“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice… The Lord is near.” (Phil 4:4-5)
“Rejoice!” Despite wretched circumstances, Paul’s joy was irrepressible! Writing from a place of dark imprisonment, he sounded a second clarion call to the Philippians: “Again, I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near.” Though confined in a dungeon, nothing can prevent the light of Jesus, the Blessed Christ, whose coming disperses the darkness of heart and mind.
St Paul’s message continues across the ages to join our generation in the Te Deum concerning a recent event: la réouverture de Notre-Dame de Paris on the Eve of the Immaculate Conception. By the wonder of the Internet, in real time, the whole world witnessed the night-bound city of Paris with violent wind whipping around the Archbishop of Paris as he raised his crosier (made from wood salvaged from the fire) and knocked three times upon the mighty doors of the restored Cathedral of Notre Dame. From inside, packed with dignitaries from many countries, the mighty organ awakened, and the young blue-clad choristers sang in welcome. The great doors opened, and the whole world seemed to exult and even weep with joy, for it seemed that the tragedy of destruction, by fire and by sin, had been visibly restored in Notre Dame’s beauty of holiness. The rector of the cathedral affirmed the blessed unity of all people in this momentous event: “The cathedral carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.’’
In the opening of the Cathedral of Notre Dame (and symbolically with hope for the renewal of faith in France), we seem to hear St George Preca’s cri de coeur, “Divine Master, May the whole World know the Gospel!” The Joy of the whole world, of every soul that ever was or ever will be created, is Jesus who comes to us through the one who is the Cause of our Joy: our Lady Mary, Mother of God. Rejoice! Again, rejoice!
Ruth D. Lasserter
Friend of the SDC
Indiana, US
