The world nationally and internationally annually recalls joyful and tragic historical events. Celebration and remembrance are important moments in life. Examples of such events are Armistice Day, Nine-Eleven, 1916 commemoration of the Easter Rising, International Holocaust Day, International Workers Day, Bloomsday.<\/p>\n
Families also remember and celebrate events in life such as birthdays, anniversaries, the sacraments and achievements. How will people recall the pandemic?<\/p>\n
The Church also celebrates the Liturgical Year, which begins annually on the First Sunday of Advent.\u00a0 Every year, the Church publishes a Liturgical Calendar, which highlights the Liturgical seasons and marks each day as being so important in the spiritual life. The Church marks its Feast Days, Holy Days and days dedicated to different occasions and causes to remember for example, Catholic Schools Week, Day of Prayer for Temperance, Day of Prayer for Vocations, World Communications Day, World Day of Migrants and Refugees and others.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis regularly writes about the holiness of the lives of the young saints. In his Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit, Christ is Alive (2019), the Pope writes of \u2018the young saints who devoted their lives to Christ.\u2019 He describes them \u2018as precious reflections of the young Christ\u2019 whose \u2018radiant witness encourages us and awakens us from our lethargy.\u2019 (CV, no. 49).\u00a0 He urges God\u2019s people to \u2018renew her spiritual ardour and her apostolic vigour\u2019 by pointing to the lives of these young saints. (CV, no.50).<\/p>\n
Today the Church celebrates the feast of St Brigid, born in Faughart, Dundalk in 454 and died in Kildare about 525. People identify her as Mary of the Gael. St Brigid was an Irish nun who founded a monastery for women in Kildare. With St Conleth, she also founded a monastery for men. She was renowned for her goodness and her love of God.\u00a0 In Lisbon, the Church dedicated a chapel to her. God\u2019s people also venerate St Brigid in St Patrick\u2019s Cathedral in New York. Many schools and churches in Ireland are dedicated to St Brigid.<\/p>\n
We celebrate St Brigid\u2019s life each year by recalling legends associated with her. \u00a0Her stories are appealing and inspiring.\u00a0 They show clearly, how St Brigid inculcated the Gospel values in her life through her openness, generosity, respect and her desire to share the Good News. People make St Brigid\u2019s crosses from rushes or straws, have them blessed and hang them in their houses. There is a story told about St Brigid\u2019s cross and the dying chieftain. Brigid spoke to the chieftain who was dying about God and he asked to be baptised.\u00a0 Other stories relate to St Brigid\u2019s Cloak, and St Brigid\u2019s Well and another tells of her power of healing.<\/p>\n
These stories, though they may not be historically true, relate to the Word of God proclaimed at Mass for the feast of St Brigid. Today the first reading proclaimed at Mass is from the Book of Job (Job 31: 16-20, 24-25, 31-32). Job helped persons in need, persons who were hungry, naked and homeless. Brigid spent her life doing acts of kindness and caring for others. She did this for her love for Christ.<\/p>\n
The Gospel proclaimed at Mass today from Luke (Lk 6:32-38) quotes Jesus teaching on love. He teaches that to love is to have a compassionate, non-judgemental, forgiving and generous nature.\u00a0 St Brigid shows these qualities in her life. We pray for these qualities in our lives also.<\/p>\n
Families who accompany their children in faith today can read about the life of St Brigid, the legends associated with her, sing a song and engage with the interactive activities etc. They are available from the Grow in Love\/ I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/em> online resources including the Grow in Love<\/em>\/ I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/em> e-leabhar that are accessible on the VERITAS website accessed at:<\/p>\n