Miriam's Song: A Joyful Refrain for Our Own Time

"Miriam's song" By Julie Vickery (Catholicmom.com)

By Center for Jewish History, NYC - https://www.flickr.com/photos/center_for_jewish_history/3560756375/, No restrictions, Link[/caption] I have a great affection for Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. My deep admiration for this Old Testament figure arose, of a sudden, the first time I closely read "Miriam's Song" (Exodus 15:21). Through this close reading, I was able to see the unshakable faith, hope and love of God that Miriam demonstrated throughout her lifetime: first, as the unnamed sister who watched over the infant Moses (Exodus 2:4-9) and then, as the grown woman who led all the women of Israel in a joyful refrain the morning after God's chosen people passed safely through the divided waters of the Red Sea:

Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, while all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing; and she responded to them: Sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. (Exodus 15:20-21)

Whenever I contemplate this brief — but powerful — passage from the Book of Exodus, I'm struck anew by Miriam's total abandonment to God's infinite love and mercy. With her will wholly surrendered to the Lord's, Miriam wastes no time sorrowing over the difficulties of her past life in Egypt. Nor does she fear the dangers of the unknown wilderness ahead. Instead, she takes up a timbrel and sings to the Lord. Her gratitude for God's saving power is so great Miriam cannot contain it, and she jubilantly exhorts the daughters of God to lift their voices in praise and thanksgiving:

Sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. (Exodus 15:21)

Like other great women of the Old Testament (Ruth and Judith, for instance), Miriam is considered, by the Catholic Church, to be a "type of Mary." Thus, Miriam has stood as a model of heroic virtue (albeit, an imperfect one) for women of the Church throughout the ages, to our present day. I was blessed to witness this age-old connection when I made a visit to Tanzania to honor a friend's silver jubilee. A member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Kilimanjaro, my friend was one of many faithful women who were recognized during the happy occasion of the Congregation's 2014 Jubilee Celebration. For me, the joy that shines so brightly on the faces of the women depicted below is a living testament to the triumphal refrain that all the women of Israel sang as they followed Miriam with dancing and timbrels in hand. "Miriam's song" By Julie Vickery (Catholicmom.com)

Copyright 2014 Julie Vickery. All rights reserved.[/caption] Where Miriam is a type of Mary; the good Sisters of Our Lady of Kilimanjaro are imitators of Mary. In other words, like Miriam, they act as spiritual mothers to all who come under their care. Everywhere they go, in every situation they encounter, they bring Christ to everyone they meet. For these women of God, everyday life is a challenge of maintaining the hospitals, orphanages, schools and other facilities they operate with limited funds, in the face of desperate need. Nevertheless, they live their mission of caring for the poor, the infirm and the marginalized with humble confidence that the Lord will provide. Like Miriam, and all of us, these women have their faults: their temptations to complain and to sometimes feel disheartened in the face of life's trials. Nevertheless, the joy they have in serving the Lord, by serving others, is a gift they freely share with everyone they meet as they go about their everyday challenges—or take the occasional day to celebrate the victories God has prepared for their lives.

"Miriam's song" By Julie Vickery (Catholicmom.com)[/caption] As it usually happens, reflections on "Miriam's Song" and my visit with the Sisters of Our Lady of Kilimanjaro has led me to look inward. Today, I wonder: Do I wholly trust in God's infinite love? Or do I despair over past wounds and worry about future events I cannot control? Takeaway for Today: What positive changes can I make in my everyday life that will help me form a habit of gratitude, for both the good days and the bad?