“Just once in a lifetime, There’s one special moment, One wonderful moment, When fate takes your hand, And this is the moment, My once in a lifetime, When I can explore, A new and exciting land, For once in my lifetime, I feel like a giant, I soar like an eagle. As tho’ I had wings…”

Today, three songs from Anthony Newley to bring our three Scripture readings to life. If you don’t know his name, then as the kids say, “Goggle it!”

“Gonna build a mountain From a little hill, Gonna build a mountain Least I hope I will, Gonna build a mountain Gonna build it high, I don’t know how I’m gonna do it I only know I’m gonna Try…”

“Jesus led them up a high mountain…. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white…”

“Gonna build a daydream From a little hope, Gonna push that daydream Up the mountain slope, Gonna build a daydream Gonna see it through…”

“God called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: ‘Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and…you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.’”

“For this is my moment, My destiny calls me, And tho’ it may be just once in my lifetime, I’m gonna do great things…”

“‘Abraham, Abraham!’ ‘Here I am!’ he answered. ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy,’ said the messenger. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.’”

“Gonna build a mountain From a little hell, Gonna build a heaven And I know [darn] well, With a fine young son Who will take my place. There’ll be a sun in my heaven on earth with the Lord’s Good grace. When I build that heaven As I some day will. Gonna build a new life Throw the old away You and I together Gonna make life sing…”

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?”

“What kind of fool am I Who never fell in love It seems that I’m the only one that I have been thinking of. What kind of man is this? An empty shell – A lonely cell in which an empty heart must dwell…”

“…from the cloud came a voice, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’ Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.”

“What kind of clown am I? What do I know of life? Why can’t I cast away the mask of play and live my life? Why can’t I fall in love Till I don’t give a [darn], And maybe then I’ll know what kind of fool I am.”

“Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised— who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.”

“You and I together Gonna make life sing, We’ll fill tomorrow full of happiness.”

And so we end where we began,

“Just once in a lifetime, There’s one special moment, One wonderful moment, When fate takes your hand, And this is the moment, My once in a lifetime, When I can explore, A new and exciting land, For once in my lifetime, I feel like a giant, I soar like an eagle. As tho’ I had wings…”

Happy Lent.

Books by Fr. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.
All available in paperback or Kindle on Amazon.com
“Soulful Muse,”
inspirational reflections on the Catholic Church and U.S. culture
“Living Faith’s Mysteries,”
inspirational reflections on the Christian seasons of
Advent/Christmas & Lent/Easter – a great seasonal gift
“Spiritual Wonderings and Wanderings,”
inspirational reflections on the Catholic Church and U.S. culture
“Letters From My Cats,”
a collection of letters written by my cats over twenty years
“Bowling Through Life’s Stages with a Christian perspective,”
Bowling as a metaphor for religion and growing up