Third Monday of Advent: Memorial of St. John of the Cross
Notes on performance:
This dance of the Ave Maria gives me the opportunity to convey my anguish at the death of my father to COVID-19 and my brother to complications of cancer within this year. It has been difficult to bear that they died alone at the hour of their death. The dance gives me an opportunity to give voice to despair and anguish. The body confirming that someone, a presence is among us witnessing our prayer. I am made whole if only momentarily and given grace to going on living with faith for better tomorrows.
As I prepared for the dance I connected to St. John of the Cross, knowing that it would be his feast day. Each and every time I opened a book of his poetry these lines from his poem “Of Hunger for the Coming” came to me: Let the stern earth open, finish with thistle and thorn. The flower that makes all earth floral – time for the flower to be born.
