Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

Communion of Saints tapestry by John Nava. Courtesy of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angles, Los Angeles.

As part of the Mystical Body of Christ, it is our responsibility to pray for the earthly church, to pray for those who await eternal union with God and to pray for the intercessions of the saintly church in heaven.

As one of the faithful and a Sister, it is our privilege to call upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints in heaven for guidance and help.  As members of the Church, we profess our belief in the communion of saints and the resurrection of the dead to life everlasting.  The first two days of November remind all the faithful of this responsibility and this blessing.

On the first of November we remember all the saints in heaven, from the most important to the very least.  In our monastery, we gather in our historic Relic Chapel and pray the litany of saints the night before the solemnity and before we process into our Adoration Chapel for First Vespers of All Saints.

We recall all those who have given their lives to the Church throughout her history and have been canonized by the Church, giving them special honor and recognition as “saints.”  In professing belief in the communion of saints, we acknowledge the heavenly church’s union with the  universal church on earth.

Each Eucharist celebrated on earth is celebrated at the same time in heaven; there is no disunity.  We pray to the saints to intercede for us and ask them for their help.  Many of us are named after a patron saint; many countries have patron saints; many saints have been given patronal causes based upon their earthly lives.  The Blessed Virgin Mary, is the queen of all saints.

On the second of November, we recall our dearly departed loved ones and pray for their souls.  It is comforting to know that believers around the world are praying for this part of the Mystical Body of Christ as we all have loved ones who have died with the hope of rising again.

The efficacy of our prayers will never be known to us in its entirety, but let us have faith in the grace of God to bring all things together, united by the bonds of love and sustained by its flow.

All the saints in heaven, pray for us.

St. Anne with the Virgin and Child and St. Joachim by Joos van Cleve

Today is the memorial of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of our Blessed Virgin Mary.

Who are your parents? Where did they come from? What did they do during their lifetimes?

The answers to these questions are known for pretty much every well-known person these days. That is how some people rate their status and importance – how big a splash did I make in the tabloids or on the evening news? Reporters are snooping around for every morsel of information about so-and-so’s parents, siblings, etc.

What information we know about the Blessed Virgin Mary’s parents is astoundingly lacking. Even their names have escaped notice and are based upon a source that did not even know Jesus, Mary, Joseph or their extended families. How reliable can the source be? We need to take our cues from Mary.

Our Blessed Mother was holy and religious, a devout Jewess maiden keeping the laws and precepts of the long-lived traditions. Could a woman who was prayerful, devoted to her family and her faith be the product of anything less than a good example, anything else than the loving wisdom of generations past? We think not.

Thus, whatever Mary’s parents’ names were, today we honor their roles in forming Mary in the faith and keeping the faith alive. As good parents they passed on their love of God, their faith in his covenant, and their trust in the Holy One.

Joachim and Anne modeled fidelity for Mary and I am sure for others who lived in their midst. We all know people who teach by example more than by word. May more people emulate Joachim’s and Anne’s faithful examples and help the faith live on for generations to come.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to show our gratitude and pray for her continued intercession on our behalf.

For us, we observe a Sunday schedule. We put aside our normal works, such as altar bread production, cleaning and clerical duties, to focus entirely on prayer.

Father in heaven, all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(above) The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is characterized in this beautiful mosaic, which appears in the nave of our Clyde Adoration Chapel.

Today we remember the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth.  This visit is all about hospitality.  However, the story does not begin here, but with the Annunciation three months ago.

Mary gave hospitality to God, agreeing to bear Jesus in her womb for nine months and in her heart forever.  This inauguration of “God with us” allows us to bear witness to God and divine grace to others.  It also allows us to recognize the divine in ourselves and others.  As Elizabeth acclaimed of Mary, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”  Mary’s reply, the Magnificat, draws our attention and gratefulness to God the Almighty, the source of our creaturehood.

Let us offer hospitality to God and allow the grace from this eternal visitation to embrace people of all places, races and creeds.  Let us ask “God with us” to help us be co-builders of the kingdom of God.