Having experienced with great intensity the paschal mystery of Christ as it unfolded during the ninety days of Lent, the Triduum and Easter, we now resume our contemplating of this mystery "in all its aspects," as the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar point out. And what a variety of aspects of this mystery are presented to us! In no way can this mystery be labeled ordinary … for of course it never is. The term "ordinary" comes not from commonplace, everyday, but from "ordinal"-numbered time. Here are just a few highlights of the weeks ahead.

Ordinary Time resumes with Trinity Sunday. This is a time to change the musical setting of the gospel acclamation to something less lavish. You might do likewise with settings of the Eucharistic acclamations.

Some people think of Trinity Sunday as an idea feast. I prefer think of it as a homecoming feast, for as the baptized who are grafted on to Christ in our initiation, our home is with Christ in the Trinity. The readings highlight identity, relationship, mission, all aspects of our life in the Trinity. Be attentive to the choice of hymns for the feast, and to their use: if a hymn has three verses, one for each of the persons of the Trinity, be sure to sing all three.

On the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, which follows the next Sunday, this year's readings clearly emphasize the blood of the covenant. Even if your parish does not invite all who attend to share in the cup of the Lord's blood, you might want to consider pieces such as Howard Hughes' setting of the ICEL version of Psalm 34, "Drink in the Richness of God. "

The last Sunday in June marks yet another feast, that of the apostles Peter and Paul. Each of the readings draws us into different aspects of the mystery again: being imprisoned for proclaiming the good news, pouring oneself out for the sake of Christ, and professing faith in Jesus, the faithful one. Keep the emphasis on the relationship with Christ as you select music for this Sunday. This is certainly an appropriate time for singing the traditional "The Church's One Foundation" as well as the contemporary "Sing a New Church."

Ordinary "numbered" Time truly resumes with the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time on July 6. Summer has begun, too, along with all the vacation demands. Remember not to take a vacation from music ministry. Plan ahead so that all celebrations have music ministers, and everyone gets a holiday!

You might want to select a seasonal psalm to be used throughout the summer. Psalm 34, which appears three times during the month of August, would be a fine choice. Keep the other music choices simple, so that the lack of regular practices doesn't become an obstacle. Remember that people can sing unaccompanied if necessary, and keep in mind that singing the Eucharistic acclamations and the gospel acclamation take precedence over singing four hymns.

As summer ends we move into the fall harvest season. Since songs of praise are always appropriate for Eucharist, keep these in mind as fall unfolds. The earth is yielding its riches even as the days are shortening. The grain of wheat has fallen, died and born much fruit. The paschal mystery surrounds us in so many ways. Discipleship, as laid before us in these months, is challenging, counter-cultural, demanding. Once again numbered September Sundays are interrupted by a feast: the Triumph of the Cross, with all its overtones of Holy Week and the Triduum. Note that the entrance antiphon for this feast is the same as that used at the Mass of the Lord's Supper, which opens the Triduum. Not only does it remind us that the mystery of the cross is not restricted to the Lent-Triduum season, but serves to orient us for the next weeks of Ordinary Time.

The 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (October 5) focuses on marriage. Pieces such as David Haas' "God Is Love," and the Haas/Haugen/Kingsbury setting of "Where There is Love" would work well this Sunday, as would Brian Wren's wonderful text, "When Love is Found," set to the well-known Welsh hymn tune, O WALY WALY.

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