FROM THE RECTOR: SESQUICENTENNIAL YEAR BEGINS 

As the new church year begins with the eve of the First Sunday of Advent, on Saturday, November 30, my mind is thinking ahead to Sunday, December 8, 2019, the Second Sunday of Advent—the beginning of Saint’s Mary’s one-hundred fiftieth year of ministry. Because of its location in this city and because of its history of witness and daily worship, truly only God knows how many people have been blessed to enter its doors.  

On Monday, December 9, the Right Reverend Andrew M.L. Dietsche, the bishop of New York, will be with us as celebrant and preacher for the Solemn Mass at 6:00 PM. This is when we will celebrate our patronal feast for the one hundred fiftieth time—because the Sundays of Advent have precedence over all other commemorations. A Solemn Te Deum will be offered at this Mass. It will be the beginning of a very rich year of reflection and of service. I hope many members and friends of this parish may be able to be with us for the sesquicentennial patronal feast.  

Now to Advent. Around the end of the ninth century or the beginning of the tenth century, monastic workshops began to put the prayers and lessons for Advent Sundays at the front of the new liturgical books which they were making (Adolf Adam, The Liturgical Year [1981, 28]). Scholars do not know why this was done, but because of the way books were laid out, Advent began to be thought of by Christians in the West as the beginning of the church year (Paul F. Bradshaw and Maxwell E. Johnson, The Origins of Feasts, Fasts and Seasons in Early Christianity [2011, 167–68]). The early liturgical texts from Rome begin with the Vigil Mass for Christmas Day (Ibid., 165)—the Sundays of Advent were at the end of these manuscripts.  

In his remarks on the collect and lessons for the “First Sunday in Advent,” as the day was called in all earlier Prayer Books, Massey Shepherd (1913–1990) observed that, at the English Reformation, Matthew’s account of Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9), though in use in England’s Sarum (Salisbury) Missal, was not at that time used by the church in Rome. Shepherd adds that this passage had been the gospel appointed for this Sunday in the earliest Roman lectionaries (sixth century)” (The Oxford American Prayer Book Commentary [1950, 91]). The original 1979 lectionary, which we have permission to use, offers us the chance to hear Luke’s account of Jesus’ entry on the Last Sunday after Pentecost—and I preached on it last Sunday! We now always have a gospel passage about the second coming of the Son of Man at the end of time on the First Sunday of Advent. 

Though omitted by the original 1979 lectionary, which appoints Matthew 24:37–44, for this Sunday, we will begin, as permitted by the Prayer Book, with Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” It’s in John that Jesus proclaims, “I and the Father are one (John 10:30)”—and not in Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. (1940–2014) in his commentary on Matthew wrote, “Many manuscripts omit ‘nor the Son.’ But the best manuscripts contain it . . . Its omission is easily explained as arising from the doctrinal difficulty that it presented” (The Gospel of Matthew, Sacra Pagina [2007], 342).  

I always look forward to the quiet Sundays and weekdays Advent worship offers us. It speaks to our souls about us being a part of the unfolding of salvation history in the lives of John the Baptist, Mary, Joseph, and, if I may paraphrase Charles Wesley (1707–1788), the child born to set all people free. —Stephen Gerth 

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Brady, Murray, Pearl, Barbara, Guy, William, Gloria, Samuel, Mel, Richard, Nathan, Carlos, Ken, Denis, May, Willard, Alexandra, Karen, Marilouise, Takeem, Donald, Shalim, Philippe, Nam, John, Michael, Rita, Ivy, and Barbara; Horace, Gene, Gaylord, Louis, Edgar, PRIESTS, the members of our Armed Forces on active duty, especially Edward; and all the benefactors and friends of this parish, especially Edward; all the benefactors and friends of this parish; and for the repose of the souls of Mark McDermott and Arthur Levi Innis . . . GRANT THEM PEACE: December 1: 1900 Anna Julia DePalma; 1918 Alice Huckroth McKinnon; 1919 Frances Bailey; 1920 Caroline Foote Kellogg; 1977 Calvin Nash; 1989 George William Johnson, Sr.; 1992 Margaret Louise Rigler. 

THE ORDINARY FRIDAYS OF THE YEAR are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial in commemoration of the Lord’s crucifixion. 

STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2019–2020 . . . Our stewardship campaign has begun, and pledge cards are beginning to arrive in the mail. Some statistics may be helpful. We mailed packets to 122 households that pledged last year and to 770 households that have expressed an interest in supporting the parish. Once again this year, our goal for the campaign is $425,000. We encourage all the friends and members of the parish to return their pledge cards by December 15. This will help the Budget Committee in its work. However, if making a commitment by that date is not possible, we will gladly receive pledge cards at any point during the coming year. Our mission is clear. We invite your support. 

ADVENT QUIET DAY . . . On Saturday, December 7, 9:30 AM–3:00 PM, Sister Monica Clare, C.S.J.B., will lead a quiet day here at the church. Sister Monica Clare’s theme for the day is, “How to Maintain a ‘Recollected’ Manner in a Chaotic Time.” She writes, “What is a ‘recollected manner’? The concept, and the term, crops up in reference to prayer and worship, but the meaning is different from the recollection of recalling past events. Herbert Benson, M.D., in his book The Relaxation Response (Harper Collins, 1975), has written, ‘Preparation for contemplation, according to Saint Augustine, involves recollection, a term later used by many Christian mystics, which corresponds with the idea of a passive attitude. Recollection is an exercise of abstraction, of recollecting and gathering together thoughts [“memory”] and concentrating the mind. The object is to shut off the mind from external thoughts and to produce a mental solitude.’ ” During the quiet day, Sister Monica Clare will be asking, “How can we cultivate a recollected manner as we move through a world of noise, distraction and tension?” If you would like to attend the Quiet Day, please contact Father Jay Smith by e-mail. 

OUTREACH AT SAINT MARY’S . . . The Clothing Ministry’s next Drop-in Day will take place on Wednesday, December 11, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, in the Mission House basement. On those Wednesdays when a Drop-in Day does not take place, we continue to offer our Grab-and-Go days—from 2:00 to 3:00 PM—in the former Gift Shop, just off the church Narthex. On those days, basic, even emergency, items can normally be provided—socks, underwear, toiletry articles, and, in the winter months, cold-weather clothing. Please contact Brother Damien if you would like to donate cash, clothing, or toiletry articles, or to volunteer for this important ministry. We have a particular need at the moment for cooler weather clothing: gently used jackets, coats and sweatshirts of varying weights, jeans, slacks and sweatpants. We always need new socks and underwear in various sizes. Our number of guests continues to grow, and we are always grateful for your financial contributions to this project. We can also use a few more volunteers for our once per month drop-in days . . . We continue to receive donations of canned goods and other nonperishable food items for the Saint Clement’s Food Pantry. Donations may be placed in the basket next to the Ushers’ Table at the Forty-sixth Street entrance to the church. —Br. Damien Joseph SSF 

AROUND THE PARISH . . . Parishioner William Poston was hospitalized recently after falling in his apartment. He is now doing rehabilitation therapy at the Williamsbridge Center, 1540 Tomlinson Avenue, Bronx, NY . . . Parishioner Barbara Stettner now lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she cares for her mother, Pearl, who recently had a bad fall that led to her hospitalization. Barbara has asked for the parish’s prayers for her mother. She hopes to be able to visit the parish again soon . . . If you are interested in helping the Flower Guild decorate the church for Christmas, please speak to Brendon Hunter . . . Flowers are needed for many Sundays in January and February. Please be in touch with Chris Howatt in the parish office if you would like to make a donation for one of these dates. Donations to support the work of the Flower Guild at Christmas are always welcome . . . Father Jay Smith will be away from the parish Tuesday–Thursday, December 3–5. He returns on Saturday, December 7 . . . Attendance at all Offices and Masses: Last Sunday 176. 

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Sunday, December 1, First Sunday of Advent, Sung Matins 8:30 AM; Mass 9:00 & 10:00 AM; Adult Forum 10:00 AM; Solemn Mass 11:00 AM, Solemn Evensong and Benediction 5:00 PM . . . Wednesday, December 3, Grab and Go, 2:00–3:00 PM, Mission House, 133 Forty-sixth Street; The Bible Study Class does not meet on December 4 . . . The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center will be lit on Wednesday, December 4, 7:00–9:00 PM. Traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, will be particularly heavy that evening . . . Friday, December 6, Centering Prayer Group 6:30 PM, Morning Room, Parish House, 145 West 46th Street . . . Saturday, December 7, Advent Quiet Day, 9:30 AM–2:45 PM (see below for further information about this event) . . . Sunday, December 8, Second Sunday of Advent, Sung Matins 8:30 AM; Mass 9:00 & 10:00 AM; Adult Forum 10:00 AM; Solemn Mass 11:00 AM, Solemn Evensong and Benediction 5:00 PM . . . Monday, December 9, Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (transferred), Sung Matins 8:30 AM, Noonday Prayer 12:00 PM, Sung Mass 12:10 PM, Organ Recital 5:30 PM, Solemn Mass & Confirmation 6:00 PM, Reception in Saint Joseph’s Hall 7:20 PM. 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION . . . Father Peter Powell is teaching the Adult Forum on Sunday mornings during the month of November and in early December. Father Powell writes, “On the four Sundays in November and the first two Sundays in December, we will be reading from the last twelve books of the Old Testament. All you need to participate is curiosity about the Bible. Why should this interest you? The issues each prophet addressed are relevant today as we work out how to be faithful in a divided society. These books, known as The Twelve or as the Minor Prophets, include Hosea, Amos, Jonah, and Habakkuk. We will examine them in their original setting and then move into how they speak to us today. We will begin with Hosea and Amos and then get as far into the others as we can. Amos and Hosea tell us about how to be faithful in a time in which conservative religion appears to be in control of our culture. The twelve prophets lived in a time when religion dominated, but faith was absent. Our time is much like that. I invite you to join me in November as we begin this important study of how God works in our world.” These classes will meet at 10:00 AM on Sunday morning December 1 and 8 in Saint Benedict’s Study, in the Parish House, 145 West Forty-sixth Street . . . The Wednesday Night Bible Study Class, led by Father Jay Smith, is studying the forms of prayer in the Hebrew Bible, while exploring the ways in which we ourselves pray, asking ourselves: what does it mean to complain, lament, seek, inquire, meditate, intercede, praise, or give thanks. After an introduction to the topic, the class will study and read closely one or two biblical texts each week. The class meets next on December 11 at 6:30 PM. The class will not meet on December 4. The class takes place in Saint Benedict’s Study in the Parish House . . . On three Sundays in January—January 12, 19, and 26—Father Jim Pace will lead the Adult Forum in a discussion of healing ministry, hospice ministry, and end-of-life care. Father Pace is the senior associate dean for academic programs at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, where he holds the rank of clinical professor. 

ABOUT THE MUSIC ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 . . . The setting of the Mass on Sunday morning is Intercession Mass by David Hurd, organist and music director at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin. This setting of the Rite II Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Benedictus, and Agnus Dei) was originally named Mass 1974, having been composed in that year for use at the Chapel of the Intercession, Manhattan (then a chapel of Trinity Church, Wall Street), where Dr. Hurd was director of music from 1973 to 1978. The Mass setting was originally designed for congregational singing with choral and organ support. Additional layers of choral and instrumental content were added to Gloria and Sanctus shortly after its initial use. Since its publication in 1979, when it was renamed at the publisher’s request, individual movements of this setting have been included in various liturgical music collections. The Lord’s Prayer from Intercession Mass, for example, is found at S-150 in The Hymnal 1982. The Sanctus and Benedictus of this Mass are especially distinctive for their exuberant organ accompaniment and gentle final Hosannas. On this first Sunday of Advent, Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei will be sung.   

The choral anthem sung during the ministration of Communion on Sunday is also a composition of Dr. Hurd’s. Behold, the mountain of the Lord, an anthem for mixed voices and organ, was commissioned in 2016 by the choir of Trinity Cathedral, Portland, Oregon, in honor of Dr. Bruce Neswick, their Canon for Cathedral Music. The text was suggested by their dean, the Very Reverend Nathan LeRud, and is of Scottish origin. It is a paraphrase of Isaiah 2:2–5 and Micah 4:1–7 by poet Michael Bruce (1746–1767), adapted by poet John Logan (1748–1788). Since Isaiah 2:1-5 is prescribed as the first reading for the First Sunday of Advent in the new lectionary year, this text is particularly suitable to be sung today.  

Sunday’s organ voluntaries are two of the three settings of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland from the Great Eighteen Leipzig Chorales of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). The chorale (54 in The Hymnal 1982) is Martin Luther’s sixteenth-century adaptation of the fourth-century Latin hymn Veni Redemptor gentium attributed to Ambrose of Milan (55 in The Hymnal 1982). BWV 659, played for the prelude, presents a poignant ornamented version of the chorale melody above a walking bass and two accompanying voices. BWV 660, played for the postlude, is an animated trio featuring an ornamented version of the chorale melody above two quasi-canonic accompanying voices played by the left hand and on the pedals. —David Hurd 

LATER THIS MONTH . . . Thursday, December 12, The Anniversary of the Dedication of the Church, 1895, Mass 12:10 PM . . . Monday, December 16, The O Antiphons Begin . . . Saturday, December 21, Saint Thomas the Apostle, Mass 12:10 PM . . . Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, Music for Choir and Congregation 4:30 PM, Sung Mass 5:00 PM; Music for Choir and Congregation 10:30 PM, Solemn Mass 11:00 PM . . . Wednesday, December 25, Christmas Day, Solemn Mass 11:00 AM.

IN THE GALLERIES . . . Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche, at The Met Fifth Avenue, until January 7, 2020. The Met continues a longstanding holiday tradition with the presentation of its Christmas tree, a favorite of both New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. The magnificently lit, twenty-foot blue spruce looms over a vivid eighteenth-century Neapolitan Nativity scene, enshrined in an abundant array of lifelike figures with silk-robed angels hovering above. The scene describes in detail the Mediterranean harbor town's multicultural society. The installation is set in front of the eighteenth-century Spanish choir screen from the Cathedral of Valladolid in the Museum's Medieval Sculpture Hall. Recorded Christmas music adds to the enjoyment of the holiday display.

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