Today is the 15th anniversary of my teenaged daughter Virginia's Baptism. When she was about a year old, I twice received calls that she was unconscious and being rushed to the hospital. (I hope you fathers out there never receive such a call.) Thanks be to God, on both occasions, by the time I arrived at the emergency room, she was awake and fine.
The second time she was knocked out, however, the doctors understandably wanted to do a CT scan to ensure that she didn’t have any lingering internal head injury. The problem is keeping a one-year old still during the procedure. The nurses suggested sedating her, but instead I asked if I could just sing to her.
So, I started gently singing various Marian antiphons, from the Ave Maria to the Alma Redemptoris Mater and Regina Caeli. These chants calmed her so that she was perfectly still and relaxed during the medical procedure. The medical personnel were amazed and edified.
I mention these chants here, because now that it’s Christmas, the “Marian antiphon” of choice is the Alma Redemptoris Mater (”Loving Mother of the Redeemer”), which our family sings each evening at the close of our evening prayer. Here are the words and music for this beautiful chant:
The English translation is:
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
Yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
Marian antiphons like the Alma Redemptoris Mater are not only part of our rich Catholic patrimony, but they can also become part of the daily rhythm of our own families’ lives. As the episode with Virginia shows, even on a natural level, these antiphons can be “holy lullabies,” gently leading our children to a deep, filial love for our Blessed Mother.
Click here to check out the beautiful Gregorian chants of the St. John Cantius choir. This choir provides some of the background music for our Faith Foundations course.