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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Deo Gratias

Fr. David Friel · November 28, 2013

HANKS BE TO GOD. Deo Gratias. You can always tell how many Catholics are in the congregation by the strength of the response the lector gets after saying, “The Word of the Lord.” “Thanks be to God” is a liturgical formula with which all churchgoers are very familiar, because we repeat the phrase two or three times in every Mass.

The first time we say it is after the first reading (and after the second reading, too, if one is appointed for the liturgy being celebrated). The other time the phrase is used is at the end of Mass, in response to the dismissal, “Go in peace.” At both moments, something similar is happening. At both times, we have just received something.

In the first case, we have just received the Lord in His holy Word in the Sacred Scriptures. The second time we have just received our Lord in His holy Eucharist. That is an interesting rhythm: as soon as we receive something, we say “Thanks be to God.”

That’s not such a bad rhythm to adopt and apply to all the facets of our life. When we receive anything at all, is it our natural inclination to say, “Thanks be to God”? It should be, but often it’s not. Too often, our natural inclination is to think that we worked hard for what we got, so there’s no one to thank but ourselves. Other times, our reaction to receiving something might be to complain that it’s not exactly what we wanted or to philosophize about how the thing we received could be improved.

The liturgy gives us a better model. As soon as we receive anything, we should simply respond, “Thanks be to God.” After all, as St. Paul wisely asks: “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor 4:7).

No matter what we receive, let’s be grateful.

•  Food
•  Shelter
•  Family
•  Friends
•  Education
•  Good reputation
•  A second chance
•  Intelligence
•  Artistic ability
•  Employment
•  Good health

For all these things—to whatever degree and in whatever timeframe we receive them—we ought to be grateful. For all the many gifts we have received, we say with heartfelt conviction: “Thanks be to God.”

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Novus Ordo Lectionary Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

An Indult of the “Commission for Russia” (25 November 1929) authorizes Bishops and Administrators Apostolic in Russia to permit the celebration of Mass and the reception of Holy Communion in the afternoon or evening, on condition that a Eucharistic fast of four hours from noon be observed.

— Sacred Congregation of Rites, 25 nov 1929

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