare a home where such a mighty guest may come. All praise the Son eternally whose advent sets his people free, whom with the Father we adore, and Spirit blest for evermore.
As edited by Edward Klammer (note dissonances)
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Hymns
O Come, Divine Messiah (VENEZ DIVINE MESSIE) is by M. l’abbé (Simon-Joseph) Pellegrin (1663-1745), French abbé and well-known librettist. It was translated by Sister Mary of St. Philip, the name in religion of Mary Frances Lescher (1825-1904). She was one of the first English members of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur when they established their training college at Mount Pleasant in Liverpool, England, in about 1850. She and at least one other SND sister wrote both translations and original hymns and songs over the course of their long professional lives.
Of the Father’s love begotten (also here) is by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (ca. 348-ca. 413), translated by Sir Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877) based on John Mason Neale (1818-1866). The tune DIVINUM MYSTERIUM, was a “Sanctus trope” – an ancient plainchant melody which over the years had been musically embellished. The tune first appears in print in 1582 in the Finnish song book Piae Cantiones.
Lo, He comes with clouds descending is by Charles Wesley (1707–1788). The hymn is full of allusions to Revelation: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” At first glance it might seems strange to celebrate the second coming of Christ in conjunction with His first coming, however, the practice of so doing provides the balance needed to keep the Advent (and Christmas) themes of Divine love and light from devolving into mere sentimentality. Remembering the first coming of Christ in light of the end of all things ought to remind us how desperately we need a savior—and how immense and earth-shattering is the good news that God is just and merciful.