FOR ALL THE SAINTS

1. For all the saints, who from their labours rest,

Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,

Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;

Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;

Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

3. For the Apostles’ glorious company,

Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,

Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee:

Alleluia, Alleluia!

4. O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,

And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

5. For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,

Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,

Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

6. For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,

Saw the bright crown descending from the sky,

And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

7. O blest communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

8. And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

9. The golden evening brightens in the west;

Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;

Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

10. But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;

The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

The King of glory passes on His way.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

11. From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

Singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:

Alleluia, Alleluia!

FEAST OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL - THOU ROYAL KNIGHT FROM COURTS ON HIGH

https://smcs.on.ca/files_docs/content/jubulee_hymns_and_tenebrae/Jubilee%20Hymns%20Book%20I.pdf

Come Down O Love Divine

Come down, O Love Divine and deliver your faithful people from evil men who have set their hands upon Your Holy Church. Send forth Thy Holy Spirit, O LORD and defend the true faith and doctrine given to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ from those who would corrupt it with the stench of this world. Grant us Father, the Holy Spirit that he may bring us the strength of heart and clarity of mind to stand against those wolves, who dressed as shepherds have set out to devour the sheep and that by serving you, O FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT, we may win our own salvation through the blood of Christ and bring others to You, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

 

Tis good, Lord, to be here

This is a wonderful hymn which I have programmed as the recessional hymn after the traditional Latin Mass today. 

Some day, this will be a Catholic place again. It was founded by St. Wilfred in the eighth century and dedicated to St. Peter. 

This is the Record of John

Most of us have devotion to particular saints (it's at least likely if you read this blog). This blog has an icon of St. Sharbel Maklouf on the left as a tribute to my Maronite heritage. Having attended an elementary school and my local parish named in her honour, and having been FSSP Schola Master during their short stay here in Toronto with Mass celebrated at her Shrine, St. Theresa of Lisieux is a favourite. We can all learn from her "little way." My favourite saint from a personalty perspective is St. John the Baptist. How we need one like him today crying in the wilderness of the public square.

The next two Sundays in Advent have very profound readings all focused on the coming of Messiah and His herald, "the voice of one, crying in the wilderness." The revised lectionary gives us a diversity of readings over the three year cycle on Advent II and III related to the great herald. The English liturgy gives us something else not available in the Extraordinary Form or Traditional Latin Massand that is the English Verse Anthem (though, one could provide an English motet or hymn in a Low Mass with hymns) A particularly Anglican form of music. Perhaps soon, the Traditional Anglicans coming home will help us reform our music in the Latin Rite to come closer to an English equivalent of a traditional Latin liturgy.

Orlando Gibbons followed William Byrd by about a generation in the English school. Gibbons wrote some forty verse anthems the most well-known being O Clap Your Hands in 8 parts and This is the Record of John originally scored for Countertenor, alternating with full SAATB choir and two viols. It is a beautiful and joyful and profound composition and a joy to sing. For most parishes, however, it is out of reach. In fact, if your speaker are on, you are probably hearing it now playing in the background.

A few years ago, I had the temerity to edit Gibbons' greatest work for a small parish choir. Being a Bass myself, (and since I always wanted to sing it), the solo line was no longer the possession of the modern Alto (originally the Countertenor). The choral parts are arranged for two-part and sometimes three-part mixed choir with organ and violin.

With a little shameless self-promotion, my arrangement is available and is published and under copyright at CanticaNova Publications; it is suitable for the Advent II or III or the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist particularly when if falls on a Sunday.

Here is a most excellent performance by the Kampen Boys Choir followed by the sheet music for all the voices as Gibbons' wrote it, though not in the original key; enjoy:

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

Okay, so you don't think I've gone totally charismatic with my post below; here is one of my favourites and I'll sing it tomorrow at the Anticipated Mass at St. John the Evangelist during Communion--but I'll sing the Proper first!

Wow, I used to sing like this too...