May Magnificat

Image from http://www.piercedhearts.org

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today is an über special day! It is the beatification of Pope John Paul II - he is now BLESSED! Alleluia!!! It is also the wonderful feast of the Divine Mercy - by which the heavens opened at 3 o'clock and we were invited to immerse ourselves in the loving mercy of Jesus and to pray for all other souls! On top of that, it's also the feast of St. Joseph the worker. St Joseph is the patron of carpenters, builders and all workers... but also patron saint of the universal Church of Christ on earth, the dying, marriages, fatherhood, families, house sales and finances. He is also an excellent example of humility and obedience to the calling of God in his life (click here for source).

On this 1st day of Mary's month, we are called to open our hearts to her son's presence in our lives, and to let the Holy Spirit set our faith on fire with the eternal life and truth of Jesus. We are encouraged to pray the Rosary every single day this month - it's such a beautiful prayer, and I hope you'll fall as much in love with it as me - more even! So here's a poem by Gerard Manley-Hopkins to celebrate today, and hoping that you feel encouraged to pray for the Blessed Virgin Mary's intercession that she will lead you to her son, and the ocean of mercy found in His most sacred heart.

May is Mary's month, and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season—

Candlemas, Lady Day;
But the Lady Month, May,
Why fasten that upon her,
With a feasting in her honour?

Is it only its being brighter
Than the most are must delight her?
Is it opportunest
And flowers finds soonest?
 

Ask of her, the mighty mother:
                                           Her reply puts this other
                                         Question: What is Spring?—
                                              Growth in every thing—

                                         Flesh and fleece, fur and feather,
                                        Grass and greenworld all together;
                                          Star-eyed strawberry-breasted
                                            Throstle above her nested

                                           Cluster of bugle blue eggs thin
                                            Forms and warms the life within;
                                            And bird and blossom swell
                                               In sod or sheath or shell.

                                            All things rising, all things sizing
                                            Mary sees, sympathising
                                            With that world of good,
                                           Nature's motherhood.

                                          Their magnifying of each its kind
                                           With delight calls to mind
                                           How she did in her stored
                                              Magnify the Lord.

                                        Well but there was more than this:
                                       Spring's universal bliss
                                       Much, had much to say
                                      To offering Mary May.

                                      When drop-of-blood-and-foam-dapple
                                      Bloom lights the orchard-apple
                                     And thicket and thorp are merry
                                   With silver-surfed cherry

                                     And azuring-over greybell makes
                               Wood banks and brakes wash wet like lakes
                              And magic cuckoocall
                               Caps, clears, and clinches all—

                               This ecstasy all through mothering earth
                               Tells Mary her mirth till Christ's birth
                               To remember and exultation
                                 In God who was her salvation. 

For me, I'm now desperate for work in youth evangelisation as I have been unemployed for 11 months. And so the prayer of St. Joseph is particularly special for me at the moment. I hope there is something here that you can really relate to...


Oh glorious St Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work; above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so harmful to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate you, O Patriarch St Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity. Amen