The second in this year's series of devotions in honour of Our Lady, La Divina Pastora, was held on Sunday, December 12. It proved to be different from any other of the devotions.

The officiating priest was young Fr Benedict, a Nigerian native who is based at Fatima College and works at St Anthony's College. Fr Benedict had never been to Siparia, and did not know how to get further than San Fernando, so my husband and I went to meet him at the very end of the Solomon Hochoy Highway, at Golconda, and I rode with him from there to Siparia.

I discovered a very pleasant young man who is very much in tune with God, and easy to talk to. Taped Nigerian praise music was being played on his car's music system, and Father explained that they were being sung in a number of different Nigerian dialects.

They were full of rhythm and very lively. In between listening to them, and Father explaining what they meant, we discussed some aspects of Nigerian culture and how it compared to Trinidadian culture.

The devotions began with the rosary, and we were led this time by the young ladies of Holy Faith Convent, Penal, who turned out together with their principal, Valerie Bethel, and a number of staff members. They also led the singing at Mass.

The theme for the homily was Our Lady, Queen of Bethlehem .

Father explained that in ancient cultures, the queen is the mother of the king. Therefore, since Jesus is King, His mother, Mary, is Queen.

But what is there in Bethlehem ? If we go with the shepherds to the stable, we find Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. In the season of Advent, of preparation for the coming of the Lord, we see Mary the God-bearer, the Theotokos ; she is heavily pregnant - with the hope for humankind. She is specially chosen by God, and reserved sinless to be mother of the Messiah.

he is fully humble, and her child is born in a stable, yet she is Queen. Her queenship is of the poor. The poor, marginalised shepherds visit her and her babe, and she receives them, because her queenship includes a deep concern for the poor.

We, her children, must follow her example.

In Bethlehem , too, the Wise Men visit. The Jews had a culture of discrimination, and the Wise Men were gentiles. Contact with them meant ritual contamination.

Yet they came to worship the Son of the Queen, and again, she welcomes them, for she is the Queen of Unity, of all humanity, even those who reject her. It is a call for us all to practice love for all. She is the Queen of Fraternity.

Luke says that Mary " kept all these things in her heart.....pondering them. .." External activities do not distract her. Most of us make more external preparations for Christmas, than internal ones. But Mary, Queen of Bethlehem, ponders.

We need to go to the "School of the Queen of Bethlehem", as she invites us to join her in contemplation of the great Hope we are expecting. We are following too closely the media's trend, in preparing for Christmas; but Our Lady Queen of Bethlehem follows the rhythm of the Church, so we must follow her.

Along with Father, we sang one verse of the Marian hymn, O, Come to the Throne of Grace. Then he explained that Mary is a source of spiritual grace for each one of us, since we obtain grace through pondering and contemplating with her, the Great Mystery. Here is an invitation to ponder the Blessed Sacrament, to pray the rosary there, to ponder on Him with Our Lady. This is Eucharistic Adoration.

When we think of Our Lady, Queen of Bethlehem, let us ponder the big picture. We associate with the poor, and those different from us. We are to be messengers of hope to all. Remember, she brought joy to Elizabeth . During this season, let us ask her to intercede for Trinidad and Tobago , to bring hope to this country, almost overshadowed by criminal activity.

Thank you, Fr Benedict, for your message of hope, and for touching us with your deep spirituality.

Thanks too, to the ladies of Holy Faith Convent in Penal, for your great assistance in our worship.

The next devotion takes place on Sunday, January 9 when Abbot John Pereira will officiate.