March 13, 2022 : 2nd Sunday of Lent
The antiphon reprises a Psallite setting used for the entrance antiphon on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Year C Gospel is from Luke, but the Missal antiphon uses Mt 17:5 from Year A
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.
itself referring back to Isaiah 42:1:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased.
The Psallite antiphon makes use of both the “servant” (OT) and “Son” (NT) images, as well as “chosen” (OT) and “beloved” (NT).
At communion today, we eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ, the servant, the Son, the chosen Beloved One, who transforms us into chosen servants and beloved daughters and sons.
The verses from Isaiah 40 may seem strange at first sight, but the associations with the epiphany narrated in the Gospel of the Transfiguration are rather clear, especially in Is 40:3-5 and 9-10 (stanzas 2-3 and 6-7), and will aid parish musicians who already used the setting on January 13.
The antiphon can be sung in unison or as a 4-part round, perhaps reserving the latter for the final antiphon.
An extract from the recording on the album Walk in My Ways will be found here.
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