A Song of Praise: A Feast Day Prayer to St. Cecilia
Written by: Sister Valerie Schneider, SND
Dear St. Cecilia, patron saint of church music, did you make your life a song? When you awoke, did you sing praises to your Creator? When you performed household tasks, did you hum in the Spirit’s joy? When you married St. Valerian, did you pray together, maybe sing duets? When you faced martyrdom, what prayer was on your lips? From your glorious place in heaven, do you join the heavenly choirs?
St. Cecilia, let music create unity and charity throughout the Church in every feast and season. Through your intercession, please aid composers in writing hymns that will inspire active and full participation. Guide bishops and priests to offer themselves with the perfect sacrifice of Christ our High Priest. St. Cecilia, support worshipers to be drawn into ever closer union with God and each other. Inspire homilists to feed souls with understanding and vitality to do the missionary work of the Church. Guide the hands of instrumentalists to lead the throng in the great Sacrament of Love. Strengthen parishes to walk in the joy of the gospel until all your people meet again at the heavenly banquet of food and song. Please inspire youth to practice their instrument!
Special Guest Reflection: Sister Celine Bundschuh
The name Celine has always had a celestial, or heavenly, ring to it for me. Perhaps that is why I have always felt a special connection to St. Cecilia. Our names sound so similar and both bring to mind something heavenly.
St. Cecilia is the patron saint of music, which makes this connection even more meaningful to me because I love music!
St. Cecilia remained faithful to God, even in the face of death. According to tradition, she was martyred for her faith and her commitment to God. She is often depicted with one finger extended on one hand, representing our one God, and three fingers extended on the other, representing the three Persons of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What a beautiful witness to her unwavering faith!
