Today we celebrate the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This used to mark the end of the Octave of the Assupmtion, eight days of celebrating the special role that Mary had in salvation history and continues to have in the lives of the faithful. Just a week ago, many in the diocese of Lafayette participated in a day long Eucharistic procession by boat down the Bayou Teche in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption. This was significant because this year is the 250th anniversary of the Acadians migration from Nova Scotia to Louisiana where they live today. It is even more significant because the Acadians have always honored Mary of the Assumption as their patroness. I was honored to be a deacon for the Mass that began the day and to participate in the entire procession from Leonville down to St. Martinville where the day concluded with Solemn Vespers of the Assumption in Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel on the ground of the Community of Jesus Crucified. Now that I’ve had a week to reflect on this joyful and historic day, I want to share some of my reflection here.
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| Mass of the Assumption – St. Leo the Great, Leonville |
As the day of the procession drew near, I began to reflect on the amazing culture and history of the people of this area, the Acadians. I’ve always been impressed by how deeply ingrained the faith is in this culture and the Marian devotion of its people. Being from the New Orleans area and having only a little French, but not Acadian, blood, I felt there was some connection but also a little bit like I was on the outside looking in. The more we prepared for the feast, the more I began to realize how significant this day would be for recalling the unique history of the Acadians. I was joyful, but I also began to wonder what place I had in all of this – I do not share the history, this is not in my blood as it is in the blood of the many people I was working with. “Who am I to be a part of this?” I thought.
Well, the day finally came and Bishop Provost cast the light of faith upon the Scripture we had read and the history we had come to recall. In his eloquent French and English exposition, he mentioned very deliberately that the Acadians, both native and adopted, rejoiced in God’s favor to Mary. That word seemed to resonate within me: adopted. It struck a chord with the faint sense of distance I had felt from the previous days and throughout that morning. Who am I to be a part of this? Can I have been adopted?
On went the beautiful, truly reverent celebration of Mass and it came time to begin the procession. My God, what a moment it was when they wrapped the humeral veil around my shoulders. A song within my heart began to rise up, a joy I cannot express. As I lifted the monstrance from the altar and began to bring him out to his faithful people, to over a thousand Cajuns who had come to praise him for their past and pray for their future, I saw such faith, such love in the faces of those who looked over my head to our magnanimous Lord and savior present in the Eucharist. In the spirit of Mary their patron, they gazed with Mary’s own love at her son. J’irai la voir un jour – I saw her in their faces that day.
Again I thought “Who am I to be a part of this?” Who am I, a sinful deacon, to be the living bearer of Christ himself to his people? Who am I, a product of the suburbs of New Orleans, to be at the very heart of this historic moment commemorating a 250 year history I did not share? Who am I? It was as if Mary whispered to me “You are adopted: adopted by God the Father through his Son Jesus Christ and adopted by these people who, rather than being jealous of your role in this day, thank you for your presence and your vocation, and who pray so often for you in your journey to serve as their priest.” Adopted… even Christ himself was adopted by Joseph, who was an important link to the heritage of the Israelites and the people he had come to save. Like Joseph, these people are truly devoted to Mary. They love our Lady and sing with fervor “J’irai la voir un jour, Au ciel dans la patrie, Oui j’irai voir Marie, Ma joie et mon amour…” and with great love they welcome those who wish to sing, and dance, right along with them.
And that’s just it, that’s the real beauty, the splendor of the faith of the Cajuns – at their best, they are truly Catholic. In that moment, I was a privileged witness to their potential to go beyond their profound love of family and heritage and, like Joseph, to become like a father to those who, by God’s abounding grace, are adopted by God and who truly love Our Lady. God Bless the Cajun people and may we all one day go to see our dear Mary in Heaven.
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| The Star is a symbol of Our Lady of the Assumption |