Ordinary Time – ordinary music?

January 20th, 2019

No.

Upon reflection, if the Eucharist is the ‘source and summit of the Christian life’ (Lumen Gentium Art 11) and we are ministering to something which Roman Missal refers to as the ‘Paschal Sacrifice and banquet’ (GIRM 72) then surely our music shouldn’t be ordinary – we should be continually striving our best to honour the Eucharistic Presence and contribute to the ‘beauty of worship and the edification of the faithful’ (Musicam Sacram 63).

Perhaps the use of the word ‘ordinary’ in the context of ‘Ordinary Time’ may move some people to think this refers to something being ‘average’.

It’s interesting to note that what we refer to as ‘Ordinary Time’ is, in fact in the original Latin ‘Tempus per annum’: literally translated as ‘time through the year’.

It’s easy after the richness of the Advent-Christmas cycle for our musical activities to fall into a bit of a slump – especially with the summer holidays taking place at the moment. But this intra-season time period gives us, as musicians, wonderful scope to explore some repertoire reflecting the various readings of these Sunday’s: take, for example, the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time which this year features as it’s Gospel reading the account of the wedding at Cana – and the 3rd Sunday’s readings features the magnificent words of St Paul talking about one body but comprising many parts – much hymnody makes reference to this theme – and the Gospel tells of Jesus reading in the synagogue: ‘the Spirit of the Lord is upon me…’ – what must it have been like to be there and then hear Him say ‘Today this scripture is being fulfilled’ !!

There are many composers who have set this text ‘The Spirit of the Lord’ – possibly one of my favourites is that of Edward Elgar with its pondering prologue – and triumphant exclamation: ‘to preach the acceptable year of the Lord’!

Perhaps these few weeks before Lent also give us a good opportunity to introduce to our congregations perhaps a new Gospel acclamation, for example; or sing some of the antiphons of the Mass if we aren’t already doing so.

Let’s use these few weeks of Ordinary Time before we reach the fasting of Lent to have a bit of a feast of music !! Not ordinary.