3rd Sunday of Advent – GAUDETE (C) Year of Luke

Zeph 3:14-18; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18 – What must we do?

• Introit: Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete: modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est… Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all people. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious over anything, but in all manner of prayer, let your requests be made known unto God.
• Mass setting: Mass for 5 Voices (W. Byrd)
• Motet: O thou the central orb* (Orlando Gibbons)
• Communio: (Gregorian, Is 35.4)  Dicite pusillanimes confortamini et nollite timere: ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is our God.
• Hymns: TIS 265 O Come, O come Emmanuel VENI EMMANUEL; Lo He comes with clouds descending HELMSLEY
• Organ Prelude: From heaven above to earth – Flor Peeters (1903-1986)
• Organ Voluntary: Fantasia on ‘Veni Emmanuel’ – Heathcote Statham (1889-1973)

Organist: Bransby Byrne

*O thou the central Orb of righteous love,
Pure beam of the most high, eternal light of this our bleak world,
Where thy radiance bright awakes new joy in faith, hope soars above.

Come, quickly come, and let thy radiant glory shine,
Gilding our darksome heaven with rays divine.

Thy saints with holy lustre round thee move, as stars about thy throne,
Set in the height of God’s ordaining counsel, as thy sight
Gives measured grace to each, thy power to prove.

Let thy bright beams disperse the gloom of sin,
Our nature all shall feel eternal day, in fellowship with thee,
Transforming clay to souls erewhile unclean, now pure within.
Amen.