THIS ICON FROM CYPRUS is titled Mother of God, Merciful. It is of the Hodegetria type: The Infant Christ looking like a little man (he is always the Lord), is seated on his Mother's throne-like left arm. His feet suspended, with one arm he cradles his Word from heaven while blessing us.
With her right hand the Holy Mother indicates or points not to herself, but to him. Hodegetria is sometimes translated Shower of the Way. Both the Christ and his Mother look, not at each other, but at us. They wish us all-good.
But Mary's great gold-trimmed Maphorion is lovely shades of pink - color taken from the dawn sky - color which signifies the new day. But spiritually
new day means renewal, restoration, beginning again and transformation. Color psychology indicates that rose and pink have anti-depressant energies. That's interesting, as one of the first things a depressed person says about his or her symptoms is
I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.
We might print small copies of this soft-smiling Mother and her Son - wrapped in the warm tones of new beginning, the new day and persevering attempts at growth and change. Tape the Mother and Child up everywhere.
Having said that, I'd like to offer the icon and prayer here to priests all around the world. The clergy is/are in need of a
new day. Fathers, let's put her on our shaving mirror.
More than a few of us need help with our depression ~ pray God a new day.
Many of us suffer untreated addictions ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests have lost their interior Christ-life ~ pray God a new day.
There are rectory tables where Church things are talked about but not Jesus ~ pray God a new day.
Some of us burden and sadden the people with our moodiness ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests think more about money and time-off than anything else ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests make it clear they don't want to be bothered ~ pray God a new day.
While priests claim high job satisfaction, many don't do very much that's priestly ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests have become liturgical fashion plates and interior decorators ~ pray God a new day.
There's the expression:
From the bed linen, to the altar linen, to the table linen ~ pray God a new day.
There are priests who work only on their duty day ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests preach everything but Jesus ~ pray God a new day.
Not a few priests live in their offices or in living rooms watching daytime TV ~ pray God a new day.
Some rectories are effectively hotels ~ we talk secretly about the sick men we live with ~ pray God a new day.
Some of us are kingdom builders and power-abusers ~ pray God a new day.
Too many of us are waiting for the people to come to us ~ pray God a new day.
Many of us would rather bury the dead than work creatively with the engaged ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests live in sarcasm, bitter and low-end humor ~ pray God a new day.
Lots of us don't know who we are when we're not wearing specialized clothing ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests don't believe anymore and have become dispensers of piety, cliche and dead religion ~ pray God a new day.
Many pastors act like General Managers instead spiritual guides ~ pray God a new day.
Priests often do nothing to heal their loneliness ~ pray God a new day.
Priests often feel entitled and have become pompous ~ pray God a new day.
Some priests live with deep resentments ~ pray God a new day.
Older priests and younger priests sometimes think they've
got it over the other ~ pray God a new day.
O Lady, grant me compunction and contrition of heart,
humility in my thoughts,
a healing remedy for what ails me,
release from the slavery of my own reasonings
and the light of a new day.
