Christ in Our Midst: Daily Lenten Reflections of Gregorian Chant

Gloriæ Dei Cantores Schola is dedicated to the singing and study of Gregorian chant. Its expertise and experience come from daily chanting of the Liturgy of the Hours as well as the Ordinary and Proper of the Mass at the Church of the Transfiguration in Orleans, Massachusetts. The Schola also conducts chant workshops and performs in concert with Gloriæ Dei Cantores. Years of study with Dr. Mary Berry, CBE, founder of the Schola Gregoriana in Cambridge, England, and the monks of St. Peter’s Abbey in Solesmes, France, also contribute to the Schola’s passion for Gregorian chant as a vibrant and living form of sung prayer. Gloriæ Dei Cantores Schola has been critically acclaimed in both Europe and the United States for its proper regard for rhythmic flexibility and its sensitivity to both musical and textural phrase. 

"In this book of Lenten devotions beginning on Ash Wednesday and concluding on the Saturday of Easter week, readers have the unique daily opportunity to listen to and engage in Gregorian chant by scanning a QR code along with meditating on a written devotion pertaining to the featured chant.

In introductory comments, the editors note that Gregorian chant is “a vibrant and living form of sung prayer.” They spell out a brief history of chant, note that chant is for everyone, and explain the nature of chant. Readers are also introduced to the cantors, The Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola. Their featured audio chants are taken from their following recordings: Gregorian Requiem: Chants of the Requiem Mass, The Chants of Transfiguration, The Beloved Son, I am With You, and The Chants of Easter.

Jesus-followers from the Reformed tradition will find common ground with the Benedictine community of Cape Cod, the Community of Jesus, whose publishing arm, Paraclete Press, reflects that community’s “dedication to sacred music, the fine arts, and the written word.”

Christ in Our Midst is an excellent resource to prepare Christians—and, possibly, people who might have questions about who Jesus is and why he is worshipped—to remember what Jesus suffered to accomplish our salvation and the redemption of the cosmos, and how he rose victorious from death, forever changing history." 

—Sonya VanderVeen Feddema, The Banner

“I appreciated how well connected the chants were with the readings. I found that the incorporation of chant quieted my mind to receive and reflect upon scripture. This is a devotional I hope to return to in future Lenten seasons.” 

—Bob Trube,Bob on Books