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‘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.
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