Suggested Song Mass Line-Up for January 1, 2012 (New Year)

SONG LINE UP SUGGESTIONS (by: JR Medina)

Sunday, 1 Jan 2012
Solemnity of Mary Mother of God 
& World Day of Prayer for Peace
Liturgical Color: White, but blue is also acceptable


Pasensya na po at hindi ako nakagawa ng Cebuano Guide for the Mass. Siguro from the songs suggested by Kuya JR Medina of Tagalog and English Mass ay makakakuha kayo ng idea kung ano 'yung mga pwede nating kantahin for Cebuano Mass... Happy New Year po :)

                                                                                                         Brian Gangca

Readings

1R: From Numbers 6:22-27: Moses, the acknowledged author of the Book of Numbers, is told by God to teach Aaron and his sons (who were chosen by God to become His priests) on how they ought to bless the Israelites: ‘Say, “May God bless you and keep you.” 

RP: 67

May God bless us in His mercy.

2R: From Galatians 4:4-7. Consequential Ideas: 
1. God sent His Son Who was born of a woman.
2. He lived among us to free us who are enslaved.
3. We thus become adopted children of God.
4. We may thus call God father.
5. As God’s children, we are no longer slaves.

G: Luke 2:16-21

1. Shepherds visit the Savior.
2. After leaving, the shepherds make the message about the arrival of the promised Savior known to others.
3. Mary kept all these, reflecting on them in her heart.
4. The baby was circumicised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 

Important Ideas:
1. Chosenness 
2. God’s blessings 
3. Jesus as sent by the Father for our salvation in fulfillment of His promise 
4. As He is now with us and like us, we are adopted children of the father, 
5. The shepherds and the news about the baby Jesus
6. Mary’s pondering
7. Mary Mother of God
8. January 1 is also World Day of Prayer for Peace

Filipino:

E: 
1. Bayan Magsiawit na! (Aquino) “Dakilang biyayang pangako Niya, sumilay na” is to Important Idea (II) 3. 
2. Bayan umawit (Borres, Baltazar, Francisco) “Iika’y pinili” is to II 1.


PERSONAL REFLECTION OF BRIAN GANGCA:

The name "January" comes from the Roman god Janus, the god with two faces, one looking to the past and the other looking to the future. This is indeed a time to look back at the year that has just ended and to look forward to the new year ahead of us. How did I spend this one year of my life that has just passed? Did I use it to advance my goals and objectives in life? Did I use it to enhance the purpose of my existence? Could I have done better last year in the way I invested my time between the demands of work, family, friends and society, and the demands of my spiritual life? What things did I achieve last year and what did I fail to achieve? How can I consolidate the achievements of last year while reversing the failures and losses in this new year? Through soul searching questions like these we find that a review of the past year naturally leads to setting goals and resolutions for the new year.

There are people who tell you that there is no point making new year resolutions. Do not believe them. We must set goals and make resolutions as a necessary conclusion to our review of the past year. And we do need to review our lives from year to year because, as Socrates says, the unexamined life is not worth living.

Today's newspapers are full of individual and collective new year resolutions. Most of those, however, are not resolutions at all but only wishes. What is the difference between a resolution and a wish? A wish identifies a goal one wants to reach, a resolution specifies the steps one will take to reach it. A wish says this is where I want to be, a resolution says this is the road I will take, this is what I will do to get there. The wishful person says "I want to pass my exams this year" and the resolved person says "I will devote an extra hour to my studies everyday in order to pass my exams." The wishful person says "I will have more peace and love in my family this year" and the resolved person says "I will spend more time with my family at table instead of rushing off to the TV, so that we get to know and understand ourselves better." The wishful person says "I will live a life of union with God this year" and the resolved person says "I will set aside this time everyday to pray and hear God's word." The difference between wishing and resolving is: are we prepared to do what it takes to make our dreams come true, are we prepared to pay the price?

The gospel today presents Mary to us as a model of that new life in Christ that all of us wish for ourselves in the new year. There we see that Mary was prepared to do something to realize this goal. What did she do? We read that the shepherds, when they went to adore the Child Jesus in the manger, told all that the angels had said to them. "But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Again after the boy Jesus was found in the Temple, we are told that "His mother treasured all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:51). Mary was a woman who valued the word of God, who treasured it and made time to meditate and ponder it. It is true that the holiness of Mary is attributed to the grace of God, but this should not make us forget that she needed to make an effort in order to cooperate with the grace of God. She pondered the word of God in order to discern what God was saying to her at every stage in her life as the handmaid of God.

The two examples above of Mary pondering the word of God, namely, after the visit of the shepherds and after the finding in the temple, show that Mary found the word of God both in divine revelation (the angels' words to the shepherds) and in her own experiences (her encounter with her son in the temple). Similarly God speaks to us today through divine revelation (e.g. the Bible, the teaching and preaching of the Church) as well as through our personal experiences, if only we made time to reflect on them as Mary did.

Whatever the situation in which we find ourselves - a hardship, a disappointment, a decision to make - God has a solution, an answer that is right for us. We tell God about it in prayer but we also listen to what God has to tell us about it. Prayer is a conversation with God but sometimes all we do is pick up the phone, read out the list of our problems to God and drop the phone without listening to hear what God has to say to us. Let us today resolve to listen more to the voice of God, to treasure God's word and ponder it in our hearts. Then shall we be able to realize our new year resolution of a new life in union with God.

P of the G: 
1. Narito Ako (San Andres) “Pakikinggan at itatago sa sulok ng puso” is to G3.
2. Sumasamo kami (Judan) Prioritize Stanza 3: “Sundin ang ‘Yong kalooban” is reminiscent of Mary’s “Let it be done unto me according to Your word.”
3. Kay Gandang Alay in A Time to Fly By Ateneo Boys Choir 


C: Pwede pagpilian:
1. Liwnagan Mo, Jesus (Aquino) “Daigdig ginawang tahanan ng Diyos nating mahal” is to II 4.
2. Pagsibol (Aquino) is good for New Years Day. 
3. Ang Diyos na Sanggol (Hontiveros) is to II 3.
4. Isang Sanggol (Ramirez) 
5. Villancico is to G 1
6. Kapayapaan (Aquino) is to II 8.
8. Villancico Flamenco (See, Hontiveros, Mehlemans). Stanza 2 is parallel to G 4.

2nd Communion songs just in case mahaba ang pila for Communion:
1. Ang Puso Ko’y Nagpupuri (Honti)
2. Noong Paskong Una (Pagsanghan & Francisco) “Si Maria ang ina”
3. Mariang Ina Ko (Pagsanghan & Francisco)
4. Shallom by JMM in Sumibol by Dulaang Sibol

R: 
1. Ito ang Bagong Araw (Isidro and Ramirez)
2. Pagmamahal sa Panginoon (Hontiveros)
3. Aba Ginoong Maria “Ina ng Diyos”
4. Pananagutan (Honti) Prioritize Stanza 3. “Tayo’y tinuring ng Panginoon bilang mga anak” is reminiscent of II 4.
5. Try natin ang Kahit na Abril ay parang Pasko pa rin.


English:

E: 
1. All the Ends of the Earth (Dufford) “For the Lord of the earth... has come) is to II 
2. City of God (Schutte)
3. Glory and Praise to Our God (Schutte) Prioritize Stanza 3. It is reminiscent of II 4.
4. Lover of us all (also Schutte) “the children of Your loving”
5. The Lord bless you and keep you is reminiscent of 1R.
6. Sing a New Song (also Schutte) Prioritize Stanza 2.
7. Sing to the Mountains (Dufford)
8. Throughout all time (Haas)
9. A Christmas Praise (Aquino & Agatep)
10. Angels we have heard on high. But start from Stanza 2. “Shepherds why this jubilee?”

P of the G: 
1. Dwelling Place (Foley) Prioritize Stanza 3.
2. Earthen Vessels (Foley)
3. Prayer of Rupert Mayer (Francisco) This song may be viewed also as a song of Mary.
4. Take and Receive “Do what Thou wilt command and I obey” is almost similar to Mary’s fiat.
5. Take, Lord, Receive (Foley) Prioritize Stanza 3. “Dispose of it, wholly according to Your will.”

C: Pwedeng pagpilian:
1. Magnificat (Haas) 
2. One more Gift (Francisco) is to II 8
3. Prayer for Peace (Haas)
4. Shelter Me O God (Hurd & Kingsbury) Prioritize Stanza 2. “As a mother gathers her young beneath her care”
5. Sing of Him (Dufford) Prioritize Stanza 2 “Ponder it deeply”
6. The First Noel. But reserve Stanza 3 for the occasion of the Lord’s Epiphany.
7. So the Love of God (D Schutte) "We are God's children, family forever" is parallel to 2R Nos. 3 & 4

2nd Communion Song just in case mahaba ang pila
1. God rest ye merry Gentlemen
2. God with us
3. Have yourself a merry little Christmas
4. Peace Prayer (Hangad). I don’t understand the lyrics, este the syllables, but I’m fascinated by it. Besides, hindi na Advent, so pwede na ang instrumental solos.
5. Lovely Lady dressed in blue (JMM in Sumibol by Dulaang Sibol) “God was just your little boy”

R:
1. I will sing forever (Francisco) “And a song of gentle mercy and of peace.”
2. Let there be peace on earth (Miller & Jackson)
3. The Work of Christmas (Arboleda)
4. Mother Mary in Ateneo Boys’ Choir A Time to Fly
5. Hail Mary “Mother of God”
6. Mary Immaculate “Mother of God”
7. Auld Lang Syne (but ask permission from your PP and Music Ministry first)

Suggested Mass Line-up for December 25, 2011 (Mass during the Day)

Suggested Song Line-up (by JR Medina)

Sunday, December 25, 2011 Solemnity of the Lord's Birth (Mass during the day)
Liturgical Color: White
Note: This is the same as last year's.


Pasensya na po at hindi ako nakagawa ng Cebuano Guide for the Mass. Siguro from the songs suggested by Kuya JR Medina of Tagalog and English Mass ay makakakuha kayo ng idea kung ano 'yung mga pwede nating kantahin for Cebuano Mass... Merry Christmas po :)

                                                                                                         Brian Gangca

Readings:

1R: Isaiah 52:7-10 says: Let Zion rejoice for the Lord shall restore it. The Lord bared His arm in the sight of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.

RP: Ps 98: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

2R: From Hebrews 1:1-6: Previously God spoke to mankind through the prophets, but now, it is through His Son, Who is as the Father is, superior to all.

G: 

1. John the Evangelist’s exalted “In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”
2. John the Baptist is not the light, but will testify to the true Light Who is about to come.

Important Ideas: God the Father and God the Son; the Word of God and the Son of God is/are one and the same

Filipino: 

E:
1. Purihi’t Pasalamatan (Simplicio Esteban & Eddie Hontiveros SJ). Sing only Stanzas 1 & 2.
2. Bayan, Magsiawit Na! (Aquino) Prioritize Stanza 2.
3. Dinggin Mo “Bigyan Mo kami ng liwanag, tibay at pananalig” is reminiscent of G No. 2
4. Halina at Lumapit (Ruben Habito)
5. Magpuri sa Panginoon (Hontiveros)
6. Pagmamahal sa Panginoon (also Honti)
7. Pasko ng Paglaya (Arboleda-Francisco). Stanza 1's "Bayan magalak sa Mabuting Balita" is a short introduction to G No. 1.

Alleluia. This is an excellent Sunday to sing the Alleluia that goes: “Salamat sa Diyos (2x), Sa Wika Mong banal, salamat po. Salamat sa Diyos (2x), Sa Bugtong Mong Anak, salamat po. Aleluya! (7x)

PERSONAL REFLECTION OF BRIAN GANGCA:

Santa's most popular reindeer by far is Rudolf, Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer. Here is his story as told in music by Johnny Marks: Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him, you would even say it glows. All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rudolf play in any reindeer games. Then one foggy Christmas eve Santa came to say: "Rudolf with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" Then all the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee: "Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer, you'll go down in history!" The story of Rudolf, is the story of salvation. It is our story both as individuals and as the human family. In our own case it is not Santa who saves us but the Child Jesus.

To begin with, Rudolf was a misfit. Compared to the image of the ideal reindeer we can say that something was definitely wrong with him. What is more, he was not in any position to help himself. So are we all, misfits, as the Bible tells us. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). Like lost sheep we are not in a position to help ourselves. Rudolf could not help himself. All that his fellow reindeer did was to makes things worse for him. Only one person could help him, Santa, the messenger from heaven.

Today we celebrate the birth of the Messenger from heaven. As we read in today's gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 14). He comes to liberate us from the human predicament, our sinfulness. For it is sin that mars and disfigures the beautiful image of God that we all are. Sin turns us into a despicable Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer. But the heavenly Messenger comes, not to take away the red nose but to declare to us the Good News that we are acceptable to God even with the red nose. Rudolf's red nose was a defect. But Santa chose him precisely on account of that. The heavenly Messenger has the ability to turn the defects and red noses of our tainted humanity into assets for the service of God. Jesus is this heavenly messenger.

What makes the reindeer gospel so poignant is that Santa does not use his magic wand to heal Rudolf of his red nose defect. He let him go on with the red nose even as his chosen reindeer. Certainly Rudolf would have wanted nothing so much as to be a normal reindeer like all the rest. Similarly Jesus does not simply make us good men and women, rather he makes us into people who can use all their strengths and defects to the service and the glory of God. This is the proof to us that it is not by our own will power that we are able to become children of God. It is by God's grace, by God's unmerited and unconditional love of us. As God tells St Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

How does the grace of God achieve this transformation in us? God's grace works two things in us: enlightenment and empowerment. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). God's truth enlightens us and God grace empowers us. God's truth enlightens us to see ourselves and our world in a new light. It is a word that brings reassurance, affirmation and hope. You can imagine how Rudolf felt when he heard the words of Santa, "Rudolf with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" That is why we call it the Good News. It is news that is liberating and empowering. It empowers us by changing our former disposition of insecurity, despair and hopelessness into that of blessed assurance, new hope and enthusiasm in the Lord's service.

Like Rudolf before Santa, let us today listen to the Message that the Child Jesus brings us, let us commit ourselves into his service without looking back, even when we do not know where the journey will lead us, knowing one thing for sure: that the grace of God will supply the strength we need for the long journey of faith ahead. "For to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God" (John 1:12).

P of the G: Narito Ako (Rene San Andres) “Sa kasulatan ‘Yong turo” is a quick reminder of the Word of God.

C:
1. Ama Kong Mahal (Aquino)
2. Pag-ibig Mo Ama (Ando Macalinao SJ & Honti)
3. Pagsibol (Aquino)
4. Isang Sanggol (Ramirez)
5. Bituin (Aquino) JC is “giliw ng Diyos” in Koro 1.

R: Pasko’y Sumapit Na (Isidro & Que) Stanza 1's "Ay si Hesus ang Diyos nating tunay" is sobrang swak sa G.


English:

E: 
1. A Christmas Praise (Aquino & Agatep)
2. Hark! The herald angels Sing. Prioritize Stanzas 2 & 3. "Hail the Incarnate Deity" brings G to mind. 
3. All the ends of the earth (kay Tito Bob toh) an echo of 1R.

P of the G: We Remember (Marty Haugen). First make sure this isn’t one of your service songs. The Refrain would be like:
We remember how You loved us: through His birth
And now we celebrate for He is with us here.
And we believe that we will see Him when He comes
In His glory. 
Lord, we remember, we celebrate, we believe.

Prioritize Stanza Nos. 2 & 3

C: 
1. God with us (Dan Schutte) Consider making this as the 2nd Communion song. 
2. Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming. Stanza 3's "True man, yet very God" is the very message of G No. 1.

R: 
1. The Work of Christmas (Arboleda)
2. Carol of the Bells