DEATH OF OUR LADY

DEATH OF OUR LADY

Mary has fallen 

gentle seed to earth

that a new plant of life glorious

might rise triumphant.

Seven times has she planted in sorrow*

and watched it blossom joy.

Oh - we have known her beauty

because her seed has fallen.

Each sorrow held her

within a canyon of silence

but God entered her valley

to sing His fiat of glory.

Sister M Ethna OSF

Cord. August 1961

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*Reference to the Blessed Virgin's seven sorrows: [1] the prophecy of Simeon, [2] flight into Egypt, [3] the loss of Jesus, [4] the meeting with Christ on His way to Gethsemane, [5] standing at the foot of the cross while Jesus died, [6] taking down Christ's body from the cross and [7] the burial of Jesus.

From 'A Silence full of bells'

FLYING BIRDS On the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption

FLYING BIRDS

On the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption

In a compact body, keeping perfect rhythm,

above the smoking factory chimney's crest,

regardless even of the beauty of the green fields,

waving trees, and joyous, shouting children,

the birds circle the heavens in their morning flight.

So, surely, must the Angels have borne aloft

Our Lady on that first Assumption Day!

Intent on the beauty of Him on whom they desire to look,

they ignore the things of earth and gaze on her

whom clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet,

they bear to joyful reunion with her Son - 

with Him who is also her God.

Sister M Denis OP

Tablet. 19 August 1961

From 'A Silence full of bells'

MARCH TWENTY-FIFTH*

MARCH TWENTY-FIFTH*

How dear it was that Nazareth night,

your heart all trembling with delight

when all eternity stood still

and seraphs hung with bated thrill

to wait upon your will,

sweet Lady.

Your burning heart with rapture stirred

the Father's still unuttered Word,

the Spirit's outpoured fire became,

upon the accents of your Name,

an alabaster Flame,

sweet Lady.

Down, down that midnight's depthless sea,

mid paeans of soundless melody

eternity had come to rest

timed to the heart beats of your breast,

close to the Word made Flesh,

Sweet Lady.

Sister M Consolata VHM

Ave Maria. 23 March 1957

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*Feast of the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary that she would bear the Christ-Child

From'A Silence full of bells'

A SONG FOR MARY

A SONG FOR MARY

Here is May come softly in,

sing unto my Lady,

robin shout with cheerful din,

sing unto my Lady.

Here is May all gaily dressed,

smile upon my Lady,

purple lilac at her breast,

smile upon my Lady.

Here is May, sweet-scented, fair,

bow before my Lady;

apple blossoms in her hair

bow before my Lady.

Sister M Consilia PHJC

Catholic World. May 1947

From 'A Silence full of bells'

LENT: STATIONS OF THE CROSS

THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

During Lent Christians celebrate the Stations of the Cross in devout commemoration of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the first Good Friday.  Present at Christ’s journey to his death was the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Watching her Son die, she suffered with him.  To the melody of the ancient Stabat Mater hymn, the following lyrics may be sung:

First Station: Jesus is condemned to death

Though he knew that Christ was blameless

Pilate in a deed most shameless

To the cross him did condemn

Second Station: Jesus takes up his cross

With contempt the rabble varmints

Robed the King in royal garments

To deride his royalty

Third Station: Jesus falls the first time

Weakened by the brutal flaying

Yet the wicked rule obeying

Jesus fell beneath the cross

Fourth station: Jesus meets his mother, Mary

When he met his holy Mother

Who had served him as no other

Eyes at eyes in silence gazed

Fifth Station: Simon helps Jesus carry the cross

Seeing Jesus in his meekness

Tremble from exhausted weakness

Simon helped him bear his cross

Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

The image of his holy face

Never after was erased

From Veronica’s soothing cloth

Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time

For the second time he stumbled

Flattened by the cross he crumbled

Yet he rose despite the pain

Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

Mothers of Jerusalem

Wept until he counselled them:

Save your weeping for your own

Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time

Once again he tripped and fell

Still amid the taunts of hell

Rose and bore the cross again

Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments

Lily of all purity

How they shamed thy dignity

When they tore thy garments off

Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross

Hideous nails through hands and feet

Still the Lamb refused to bleat

As his mother‘s heart was pierced

Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross

When she stayed close by his side

For the time until he died

She sustained him by her love

Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross

When they took him down they laid him

In her arms a cradle made him

For her Son, the King of kings

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the sepulchre

Joseph’s sepulchre received him

He was dead – yet she believed him

Three days on he rose from death

Luky Whittle - 1998

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STATIONS OF THE CROSS? VISIT
http://www.catholic.org/prayers/station.php

With thanks to youtube and catholic.org

THE FOURTH STATION

THE FOURTH STATION*

On blood-stained cobblestones

she stands,

holding out to Him

her helpless hands.

Her tear-filled eyes are dark

with all the woe

of mothers who have watched

their children go

Down bitter paths of pain

to die - 

the while she, anguished, stands

all helpless by.

Sister M Consilia PHJC

Catholic World. March 1947

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*The Fourth Station of the Cross: Jesus meets His afflicted mother.

From 'A Silence full of bells'

PROLONGED MAGNIFICAT

PROLONGED MAGNIFICAT

Against the dark I need no dawn brave wings

whose flight is not so vast as my desire

a canticle intense as light made fire

is freedom's cadenced symbol now and flings

to braver heights the song Our Lady sings.

its pain-poised tones new spans of peace acquire

and rise for joyance a sky-piercing spire,

"For He who is mighty has done great things."

The bound alone are free; I know it so,

my triple bonds* make freedom triply strong

in ordered strength a plainsong way I go,

the singing way my Mother goes along.

Matching my halting tones to hers I know

essential freedom is her living song.

Sister M Columba IHM

Catholic World. December 1959

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*A reference to the three vows, poverty, chastity and obedience made by religious like the poet

From 'A Silence full of bells'