Feast of the Solemnity of Mary (Luke 2:16-21)”Mercy for All”

Feast of the Solemnity of Mary (Luke 2:16-21) “Mercy for All”

        We sing a lot of beautiful carols during the Christmas season.  The musicians who wrote them were, in many cases, seemed divinely inspired.  At times legends have grown around carols. 

        One of these carols is titled the “Lullaby of Our Savior.”  The origins of this piece are shrouded in mystery because the hymn is so old.  The lullaby is Gaelic in origin.  During Christmas season this hymn is often sung in the churches big and small around Scotland.  The Virgin Mary sings her child to sleep using this song.

        A story is told about an apparition of the Blessed Virgin that is connected to this carol:

        Once there was a shiftless laddie who lived on one of the isles.  He had lost his mother.  During his time of grief his father married another woman.  The stepmother had a lot of trouble with the boy.  He was disobedient.  He was obstinate.  In a fit of anger, she was driven to say, “Son of another.  There will be no luck in this house until you leave.”  The unwanted son packed his bag. He left the house without a place to go, but he was so angry he didn’t really care.

        A full moon rose that night.  The boy went behind the barn to spend the night.  The stepmother found it hard to sleep that night.  She heard something ringing in her ear.  She felt something stinging in her heart.  Her bed felt like it was crawling with snakes.

        She said to herself, “I will rise to see if the night outside is better than the night inside.  She went out into the night.  She wandered around in the dark.  She heard singing.  She looked up on the hillside behind the barn.  She saw a mysterious woman holding a baby.  The woman whose face shone with divine radiance was singing to the baby in her arms.  She sang,  

“My joy, my love, my darling thou!

My treasure new, my rapture thou!

My comely, beauteous babe-son thou,

Unworthy I to tend to thee.

Alleluia, Alleluia,     

Alleluia, Alleluia.

        The woman knew that this was Our Lady.  Sleeping at the feet of the Blessed Mother was the shiftless stepson.  The Virgin did not castigate the woman who was before her for losing her temper.  She only sang.  She only exhibited a mother’s love.

        Today, as we begin a new year it is natural to reflect on the state of our lives.  Perhaps, we have as many regrets as joys as we start the year.  We can despair at what we feel.  Afterall we are human.  We are weak.

        Somehow it seems appropriate we celebrate the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary on New Year’s Day.  We notice the many difficulties of our world.  When we do, we might say to ourselves that the problems of our society are too complicated to do anything about.  We probably just shrug our shoulders in helplessness.

        We also may reflect on the problems of our personal life.  Maybe we are estranged from family members.  Perhaps there is addiction in our family.  Maybe there are disagreements with friends that seem beyond resolution.  Perhaps we feel wounded by another’s words or actions.  We might be furious with someone right now.  We could be mad at ourselves as well.  We might have wounded someone that we loved.  We might be frustrated that we can’t orchestrate some kind of resolution.  We might wonder if we will ever forgive as we should.

        Our Mother Mary looks at us, along with her son.  She doesn’t criticize.  She only gives us a template for exercising boundless mercy.  How do we relate to her example this New Year’s Day?

        The last stanzas of the lengthy Scottish lullaby sung by the Virgin rings out in the winter grayness today.  The words are a promise to all of us, a pledge we need to hear.

        Come, O sinner, do not fear

        you’ll get what you want of graces

        though your faults be red like scarlet

        your soul will be white like the snow of the high hills.

        Hosanna to the Son of David

        my king, my Lord and my savior

        great is my joy to be lulling you

        blessed among women am I.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Do I feel unworthy of God’s love today?  Why?

2.    Do I find the example of Mary comforting?  What words of consolation do I need to hear today?

Dear Parishioners,

        Each year I send out a Christmas letter to about 400 friends and relatives.  It is my attempt to keep in contact with those that I have met along life’s journey.  A few days later, I will start to receive return mail.  Address changes will be noted or there will be a notice that the person I have written to has moved and left no forwarding address.  People will also write me back to inform me that the person I have tried to contact is now in heaven with the Lord.  I find all this to be kind of a melancholy experience, but it is a part of life. 

        This Sunday we say goodbye to Sr. Kathleen who has been a part of our parish staff for over three decades.  She has worked for three pastors.  That speaks for her patience.  She has overseen Adult Education while she has been here.  Many people have been touched by her ministry.  The Rite of Christian Education of Adults has been a major focus of her work.  And many converts to the faith credit Sister with guiding their faith journey.  She has also led Bible studies, guided our ecumenical ministry and has been involved in other initiatives.  She has worked with our bereavement ministry as well.  Sister Kathleen has helped plan innumerable funerals.  She has had a shoulder that many have cried on.

        Sister will be moving to Dubuque to live at the BVM motherhouse.  She will have an apartment.  She plans on staying active in ministry in as long as she can.  As many Sisters like to say, they do not retire but are just repurposed.

        I am sure I speak for all Sacred Heart parishioners when I say that we will miss Sister and her many talents.  Her positive attitude and prayers were always a support to our parish.  Sisters are like priests in that there are fewer vocations today.  I wish I could say that another sister would be replacing Sister Kathleen, but there is no one available.  This is another reason for sadness.  We carry on and evolve.  That is the Christian way.

        I will miss Sister Kathleen.  She was a confidant of mine.  She kept confidence and was a good listener.  I know she will come back to visit and that gives me a sense of comfort.  I would encourage everyone to come to the reception even if you can’t attend the 11 a.m. Mass.  This will show her our appreciation.  She has been a gift to all of us.  She will pray for us, and we must remember her in our prayers.

        May the faith of the Magi uplift us today.

        Fr. Mark