Be sure to watch the video at the end after you read this post…
One morning, my wife and I ate breakfast at la Madeleine—Country French for me and scrambled with croissant for my wife. The day had begun a with a visit to the doctor, which carries its own concerns, and promised to become a busy day of work and chores. So we decided to take a short break before the day got away.
After our food arrived, we offered a prayer of blessing and then we heard it… We had noticed that Christmas music was playing softly in the background, but now we clearly heard Ave Verum Corpus (Hail True Body) coming through the speakers! So we took a few moments to rest in the prayer of this beautiful Eucharistic hymn. Maybe ten or so minutes later, we heard Panis Angelicus (Bread of Angels), yet another beautiful Eucharistic hymn.
We might have missed these gifts from God, but I believe our attention was attracted by them through our prayer of grace.
This led to a discussion about staying tuned in to God’s voice throughout the day. Do you listen for Him?
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For your reflection, here are the words to Ave Verum Corpus and a video performance from the late, great Leonard Bernstein…
“Ave Verum Corpus natum de Maria Virgine…”
“Hail, True Body, born of the Virgin Mary…”
Simply magnificent! Here is only an approximate English translation, more literal than poetic:
Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary,
Who truly suffered, sacrificed on the Cross for man,
Whose side pierced whence flowed water and blood,
Be for us a foretaste in the test of death.
O my loving, Gentle One, Sweetest Jesus, Mary’s Son.
Amen.
[youtube id = “6KUDs8KJc_c”]
