JANUARY 1, SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (A, B, C) Lectionary #18
“Theotokos,” translated as “God-bearer” or “Mother of God,” is one of the most important titles given to Mary. It is also important in clarifying the Church's belief that Jesus did not simply “become” God; he was divine from his conception. So this feast, which appears to be a feast of Mary, is actually a further clarification of the meaning of Christmas.
Numbers 6:22-27. To be able to name God and to use the divine name suggested an intimate connection between God and the people. The same is true for those who call themselves "Christians."
Psalm of the Day: Ps (66) 67. This hymn of praise echoes phrases from the "blessing of Aaron" in the first reading; it calls on all the nations to praise God, who rules the whole world with justice.
May God Bless Us PSL A-21/SS
May God Bless Us (Alstott) BB
May God Bless Us (Batastini/Gelineau) WOR 783/RS 95/LPGG 785
May God Bless Us (Guimont) GC 66/GC2 936/RS 94/LPMG 18
May God Bless Us (Hunstiger) SS
May God Bless Us (Kogut) PCY10 28
May God Bless Us (Kraehenbuehl) PMB 573/PRM A11
May God Bless Us (Schiavone) JS 897/LP 27
O God, Be Gracious (Lee/Young) CBW 36
Galatians 4:4-7. Because we are united to Christ, we can address God as "Abba," the title that Jesus seemed to prefer to use. In fact, because Christ's spirit lives in us, we are children of God.
Luke 2:16-21. Most of this text is a reprise of the Gospel reading for Christmas Mass at Dawn, which connects this feast to Christmas. It continues with the account of Jesus' circumcision and his naming. "Jesus" is the Greek version of "Joshua," which means "liberator" or "savior."
Songs for the Liturgy
*A Blessing (1) WC 766/WS/PMB 471
*A Light Will Shine (E) PSL A-13/SS
All Who Claim the Faith of Jesus (G) RS 897
Ave Maria (G) WOR 713/GC 785, 789/GC2 772, 774/MI‑BB/RS 896, 898/GP 429/WC 972/PMB 532/JS 493, 504/SS
Blessed One WS
Bwana Awabariki/May God Grant You a Blessing (1) LMGM 155
By God Kept Pure WS
Carol at the Manger (G) GC 369/GC2 354/RS 516
Child of Mercy (G) RS 506/GC 357/GC2 368/SS
*Hail, Holy Mother (E) IH 10
Hail Mary: Gentle Woman (G) GP 426/JS 489/GC 782/GC2 779/MI‑BB/WC 974/WS
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (2) WOR 387/JS 345/CBW 323/WC 490/GP 317/LMGM 13/BB/GC 348/GC2 356/RS 502/WS/PMB 199/SS
I Sing a Maid (G) GC 781/GC2 777/CBW 462/RS 899
*Jesus Christ, the Same (C) PSL A-22/SS
*Jesus Christ, Yesterday, Today and Forever (C) RS 679/GC 745/GC2 730/SS
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (G) WOR 374/GP 320/LMGM 24/BB/JS 338/WC 497/GC 368/GC2 373/WS/PMB 210/SS
*Lord, Today (E) RS 536/GC 375/GC2 385/GP 338
Magnificat/Canticle of Mary (2) WOR 15, 87, 88, 534, 553/WC 208, 223, 456, 458/MI‑BB/RS 17, 209, 210, 211, 656, 675/GP 163, 291, 292, 427, 428, 433, 434, 436/GC 14, 145, 146, 534, 788/GC2 13, 84, 522, 773, 782/CBW 14I, 575, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678/JS 11, 119, 120, 495, 501, 503, 505/PMB 9, 180, 181, 182/WS/SS
*Mary, Full of Grace (G) MI‑BB
Mary, Woman of the Promise (2,G) CBW 465/MI-BB/JS 496/SS
*May God Bless and Keep You (1,Ps) JS 827/MI‑BB/GP 623/GC 577
*May God Bless You (1,Ps) JS 566/MI‑BB/GP 467
*May the Lord, Mighty God (1,Ps) RS 721/GC 589
O Chosen One (2,G) GP 435
O God, Our Help in Ages Past (New Year) WOR 579/CBW 644/GP 613/LMGM 230/MI‑BB/JS 705/WC 842/GC 614/GC2 588/RS 735/WS/PMB 435/SS
O Holy Mary (G) JS 494/MI‑BB
Of the Father's Love Begotten (2) WOR 398/CBW 330/JS 349/WC 487/BB/GC 351/GC2 374/RS 510/PMB 211/WS/SS
Salamu Maria LMGM 98
She Will Show Us the Promised One (G) WC 985/PMB 539
Sing of Mary (G) WOR 404/GP 432/LMGM 100/MI‑BB/JS 490/WC 983/GC 783/GC2 778/RS 528/WS/PMB 538/SS
Song of Mary JS 498/MI-BB
Stainless the Maiden (G) WC 981/WS
The God Whom Earth and Sea and Sky (2,G) WOR 405/CBW 464/JS 514/SS
The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy (G) GC 345/GC2 378/RS 501/HG 21
There Is Nothing Told (G) GP 431/MI‑BB/JS 502
Virgin Born, We Bow before You (G) WOR 403/RS 527
What Child Is This (G) WOR 411/CBW 338/GP 337/LMGM 29/BB/JS 365/WC 522/GC 380/GC2 387/RS 530/WS/PMB 216/SS
Entrance Antiphon See Isaiah 9: 2, Luke 1: 33
| Title of Anthem, Voicing & Instrumentation | Composer/arranger/editor | Publisher & edition # | |
| Aaronic Blessing, The (SATB) | Willan, Healey | C.F. Peters (6099) | 1 |
| Almighty God, Which Hast Me Brought | Ford, T. | CPDL | G |
| Awake, My Glory (SATB, Organ, opt. Guitar) | Diemer, Emma Lou | Abingdon (APM-962) | PS |
| Babe Is Born in Bethlehem, A (SATB, Organ) | Van Dyke, Paul C. | Flammer (A-5549) | E |
| Benediction, The (SATB) | Nystedt, Knut | Associated (A-500) | 1 |
| Child Is Born in Bethlehem, A (SATB, 8 Handbells) | Batastini, Robert (arr.) | GIA (G-2309) | E |
| Child Is Born in Bethlehem, A (SATB, organ) | Nestor, Leo | E.C. Schirmer (ECS 4389) | E |
| Child Is Born in Bethlehem, A (SAB, 5 Handbells) | Proulx, Richard | GIA (G-4651) | E |
| Christians, Awake (SATB) | Wainwright | Oxford (from Oxford New Carols, p. 244) | G |
| Deus, Misereatur Nostri (SATB) Deus, Misereatur Nostri (SATB) |
Schütz, Heinreich/Klein, Maynard Schütz, Heinreich/Ehret, Walter |
G. Schirmer (11969) Tetra (A. Broude) (AB 742) |
PS |
| Ecce Concipies (SATB, a cappella Latin Ecce Concipies (SATB, a cappella, Latin/English) Ecce Concipies (SATB, a cappella, Latin) |
Handl, Jacob Handl, Jacob/Simkins, Carl Handl, Jacob |
Arista (AE 243) Concordia (98-2244) * J.W. Chester (55107) |
E |
| Ecce Concipes | Handl | CPDL – I.C. | G |
| Festival Psalm (SATB, Organ) | Arnatt, Ronald | H.W. Gray (CMR 2684) | PS |
| For Unto Us A Child is Born (SATB, SAB) | Händel, George F. | Various Editions | E |
| For Unto Us A Child Is Born (SAB, Soprano, Alto, Bass soli, 2 violins, continuo, English/German) |
Krieger, J. P. | Concordia (97-4692) * | E |
| God Be Merciful (SS or SA, Organ) | Bouman, Paul | Concordia (98-2471) * | PS |
| God Be Merciful (SATB) | Tchesnokoff, Paul/Dash, James A. | Summy Birchard (J5525) | PS |
| God Be Merciful Unto Us (SATB, Organ) | Aston, Peter | Novello (MT.1494) | PS |
| God Be Merciful Unto Us (SSA) | Willan, Healey | Concordia (97-7160) * | PS |
| God Sent Forth His Son (SATB, Organ/Keyboard) | Gibbs, Aller Orton | Abingdon (APM-966) | 2 |
| Let All the Peoples Praise Thee (SA, Organ) | Powell, Robert J. | Concordia (98-1973) * | PS |
| Let the People Praise Thee, O God (SATB, 2 Trumpets) | Berger, Jean | Tetra (A Broude) (754) | PS |
| Let the People Praise Thee, O God from “Festival Service Book #8” (SATB, Organ) |
Firth, Michael | RSMC | PS |
| Let the People Praise Thee, O God (Unison, 2 Violins, Continuo) | Hammerschmidt, A./Oberdoerffer | Concordia (98-1826) * | PS |
| Let the People Praise Thee, O God (SATB, Organ) | Mathias, William | Oxford (A-331) | PS |
| Let All Peopl Praise Thee, O God (SAB, Organ) | Shaw, Martin | Novello (85079) | PS |
| Lord Be Merciful Unto us, Op. 259, No. 2 (SATB) | Hovhaness, Alan | Rongwen (Broude Brothers) (RM 3527) | PS |
| Lord Bless You, The (SATB) | Mueller, Carl F. | G. Schirmer (8069) | 1 |
| Lord Bless You and Keep You, The (SATB) Lord Bless You and Keep You, The (SATB) |
Lutkin, Peter Lutkin, Peter |
Concordia (97-6320) * Presser (312.40420) |
1 |
| Lord Bless You and Keep You, The (SATB, keyboard) | Rutter, John | Hinshaw (HMC-570) | 1 |
| May the Peoples Praise You, O God (Unison) | Gieseke, Richard | Concordia (98-2929) | PS |
| O Mary of All (from Two Hymns in the Dorian Mode) (SATB) | Jennings, Joseph Wilcox | World Library (CA-1681-8) | G |
| Of Woman Born (2-part mixed, children's choir, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, keyboard) | O'Brien, Fran | GIA (G-5916) | G |
| O God, Be Merciful (SATB) | Tye, Christopher/Buck, P.C. | Oxford | PS |
| People Who Walked in Darkness, The (SAB) | Gieseke, Richard | Concordia (97-5481) | E |
| Psalm 67 (Unison, SATB) | Horman, John | Choristers Guild (CGA 589) | PS |
| Psalm 67 (SAB, Organ) | Wood, Dale | Augsburg (11-9376) * | PS |
| Psalm 67 (SATB, Glockenspiel, String Bass, Organ) | Zimmerman, Heinz W. | Carl Fischer (CM 7857) | PS |
| Puer Natus Est Nobis (SAB, Latin, English) Puer Natus Est Nobis (SAB, Latin, English) |
Morales, Cristobal/Stone, KurtMorales, Cristobal/Proulx, Richard | Broude Brothers (BB 4071)GIA (G-4154) | E |
| Puer Natus In Bethlehem (SATB, C instrument, Continuo) | Werner, Gregor/Klammer,Edward | GIA (G-3034) | E |
| Sixty-Seventh Psalm, The (SSATB) | Ives, Charles | Associated (1-274) | PS |
| Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly (SATB, keyboard) | Armstrong, Matthew | Concordia (Logia) (98-3366) | G |
| To Us A Child Is Born (SATB, organ) | Schütz, Heinrich/Wunderlich, R.E. | Concordia (98-1494) | E |
| Unto Us A Child Is Born (SATB/SATB) | Franck, Melchior/Ehret, Walter | Shawnee (A-1522) | E |
| Unto Us A Child Is Born from “We Praise Thee,” Vol. 1 (SSA) | Willan, Healey | Concordia (97-7564) | E |
| Verga Jesse | Bruckner | CPDL | G |
| What Child Is This? (SATB) | Warland, Dale (arr.) | Jenson Publications (419-23-44, Vol. 1) |
G |
* out of print