Music Notes for the Second Sunday of Lent March 1, 2026, Year A
Dr. John Michniewicz
The liturgical readings for the Second Sunday in Lent, Year A, focus on themes of God’s faithfulness and promise and the Transfiguration of Jesus. In the readings, God’s promise to Abraham, and humanity, and the fulfillment of God’s promise are seen in the Transfiguration of Jesus in the Gospel reading in Matthew 17:1-9. The term transfiguration itself describes an experience of radiance or of light, essentially a revelation of the divine. The Transfiguration of the Lord refers to the time when Jesus, accompanied by three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, ascends a “high mountain.” There, Jesus is shown before them, conversing with Moses and Elijah, his face and clothing shining like the sun. The disciples see these as clear signs and markers confirming that Jesus is the Son of God. The disciples hear God, as a voice from the cloud, who affirms: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” This revelation of Jesus’ divine nature is shown as a preview of Jesus’ glorification in the resurrection. It is also the fulfillment of God’s promise that “all the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” The First Reading, drawn from Genesis 12:1-4a, recounts God’s promise to create, from Abraham’s descendents, a great nation, which then serves as a blessing to all families of the earth. As part of
salvation history, it shows Abraham’s faithful response to God’s command to “Go forth,” trusting and following God’s command. The Responsorial Psalm 33 reflects that trust in God’s promise, stating: “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” The Psalm’s verses praise God’s faithful word, loving kindness, and the security found in trusting God. The Second Reading, 2 Timothy 1:8b-10, encourages the believer to bear hardship for the Gospel. It is a reminder of salvation and a calling to faithful holiness. Sunday’s readings lead to and give background to Jesus’ mission, ministry and life on Earth, in fulfillment of God’s plan. Jesus’ Transfiguration shows that God’s eternal purpose and grace have been revealed in Christ, who brings life and light through the Gospel. Discipleship and perseverance, even through adversity, bring about God’s plan for humanity.
Sunday’s Gathering Hymn, How Good Lord to Be Here (Worship Hymnal No. 881), references the Transfiguration account and also draws from parallel Gospel accounts in Mark and Luke. The text, attributed to Joseph A. Robinson (1858–1933), focuses on the Transfiguration of Jesus, highlighting Peter’s awe at seeing Christ’s glory. The hymn highlights the desire to remain in that divine presence while ultimately accepting the call to return to daily life.
The first and second verses are a description of the awe-inspiring sight of Jesus’s glory and the presence of Moses and Elijah.
- How good, Lord, to be here! Your glory fills the night;
Your face and garments, like the sun, Shine with unborrowed light.
- How good, Lord, to be here, Your beauty to behold
Where Moses and Elijah stand, Your messengers of old.
Verse three recognizes Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law (as signified by Moses, and the Prophets, as signified by Elijah). It promises salvation and future glory as Christ fulfills God’s divine, eternal plan.
- Fulfiller of the past And hope of things to be,
We hail your body glorified And our redemption see.
The fourth verse expresses the desire to stay on the mount, seeing the kingdom of God.
- Before we taste of death, We see your kingdom come;
We long to hold the vision bright And make this hill our home.
Finally, verse five acknowledges that the disciples, and by extension all believers, cannot physically or symbolically “stay on the mountain,” but must return to the plain, meaning daily or regular life, with Jesus.
- How good, Lord, to be here! Yet we may not remain;
But since you bid us leave the mount, Come with us to the plain.
Here is version of How Good Lord, To Be Here, as sung by the Riverside Church Choir in New York City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oPXfWHCRXg
Sunday’s Presentation Hymn, “I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light” (Worship Hymnal No. 585) likewise serves to move the focus from Christ’s light as a vision of glory to the imitation of Christ’s light in daily life. This hymn, written and composed by the American hymn writer and composer Kathleen Thomerson (1934-2025) brings forward the light of Christ’s Transfiguration and the call to “a holy life,” a life “brought to light through the gospel” as recounted in the second reading. The musical style is contemporary and accessible, characterized by a strong, flowing melodic line that is tuneful and memorable.
In this hymn, Jesus is described as the Light of the World, as seen in the Transfiguration, which calls the believer to faithful discipleship. In the second line of each verse there is a response to Jesus’ call: “I want to follow Jesus;” “I want to look at Jesus,” and finally, “I want to be with Jesus,” Each verse also adds further imagery regarding Jesus as Light: “God set the stars to give light to the world.” We then “see the brightness of God,” and that the “Sun of Righteousness” is he who illumines “the way to the Father.” The hymn’s repeated refrain serves as a memorable affirmation to Christ’s call to discipleship, leading to a heartfelt petition and internalization of Christ’s light in the last line:
In him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
During the Presentation at the 11:30 AM Mass, the choir will sing “Christ, Upon the Mountain Stands” by Robert Lehman. It also offers musical reflection on the Gospel reading and is a very nicely written poetic paraphrase of the Transfiguration narrative. This text, by Mark Schweizer, emphasizes the vision of the “Father’s blessing,” in the first verse, again showing the presence of the “Law and prophets” in the second verse. God’s divine proclamation, “This is my beloved Son!” is heard in the third verse, followed by the call to a response: “Nations, come now and adore him,” and the call to discipleship in verse four: “Faithful hearts we lift on high.” This final verse features more dramatic and a more intense musical line, with a soaring soprano descant, highlighting the “vision’s mystery” leading to “Songs of wonder” and “hymns of praising,” serving as a musical illustration that movingly proclaims the belief in Christ’s divinity: “Radiant Son of God divine; Jesus, now in glory shines!”
Christ, upon the mountain stands Vision of the Father’s blessing Blazing forth to all the lands, Saints and angels now professing, Radiant Son of God divine;
Jesus, now in glory shines!
Law and prophets have their place, In the cloud of wondrous glory Chosen witnesses of grace,
There to see and tell the story. Radiant Son of God divine; Jesus, now in glory shines!
God, in majesty, descends, Then proclaims to all before him, This is my beloved Son!
Nations, come now and adore him. Radiant Son of God divine;
Jesus, now in glory shines!
Faithful hearts we lift on high. Joyful strains, our voices raising For this vision’s mystery,
Songs of wonder, hymns of praising. Radiant Son of God divine;
Jesus, now in glory shines!
Here is a recording of Christ Upon the Mountain Stands:
https://sjmp.com/catalog/music/?song_id=206
(Note, the word Alleluia is substituted for the last 2 lines of each stanza in this recording, for use when the Transfiguration occurs outside of Lent and Alleluia can be sung).
Composer Robert Lehman (b.1960) is also a conductor, organist, and harpsichordist. He has served on the staff of several prominent churches, including the Washington National Cathedral, Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in New York City. For fourteen years he served as organist and choirmaster of historic Christ Church in New Haven, Connecticut.
At the 11:30 Mass, the Choir will sing Christ Whose Glory Fills The Skies at the Communion Meditation. It is a hymn setting arranged for choir by Healey Willan using the German hymn tune RATISBON, dating from around 1815. This anthem reinforces the theme of Christ as divine light. The text, by Charles Wesley (1707–1788), the great English hymn writer, serves as a prayer for spiritual renewal, asking the “Sun of righteousness” and “Day-star” to pierce the gloom of sin and fill the heart. This reflects the Transfiguration and Sunday’s readings through highlighting a personal response by the believer who has received Christ’s light.
- Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true and only Light,
Sun of righteousness, arise, triumph o’er the shade of night; Day-spring from on high, be near; Day-star, in my heart appear.
- Dark and cheerless is the morn unaccompanied by Thee;
joyless is the day’s return, till Thy mercy’s beams I see, till they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
- Visit then this soul of mine, pierce the gloom of sin and grief; fill me, radiancy divine,
scatter all my unbelief;
more and more Thyself display, shining to the perfect day.
Composer Healey Willan (1880–1968) was an English and Canadian organist, composer, and professor. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber and church music. Today he is best known for his church music,
having written anthems and compositions for organ that are based on and are arrangements of numerous hymns and hymn texts, especially for use at St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Toronto. A church famous for its Anglo-Catholic liturgy, Willan became Choirmaster and Organist, first coming to the church in the early 1920’s. He worked to create one of the first choirs in North America with expertise in singing significant a capella repertoire to a high standard. He remained at St. Mary Magdalene’s until shortly before his death, last directing the choir in 1967. St. Mary Magdalene’s, under Willan, became a North American mecca for choral and church musicians. His renown led to his being honored with the Order of Canada, honorary doctorates by the Archbishop of Canterbury and numerous Universities, and was one of the first musicians to even appear on a Canadian postage stamp.
Here is a nicely done performance of Christ Whose Glory Fills The Skies by the Choir of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Columbia, South Carolina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQKqVzoeuQM
Sunday’s Final Hymn, The Glory of These Forty Days (Worship Hymnal No. 467), serves to anchor the Transfiguration experience within the broader context of Lent. This ancient text, Clarum decus jejunii, is ascribed to Pope Gregory the Great (c. 540-604) and was more recently given an accessible translation by Maurice F. Bell (1862-1947). The hymn recounts the fasting of Moses, Elijah, and Daniel, paralleling Christ’s forty days in the wilderness and the Lenten season itself, emphasizing the spiritual discipline that follows the vision of glory. The final stanza is a prayer for a believers to “strengthen with your grace, And give us joy to see your face,” also serving then as a recollection of the disciples’ experience of the Transfiguration.
- The glory of these forty days
We celebrate with songs of praise;
For Christ, by whom all things were made, Himself has fasted and has prayed.
- Alone and fasting, Moses saw The loving God who gave the law; And to Elijah, fasting, came
The steeds and chariots of flame.
- So Daniel trained his mystic sight, Delivered from the lion’s might;
And John, the Bridegroom’s friend, became The herald of Messiah’s name.
- Then grant that we like them be true, Consumed in fast and prayer with you;
Our spirits strengthen with your grace, And give us joy to see your face.
Here is a beautifully dramatic rendition of The Glory of These Forty Days as sung by the Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington D.C.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwUNdQ2xO8Q