Podcast: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Hi and welcome to The Modern Psalmist Podcast!

I’m Rebecca De La Torre and this is the first episode of this podcast where I’ll feature, first and foremost, a musical setting (or multiple settings) of the responsorial psalm for the coming Sunday according to the Catholic liturgical calendar.
The psalms are always verbatim from the USCCB English leccionary. Also, I have a sister podcast in Spanish, El Salmista Moderno, where I feature a musical setting of the psalm translation from Spain.

This weekend we celebrate the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the psalm is from chapter 95:

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Here’s the refrain

I wanted to create a sense of a ticking clock, of time’s passing, that you feel in the pulsing piano. Because in reality, we have a limited time on this earth, and a limited time to respond to God’s call.

Here’s the full psalm:

That was my compositional interpretation of Psalm 95, and if you like the setting and want to use it, you can find the sheet music on themodernpsalmist.com.

I’d like to share one more song with you today to emphasize the theme of love in the second reading from the new testament.
Paul tells us in the letter to the Romans, chapter 13, verse 8, to

” Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another”

and later, in verse 10, continues to say:

“love is the fulfillment of the law”

I really love Mary Castner’s song “Love So Mighty” – which describes the powerful love and saving grace of our lord, Jesus Christ.

Here is “Love So Mighty”

That was Love So Mighty by Mary Castner – I had to admit, I’m a bit partial to this song because I recorded and produced it myself at Topkat Studios in Tempe, Arizona. You can check out more of Mary’s music at marycastnermusic.com.

That’s it for this week! Be sure to subscribe and if you like what you hear, share this podcast with someone who you know will enjoy it. Your referral is the greatest compliment.

God bless you.