Music Reflections for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 19, 2025
Dr. John Michniewicz
For the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (October 19, 2025), the lectionary readings emphasize the power and wisdom of persistence and faithfulness, in prayer and action. In the first reading from the Book of Exodus, the Israelites are seen to overpower their enemies, as long as Moses kept his arms raised, which signifies his posture of prayer, or his invocation to God for help. Eventually needing assistance from Aaron and Hur to keep his arms upheld, the role of the community in supporting prayer and faith is emphasized. The Israelites’ success did not come from their leader’s or their own strength, though, but from God, who is called upon through Moses’ intercession. The reading from 2 Timothy, serves as well as a call to remain steadfast in faith, and in teaching and proclaiming the word: “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient, convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus then teaches the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. Despite the judge’s indifference, the widow’s ongoing pleas for justice eventually compel him to act. Jesus explains that if an unjust judge will eventually grant justice, how much more will a just and loving God answer the prayers of God’s people. Psalm 121 underscores the message of the readings, emphasizing reliance on God, stating: “Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Together, the readings encourage believers to persevere in prayer and trust, having faith that God hears and will answer.
The Entrance Hymn, “O God Our Help In Ages Past” (W-689), is a paraphrase of Psalm 90, expressing assurance, promise, and hope in God, and establishes a foundation of trust in God’s enduring faithfulness. The second verse perfectly echoes this week’s Old Testament reading: here though, it is God’s arm and strength that assures victory. The hymn too reflects the appointed Psalm: “I lift up my eyes toward the mountains, whence shall help come to me” which is echoed here in the hymn’s third stanza: “Before the hills in order stood.” The appointed Psalm text concludes with “The Lord will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever,” which is echoed in the hymn’s proclamation of God providing help both “in ages past,” as well as being “our hope for years to come…and our eternal home.”
1. Our God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home:
2. Under the shadow of your throne Your saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is your arm alone, And our defense is sure.
3. Before the hills in order stood Or Earth received her frame, From everlasting you are God, To endless years the same.
Almost unbelievably, the hymn author, Isaac Watts, wrote over 600 to 750 hymns, an outpouring of work that earned him the title: “The Father of English Hymnody” and revolutionized congregational singing in English-speaking churches. His hymns, like “Joy to the World” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” are still known for their theological depth and enduring presence, and are commonly used in Masses and services to the present day. The tune, known as St. Anne, was written by William Croft around 1708, while he was the organist of St. Anne’s Church in London. He was the first organist of the Church, which was dedicated to Saint Anne by the Anglican Bishop of London when he established the church. He had incidentally been a tutor to Princess Anne, before she became the Queen in 1702. One of Issac Watts’ most celebrated hymn texts, the hymn was famously sung on the Titanic before it sank on April 15, 1912, and at a religious service at sea attended by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 as part of the Atlantic Charter conference. This hymn continues to be well-loved and known by congregations around the world.
During the Presentation at the 11:30 Mass, the Choir will sing “He Comes To Us As One Unknown,” This moving hymn text speaks to the mystery of God’s faithful presence and the believer’s openness to following God’s call. It was written by Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024) an English hymn writer and Anglican Bishop. In 2003, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire “for services to hymnody,” having written around 400 hymns. Here, he was inspired by the philosopher and theologian Albert Schweizer, who wrote the following conclusion to his book: The Quest of the Historical Jesus published in 1906:
“He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside,
He came to those men who knew Him not.
He speaks to us the same words: “Follow thou me!”
and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time.
He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple,
He will reveal himself in the toils, the conflicts,
the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship,
and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”
Remarkably, Albert Schweizer was not only a philosopher and a theologian, but a pastor, virtuoso organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, and medical doctor. He even won the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of “Reverence for Life.” Putting his faith in action, he founded a hospital where he spent many years serving in Lambaréné, Gabon, Africa. Inspired by Schweitzer’s famous concluding paragraph, Timothy Dudley-Smith wrote a reflection and response in his hymn. It is itself a call to persistence, and ultimately faithfulness in response to Christ’s message, learned through the scriptures, and here as exemplified in the final stanza:
He comes in truth when faith is grown;
believed, obeyed, adored:
the Christ in all the Scriptures shown,
as yet unseen, but not unknown,
our Saviour and our Lord…
He Comes To Us As One Unknown
The Right Reverend Timothy Dudly-Smith, OBE, 1982
He comes to us as one unknown,
a breath unseen, unheard;
as though within a heart of stone,
or shriveled seed in darkness sown,
a pulse of being stirred,
a pulse of being stirred.
He comes when souls in silence lie
and thoughts of day depart;
half-seen upon the inward eye,
a falling star across the sky
of night within the heart,
of night within the heart.
He comes to us in sound of seas,
the ocean’s fume and foam;
yet small and still upon the breeze,
a wind that stirs the tops of trees,
a voice to call us home,
a voice to call us home.
He comes in love as once he came
by flesh and blood and birth;
to bear within our mortal frame
a life, a death, a saving name
for every child of earth,
for every child of earth.
He comes in truth when faith is grown;
believed, obeyed, adored:
the Christ in all the Scriptures shown,
as yet unseen, but not unknown,
our Saviour and our Lord,
our Saviour and our Lord.
Here is a link to “He Comes to Us As One Unknown” as performed by the Choir of First-Plymouth Church in Lincoln, Nebraska as directed by Organist and Director Tom Trenny.
At the 11:30 Mass, the choir will sing the Communion Meditation, “Lift Thine Eyes,” and “He Watching over Israel” from the famous and beloved oratorio Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn.
These texts are taken directly from Psalm 121:
“I lift up my eyes toward the mountains:
Whence shall help come to me…?
May he slumber not who guards you;
Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps.
The guardian of Israel.
The Lord is your guardian…”
The Oratorio depicts events in the life of the Prophet Elijah as told in the books 1 Kings and 2 Kings of the Old Testament. It premiered on 26 August 1846 at the Birmingham Town Hall in England, conducted by the composer. It was immediately acclaimed, and has remained a favorite of choirs and audiences to the present.
“Lift Thine Eyes,” and “He Watching Over Israel” come at a point in the oratorio when Elijah is in the desert, fleeing, to escape persecution by Queen Jezebel. Elijah, alone in the wilderness, is exhausted and his spirit is broken. At this low point in his ministry, a trio of angels sings to him, “Lift thine eyes to the mountains” to remind him that indeed, help comes from God. The chorus then continues, “He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps” a reassurance of God’s constant care that restores Elijah’s hope and strength, allowing him to continue his prophetic mission.
The oratorio Elijah was composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn’s Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music and oratorios he greatly admired, and is a favorite of choirs and audiences due to the dramatic music and relatable portrayal of Elijah. Mendelssohn vividly illustrates the text through musical figuration and illustration.
Trio: Lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help. Thy help cometh from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved, thy Keeper will never slumber.
Choir: He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. Shouldst thou, walking in grief, languish, He will quicken thee. He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps.
In “Lift thine eyes,” Mendelssohn illustrates the text’s message of solace and hope through unaccompanied Soprano and Alto voices, gentle harmonies, and flowing melodic lines. By using an a cappella texture, Mendelssohn conveys an ethereal, angelic presence that comforts Elijah.
The initial section of “He Watching Over Israel” is set in a major key, and mostly uses straight-forward harmonies. The chord progressions are gentle, creating a sense of calm reassurance and stability. This stable harmonic structure musically represents the steadfastness of a God who “slumbers not nor sleeps” and is not subject to human frailty or change. This text is underscored by a continuous, uninterrupted accompaniment and smooth choral phrases, which depict the ever-vigilant nature of God, who never rests. At “Should’st thou, walking in grief, languish” the music briefly shifts to a more dramatic feeling of despondency followed by “he will quicken thee” where there is a renewed energy and a crescendo, mirroring the idea of being quickened, or revived, by God “our help” as Psalm 121 states. As the choral voices enter one after another in a fugue-like imitative succession, the harmonies become richer and fuller. The blending of the alternating vocal lines creates a warm, enveloping texture, mirroring the comforting, all-encompassing watchfulness of God over his people.
This anthem foreshadows the climactic rain that ends the drought in the next scene, a tangible fulfillment of God’s promise to “quicken” His people. Throughout the Oratorio, the character of Elijah is not presented as an infallible hero, but as a complex individual who experiences both profound faith and deep despair, making his journey relatable to all believers. Further, Mendelssohn explores themes of faith, repentance and grace, culminating in a depiction of reliance on strength and protection from God.
Here is a link to Lift Thine Eyes as sung by the choir of Canterbury Cathedral: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrVoKGq7LG8
Here is a link to He Watching Over Israel as sung by the Edinburgh Festival Choirs, directed by Paul Daniel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pg-iwlj8Ew
Sunday’s Final Hymn, “Go To The World” (W-532) serves as an encouragement to bring faith and the fruits of prayer into the world. It is a reminder that persistent prayer empowers us for mission, enabling us to live out our faithfulness to God in daily life, and trusting in God’s continued presence as we go, as St. Paul calls for in the second reading from Timothy: “I charge you…proclaim the word.”
1. Go to the world! Go into all the earth.
Go preach the cross where Christ renews life’s worth,
baptising as the sign of our rebirth. Alleluia. Alleluia.
2. Go to the world! Go into ev’ry place.
Go live the Word of God’s redeeming grace.
Go seek God’s presence in each time and space. Alleluia. Alleluia.
3. Go to the world! Go struggle, bless and pray;
the nights of tears give way to joyous day,
As servant Church, you follow Christ’s own way. Alleluia. Alleluia.
4. Go to the world! Go as the ones I send,
for I am with you ’til the age shall end,
When all the hosts of glory cry ‘Amen!’ Alleluia. Alleluia.
This hymn text was written by Canadian Sylvia Dunstan. After a brief, arduous battle with liver cancer, she died in 1993 at the age of 38. For thirteen years, Dunstan had served the United Church of Canada as a minister and prison chaplain. Born in 1955, Sylvia Dunstan attributes her love of song to her grandparents, who kept music alive in the family and entrusted Sylvia’s formal musical education to one of the nuns at a local convent. Sylvia began writing songs in the early seventies and soon after met Sister Miriam Theresa Winter, who encouraged her to write songs based on Scripture. Sylvia Dunstan is remembered by those who knew her for her passion for those in need, her gift of writing, and her love of liturgy.
Here is a Link to “Go To The World:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDXtb6omS3Q
At the 10:00 Mass, the Choir and Religion youth choir will sing for the Presentation and Communion Meditation. The presentation will feature: “A Light To the Nations” by Ben Walther. A youth and young adult minister and educator, Ben Walther is an independent Christian musician, published by Oregon Catholic Press. A graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, Ben is the Director of Campus Ministry at Walsh University. He and his wife and 6 children live in North Canton, Ohio. Ben Walther indicated that he composed this energizing song of mission to bring Christ’s light to all people. “Your love within us, a beacon bright, to a world that needs to know your might.”
The text is based on Isaiah 42:6 “I the LORD have called unto you in righteousness, and have taken hold of your hand, and submitted you as the people’s covenant, as a light unto the nations.”
The text of the hymn speaks of God’s mercy and love, and the charge to proclaim God’s word to all. Walter’s music is set within the “Praise and Worship” contemporary tradition, and provides an attractive and uplifting message through its music and memorable lyrics.
A Light To The Nations, Ben Walther
1: You built a city on mountain peaks.
Your voice from heaven in thunder speaks
the great commandment, compelling us
to a world that needs to know your love.
Refrain: A light to the nations,
a great celebration of the mercy that is lavished on us.
A hope for the hopeless, a sign of forgiveness;
God let us be a light to the nations.
2: Restore the zeal of your holy Church,
a Pentecost and a second birth.
Your love within us, a beacon bright
to a world that needs to know your might.
Bridge: Our greatest fear is our light, not our darkness.
We’re meant to shine, manifesting your greatness.
A city set on a hill for all to see, Oh let us be.
God let us be a light to the nations.
God let us be a light to nations.
A light to the nations.
Here is a link to A Light to the Nations as sung by Ben Walther: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpHINWwhC3s
At the Communion meditation, the choir will sing: Everywhere I Go, by Natalie Sleeth. Written in 1975, this anthem is an ongoing and popular favorite of children’s church choirs and youth ensembles. Known for its appealing and memorable melody, this anthem accessibly and tunefully underscores the message that God will give strength, help and courage in the believer’s life. Natalie Sleeth wrote over 180 highly successful selections published as hymns and anthems for church and school choirs and music groups.
“Everywhere I Go”
1: Everywhere I go, the Lord is near me. If I call upon him, he will hear me. Never will I fear for the Lord is near, Everywhere I go.
2: In the dark of night should things alarm me, ever in his sight no ill may harm me. I will be of cheer, for the Lord is near, everywhere I go.
BRIDGE: He is with me day by day, He will be my strength and stay. From His path I will not stray but follow in His way.
3: In the coming days of joy or sadness, I will praise his name with songs of gladness, for to me it’s clear that the Lord is near, everywhere I go.
Here is link to Natalie Sleeth’s Everywhere I Go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpor510dtw
Sources:
https://giamusic.com/artists/sylvia-dunstan
https://www.faithward.org/women-of-the-bible-study-series/the-persistent-widow-how-prayer-changes-things/#
https://hymnary.org/text/our_god_our_help_in_ages_past_watts
https://hymnary.org/text/go_to_the_world_go_into_all_the_earth
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-all-who-hunger
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Watts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_(oratorio)
https://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/s/sylvia-dunstan
https://atuneadayblogdotcom.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/felix-mendelssohn-he-watching-over-israel-from-elijah-1846/#:~:text=The%20harmonic%20sequence%20used%20in,its%20popularity%20here%20sparked%20off.
https://www.ryanbrandau.com/essays-1/2020/4/21/on-mendelssohns-elijah#:
https://www.christianpost.com/news/eugene-petersons-son
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalie_Sleeth
https://www.hopepublishing.com/470/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_unto_the_nations
https://massimpact.us/fp-walther/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQlyYXj5bDg