The eighth of September marks the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and some of our parish cantors and choir members got together to celebrate and honour her in song.  Mary is the one of whom Elizabeth claims ‘Blessed is she who believed that the promises made to her by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Luke 1:45).  On this her birthday we can approach the Lord in a similar way, believing that the promises of the Lord made to us, promises for ‘prosperity’ and a for a ‘future’ will also be fulfilled.   With that kind of hope we can live through this time of pandemic and in turn support our brothers and sisters, particularly those who are feeling disheartened or disillusioned.

We can also take up the words of Mary in her response to Elizabeth’s exclamation: Mary cried out in joy and fatih:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of the Almighty’s servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is God’s name.
God’s mercy is for those who fear God
from generation to generation.
God has shown strength with God’s arm;
God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
God has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
God has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
God has helped servant Israel,
in remembrance of God’s mercy,
according to the promise God made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

So now please enjoy Hail Mary, Gentle Woman by Carey Landry, performed by our musicians.  Share it with those to whom it will bring comfort.

Thank you to Andrew Ryan for providing the backing tracks and then putting the virtual choir together.  Thank you to all of those who participated in the choir: Jacinta Ryan, Erin Towns, Angela Niklason, Florence Chin, Ben Fung, Judy Crowe-Conway, Angela Livingston, Frances Clancy, Aloysius Gomez, Amy Lau, Madeleine Ryan and Louisa Pitcher.