The Unclad Soul

I have gone back to my morning routine of starting the workday by listening to Ave Maria sung by Luciano Pavarotti. The strength of his voice and the beauty of the song calm me. There is a hint of mysticism in the experience for me. The thought of Mary, so vulnerable and yet so courageous, carrying the responsibility of her demanding task with so much poise and intelligence, moves me and inspires me. The song is based on the greeting the angel Gabriel gave to Mary announcing that she would give birth to Jesus, “the holy one.” His greeting is filled with honor calling Mary “highly favored.” The phrase is rarely seen in Scripture and is believed to have been used in greeting Royalty. Celine Dion’s version, sung in English, is that of a young girl praying to Mary: “Ave Maria, maiden mild Oh, listen to a maiden's prayer For thou canst hear amid the wild 'Tis thou, 'tis thou canst save amid, despair We slumber safely till the morrow Though we've by man bee