Patrice Egging: Music and Ministry

The following post is a part of the Catholic Roundup Advent Calendar.

I’m pleased to be a part of this wonderful project. I hope you enjoy the music video, the poem and the Advent reflections. Patrice

Advent..a time for preparations and expectations…of what? who? What are you preparing, and for whom? What are your expectations? or do you flow through the days….not really thinking or reflecting?

Thus I wrote on a Facebook post.

I‘ve been one of those, in the past, that considered the month of December a time of preparing for Christmas, with the busyness of a mother of six children. I had gifts to make or buy, hide, wrap, find the tree, decorating, baking, attending music concerts, travel 500 miles to the Grandparents, all that.

When I did have time to think, what I thought of was the Baby. Jesus, coming as a Baby. Sure, the Nativity Scene set up in the living room had others..Joseph, Mary, sheep, cows, shepherds…but it was Jesus, for me.  When I became Catholic, the season of Advent was introduced to me with the Advent wreath, and the 4 Sundays of Advent. I have always intended to do the wreath. I have candles. Sometimes I remember to get them out, about the 3^rd week of Advent. Sometimes, I actually light them, but not often.

I have always been busy…being the mother of the mob, flowing through the days, not really thinking or reflecting.

I’m not sure what triggered a new direction. I tend to forget the details. Anyway, I began to think of Advent as a way to reflect on Mary. The song I’m sharing in this post, is called, “Jesus, Mary’s Son.” It is still Jesus…but He is somebody’s little boy. That somebody is Mary.

Understanding Mary, in the Catholic view, has been one of the most difficult bridges to cross for me in my spiritual journey. But somehow, thinking of her as a VERY pregnant young lady, waiting and preparing for the birth of her son, gives me something I can relate to..very much so.

Six times I’ve waited, and prepared and expected the birth of my children. Excitement, wonder, fear, exhaustion, joy, pain, connecting with the unborn child, playing with him, tickling little feet, patting little bottoms yet unborn, talking and singing to her; all these fill the days and the long nights.

Mary surely did these things, too.

So,   the song. I named it, Jesus, Mary’s Son. But what are the words? Since it is instrumental piano, there are no words. But, surely there are words…of the heart and soul.

I had never played the song before we were recording that day. (The other songs were new, too.) But when I had to listen to them, and then give them names, this one WAS…Jesus, Mary’s Son. As I play, I consider myself to be praying while playing, so the two become one thing for me.

I pray you will pray as you listen  to the music and view the images our Lady, Mary,

with her son, Jesus, Our Lord.  I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire a message of hope and peace and love. The Love that is    Jesus, Mary’s Son.

One of my new friends, Margaret Corbitt, wrote her inspirations for possible lyrics for the song:

Jesus is Mary’s son

Jesus the Son of God

Drawing the babe near her heart she smiles

Jesus our Savior sighs

As she kisses his nose

And wiggles his toes

She holds in her arms the Trinity

Jesus is Mary’s son

Jesus the Son of God

Heaven and earth sings in praise

For he is our true joy and Grace

Shepherds kneel in starlight as

Angels race to see the babe

Jesus is Mary’s son

God’s gift to the world…to the world

Will you hold the babe?

Will you take him to your heart?

Jesus is Mary’s Son

Jesus the Savior of the world.

Prepare a place for His love

…for His love

I’d love to hear what the Lord whispers to your heart!