In this month of mothers and Mary, Jesus’ mother, Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Kathleen Murphy completes the academic year of reviewing liturgical songs with Mary, Woman of the Promise.
Our year has rounded to the month of May, the month of Mary. We may honor our Blessed Mother with the prayerful singing of Mary, Woman of the Promise. The very title calls to mind the longed for Kingdom, the world of promise that is the object of our yearning. Mary can lead us and help us to bring this Kingdom of Promise to birth.
We sing of Mary’s willing and open spirit as a channel filled with God’s goodness. That which is most human in us can also be this hollow reed, this open channel bringing the water’s of God’s goodness to those thirsting for it. Mary is called “holy wisdom”. In this role Mary is proclaimed as remaining faithful to the Word within. We are capable of the same.
We name Mary as morning star of justice, mirror of the radiant light and beacon. Sometimes we become so hyper-aware of the darkness in our world that we forget not only our calling, but our very identity as Children of Light. Our words, prayer, and action all have the potential to be light to the world that we touch.
Mary is called model of compassion and woman of the Gospel. Let us ask Mary to deepen our own sense of compassion for all who suffer. We pray that we will not save our empathy for those we know, or for those whose anguish comes from an “acceptable disorder”. Rather, may we be pilgrims with Mary on the road to a justice based on the Gospel.
