CELEBRATING CELESTE

 



On All Hallow’s Eve, we celebrate the birth of our foundress, Ven. Maria Celeste, in 1696 in the Kingdom of Naples.  She was the tenth of twelve children born to Giuseppe and Baptista Crostarosa.  They baptized her Julia Marcella Santa on next day on the Feast of All Saints.

Hymn:

LET US WITH JOY OUR VOICES RAISE

Let us with joy our voices raise
In that heroic woman’s praise,
Whose courage, strength and holy fame
Have given her an honored name.

O blest Celeste, with single gaze
Did live her life with joy and praise;
In liberty of mind and heart
Was Spirit guided from the start.

This woman was transformed by grace
And prayed the world God’s Love embrace;
That in our turn we may be one
With our Redeemer, God’s own Son.

Text:Silvio Antoniano 1540-1630
Stanzas 2, 3 Moira Quinn OSsR
Tune: Eisenach LM     Schein     

Reading        Peter 1:3-6

Praise be the Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, who with great mercy gave us new birth: a birth into hope, which draws its life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; a birth to an imperishable inheritance incapable of fading or defilement, which is kept in heaven for you who are guarded with God’s power through faith; a birth to a salvation which stands ready to be revealed in the last days.

Intercessions

Jesus spoke often to Celeste’s heart.  Let us open our hearts that we may say:
Make us an echo of your willing.

I carry you as an infant in my womb.
May we know the depth of love God has for each one of us.
Make us an echo of your willing.

You shall possess my joy by your participation in my love.
May we be faithful witnesses to our Redeemer’s love for all humankind.
Make us an echo of your willing.

I put my heart into your breast so that your life may be devoted to my concerns.
May we be ever mindful of all those who are suffering or in need.
Make us an echo of your willing.

From the cross I obtained for souls the grace of transformation of their being into mine.
May we be a Living Memory of the Paschal Mystery for the life of the world.
Make us an echo of your willing.

My heart is a place where my love offers her a shelter in her weariness.
May we always abide in the peace of Christ and welcome others to share our life.
Make us an echo of your willing.

Prayer:

Loving God, source of all life, as we celebrate with joy the memory of Ven. Maria Celeste’s birth this day, may we follow the example of her holy life and by her prayers live in fidelity to our calling.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

HERE I AM TO WORSHIP

HERE I AM TO WORSHIP
                       Tim Hughes

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, Let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore you
Hope of a life spent with you

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God


You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to meKing of all days
So highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly you came to the earth you created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
(repeat)

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
(repeat 3x)

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
(repeat)

For here we have no lasting home, we are looking for the city that is to come.  Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God.  Heb. 13:14-15     (For) no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Cor. 2:9    (Therefore) by the power of God’s glory may you be endowed with the strength needed to stand fast, even to endure joyfully whatever may come giving thanks to the Father, who made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.  God has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the beloved Son, in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Col. 1:11-14 

We began Midday prayer with this song of praise, ‘Here I am To Worship.’  It is a song filled with confidence in the One who came down from heaven to freely give his life to us.   Jesus’ freedom came from the sure knowledge that he was in the hands of his loving Father.

Early on in our retreat, I woke up with a song gentle wafting through my head by the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.  It was the love song, “Take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can’t help falling in love with you.”  Now whether it was the King of Love, the King of all days, singing it to me or I singing to him, it all depended on the moment.  Jesus has offered his hand, his whole life to me as a continual act of love - always new and always flowing – to be with me on this journey from darkness to light.   When I take his hand, offering my life to him; I long always to be falling more and more in love with him as he leads me on my life’s journey.

Jesus had the freedom to accept God’s plan of love for our redemption.  Do we have the freedom to accept whatever God places before us, whether good or bad, with a peaceful heart?  It is by no means easy when we do not know our future.  But our constitutions call us to “be a clear and radiant witness of the love God has for us in Christ.” Const. 5   By faith in the living Christ and by the prayer of praise and intercession which through Him rises up to the Father, (we) live out at a deep level the Paschal Mystery of Christ, dead and risen.”  Const. 4  It is a conundrum to me when I hear about the martyrs who joyfully went to their death witnessing to Christ.  I don’t think I’d have the courage. We are called, though, to be martyrs like Therese, or Teresa, or Celeste was:  ‘Offering ourselves to the Father as a living eucharist for the world.’ Const. 35    Alone, I do not have the strength but together and with the Lord leading us “we can radiate paschal joy among ourselves and around us giving witness to the Risen Christ.”  Const. 21