Letter from the Pastor
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March 23, 2025Today is the Third Sunday in Lent.
Lent is a somber, muted, penitential season experienced especially in the Church’s liturgy. The Mass reflects that very much in its prayers, vestments, and music. The church itself is very bare, no flowers, purple vestments, unbleached candles, the organ is muted, only to be used to support singing and instead of hymns, Mass chants are used.
During Lent, instead of hymns, we are using the Mass Propers. The Mass Propers are psalms or verses from the Bible that begin the Mass as an Entrance chant and the Communion chant. Sometimes an Offertory chant will be used. In every Mass there are chant-verses, which are assigned or “proper” to that particular Mass. Also, during Lent, there is no recessional hymn to make the Mass more reflective and gives the people the chance for silent prayer after Mass as we depart in silence.
Another wonderful addition to the Mass during Lent is the Prayer over the People right before the Final Blessing and dismissal. The prayer was re-introduced in the 2002 Missale Romanum. Since we received a new translation of that Missal in 2011, it is again now part of the Mass. The prayers go back to the 6th century. This is an important custom during Lent.
This Prayer over the people was only in the Lenten season because Lent is to be a time of greater spiritual combat requiring more blessings. It was extremely important for those who were not receiving Holy Communion, as was the case of those doing public penance in the Church. Lent is a time of spiritual combat. The Prayer over the people is meant to strengthen you for the world, which you are charged both to shape and to endure.
After the Prayer over the people, the blessing of God comes upon you, then the dismissal to go out into the world.
We conclude our Lenten Mass with the beautiful Marian antiphon, Ave Regina Caelorum.
There are four Marian antiphons sung throughout the year, which come from the Divine Office at the end of Compline (Night prayer), the last of the hours of the day.
Ave Regina Caelorum :
This anthem is sung from after the feast of the Purification (February 2) until the Easter Vigil. Its earliest appearance was in the 12th century.
Ave regina caelorum, ave domina angelorum: salve radix, salve porta, ex qua mundo
lux est orta: Gaude Virgo, gloriosa, super omnes speciosa, vale o valde decora, et pro
nobis Christum exora.
Hail, Queen of heaven, hail Lady of the angels. Hail, root, hail the door through which the Light of the world is risen. Rejoice, glorious Virgin, beautiful above all. Hail, O very fair one, and plead for us to Christ.
There is an old expression that we worship, as we believe. During Lent, even in our worship, there is a sort of “liturgical fasting.” So, when Easter arrives, one drastically notices the difference from the somberness of Lent to the exultation of joy at Easter.
It’s St. Patrick’s Day again here in Pearl River today. We welcome the guests to our parish and to our town. I hope you get to enjoy the parade and all the festivities in town. If you want to march with us, we will be in Battalion 4, led by one of our parishioners. We also congratulate our Grand Marshall, alumni of our school and parishioner, John McGowan.
Hope to see you on the Avenue!