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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Sin & Error Pining

Fr. David Friel · December 18, 2011

The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent this year tells the story of the Annunciation—the most astounding event in all of human history. And it is a dramatic story.

From the time of Adam & Eve to the time of Mary & Joseph, mankind had suffered under the burden of original sin. There had been no satisfactory remedy for it. Humanity had original sin, which is an infinite debt, but no way to pay it back, since all of us are finite beings. Jesus, being the Son of God from before all time, was infinite and therefore had the power to pay the debt. But He was a divine Person, not a human being. If only somehow Jesus, the infinite divine God, could become a man, there would finally be a way to rescue mankind from original sin.

So God devised this plan. He sent an angel, named Gabriel, to appear to a teenage girl, named Mary. The angel went on to tell Mary not to be afraid, for, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son.” (To say the young girl was surprised would be an understatement.) “How can this be?” she asked. After Gabriel explained the situation a bit further, Mary uttered the most fantastic response: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Right then, in that moment, the world was changed. Mary said, Fiat!, and all of a sudden, we were never the same. God asked Mary to give Him a human nature, and she said, “Yes, be it done unto me!” Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, and God truly became man. That’s what we mean when we pray in our new creed: “For us men and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”

At last there was a divine Person with a human nature! He was divine so that He could pay an infinite debt. He was human so that He could pay it on our behalf—as “one of us.” The long, sad story of brokenness and sin that began with Adam & Eve had finally come to an end. “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘til He appeared.”

The Annunciation was, without a doubt, the most astounding moment in all of human history. But it was not a singular event. That is, it wasn’t an unrepeatable event. Quite the contrary, in fact.

Every single day, God says to us, “Hail Susan,” “Hail Frank,” “Hail Theresa,” “Hail Stephen,” “Hail Joan,” “Hail David, full of grace!” He asks men & women the world over, “Will you give me a human nature? Just as Mary said, ‘Yes,’ and gave my Son, Jesus, a human nature, will you let Me have your human nature? May I use you, in your humanity, to make known the glory of My Name?”

Can you sense the drama? The “world in silent stillness waits” for us to respond, “Yes . . . be it done unto me!”

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

Filed Under: Articles 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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President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on what each translator wants to emphasize and which source text is chosen. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF example) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The old Roman rite had the offering by the people and then, as offertory-prayer, what we call the “Secret.” The name “Secreta” means that it was said in a low voice, because the offertory-psalm was being sung. For the same reason it is not preceded by “Oremus.”

— Father Adrian Fortescue

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