The Mystery of Light

    As twilight fell, the crowds began to gather. First like a whisper, then louder and louder the song rose towards the sky, "Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!" The candles still dim in the low light, I stepped into the stream of people, adding my voice to the throng when I knew the words, "Hail Mary. . .".
    All around me, I heard different voices, different languages: the familiar melody of Spanish, the new throaty tones of French, rapidly guttural German, lilting Italian, and more that I could not name. Skirts swished, eyes glinted in the candlelight from beneath lacy headdresses, I stumbled when an unknowing backpack brushed my shoulder. I walked, enjoying each solo voice as different languages led the rosary. Then I heard, "The second mystery of light." I raised my eyes to hundreds of candles at my shoulders, in front of me, behind me, the bright white statue of the Virgin topped by a shining Golden crown, and finally a near-full moon. The mystery of light.
We walked together under the moon, to a rosary rhythm, under the eye of the Immaculate Conception. I drew a careful breath, conscious of the prayers I knew and the words I didn't understand, and I walked the Rosary. Not an isolated repetition of sounds, this Rosary was a walking together, raising our lights in praise to God so that even those without candles can see.  With different words, in the same voice, I sang in thanksgiving for diversity in unity, for prayer in action, for this beautiful metaphor of what it means to be Catholic.

Posted by Sarah