Heart with Mary

The Lectionary of the Roman Catholic Church today offers texts for the celebration of a memorial to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The passages from Isaiah and 1st Samuel praise the gracious generosity of God to Israel. The living out of the generous and loving nature of God is the vocation of all Christians. The expression of love in the “good heart “ of Mary of which we have images throughout Scripture and Tradition is the reflection for today. The liturgy reminds us of the thanksgiving of Hannah upon the birth of her son, Sampson. The Church daily recalls Mary’s Magnificat , re-echo of Hannah in the of the evening prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. We are reminded today, like yesterday, that “having heart” for the Creation is our place. The witness of Mary in love is the model we examine today.

Women in Praise

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today puts together texts in which two women offer great hymns of praise to God for miraculous gifts of children. Hannah, mother of Sampson, is the barren woman who is to give birth. She has been inspired to know that her special child will serve the Lord and the people of the Lord. Mary, who is Jesus mother, is the virgin mother. She has said ‘Amen’ to God’s plan that her son will be born of the Holy Spirit and will be God’s gift of the Divine to people. A quick search or ‘google’ of the phrase ‘hannah and mary’ brought many interesting links. The praise of these women has inspired great music. Composers have used these events to exalt and rejoice in the action of the Divine.

People from Honalee

The death of Mary Travers of Peter Paul and Mary inspired the music play list creators to retrieve many fine selections from this group. This morning "Puff the Magic Dragon" greeted my waking ears.

Are we, the boomers born in the early 50's, people from Honalee? Little Jackie Paper loved that dragon Puff. I think many of my contemporaries were "turned -on" by flights of the imagination to better places where "peace, love and non violence" (remember Woodstock?) would be the way of life. I think our generation worked to battle racism, poverty and discrimination. Imagination is a powerful tool. Our grandchildren will need much imagination. They will have many challenges. Our children are taking charge. They have the skills and knowledge. They have varied experience. The wisdom they need will develop and I suggest that taking our grandchildren to Honalee might be a great start.

Today, Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time we are reminded "Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’ "(Mark 9:37-38)

We can imagine ourselves in this scene from Scripture. The child in this story did not have any status in the society. This reminds the "Woodstock generation" of the ideals which we hoped would lead to the action of breaking down walls and levelling the playing field. Today's child will be our opportunity to reopen imagination and "Puff" rediscover the Divine.