Advent Sacred Music Showcase

Beautiful sacred music for Advent is abundant! I would like to highlight some of the beautiful hymns that we will use this Advent that may be new to us here at St. Louis de Montfort. Click each song title below to hear it!

1st Sunday of Advent: Wake, Awake for Night is Flying

This hymn, originally in German and written around 1599, is based on the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). It places great emphasis on the swiftness of the night, and to arise and joyfully prepare to greet the long-awaited King. The hymn tune, Wachet Auf, translates into English as “wake up!” The composer wrote this hymn when the plague was rampant in his town, likely influencing his theme of urgency to be ready to meet the Lord. The melody that accompanies the text reminds us to be joyful as we prepare to meet the King – what a joyful day it will be, indeed!

2nd Sunday of Advent: Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending

This hymn, published in 1763, contains text based in the Book of Revelation, especially Revelation 1:7, regarding the second coming of the Lord. The deeply poetic text is rich in its imagery of our crucified Lord with the “tokens of his Passion still dazzling” and robed in majesty at the end of time. A profound text with a majestic melody has made this hymn a treasure for centuries.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception: Thou Art the Star of the Morning

This Marian hymn has a French melody and text published by Helen Condon in 1953. The verses speak to some of the titles of Mary that appear in the Litany of Loreto: “Star of the Morning”, “Tower of Ivory”, “Shining Mirror”, and “Help of Christians.” The melody for the verses creates a lovely, mysterious sound and the refrain takes on a triumphant, joyful sound as we proclaim, “Hail, Heaven’s Queen! O lux caelestia (O celestial light)! Thou giver of all gladness, O plena gratia (O full of grace!)”

3rd Sunday of Advent: Alma Redemptoris Mater (“Loving Mother of Our Redeemer”)

This beautiful Marian chant is one of the four seasonal Marian antiphons sung at the end of “Compline” (Night Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours during Advent. Blessed Hermann of Reichenau (also known as “ Hermann the Cripple”), who was an 11th century Benedictine monk, authored this chant and likely two other popular Catholic chants, the “Salve Regina” and “Veni Sancte Spiritus.”  Here is the English translation of the text: Loving Mother of the Redeemer,

who remains the accessible Gateway of Heaven, and Star of the Sea, give aid to a falling people that strives to rise; O Thou who begot thy holy Creator, while all nature marveled,

Virgin before and after receiving that "Ave" from the mouth of Gabriel, have mercy on sinners.

4th Sunday of Advent: The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came

This Basque carol, based on the 14th century Latin carol, “Angelus ad Virginem”, tells the story of the Annunciation and Mary’s joyful “yes” to becoming the mother of Jesus. The poetic description of the Archangel Gabriel – “his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame” – and the Blessed Virgin Mary – “gentle Mary meekly bowed her head” – with this mysterious yet majestic melody creates a fantastic hymn that showcases Mary’s nobility and humility.

Rorate Caeli Mass (December 14): Rorate Caeli Chant

The Rorate Caeli chant was first developed in the Middle Ages as a popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary during Advent. The text comes from Isaiah 45:8 and is still used today as the text for the entrance antiphon for the 4th Sunday of Advent. The Latin refrain, “Roráte caéli désuper, et núbes plúant jústum” can be translated as “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.” The verses go on to plead the Lord for both his justice and mercy and ends with the compassionate words of the Lord: “Salvábo te, nóli timére,

égo enim sum Dóminus Déus túus,” translated, “I will save you, fear not. For I am the Lord thy God.” This chant will be used at our annual Rorate Caeli Mass by candlelight in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday, December 14.