OCTAVE DAY OF CHRISTMAS;
(Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7)
| SOLEMNITY OF MOTHERHOOD OF MARY The Two Angel Choruses At the Birth of the Saviour a Heavenly Choir of Angels sang the refrain: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth”. That is a lovely refrain and very meaningful for all who know and love the Saviour and understand the truth of the promise of peace it brings. But at the death of that saviour another choir of angels, this time earthly angels, sang another song; a song somewhat similar and yet very different. It was as Jesus was being led, at the beginning of Holy Week, into the city that was to put him to death that this choir of earthly angels sang their song. Now who were these earthly angels? They were the closest to angels we can find on earth: a band of children; a band of children whose song was inspired, indeed we might say, commanded, by God Himself. “If they do not sing this song, the very stones will shout it out: “Glory to God in the highest”, they sang, and “Peace in the Highest Heavens”. Here we must note the difference between the words of the heavenly Choir at Christ’s birth and those of the earthly choir at his death. Whereas the heavenly choir sang of “peace on earth”, the earthly choir sang of peace in heaven. What is the meaning of this difference between the two songs? Perhaps we might interpret it thus: The Choir of angels were singing of a blessing of peace for the earth where there was so much of strife and tension, whereas the earthly choir was singing of a blessing of peace for the heavens where we would surely expect there was already nothing but peace and tranquillity. But there is a way in which our poor human minds and human language can consider a certain lack of perfect peace, even in heaven; a kind of “unease” a kind of anxiety and fear. If the Communion of Saints means anything; if love itself means anything, then those in heaven who love us and who see us living amid so many perils; who see us walking blindly along such dangerous paths; who see our blindness and foolishness, not to mention our downright malice at times; then those who love us from above must have many an anxious moment on our account. This is true for the whole body of the Saints in heaven, but it is most specially true for those who were nearest and dearest to us on earth; their love and concern for us has, of course, only increased by their passing into eternal life. But of all those who have a special love and concern for us in heaven, who can be more loving and concerned for us than our heavenly Mother Herself? We call her the mother of sorrows and that sorrow did not pass with the resurrection of her First-Born, it remains there with all the other sentiments of anguish and fear and anxiety carried in her heart as she accompanies each one of us on our perilous journey home. HAPPY NEW YEAR Fr Raymond |
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