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Views from the Choir Loft

Two Lenten Passages

Fr. David Friel · February 24, 2013

HERE ARE TWO STORIES in the Gospel of Luke that are closely related. They both have the same characters: Jesus, and the Apostles Peter, James, & John. They both take place at decisive moments in our Lord’s life. In both stories, Jesus is praying, while Peter, James, & John fall asleep. Both scenes take place on mountains—one on Mount Tabor, and the other on the Mount of Olives. And both of these stories are passages we encounter in the Lectionary during Lent. What are these stories?

The first is the Gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Lent: the Transfiguration of our Lord. Jesus takes His closest three friends up a high mountain to pray. True to form, they fall asleep! When they wake up, Saint Luke tells us that “they saw His glory” (Luke 9:32). Our Lord’s face “changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29). Then they hear a voice from the cloud, saying, “This is my chosen Son; listen to Him” (Luke 9:35).

The second, very similar story, is the First Sorrowful Mystery: the Agony in the Garden. The scene takes place on Holy Thursday evening, immediately after the Last Supper. Fearful for the suffering He knows He must undergo, our Lord goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He again takes Peter, James, & John with Him, but they cannot stay awake. Luke writes that “He was in such agony and He prayed so fervently that His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground” (Luke 22:44).

These two scenes are similar in so many details, and I propose that their ultimate meaning is also the same. What is the shared meaning of these events? Both on Mount Tabor and on the Mount of Olives, Jesus gives us an example of One Who has given Himself up completely to the will of God. The Transfiguration could only happen because God the Father was revealing His glory through God the Son. Jesus, at that moment, is accepting His identity as the “chosen Son” of the Father. And, in the Agony in the Garden, the strength and peace of God are again being revealed by the Father through the Son. Jesus, in the garden, accepts the Passion He must undergo for the salvation of the world.

It would be hard to underestimate the effect that the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden had on Peter, James, & John. They were the sole witnesses to both events, but those sacred moments changed the course of their lives. Having seen our Lord both in glory and in agony, those three men were empowered to give themselves up to the will of God. They spent their lives spreading the Gospel message throughout the world. Peter & James eventually gave even their lives for the Gospel. In doing God’s will, they became light for the world.

These two scenes, which we encounter every Lent, provide the perfect message for our Lenten pilgrimage. When we give ourselves up to the will of God, we give testimony to the Gospel. When we give ourselves up to the will of God, we receive strength to endure our suffering. When we give ourselves up to the will of God, we, like Jesus, become radiant.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

To the extent that the new sacred music is to serve the liturgical celebrations of the various churches, it can and must draw from earlier forms — especially from Gregorian chant — a higher inspiration, a uniquely sacred quality, a genuine sense of what is religious.

— Pope John Paul II (June 1980)

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