No, l am not asking for mercy for not having written on this site for so long, I’m looking through my music for tonight’s Missa Cantata (OF) at 7pm at St Mary Magdalen’s. I know I should dread Lent but when l open the Graduale Triplex at the Ash Wednesday and read those opening words of the Introit “Misereris omnium, Domine” ”Have mercy on us all, Lord” l cannot help but feel thrilled at the chance to begin again. The familiarity of the text, the return to the same melody l have studied over and over (my Triplex is covered in pencil markings,) and of course at its root the chance of repentance.
I too was struck by – and found comfort in – the call to repentance and the opportunity to begin again implicit there during this Introit this morning. (Same chant in the EF.)