Notes from the Music Director (No. 11)

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rochester, Pennsylvania
Henry Doktorski, III

September 27, 2015—18^th Sunday after Pentecost

In today’s Gospel (Mark 9: 38-50) Jesus speaks to his disciples, “Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.”

The message which the Master communicates in this passage from Mark reminds me of a similar passage from Matthew (25:40), “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. . . . Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these . . . the righteous [will go] into eternal life.”

The text of our Offertory Anthem, “Whatsoever You Do” is taken from Matthew (25:34-39), “When I was hungry you gave me to eat. When I was thirsty you gave me to drink. Now enter into the home of my Father.” This song is very popular amongst Catholic congregations. It was first published in 1966 (when I was ten years old} and I remember singing it many times during Mass while a student at Our Lady of Lourdes Grammar School in Milltown, New Jersey.

The text of this song, in stark contrast to many other songs written in a folk style after Vatican II, is written in regular (not irregular) meter, and because of the craft of the lyricist, is extremely easy to sing for untrained singers, which I heartily applaud.

The composer and lyricist for “Whatsoever You Do” (which is published in Catholic Book of Worship and Gather Comprehensive) is Willard Francis Jabusch (b. 1930), a Roman Catholic priest who was ordained in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1956. He studied at Mundelein Seminary, Loyola University and Northwestern University (Ph.D., 1968)n and continued studies at the University of London, and as a composer, at the Chicago Conservatory.

Father Jabusch described his call to the ministry, “When my grandmother was dying . . . we called a Benedictine priest from St. Procopius Abbey. I was in seventh grade. The priest brought Holy Communion and administered the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. He did this with great devotion and reverence and I was very impressed. I thought to myself, ‘This is something very important, and I want to do this, too.’”

Father Jabusch is known for writing singable songs. The two most popular, “The King of Glory” and “Whatsoever You Do,” have been translated into many languages including recent versions in Vietnamese and Latvian. His song, “The King of Glory,” which he set to an Israeli folk tune, appears in our Worship and Praise songbook (No. 136), and his “Open Your Ears, O Faithful People,” set to a Hassidic tune, appears in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (No. 519).

Although he is best known as a lyricist, on occasion, Father Jabusch has also composed tunes for some of his songs. “I’ve been doing a lot of music,” he explained. “I got involved in music a long time ago and we’ve been making CDs of different songs that I’ve written. It’s church music, but in a very modern and contemporary style.” His songs reflect the 1960s guitar style that was especially prominent in the years following the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), during which congregations were finding their voice and singing in the vernacular language and musical idioms of the day.

Scripture

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
Psalm 19:7-14
James 5: 13-20
Mark 9: 38-50

Music & Hymns

Prelude
Gathering	LBW 532 How Great Thou Art
Hymn of the Day	LBW 486 Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
Offertory	Whatsoever You Do (Willard F. Jabusch)
Communion	LBW 206 Lord, Who the Night You Were Betrayed
Sending	LBW 380 O Christ, Our Light, O Radiance True
Postlude