‘COMMUNION ANTIPHON -COMMUNION HYMN ’
From
at least the time of St Augustine (354-430) it was customary to sing a
psalm during the procession of the communicants, particularly Psalm 34
due to its ninth verse ‘Taste and see how good the Lord is’. In Rome, and later elsewhere, the choir and subdeacons sang in alternation the sequence of the Psalter.
With
the growing length of the sung Agnus Dei and the decline of number of
communicants, the verses became omitted, and the antiphon alone was sung
after the communion.
The
Order of the Mass restored this ancient chant as an accompaniment to
the reception of the Eucharist. Since the communion of priest and
people forms a single rite, the communion antiphon begins when the
priest receives the sacrament and continues through the communion hymn.
When there is no singing, the communion antiphon is recited by the
congregation and reader as the priest receives from the chalice.
During
the reception of communion, a communion hymn is sung. Its function is
to express outwardly the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the
unity of their voices, to give evidence of joy of heart, and to make the
procession to receive Christ’s body more fully an act of community.
However, during the important Church year seasons of Advent, Christmas,
Lent, and Easter, specific guidelines recommend a communion hymn, which
is seasonal in nature.
St Augustine reminds us that ‘to sing is to pray twice’. Of
course, there may be many valid reasons why we may feel reluctant to
sing at Mass- but perhaps, we can make an extra effort as a
congregation, to join our hearts and voice together in praise of God.
Let us keep up the well established tradition and sing to God as one voice.
