I have a soft spot for the poetry of Seán Ó Ríordáin (1916 – 1977). His poem entitled ‘Oíche Nollaig na mBan’ (‘The Eve of Nollaig na mBan’ or ‘The Eve of Womens’ Christmas’) was written on a stormy night on the 5th or 6th January. In the poem (which was translated by Theo Dorgan), Ó Ríordáin describes the energy of the storm, the howling wind outside and the fear in him when his candle is blown out …
Gur múchadh mo choinneal mar bhuille ar mo bhéal
A las ‘na splanc obann an fhearg’.
(‘Quenching my candle like a blow to the mouth that sparks a quick flash of rage’.)
Ó Ríordáin goes on to explain how he’d like that same storm to come on the night of his death when his life is closing in:
‘Ba mhaith liom go dtiocfadh an stoirm sin féin
An oíche go mbeadsa go lag
Ag filleadh abhaile ó rince an tsaoil
Is solas an pheaca ag dul as’.
(“I’d like if that storm would come again, a night I’d be feeling weak coming home from the dance of life and the light of sin dwindling.”)
It’s almost as if he wants to be distracted from reality.
This is something which these last few weeks do for us all – we are distracted and carried through the darkness of winter by the busy-ness of Christmas and catching up with family and friends. But today’s readings carry the message of Christmas forward; we hear from the prophet Isaiah about the people gathering from ‘far away’ to the sense of justice, righteousness and peace in the psalms. In Matthew’s Gospel, the kings from the East followed the star even though they weren’t sure where it was leading them. It’s like us in our own lives, the star of our faith is leading us on, yet we are not sure where it is leading us. We walk on. We follow the light.
Like those kings from the East who journeyed to Bethlehem to present their gifts to Jesus, paid him homage, and were changed by the experience of meeting Jesus, my prayer at this time of year is that I can be changed and return ‘by a different way’ to my community, my place of work or home, that is by being a bearer of light in this world nourished by the gift that is Christmas and bringing that gift out to our world.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
Máire Ní Scanaill
