SAINT PAUL, Minn. — As Joe Biden wrapped up his first nationwide address as president-elect, he shared the lyrics of a song.
"In the last stage of the campaign, I began thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and my family, particularly my deceased son Beau," Biden said.
He recited the following lyrics: "He will raise you up on Eagles' wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hands."
After this happened, Father Michael Joncas spent 90 minutes returning phone calls and text messages.
"Well, I'm the composer," said Joncas, who is the artist-in-residence and a research fellow at the University of Saint Thomas.
He wrote the hymn, "On Eagles' Wings," in 1976 at his mother's kitchen table. It was for the funeral of a close friend's dad.
In the decades since, his hymn has spread worldwide. Father Joncas said one memorable moment was when somebody performed it at Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti's funeral.
Now there's another memorable moment, as Joncas' hymn reached the President-Elect of the United States.
"It's amazing. I never expected that a song I had written so long ago would become part of our civic life, which is wonderful...If the song can give comfort and healing, I think it's going to be great."
Joncas said he hopes for the healing of our country going forward, and hopes the hymn he composed can be part of that. Joe Biden echoed that message as well, saying he hopes the hymn gives people solace.