Monday, December 8, 2008

December Stories and Songs, Part Eight


Today is the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It's not a day I regularly celebrate nor a doctrine in which I believe, but it seemed like a good day to honor Mary, the Mother of God.  In my tradition (Pilgrims, Puritans, Calvin, Zwingli) we are slowly getting better about this.
For today's story, we're back with the inimitable Tomie de Paola. The book is one of his very best, The Clown of God. It's based on Anatole France's story Le Jongleur de Notre Dame, (The Juggler of Our Lady) and retold and illustrated by de Paola in a colorful, Renaissance-inspired style. The message of this story, I think, is that what we do, our vocation, if it is done as well as we can do it and done with love, is pleasing to God.  
With many renditions to choose from, I picked the Wiener Saengerknaben (the Vienna Boys' Choir) to sing the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria for this day.  I have it on this old CD called Christmas Favorites, but it's on several of their other albums as well.  Whether you pray to Mary or simply revere her as the God-bearer, I hope you will enjoy this song and story today or some time soon.

2 comments:

Sisterfilms said...

Speaking of Mary -- OHP's lyrics (that were premiered yesterday by the Women's Quartet, of which the composer is a member) was, I thought, one of the loveliest pieces about Mary for non-Catholics. One line is "Here's to you, Christ-Giver" -- I think I like the idea of her being a
'giver' more than a 'bearer'.

Diane M. Roth said...

PERFECT!