Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

142 Passion Sunday
rising melody, however, is not only to portray. It rings out like the echo
of the joyful songs that the Israelites, dressed for the solemn occasion,
sang on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem; or like an anticipation of the songs
that came from the hearts of the catechumens, when, on the night before
Easter, vested in their white robes—the symbol of purity of heart—
they were permitted to go up to the altar from the baptistry in order
to take part in the sacrificial banquet (participdtio).
In the Epistle of this Sunday St. Paul speaks about the heavenly
Jerusalem. Thither, to our true home, we all direct our pilgrimage.
There we shall find brothers and sisters who know themselves intimately
united with us. And all of us have communion with them (that is how
we may translate the words: cujus participdtio). The bread of life is our
viaticum. Therefore bravely on toward the eternal Easter, to neverending
joy, to the never-ceasing praise of God. When next the solemn
services shall be held at the "Holy Cross in Jerusalem," Good Friday,
with its deeply impressive honoring of the holy cross and its lovable
dwelling on the wounds and the love of Christ, will have come. At that
time, too, the Church will emphasize the fact that through the cross
alone has joy come over the whole world. The joys that run through the
present Sunday also flow from the cross of Christ, as does all peace and
happiness.
PASSION SUNDAY
INTROIT (Ps. 42: 1/2)
! 1. Judica me, Deus, et discerne 1. Judge me, 0 God, and dis-
| causam meam de gente non sancta: tinguish my cause from the nation
2. ab homine iniquo et doloso eripe that is not holy: 2. from the unjust
I me: quia tu es Deus meus, et for- and deceitful man deliver me: for
I titudo mea. Ps. Emitte lucem tua et thou art my God and my strength.
| veritatem tuam: * ipsa me deduxer- Ps. Send forth thy light and thy
! unt, et adduxerunt in montem truth: * they have conducted me, and
sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula brought me unto thy holy hill, and
tua. unto thy tabernacles.
i
i The forty-second psalm, from which these words are taken, forms a
| part.x)f the preliminary prayers of the Mass, on account of its verse: "I
! will go unto the altar of God, to God who giveth joy to my youth." But
| even before it was used for this purpose it was sung on the present Sunday.
We are reminded of this old custom when today, and on the fol-