Father The Hour Is Come

John 17

Following the Last Supper, Christ leads his apostles to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he will take upon himself the sins, pain and suffering of all mankind.   He pauses and offers what has become known as the Intercessory Prayer.  In His prayer, he reviews his obedience to the Father’s will and the power He was given over all flesh (represented by the raising of Lazarus).  He then prays for unity among his apostles, similar to the perfect unity He and his Father enjoy.

Because of the length of this piece, the video portion has been expanded with additional scenes of the ordination and instruction of the apostles by the Savior, as well as their later ministry, including that of the Apostle Paul.

The music boldly opens with pounding groups of alternating minor and major chords intended to capture both Christ’s suffering and the contrasting triumph of his Atonement.  The minor chords recall the extreme suffering of Christ, along with the deep sorrow and empathy we feel for his pain.  The major chords invoke the triumph, glory and grandeur of his mission and our future hope in Him.