Over the past fews weeks you may have noticed a small change in the location of certain hymns at Mass. Hearing the brief instruction "the Hymn of Thanksgiving today at the end of Communion replaces the Closing Hymn" informs us what is happening, but not why.The Roman Missal, or Sacramentary, contains all of the proper and ordinary texts for a given Mass, which are printed in black. In between these prayers and dialogues, we find certain instructions and guidelines, which are printed in red. These instructions are called rubrics, which comes from the Latin rubrica, derived from ruber, meaning "red". These rubrics give instructions to priests and all liturgical ministers, as well as the assembly with regard to correct performance of the liturgy.
Liturgical musicians are given instructions within these rubrics as well. While it is customary in many parishes to sing a Closing Hymn after the Final Blessing and Dismissal, there is no mention of any sort of liturgical song at that moment, especially since we have already heard "The Mass has ended." The result is a rather unintuitive prolongation of the liturgy, when the assembly has just been sent forth from the Mass to love and serve the Lord.
What, then, of the Closing Hymn? Can we still sing a hymn that helps us to rejoice in the Eucharist we have received? A hymn that expresses our commission to go forth in the Name of Christ? Yes, we can! Following the reception of Communion, but preceding the Prayer after Communion, "a period of silence may now be observed, or a psalm or song of praise may be sung." Given these options, we have simply transferred the Closing Hymn to the Hymn of Thanksgiving.
Hymnody and Psalmody for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
All People That On Earth Do Dwell - OLD HUNDREDTH
Psalm 107 - Give thanks to the Lord - J. Robert Carroll
I Sing the Mighty Power of God - ELLACOMBE
Psalm 63 - My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord - Richard Proulx
How Great Thou Art - O STORE GUD
