Second Sunday after Pascha

The Second Sunday after Pascha is sometimes referred to as 'Good Shepherd Sunday' from the words of the Epistle from I Peter "For you were as sheep gone astray: but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls" and from the Gospel where the LORD proclaims "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep." The Sunday is also often referred to as Misericordia after the opening words of the introit. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Vespers for Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Christus passus est pro nobis etc, was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. The antiphon on the Magnificat reinforced the theme of the Sunday, Ego sum pastor ovium. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Suffrage of the Cross was sung. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the Paschal tone with the Doxology Deo Patri sit gloria etc and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory, Surrexit Dominus, and Office hymn, Rex sempiterne, are sung as last Sunday. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the first sermon on the Ascension of the Lord by St. Leo. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148) are sung under a single antiphon. The Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology and the psalms are sung under a single antiphon consisting of a triple Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii), as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos, the third collect Ecclesiae. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with the psalms sung under a single antiphon. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal commemoration of the Cross is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers yesterday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted. At Compline the hymn was sung with the ordinary Doxology and melody and the Dominical preces were omitted. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted and at Prime the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is but a single collect. At Vespers the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal