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Views from the Choir Loft

The Essence of Lent

Fr. David Friel · March 5, 2014

HE LORD SAYS TO US, through the Prophet Joel, “Rend your hearts, not your garments” (Joel 2:13). To understand that command, we first have to know that the word “rend” means to tear something apart by force. The second thing we have to know is that the “rending of garments” was an action that meant something specific in Biblical times. When someone rent their garments, they did so to signify their grief. One might have rent garments at the death of a relative or upon news of some terrible misfortune befalling one’s family.

We see an example in the Book of Job. Upon hearing that he has lost his entire livelihood and all his sons and daughters, we read: “Job arose and tore his cloak and cut off his hair” (Job 1:20). In times like these, people would “rend their garments” as a sign to all around them that they were experiencing grief.

The Lord directs us: “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” We ought to tear open our hearts out of grief for our sins. Opening our hearts is something that we are often hesitant to do. We like to be intensely private about what’s really going on inside. But the Lord is asking us to go against that inclination. He is telling us to open up—to lay our hearts bare before Him.

This is the essence of Lent. Lent is not an Ironman competition to see how much we can do for God. It’s not about being miserable. It is not a season of Catholic group weight-loss. Lent is a time to “rend our hearts”—an occasion to come before the Lord with open hearts and to invite Jesus to bring His healing Presence there.

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 served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“How can we account for differences in the Gospel accounts? Well, suppose after we left Church today, there was a terrible accident or explosion or fire. Soon the news media would be here, interviewing people as to what they saw or heard. Each person would probably say or report what struck him—or what he saw or noticed. All these reports would be different and yet they would be true.”

— Fr. Valentine Young (February 2019)

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