Tell Us, O Mary, What did You See?

Much thanks for the prayers after my last post. I boarded an early flight with my family today bound for a big event this weekend. More to come in time.

What I did not get to do today, as a consequence of the insanity of the world around is, is attend the Holy and August Sacrifice of the Mass in the Gregorian Rite of the Church. 5:30 AM trip to the airport. Three hour flight. Landed after all the Masses here were over. When you go every day for years, the Lord puts a true love – a devotion – to seeing Him every day in your heart. I felt truly sad that I could not see Him today. Tomorrow I will be up before 6:00 to pray the Regina Coeli and head to Mass in a gymnasium. And I will be grateful.

And at that Mass I will hear the following beautiful sequence.

The line that always catches my attention is the reference, really the command, to Magdalene. In one translation I have seen (not a bad one at that) the line reads: “Tell us, O Mary, what did you see?/I saw the Tomb of the living God; the glory of His Resurrection!”

In my hand Missal (1962 ed., Angelus Press) it reads: “Speak, Mary, declaring what thou sawest wayfaring./“The tomb of Christ Who now liveth: and likewise the glory of the Risen.”

I love Magdalene. Having fasted through Lent for the first time in a truly penitential spirit, endeavoring to offer generously my gift to God in atonement for my sins, I identify more and more with this “wounded flower” as Sheen called her. She never ceased to offer fasting and penance and, I pray, neither now will I that I also may “see the tomb of Christ Who now liveth.”

That being said it’s Easter week. Every day this week is Easter. I am celebrating a bit. Though on my flight this morning, I forgot for a moment that it is Easter. I dozed momentarily, waking to be asked by a man stewardess, “Something to drink?” Without thinking I replied, “Black coffee, please?”

I took one sip and then promptly knocked the cup over on my tray table by accident, spilling it on my lap.

That ought to teach me not to not order a gin and tonic on any future flights. I’ve never spilled those.

God bless each of you who read this and please pray for me.

St, Mary Magdalene, pray for us!