Clothed with the sun…

21^st August, 2020

What an awesome image – a woman clothed with the sun…the moon beneath her feet…

This image and the constant theme of angelic rejoicing helps to give us a powerful picture of what we are celebrating when we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady’s Assumption – our heavenly Mother assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

The Church also gives us another feast eight days later linked to the Assumption – the Queenship of Mary – thus forming an octave. And so, finding ourselves in this Marian octave, let’s take a look at the musical treasures the Church gifts us with to celebrate these great days.

A recurring theme of the antiphons of this Solemnity is the jubilation of angels – in fact, many of the antiphons of the Offices of this Solemnity echo and re-echo this rejoicing of the angelic chorus.

And this theme of great celestial  jubilation also echoes through the antiphons of the Mass – even the Gospel acclamation (Day Mass) states that Mary is assumed into heaven and the ‘army’ of angels rejoices (exercitus) rejoices – what amazing images of an army rejoicing !!…it’s somewhat reminiscent of the passage of scripture which is often taken as pertaining prophetically to Our Lady: ‘who is this arising like the dawn, fair as the moon, resplendent as the sun, awe-inspiring as an army in battle array’ (Song of songs 6:10) – interestingly, this biblical verse finds its way into the Offices of this solemnity appearing as the first chant antiphon of 1^st Vespers.

Perhaps one of my favourite antiphons of this feast is the Offertory antiphon of the (Day) Mass – it, again, echoes the angelic jubilation at Mary’s assumption – the vibrant, yet graceful melody somehow opens up to us a vision of a cosmic realm far beyond our imagining: notice the melody on ‘caelum’ (heaven) – it rises up into the upper echelon of the melody’s range – the ambitus of this chant  is very large especially on the words ‘gaudent angeli’ (angels rejoicing) reflecting the magnificent jubilation resounding through the entire cosmos – notice at one point the melody traverses an octave in the space of only eight notes !

So, in pondering on these morsels of scripture and brief musical masterpieces, let’s draw closer to Mary – perhaps especially at this time in our history we need to pray to her, who is clothed with the sun, to lead us out of darkness – and bring us closer to her Son.

Jacinta