Sunday, December 23, 2007

Mary the Dawn

I love Mary, and my feelings for her lie somewhere between the extremes expressed by some of my Catholic friends and by too many of my Protestant friends. This devotion (from the Dominican Sisters of Summit) I think rightly navigates the extremes, presenting Mary's right position as the great herald of her Son.
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Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord;
Mary the shrine, Christ the God’s adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother’s Son
By all things blessed while endless ages run.

2 comments:

Alan said...

I like "His personal Bethlehem."

Keith Wallis said...

I share your viewpoint. Mary's 'yes' to all that would follow deserves its own degree of reverence.