U2 song at Mass

So, sometimes I think what's in my head is perfectly clear to everyone else, but I was reminded today that that isn't always the case.

For the past couple of years, I have used "Mysterious Ways" by U2 at the Mass of the Holy Spirit here at Loyola, because I think it fits perfectly.  Below is my interpretation of the lyrics as they can be taken to be referring to the Holy Spirit. The original lyric is in normal type, and my interpretation is in italics:

Daughter take a walk with your sister the moon

Daughter (as in, the listener, or person attending Mass), take an opportunity to spend time with the Holy Spirit - the force that "hangs the moon in the sky", the force that creates and sustains all of nature.  The moon is a symbol of supernatural (i.e., spiritual) phenomena.  And the word and notion of "Spirit" in mystical traditions is almost universally female.

 
Let her pale light in to fill up your room

Let the mysterious (pale) light of wisdom "fill up" the "room" of your mind, heart, spirit.

 
You've been living underground
Eating from a can
You've been running away
From what you don't understand:
Love
You've been missing out on all the wonders that can be yours - living underground, in the dark, eating from a can instead of a rich meal.  You've been rejecting all the love that the Holy Spirit has to offer you because you don't understand what that love really is.

 
She's slippy 

The Holy Spirit can fit, "slip" into any part of your life, if you will let her.

 
You’re sliding down

Without the Holy Spirit, you descend down into the baser elements of human life.

 
She'll be there when you hit the ground

The Holy Spirit will always be there to comfort you in your darkest hours.

It's alright, it's alright, alright
She moves in mysterious ways 

Everything's going to be alright, even if you don't understand where God is in your life right now.  As the saying goes, "The Lord works in mysterious ways".  I would bet the lyricist had this in mind when he wrote the refrain.... Again, "she" can be a referral to the female character of the Spirit person of the Trinity.

 
It's alright, it's alright, alright
She moves in mysterious ways

Brother take a dive with your sister in the rain

Brother (sitting there), take a chance by spending time with your sister, the Spirit, in water that can be both uncomfortable and cleansing.  Perhaps referring to baptism.

 
Let her talk about the things you can't explain

which are...
To touch is to heal

Like when Jesus touched people to heal them.
To hurt is to steal

When you hurt someone, you steel their sense of safety, security, and trust in others.

 
If you wanna kiss the sky
Better learn how to kneel

If you want to live a life in communion with God, or close to heaven,

you have to learn to accept that your place in life is as a servant of God.
On your knees boy!

She's the way

As in, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life"
She turns the tide

"The last will be first, and the first shall be last"
She sees a man inside the child

She bestows infinite dignity on even the lowest, weakest members of the human race,

and she sees the potential for greatness in everyone.

One day you will look back
And you'll see
Where you were held
How? By this love

The love of God communicated through the Holy Spirit

 
While you could stand there
You could move on this moment
Follow this feeling 

You could just stand there and do nothing,

Or you could act on this moment in which you feel or have felt the love of God, and go out and spread this "feeling" of love to others.

(Since this song comes at the end of Mass, I use it to refer to the Eucharist and the presence of God within the community of Loyola that we have all just experienced).

It's alright, it's alright, alright
We move through miracle days

All our days are miracles if we can recognize God at work in them.

It's alright, it's alright, alright
Spirit moves in mysterious ways

(The Holy) Spirit moves in mysterious ways.

Lift my days, light up my nights.

Encourage me throughout my day, and be with me as a light in the darkness of my "night" moments: when I'm in doubt, or depressed, or anxious.