I also endorse RM's rationale in its consistency with the celebrant orations (as well as both Gloria XV.) My supersecretstealthsurreptitious rationale overrides that for "B"- I believe, in time, it will serve to illustrate clearly that the Calix, Chalice is the suprasanct vessel of sacrifice, and the cup is the measure beyond measure of the Precious Blood shed on our behalf. (Wasn't that a slick avoidance of the "multis" contention? And y'all thought Kalifornians were incapable of higher order thankin' skills, 'ceptin' Mary Ann, God bless her!)
Scenario: You walk into an Ordinary Form Mass anywhere in the English speaking word. The priest intones "the mystery of faith." How do you know what to sing next?
I share incantu's concern. This is why a printed liturgical bulletin is so necessary. The Episcopalians have a good method, where the response varies by the priest's invocation. One could compose a "responsorial" memorial acclamation, but this becomes too long and violates the character of the acclamation.
My solution is to use acclamation A, always and forever. Why on earth would anyone want to use something else?? It's the most frequently used, the most familiar, and the first and hence preferred option.
So I should only start singing on the second word? And who sings the first? Who decides which one it will be? Please don't say the Music Director, because I don't want to have to attend all six Sunday Masses plus another eighteen during the week.
Well, our retired priest in residence and I discussed this very question casually on Sunday, incantu, and we pondered the efficacy of assigning the acclamations to same "class" year of the lectionary. I've noticed that the same question could be asked vis a vis the Penitential Rite as well, but the Celebrant does theoretically give us a moment's notice, mais oui? PS, when do we get a new post over at your blog?
My question was rhetorical. There IS no way to know. I'm not sure why it was necessary to insert a choice at this point in the Mass in the first place, but the problem has nevertheless been introduced. Using A in year A, etc. is a possible solution to that problem, but that would only work if it were strongly recommended by the conference of bishops or in another clarifying document.
[And I'm in the process of overhauling www.euouae.com to be less of a blog and more the home page for the performing ensemble. I'll have a devoted page that will present forthcoming pedagogical materials in a more logical order, from beginner to advanced. Thanks for asking!]
I remember reading in the rejected 1998 Sacramentary there were invitations by the priest other than "The mystery of faith" that were specifically tied to each acclamation. Of course I'm aware that in that case we're rewriting and not translating the Mass, and potentially leaving out the words "mysterium fidei" altogether - which had long been part of the actual consecration - however it was an attempt, however faulted, to correct the logistical problem.
In Canada, for whatever reason, we had the system SkipR describes for years. It worked out OK, but it meant leaving out the phrase "mystery of faith" a lot of the time.
I crafted variations on the Celebrant's intonation of "The mystery of faith" to match the start of each acclamation chant. Our pastor picks whichever he wants us to use and we follow his lead. He hasn't adopted it though.
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