The Young Maccabees - Sr. Clare Crockett

On November 14, Sr. Clare Crockett’s birthday, we present the full video clip of her playing the song of “The Young Maccabees”, the music of which she herself composed. The lyrics are a poem written by Sr. Estela, as in the case of “I Prefer Paradise”. The song encourages university students to not let themselves be seduced by the lies the world has to offer and to be brave and defend the truth, even unto death, like the seven young brothers of the Book of Maccabees. The song ends with Our Lady, the captain of our army, who leads the youth to the victory of love.

The video is from that night of December 2015 in which Sr. Clare was not feeling well (as explained in the film on her life "All or Nothing:    • All or Nothing: Sr. Clare Crockett (F...   . She did not have the lyrics of the song, nor the chords, nor voice to sing… And yet she did not make excuses and she generously gave her all. As she sings the last verse, “Mary, for You and always with You,” she interrupts the song for a moment and remarks, “This is what we have to sing as we are being killed.” Martyrdom was very present in her mind during these last months of her life. She saw Our Lady as the one who would give her and her Sisters strength “now and at the hour of our death,” as we pray in every Hail Mary.

More information about Sr. Clare: https://www.sisterclare.com


Lyrics of the song:

Lethargic minds,
occupied with nothingness,
gratified by consuming
audiovisual rubbish.
Marionettes that hang
on poisoned threads,
and sway to the sound of lies and slavery.

Where are the young Maccabees
who, invited to betray,
preferred to die?
Where are the Christians whom neither bread nor circus could deceive?
They sang, ‘Alleluia’ in the midst of a spectacle tinged with their blood.

Swindling smiles,
Indoctrinating ideologies,
in false universities
where nothing is learned.
Brainless heads,
robotic masses,
Men who have betrayed their very being!

Where are the young Maccabees
who, invited to betray,
preferred to die?
Where are the Christians whom neither bread nor circus could deceive?
They sang, ‘Alleluia,’ in the midst of a spectacle tinged with their blood.

But from within
a springtime song resounds;
something new is flourishing!
And the demons tremble.
Here comes the woman who overflows with fecundity.
Mary, it is You,
the smile of God to the world,
the Captain of our army.
Victory belongs to Love!

The youth, worn out by frustrated hopes,
seek your Heart,
pure as truth,
white as morning.

Here are the young Maccabees
who, invited to betray,
prefer to die.
Here are the new Christians
whom neither bread nor the circus can deceive.
And we will sing ‘Alleluia,’ in the midst of a spectacle tinged with our blood.
Mary, for You and always with You!