As mentioned above this melody draws from an 18th century traditional Irish Love song called Cailín Deas Crúite na mBó (The Pretty Maid Milking
the Cow). The English version is attributed to Thomas Moore (1779-1852) and was made popular in the early part of the last century when an updated swing version was sung by Irish-American singer and actress Judy Garland in the 1940 film Little Nellie Kelly.
The musical motifs of this song which are used in Calm the Soul capture the intensity of longing of the Lover for his Beloved. In the Catholic mystical tradition, made popular by many saints over the centuries, this is the most accurate metaphor to describe God’s intense love for the human soul and so the soul praying in Calm the Soul for healing, wholeness, forgiveness, mercy and peace is matched by the God who desires to raise us up and restore us in love to the royal dignity that is rightfully ours as beings made in the ‘image and likeness of God’.
St. Francis and St. Clare were enthralled by the fact of the Incarnation, that God became one of us in Jesus Christ and that in Him we are restored to our original splendour as daughters and sons of God. In Calm the Soul the praying soul knows, in spite of the darkness and blackness that life can bring, that he or she is cherished, known and loved by God.
Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that he might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.
