Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Psalm 93, our responsorial today, is the basis of one the most popular of Catholic hymns: On Eagles Wings: “You who dwell in the
shelter of the Most High/ who abide in the shadow of the Almighty/ Say to the LORD, “‘My refuge, my God, in whom I trust.’"
Writer Colleen Dulle put it this way: “We Catholics hold a few unshakable truths: Jesus is present in the Eucharist, Mary was conceived without sin, and when On Eagles Wings plays, we cry.”
In the 40+ years since it was published, On Eagles Wings has achieved global fame and become a funeral staple. Father Michael Joncas composed it in the late ‘70s as a consoling gift for a friend whose mother had passed unexpectedly. He wanted to write something prayerful and comforting but had to write it quickly so as to be ready for the woman’s wake. He didn’t think much more of it. Many years later Joncas submitted it for publication, almost as an afterthought.
When it was brand new, Mary & I featured it as the responsorial psalm at our wedding in 1983. It hadn’t hit its stride yet, but that would happen quickly. When various Protestant denominations requested the rights to publish the song, Joncas knew something was up.
Sung at the memorial for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, On Eagles Wings had become part of our culture. No one has been more surprised than Joncas. On Eagles Wings has appeared in unexpected places. It is a signature selection at the US Air Force Academy Chapel, as well as various Native communities where the eagle holds a sacred role.
It was sung at the funeral of President George H W Bush and recited by President Biden upon his election in 2020. The hymn he said, “captures the faith that sustains America, and I hope it can provide comfort and solace to 230,000 Americans who have lost a loved one to this terrible virus. May this hymn give you solace.”
Astoundingly, On Eagles Wings was sung at the funeral of world renowned opera great Luciano Pavarotti.
Requiring little time and effort while being composed, Joncas is convinced that its impact has little to do with him but rather that the hymn comes from our inspired scriptures. Simplicity is key, as it was for Joncas, who allowed the Word of God itself to serve as the verses and refrain.
Perhaps the challenge of this story for us is that the scriptures are a means to the very heart of God. Where can we go with this truth? Praying with the scriptures for the coming Sunday liturgy throughout the week prior can allow the Word to unleash the power of the Spirit in ways that may surprise us, especially as we hear them proclaimed on Sunday.
May the verses and refrains of the scriptures play out most importantly in our very blood and bone so that we may be a means to the very heart of God for others.
—Timothy J. Cronin