Sing!
Cantate is the fifth Sunday of Easter, known for its exultant theme, “Sing!” This Sunday we step closer to the time when Jesus must depart, building off of the turning point from last Sunday when our focus shifted from the day of Resurrection to anticipating the feasts of Ascension and of Pentecost. Nevertheless, this Sunday’s resounding joy and culmination of Easter victory conjures up a song of triumph that joins our voices with the faithful of all times. Jesus must ascend, but he is sending the Holy Spirit who imparts faith in us.
The Easter season comes together on Cantate Sunday and reaches a new height of joy that bubbles over into song. Recalling the previous Easter Sundays of the Resurrection, Jesus’ appearance to the disciples on Quasimodogeniti, Christ the Good Shepherd on Misericoridas Domini, and most recently the joy of Easter even in the face of trial and waiting on Jubilate, we are ready to see how everything comes together in faith that is expressed in song and given by the Holy Spirit. Today Jesus teaches the disciples that he is going away, yet he uplifts them with the promise of the Helper who calls, gathers, and enlightens. He creates faith, and that faith comes out in song about God’s deeds and goodness.
The theme of song is introduced in the introit, when our voices join in the rich melodies of scripture: “Sing to the Lord a new song, Alleluia, for he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. Alleluia. His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.” Like the song of Moses, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea” (Ex. 15:1). Like Hannah’s rejoicing, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation” (I Sam. 2:1). Like David’s cry, “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly” (Ps. 118:15).
Thus, this day our song joins the saints of old who received a taste of God’s glorious victory that is now realized in Christ Jesus. We to whom God reveals the fulness of his salvation can do nothing but rejoice! He now imparts the gifts of the resurrection through the working of faith and baptism. This brings us to the Epistle lesson from St. James. The coming gift from the Father of Lights is none other than the Holy Spirit given in baptism who sanctifies us with his gifts and joins us to Christ.
This is the central message of Jesus’ catechesis in this Sunday Gospel: soon, he will depart, but even though he is no longer operating visibly, the Helper will come who operates invisibly. This work is precisely what we pray for in the collect: for the faithful to be of one will, that we would love what God commands, and that our hearts may be where true joy is found. This Cantate, we rejoice in Jesus’ resurrection as it is made ours in faith through the Holy Spirit for which we “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously!”
Brief History
Cantate takes a practical look at the Easter realities applied to us Christians today and received with rejoicing. Like the preceding Sundays, it would appear that Cantate Sunday is steeped in themes the Lutheran Church clearly captures in her confession. The theme of baptism found in the epistle, and the Holy Spirit’s work of faith in both the Epistle and Gospel and central to the Lutheran doctrines of justification through faith alone. We confess this most boldly in our creeds and catechism, and give thanks for Cantate Sunday, the chance to sing most triumphantly of Jesus’ victory and, though he must depart, the promise of the Spirit.
Collect
O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Lessons
Resources
Issues, Etc. interview with Pr. Peter Bender on Cantate Sunday
Propers found in Daily Divine Service Book: A Lutheran Daily Missal, edited by the Rev. Heath Curtis
References:
1. Lindemann, the Rev. Fred H. The Sermon and The Propers, Volume II: Pre-Lent to Pentecost. Concordia Publishing House. 1958.
2. Parsch, Pius. The Church’s Year of Grace: Easter to Pentecost. The Liturgical Press. 1963.
Images:
1. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit, Valerius Herberger, Germany, ca. 1600.
2. Pentecost from a set of The Passion, published by Ulrich Pinder after a design based on a woodcut by Hans Schäufelein, Germany, 1592.
