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123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201202203204205206207208209210211212213214215216217218219220221222223224225226227228229230231232233234235236237238239240241242243244245246247248249250251252253254255256257\import{table-macros}\def\percent{\startverb%\stopverb }\parent{loc-000P}\title{2nd Sunday of Advent 2025}\tag{cmc}\date{2025-12-07}\author{liamoc}\quote{ Populus Sion, ecce Dóminus véniet ad salvándas gentes: et audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ, in lætítia cordis vestri.}\p{This was a big Sunday at [All Saints Ainslie](https://allsaintsainslie.org.au). In the morning a small group of us sang Bach's [Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Df7f_BLU8):}\quote{ \poem{ \line{Jesu, joy of man's desiring,} \line{Holy wisdom, love most bright;} \line{Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring} \line{Soar to uncreated light.\br} \line{Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,} \line{With the fire of life impassioned,} \line{Striving still to truth unknown,} \line{Soaring, dying round Thy throne.\br} \line{Through the way where hope is guiding,} \line{Hark, what peaceful music rings;} \line{Where the flock, in Thee confiding,} \line{Drink of joy from deathless springs.\br} \line{Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;} \line{Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.} \line{Thou dost ever lead Thine own} \line{In the love of joys unknown.} }}\p{But, more significantly, we had our annual Lessons and Carols service. I cantored for the initial [Matin Responsory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uJdSvo1e2U) based on a Nunc Dimittis by Palestrina (despite the fact the Carols for Choirs edition says it's based on a Magnificat):} \quote{\poem{\line{\strong{I look from afar,}}\line{And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole Earth.}\line{\strong{Go ye out to meet him and say:}}\line{Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?}\line{High and low, rich and poor, one with another,}\line{Go ye out to meet him and say:}\line{Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep,}\line{Tell us, art thou he that should come?}\line{Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come}\line{To reign over thy people, Israel.}\line{\strong{Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.}}\line{I look from afar,}\line{And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole Earth.}\line{Go ye out to meet him and say:}\line{Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?}}}
\p{ We had several guest singers join us including Rachel Mink and Dan Walker from Luminescence. Rachel sang the initial verse of [Once In Royal David's City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA4Ng96nb3Y), after which we processed to the remaining verses. After the first lesson from yours truly, we performed Ord's [Adam Lay Ybounden](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oykLGvCfGCI): }\quote{\poem{\line{Adam lay ybounden, bounden in a bond.}\line{Four thousand winter thought he not too long.}\line{And all was for an apple, an apple that he took,}\line{As clerkes finden written in their book.}\line{Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been,}\line{Ne had never our ladye a been heavené queen.}\line{Blessed be the time that apple taken was,}\line{Therefore we moun singen \em{Deo Gracias}.}}}\p{Following another reading, we had one of my favourite Christmas classics, Prätorius' [Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RjAXOcTebI). }\quote{ \table{ \tr{ \td{Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,} \td{There is a rose up-springing,} }\tr{ \td{aus einer Wurzel zart,} \td{from a tender root,} }\tr{ \td{wie uns die Alten sungen,} \td{as the ancients have sung,} }\tr{ \td{von Jesse kam die Art} \td{it comes from Jesse's branch.} }\tr{ \td{und hat ein Blümlein bracht} \td{Its blossom flowering bright,} }\tr{ \td{mitten im kalten Winter,} \td{amidst the cold winter,} }\tr{ \td{wohl zu der halben Nacht.} \td{when half the night remains.} }\tr{ \td{\br} \td{} }\tr{ \td{Das Röslein, das ich meine,} \td{This little rose of which I sing,} }\tr{ \td{davon Jesaja sagt,} \td{of which Isaiah spoke, } }\tr{ \td{hat uns gebracht alleine} \td{was brought to us solely by} }\tr{ \td{Marie, die reine Magd.} \td{Mary, the pure maiden.} }\tr{ \td{Aus Gottes ew'gem Rat} \td{By God's eternal plan,} }\tr{ \td{hat sie ein Kind geboren} \td{a child was born to her} }\tr{ \td{und blieb doch reine Magd.} \td{but she remained a pure Maiden.} }\tr{ \td{\br} \td{} }\tr{ \td{Das Blümelein so kleine,} \td{That little blossom, so tiny,} }\tr{ \td{das duftet uns so süß,} \td{that to us smells so sweet,} }\tr{ \td{mit seinem hellen Scheine} \td{with its bright shining} }\tr{ \td{Vertreibt's die Finsternis.} \td{drives away the darkness.} }\tr{ \td{Wahr' Mensch und wahrer Gott,} \td{True man and truer God,} }\tr{ \td{hilft uns aus allem Leide,} \td{He aids us from all suffering,} }\tr{ \td{rettet von Sünd und Tod.} \td{and saves us from sin and death.} } }}\p{After the next reading was the original traditonal arrangement of the [Coventry Carol](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WII-nEAykqY) with the crunchy false relation in the cadence.}\quote{ \poem{ \line{Lully, lullay, þow littell tyne childe,} \line{by, by, lully, lullay.} \line{þow littell tyne childe:} \line{by, by, lully, lullay.} \line{\br} \line{O! Sisters too, how may we do} \line{for to preserve this day} \line{this pore yongling for whom we do singe:} \line{by, by, lully, lullay?} \line{\br} \line{Herod, the king, in his raging,} \line{chargid he hath this day,} \line{his men of might in his owne sight,} \line{all yonge children to slay.} \line{\br} \line{That wo is me, pore childe, for Thee} \line{and ever morne and day} \line{for thi parting nether say nor singe:} \line{by, by, lully, lullay.} }}\p{The next reading was followed by [O little town of Bethlehem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRuXdOb6TrA) with the Willcocks descant. Then, after the next reading we sang the \em{significantly} less common arrangement of the Basque carol \em{Gabriel's Message}, also known as \em{the Angel Gabriel} or the [Most Highly Flavoured Gravy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJnJ6Ko_kyw).}\quote{ \poem{ \line{The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,} \line{his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;} \line{'All hail', said he, 'thou lowly maiden Mary} \line{Most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.'} \line{\br} \line{'For known a blesséd Mother thou shalt be,} \line{all generations laud and honour thee,} \line{thy Son shall be Immanuel by seers foretold;} \line{Most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.'} \line{\br} \line{Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,} \line{'To me be as it pleaseth God', she said,} \line{'My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name':} \line{most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.} \line{\br} \line{Of her, Immanuel, the Christ was born} \line{in Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,} \line{and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say:} \line{'most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.'} }}\p{After one more reading, we performed what I think was a highlight of the whole service, and one of our best performances, Lauridsen's [O Magnum Mysterium](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ-nuU-hda8):}\quote{ \table{ \tr{ \td{O mágnum mystérium} \td{O great mystery,} }\tr{ \td{et admirábile sacraméntum,} \td{and wondrous sacrament,} }\tr{ \td{ut animália vidérent Dóminum nátum,} \td{that animals should see the newborn Lord,} }\tr{ \td{jacéntem in præsépio.} \td{lying in a manger.} }\tr{ \td{Beáta virgo, cújus víscera meruérunt} \td{Blessed virgin, whose womb was worthy} }\tr{ \td{portáre Dóminum Chrístum. Alleluia} \td{to bear the Lord Christ. Alleluia} } }}\p{Then we processed out [while shepherds washed their socks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOA2Y9Ms34s) and ascended to the organ loft for the remainder of the service, where we performed Warlock's [Bethlehem Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQnuxaqbYx8). I heard that anthem was written on a napkin by an alcoholic and antitheist Peter Warlock in exchange for beer money, and that he died a few years after writing it. But the anthem itself is quite special.}\quote{\poem{\line{When He is King we will give him the King's gifts,} \line{Myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown,} \line{"Beautiful robes", said the young girl to Joseph} \line{Fair with her first-born on Bethlehem Down.} \line{\br} \line{Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight} \line{Winds for the spices, and stars for the gold,} \line{Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music} \line{Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.} \line{\br} \line{When He is King they will clothe Him in grave-sheets,} \line{Myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown,} \line{He that lies now in the white arms of Mary} \line{Sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.} \line{\br} \line{Here He has peace and a short while for dreaming,} \line{Close-huddled oxen to keep Him from cold,} \line{Mary for love, and for lullaby music} \line{Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.}}}\p{This was followed by another congregational carol with Willcocks descant, [Hark the Herald Angels Sing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bwn0k0k8xI) and our last anthem of the evening, Wood's [Hey you! The Middle Ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf202pdjMZk). }\quote{ \poem{ \line{O thou the central orb of righteous love,} \line{Pure beam of the Most High,} \line{Eternal Light of this our wintry world,} \line{Thy radiance bright awakes new joy in faith,} \line{Hope soars above.} \line{\br} \line{Come, quickly come and let thy glory shine,} \line{Gilding our darksome heav'n with rays divine.} \line{Thy saints with holy lustre round thee move,} \line{As stars about thy throne, set in the height} \line{Of God's ordaining counsel, } \line{As thy sight gives measured grace to each.} \line{Thy power to prove.} \line{\br} \line{Let thy bright beams disperse the gloom of sin,} \line{Our nature all shall feel eternal day,} \line{In fellowship with thee,} \line{Transforming day to souls erewhile unclean,} \line{now pure within.} \line{\br} \line{Amen.} }}\p{Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas Carols service without the "Word of the Father" chord, so we finished up with Willcocks' arrangement of [O Come, All Ye Faithful](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkS57yCIk7E).}