Advent Reed
Our Blessed Lady is meek,
but in a way that inherits the earth
A humility that is exalted,
A simplicity than reigns… Continue reading Advent Reed
Tag: Blessed Virgin Mary
Mother of Sorrows
I’ve never seen him…dead before, he who was always so full of life, more fully alive than anyone I have ever known, pulsing with youth, agility, vigor. Life…now drained out. Continue reading Mother of Sorrows
Mary and Fatima: Reflections on the Sacred Feminine in Christianity and Islam
Both Mary and Fatima are seen, in their respective traditions, as “queens of paradise.” And what is a queen of paradise? Perhaps it has less to do with crowns and scepters, and more to do with a certain fullness of being, a height of proximity to the divine light. Continue reading Mary and Fatima: Reflections on the Sacred Feminine in Christianity and Islam
Hidden Queen
Look into the poorest eyes And find the hidden queen The pool of gracious light reveals The depth of the Red Sea And she will lead us through the waves, The first upon dry ground Find the highly favored one, Work-chafed, oppression’s child, Whose people felt the stinging lash Yet heard the Word of God And she has heard His whisper rise On the harshness … Continue reading Hidden Queen
The Annunciation
Ave, the spring of flowerAnd summer’s fernAve, the flow of riverAnd ice’s thawAve, the walls of NazarethWhite as angel wingsAve, the grace of seedThe death and the dawnAve, the hollowed earthAnd Woman’s wombAve, all things rebornThe kiss of God and ManAve, the farmer’s sowingAnd the sun’s ascentAve, the green of treeAnd outstretched limbsAve, the cup that brimsAnd the heart that runs overAve, the lilies and … Continue reading The Annunciation
Star of the Sea: Marian Devotion through the Prism of a Medieval Hymn to the Virgin
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has played an integral role in Christian devotion since the early days of the Church, and continues to be a vital part of the daily devotions of Catholic, Orthodox, and even some denominations of Protestant Christians to this day. Once a year, during the season of Christmas, even those who typically do not engage in Marian devotion find … Continue reading Star of the Sea: Marian Devotion through the Prism of a Medieval Hymn to the Virgin
Womb of the Universe
Hush, my child, sleep in safety Darkness shows that mother’s near All surrounding love and safety Mother’s song dispels all fear Hush, my child, in the silence Feel the beat of mother’s heart Though the universal longing Soon shall pierce it with a dart Hush, my child, on the journey Far from home, a star shall lead; Soul of Starlight burns within me, Yet the … Continue reading Womb of the Universe
Avellina Balestri - Official Website 