A Novena to Mother Mary with Marcel!

I received the most marvelous letter from Jack Keogan today. He is the British translator of Marcel Van into English (from the French of Fr. Boucher - Marcel's "bearded Jesus"), and as you will see from this correspondence, he is still smitten with his little brother. Aren't we all? But as you will also see, the letter wasn't written to me personally, but rather to all who are the little brothers and sisters of Therese's little brother Marcel - and as a dear priest friend once said when I told him I had just discovered Marcel - "What? I thought everyone who had Therese as a sister already had Marcel as a brother?" Well, yes indeedy that is truer than true, but sometimes it takes a while for family members to really get to know each other!

Perhaps you know Marcel (if at all) as the author of Conversations, the book I'm forever recommending here. Or possibly you've heard of or read about - or, lucky you, even read - Marcel Van's Autobiography. Or is it the case that like me you are interested in his letters?

If any of these are true, or all or none, you will enjoy hearing Jack's thought-for-the-day, which culminates in a very beautiful novena idea. Let the joy begin! Here is what Jack wrote:

Mother 2020

Dear friends,
First of all may I apologise for the absence of any communication from me for a while. Early in the New Year I became ill with pneumonia and life was further complicated by a badly burnt hand which required further hospitalisation. So, my little bulletins (which have no official status) ceased temporarily.

I was prompted to write to you again yesterday, May 1st.

I was flicking through Volume 4 of the Complete Works of Marcel Van; "Other Writings" when I realised what a treasure trove of spirituality it contained. Because it has 3 quite voluminous books before it in the pecking order it may be neglected, which is a pity. Vols. 1 and 2 may provide the main courses which Brother Marcel has to offer, and what substantial courses they are! But Volume 4 provides some enchanting hors - d'oeuvre which whet the appetite for more.

As a young man Brother Marcel was enchanted by the beauty of nature and the arrival of spring which he saw as a metaphor for his spiritual feelings and particularly for his love of his Mother Mary. He liked to refer to the month of May as the month of Mother which explains the date I have put at the top of this letter.

Here is a poem he wrote in 1953.

Mary, my Mother, give me your love!...…….

Today, on the hill, are the wind and the flowers...
On breathing the sweet and gentle air,
My heart lightens in a frank smile
Today, it is the month of Mary!
It is not surprising that all is covered in greenery,
That the wind sings in the poplar trees,
And makes a sweet music heard in the hearts of men.
It is not surprising that the flowers display their fresh colours,
That the plants and the trees sway unceasingly.
In a word, that all exhales beauty,
Since it is the month of the Virgin of Paradise
My heart lights up.
This evening, I offer you
the pure flower of my soul,
in eternal decoration.


May I make a suggestion [Jack continues]:
We could use this verse as the prayer of a novena to Our Lady to seek her aid during this Covid19 crisis. Each of us could use his/her own date for starting the novena. We could complete it with: "Brother Marcel join us in this prayer."

Yours sincerely, Jack.


*    *    *

Isn't that wonderful?
And so I invite you to join us in a Marian Marcellian novena!

I know Our Blessed Mother can't resist the flattery of her so beloved children, which we are! Kind of reminds me of the time my then-8-year-old (or so) looked up at me just before I was going to scold him and said with sincerity, "Mom, you're beautiful when you're angry!" I'm sure that even if Mother Mary was a little peeved with us (which I'm sure she isn't, but we do get the strangest ideas into our pea-brains), she'd melt straight off when she heard us recite Marcel's poem to her. 

I'm always the littlest of the little, and so I will shorten the poem for my Miss Marcel musings, and in doing so highlight the part I love best. This part comes at the end, which is proof to me that Marcel liked this part best too. After he'd written these final lines, he just up and stopped writing the whole poem because he'd got the words right, to match the sentiment. Ah, glorious poetry!

In a word, that all exhales beauty,
Since it is the month of the Virgin of Paradise.
My heart lights up.
This evening, I offer you
the pure flower of my soul,
in eternal decoration.

And now, I'm sure Jesus, Marcel, and Jack too will be proud of my decision. It's time for a nap! Sweet dreams, and we can conclude:

Brother Marcel, join us in this prayer.
Draw me, little Jesus, we will run!!!