Music for the Second Sunday of Advent

I am taking a sabbatical from my full Musical Advent Calendar. I hope to prepare the full calendar in again for Advent 2017, but for Advent 2016, I will have a selection for each Sunday of this season. New posts in the series will be available on Saturday evenings.

Sunday, December 4 | The Second Sunday of Advent

"O Magnum Mysterium"

Words are a responsorial chant from the Matins of Christmas

Musical setting my Morten Lauridsen, 1994

Performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, during "Christmas at King's," 2009

O magnum mysterium et admirable sacramentum
O great mystery and wonderful sacrament
Ut animalia viderent Dominum natum jacentem in praesepio
That animals should see the newborn Lord lying in a manger
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear
Dominum Christum, amen
The Lord Christ, amen

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.

The Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent