In year A, the readings and themes during the Sundays of Lent follow the Christian journey through the scrutinies of RCIA, as candidates in parishes all over the world prepare to receive the Easter sacraments. Listen to these songs and brief reflections to journey along side our brothers and sisters in Christ as they seek full communion with his Church.
The Desert: Reject sin and follow Him
Matthew 4:1-11
In Matthew 4, Jesus is lead by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. In the song "Forty Days" we hear the lyric: "'Cause in the desert of temptation lies the storm of true conversion..." It is precisely when we are confronted with evil, that we have the opportunity to drown our selfish heart in the spring of living water allowing our true self to emerge.
The Transfiguration: Seek to be like Christ
Matthew 17:1-9
At the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John got a glimpse of Jesus' glorified body. Someday all who attain heaven will be transfigured like Christ was on the Mountain (Philippians 3:21). That is why we longingly request of Jesus to, "Transfigure Us, O Lord". We strive, day by day, to be more like him in all things.
The Woman at the Well: Receive living water
John 4:5-42
Verse 2 of the hymn "I Heard the Voice of Jesus" mirrors the message Jesus has for the woman at the well. We can only ultimately be quenched by the eternal life Jesus offers, the living waters of baptism. Our thirsts and desires on Earth can never be quenched until we respond to the Lord when he calls to us to live in Spirit and truth.
The Man Born Blind: Behold the light of the world
John 9:1-41
What the blind man truly needed was to have his heart and his mind opened to know and worship the Lord. God used the restoration of his sight and the struggle with the Jewish leadership to bring about conversion in the heart of the blind man. God did not just open the blind man's eyes, he opened the eyes of his heart to know and serve the Lord.
The Raising of Lazarus: Receive the resurrection and the life
John 11:1-45
Bob Hurd sets to music one of the most moving stories of the Gospel. Jesus has a point to convey to the world, that death is powerless over those who place their hope in him. Even though Jesus, the God of the universe, is about to bring Lazarus back to life, he weeps. Jesus shows us here his divinity and his humanity side by side, and sets the stage for his own death and resurrection.
Jethro Higgins
Jethro Higgins, father of 6, has Directed Youth & Young Adult ministry programs and led liturgical music ensembles since 2004. Jethro received his Master of Science in Business Analysis from the Catholic University of America and is currently studying at The Augustine Institute in the Master of Arts in Theology program.