Entry Songs and Introits:a fresh approach during Lent
We have been singing hymns at the start of Mass since Vatican 2 – and sometimes earlier – but the really snappy way to begin is with an Entry Song or Introit. Most of the Introits seen in the Roman Missal are perhaps better suited to choirsand sometimes that is fine, but normally we want the whole congregation involved .I suggest that Lent is an ideal time to make the change.
Many of our parishes have been singing some of the Gospel Acclamations of Lent – such as ‘Not by bread alone’or ‘The Father’s Voice was heard from the cloud’.Now if something is worth doing once, then it frequently is worth doing twice.
I suggest that it is very practical to sing the Gospel verse with a ‘Glory to the Father’ as an Entry song.There is a structure to our liturgy which is not unlike some structures used in classical music. Repetition and contrast are a dynamic force in both.So to use part of the text of the Gospel verse at the start o Mass with a Glory be to the Father attachedshould not inhibit our using the full Gospel verse later on.
So for the First Sunday in Lentwe might sing:
Not by bread alone do we live, but by every word from the mouth of God;
not by bread alone, not by bread alone, not by bread alone.
Glory to the Father, glory to the Son,
glory to the Holy Spirit no and ever more.
Not by bread alone do we live, but by every word from the mouth of God;
not by bread alone, not by bread alone, not by bread alone.
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An Introit taken from the ICEL Antiphonal; Words from Psalm 90
He will call to me, and I shall answer with freedom and honour and length of days.
He will call to me. He will call to me.
All you sheltered by the Most High, who live in Almighty God’s shadow,
say to the Lord, “My refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” He will call to me, and I shall answer with freedom and honour and length of days.
He will call to me. He will call to me.
God will free you from hunter’s snares, will save you from deadly plague,
will cover you like a nesting bird. God’s wings will shelter you. He will call to me, and I shall answer with freedom and honour and length of days.
He will call to me. He will call to me.
No night-time terror shall you fear, no arrows shot by day,
no plague that prowls the dark, no wasting scourge at noon. He will call to me, and I shall answer with freedom and honour and length of days.
He will call to me. He will call to me.
Recorded by The St Mungo Singers
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Psalm 50 (Year A): Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy because we have sinned.
Words and music: Noel Donnelly (c) Kevin Mayhew. Recorded by Noel Donnelly
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Psalm 50: A pure heart create for me, O God
Words (c) The Grail, England; music Gerry Fitzpatrick (c) Kevin Mayhew. Recorded by Grace Buckley.
Psalm 50: O God, you will not spurn a humble, contrite heart
Words (c) The Grail, England; music Gerry Fitzpatrick (c) Kevin Mayhew. Recorded by Grace Buckley.
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Gospel Acclamation:
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Not by bread alone do we live, but by every word from the mouth of God;
Not by bread alone, Not by bread alone, Not by bread alone.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Words: The Lectionary; music Gerry Fitzpatrick (c) Kevin Mayhew. Recorded by The St Mungo Singers
