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Contents

Ordinary Time’s sound
Ordinary Time’s rituals
Ordinary Time’s challenge
An Ordinary Time checklist for those who prepare music

Apart from those seasons having their own distinctive character, thirty-three or thirty-four weeks remain in the yearly cycle that do not celebrate a specific aspect of the mystery of Christ. Rather, especially on the Sundays, they are devoted to the mystery of Christ in its fullness. This period is known as Ordinary Time.

Ordinary Time begins on Monday after the Sunday following 6 January and continues until Tuesday before Ash Wednesday inclusive. It begins again on Monday after Pentecost and ends before Evening Prayer I of the First Sunday of Advent.

This is also the reason for the series of liturgical formularies found in both the Missal and The Liturgy of the Hours (Vol. III-IV), for Sundays and weekdays in this season.

General Norms of the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, nn 43-44

Ordinary Time’s sound

Unfolding the Gospels

Each year during Ordinary Time, we listen to a semi-continuous proclamation of one of the three synoptic Gospels: Matthew (Year A), Mark (Year B, along with several weeks of chapter 6 of John) and Luke (Year C). The breadth of covering Jesus’ public ministry over that time demands a wide range of songs that harmonise with the different events and teachings that are presented to us over the Sundays in Ordinary Time.

Reflecting ritual patterns

As the high point of the Church’s liturgical year, the Easter Triduum sets the standard for our ritual celebrations throughout the year. As the longest period of time within the Church’s liturgical year, Ordinary Time is when our assemblies develop their weekly ritual patterns. Rather than being repetitive or boring, the establishment of, and fidelity to our patterns of worship are intended to allow people the opportunity to move beyond a preoccupation with words and actions so as to enter more deeply into prayer and a relationship with God. A degree of consistency, therefore, is essential across the Sundays of Ordinary Time.

A balance in the amount of singing

Other seasons during the liturgical year may call for less or greater amounts of music and singing to reflect their particular nature. In Ordinary Time, there is a need for some balance. It would be excessive (not to mention tiring!) to continue the exuberance of Easter throughout Ordinary Time, and incongruous to maintain the austerity of Lent. Keeping in mind the liturgical principles of what should be sung at Mass, a helpful guide to what should be sung in Ordinary Time is as follows:

  • Entrance Song
  • Gloria
  • Responsorial Psalm
  • Acclamation Before the Gospel
  • Acclamations of the Eucharistic Prayer (Holy, Holy; Memorial Acclamation; Great Amen)
  • Lamb of God
  • Communion Song

Especially in Ordinary Time, music groups can choose at the Offertory and Recessional either a song sung by everyone, a song sung by a cantor or the choir alone, or instrumental music.

In Wentworthville, we encourage the observation of a period of silent prayer (rather than a song of praise) after Communion.

Choice of music for parts of the Mass

Reflecting all of what has already been discussed in your music selections will enable the Sundays in Ordinary Time to have their own character and support the assembly’s worship over several months. In addition, the “Mass Setting” should change as we transition from the Christmas Season into Ordinary Time, and again as we transition into Ordinary Time from the Easter Season. Music groups may choose to sing different settings for the period of Ordinary Time between Christmas and Lent, and the period between Easter and Advent. A change in natural season (e.g. spring) may also be an opportunity to transition to another Mass Setting to reflect the Gospel’s nearing the end of Jesus’ public ministry and reflect the changing cycles of creation.

New music

If music groups decide that the introduction of a new song is appropriate, Ordinary Time is often a good time to do this. Singing the same new song for several weeks over Ordinary Time, perhaps as an Offertory or Recessional song (when the singing of the assembly is not essential) can be an effective way of introducing new music without burdening the assembly with long rehearsals before Mass. Remember, however, the need for patience and consistency – the moment a music group is getting sick of singing a new song repetitively is probably the moment that the assembly is just starting to remember the tune and getting the confidence to sing!

Ordinary Time’s rituals

Responsorial Psalm

As always, the ideal for the Responsorial Psalm is that the text provided for the day in the Lectionary for Mass is sung. Our music suggestions provide the psalm of the day and name settings that are within our parish music collection. For music groups that find it challenging to learn a different psalm for each Sunday but want to ensure the integrity of singing the psalm, the Lectionary provides Common (or seasonal) Psalm texts for Ordinary Time. Again, one of these is suggested each week in our music suggestions where appropriate.

View the nominated Common (or seasonal) Psalms for Ordinary Time

Celebrating feast days

Sometimes during Ordinary Time, a particular feast day may fall on a Sunday and thus take precedence. Some adjustments in the choice of what is sung on these occasions (such as a song at the Offertory, after Communion, and/or Recessional) will help to highlight these feasts and solemnities. Those preparing music will need to be aware of these occasions, as they have particular readings that will be proclaimed instead of those for the Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Dioceses of Australia, these solemnities and feast days include:

  • The Presentation of the Lord (2 February)
  • The Most Holy Trinity (Sunday after Pentecost each year)
  • The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Sunday after The Most Holy Trinity each year)
  • Our Lady, Help of Christians (24 May)
  • The Nativity of St John the Baptist (24 June)
  • Sts Peter and Paul (29 June)
  • The Transfiguration of the Lord (6 August)
  • St Mary of the Cross (Mary MacKillop, 8 August)
  • The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 August)
  • The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 September)
  • All Saints (1 November)
  • The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (2 November)
  • The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (9 November)
  • Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Sunday of the final week in Ordinary Time each year)

In Wentworthville, the titular Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be celebrated on a nominated date close to 16 July each year.

Ordinary Time’s challenge

Maintaining the energy

The Sundays of Ordinary Time allow us all to settle into a pattern of worship which is essential for our communities – it would be exhausting to maintain the efforts of the Easter Triduum and Easter Season throughout the year, and the liturgical celebrations of Ordinary Time, with their consistency, help to remind us of the constancy of God’s presence in the ‘every day’ of our lives. Music groups play a role in continuing to bring life and energy to the weekly ritual throughout the year so that the assembly may fully, consciously and actively participate in a celebration that truly feels like the source and summit of its faith.

That said, sometimes Music Ministers need a break to rest and recharge so they can continue to serve God and their community effectively. While a summer break in Australia can seem practical, especially given the structure of the school year, taking a break after Christmas often leaves the rest of the Christmas season (and feast days such as the Epiphany of the Lord) without music. Ordinary Time may provide an opportunity for ministers to step away from the instruments and microphones without impacting on significant days in the Church’s year.

An Ordinary Time checklist for those who prepare music

  • Have we chosen music for the assembly’s prayers and acclamations that is different to the preceding season?
  • What feast days and solemnities will fall on Sundays during Ordinary Time this year?
  • Are we prepared for singing the Responsorial Psalm?
  • Will we use the psalm of the day or a Common text?
  • Do we have a repertoire of songs that will support the full breadth of the Scripture texts of Ordinary Time, while still being compact enough for the assembly to remember and sing with sufficient consistency?
  • Will and/or when will be make use of choral singing and/or instrumental music?
  • Is there new music that we want to introduce to our community?
  • Have we learnt any new music in advance and planned ahead for its introduction to the assembly?
  • Will we take a break during Ordinary Time? Has this been communicated to our groups and other ministers in the parish?
  • How will we ensure that our music and leadership throughout Ordinary Time reflect and support a pattern of ritual prayer and worship for our community?