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Sunday is the last before Lent begins, and we remember the Transfiguration of Jesus. Christ was arrayed in dazzling light much like Moses’s face shined with light after looking upon God. The choir sings what many consider to be among the finest of Tudor anthems, O nata lux, by Thomas Tallis (c1505–1585).
It is haunting, ravishing, almost otherworldly sounding. There are many technical reasons for this that I won’t get into, but one thing you will notice is that there are some notes that seem to clash. This is not the fault of the choir! Rather it’s a device called “cross relation.” These “wince” notes fall on the words “perditis” (the lost), and “corporis” (Christ's body). One editor states that, “By means of musical dissonance Tallis paints the suffering implied by each of these cardinal words of redemptive theology. The anthem is filled with cross rhythms and cross accents as well as cross relations, giving the music a fluidity uncommon in homophonic chordal structure.”
We also say goodbye to “alleluia” until Easter Sunday. The opening hymn and the communion anthem use this festive word — the hymn in the typical celebratory way, and the anthem as a quiet, almost ecstatic invocation. The text reminds us that the temple of God, the body, is holy — that we are holy. It’s a fitting reminder as we begin a season of self-reflection and renewal.
Finally, we will close with our 100th-anniversary hymn, “We Are Grounded,” by Glenn Rudolph. After its premier at our anniversary kickoff, many of you commented that it was easy to sing and had great words. I’m going to have us sing it during worship periodically to remind us of our identity.
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