St Brigid’s Day 2019

Our lovely St Brigid window in St Mary’s Chapel features the oak leaves and acorns associated with Kildare / Cill Dara.  But surely the most immediate image we associate with Brigid is the cross woven from rushes that bears her name.  The story goes that one day when she was visiting a sick old man to comfort him and pray with him, Brigid picked up some of the rushes strewn on the floor of his hut to weave a cross so she might talk with him about the love of Jesus.

How much there is in this little story!  The humble things of nature that can bear the deepest of mysteries.  The echo of the words of Jesus: “I was sick and you visited me.”  The compassion of a disciple who goes out to those on the margins.  A challenge for us in the call to a “new evangelisation” – just as Brigid so naturally takes an opportunity to speak about Jesus who, of course, has become the very centre of her life.

Dear Brigid, a Mhuire na Gael,

take all who are sick or poor or in any distress

under the protection of your cloak.

Help us to be aware of the opportunities

that come our way day by day

to go out of ourselves to others who may be in need. 

Pray for us that we may respond more readily

to these good inspirations. 

By your example encourage us that we may not be shy

to speak appropriately to others about who Jesus is for us.

Beannachtaí na Féile Bríde ort!