Glorias and Alleluias

I love Alleluias. I think of all the prayers we sing during mass, the Alleluias are my favorite. The Gloria is a close second.

I think of that today because we were gifted with the Gloria this morning during mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. BigBro turned to me with a huge smile and joyful eyes when our Music Director played the first bars of the Gloria on the piano. It's only been two weeks, but we both are missing the Gloria.

At least during Advent, we still sing the Alleluia. Every time we've sung it lately, I feel a small tinge of sadness, knowing that Lent will be here before we know it, and I will be desperately missing the Alleluias for six whole weeks.

Perhaps this seems like a silly little thing to notice. I think it stands out more to me because of the different styles of our two priests. Father likes to sing, has a strong singing voice, and most commonly presides over 6:30 am daily mass, which has become my staple in the past few months. Pastor is not a singer, and his daily masses are incredibly, reverently quiet. He typically presides over the 8:15 daily mass. Because I get to the 6:30 mass way more often than an 8:15 mass, I am used to singing the Alleluia. The difference is striking on those mornings when Pastor is presiding, and instead of greeting the Gospel with song, we use silence. On those mornings, I always feel that tinge of sadness, anticipating those long six weeks without any Alleluias.

On the other hand, that's one of the benefits of the liturgical year. Just as I more fully appreciate a gorgeous, 65 degree day when I am suffering through the subfreezing temperatures of February, I more fully appreciate the glories of singing praise to the Lord when we are forced to fill that same space with silence for part of the year.