Yesterday was the first anniversary of my mom's "going home." A friend of mine, Maria, had designated a Mass in her memory-- a distinctly Catholic custom. Mom would have liked the Mass. It was the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul and I know she is with both her brothers, one who was named Vincent,and her sister, as well as my dad. The song for the Mass was "Sing a New Song" by Dan Schutte (1972, OCP Publications) and taken from Psalm 98. This is such a joyous song as is the Psalm that inspired it.
"Yahweh's people dance for joy. O come before the Lord. And play for him on glad tambourines, and let your trumpet sound."
Mom loved to dance and I can remember her at her Polish club in Florida dancing the polka with her friend, Edna.
"Rise, O children, from your sleep; your Savior now has come. He has turned your sorrow to joy, and filled your soul with song."
God turned my sorrow at her passing to joy in 2010 when, in her final months, I found I was gifted to create some paintings that gave me much joy.
"Glad my soul for I have seen the glory of the Lord. The trumpet sounds; the dead shall be raised. I know my Savior Lives."
I know my Savior lives and so does Mom!
"Sing a new song unto the Lord; let your song be sung from mountains high. Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing alleluia."
We need more singing these days.
As I got into my car after the Mass, I turned on my radio and an instrumental started playing. It played for the entire ride back to my house. The poignant song --"Going Home." I miss you, Mom.
