At the conclusion of the reading of Isaiah at today's St. Patrick's Day Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul, we were instructed in how to respond after the reading in Gaelic: Buiocas Le Dia: "Thanks be to God." It has been my practice for the last several years to attend this worship on the Feast Day of St. Patrick helping remind me and those in attendance that this day is much more than shamrocks and leprechauns. It is the celebration of the life of a real person who took his faith seriously, took giving his life to God seriously. The mass comes complete with bagpipes of course and the procession of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians wearing colorful capes and feathery hats while carrying swords, real swords. The service is presided over by the Archbishop and all the beauty of a full Roman Catholic mass. The congregation is colorful as well in a multitude of greens and Irish knit sweaters. It is always a high point of the spring for me to attend this service.
My favorite part of the service comes just before the celebration of the Eucharist as the congregation sings 'Anthem for Ireland' words set to the tune of "Danny Boy". This tune alone tugs at the heart strings but the words for this rendition also always bring a little tear to my eye. And I'm not even Irish!
Oh land of love we bless thee gentle Mother
Oh land of light fair jewel of the sea
Oh land of joy where brother shall meet brother
And all thy souls shall dwell in harmony
And when the clouds of torment and of sorrow
Flee with the dark at rising of the sun
Hand shall clasp hand in happiness tomorrow
And we shall toil together in God's work begun.
Whether a person is of Irish heritage or not, these are powerful words to sing, to embody. Each of us have been shaped, I believe, by the land where we were born, where we grew up. Whether in the country or the city, near mountains or lakes, rivers or deserts, the land has not only shaped us but given us the soil in which to plant our identities. For those who pursue the Holy or are pursued, the land from which we sprang also helps define our understanding of All that is bigger than our human self. The land that shapes us by love, by light, by joy helps us know who we are as workers with God in the unfolding of Creation,helps us 'clasp hands' with one another.
In this work, which is our act of living, we can be gifted by an awareness of what it means to be a part of something much larger than house or office, of city or country. It is not a constant awareness which might be too much for any of us to handle. This awareness comes in glimmers and glimpses and may be accompanied, if we listen well, by music. It might be a tune that sounds a lot like "Danny Boy."
St. Patrick was said to have surrounded himself with words that began: 'I arise today through the strength of heaven…..' And don't we all? May the strength of heaven guide our feet this day and all those yet to come. Buiocas Le Dia.