I Struggle with the Rosary

Do you struggle with the Rosary?

“The Rosary is a type of prayer, which is linked to our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so unless you really understand and appreciate the core of why we have a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Rosary is never going to make any sense to you.”

An Encounter with Our Lady, or Just Wishful Thinking!

As I tell this story, keep in mind that the name, Maria, in Hebrew, means the star of the sea.

One day this past summer, I was playing with my three year old daughter on a beach not too far from my home. Regan was having fun digging in the sand as I stood over her watching her delight as she created her sand sculptures. It was then that a young woman, whom appeared to be in her mid twenties and dressed from head to toe in a blue and white makeshift dress of some sort, walked past us in silence. It was a very warm and sunny day and I could not help but think that this woman was way overdressed for the weather conditions, but at the same time I found the woman’s modesty to be rather refreshing in a culture that has become almost devoid of modesty. There was something peaceful about the woman that was hard to describe!

As I continued to play with Regan on the beach, I saw that the woman was walking back toward our direction. Upon reaching our location, she stopped, and pointing to Regan, said something like, ‘She is so beautiful!’ I thanked her for the compliment. She then said, “I’m a Catholic missionary.” Although I thought it strange for someone to initiate a conversation in such a manner, I welcomed her words as an opportunity to discuss my Catholic Faith and my interest in evangelization!
I responded, “I am a Catholic also. Aren’t we all called to be missionaries? The world is our mission field, isn’t it?” The woman seemed pleased with my response and smiled as she nodded her approval. I noticed that the woman spoke with an accent, so I asked her where she was from. She replied, “I am from Mexico.”

The woman went on to explain that she was on a mission at a local girl’s boarding school where some girls from her country were taking part in a summer program. We engaged in a very brief conversation about her mission at the school. As the woman spoke, I was drawn by the peace she seemed to radiate! At the end of our conversation, I asked the woman for her name and told her I wanted to include her missionary efforts in my prayers, to which she responded, “My name is Maria.” The woman then said goodbye and continued walking up the beach and eventually out of sight.

It did not strike me until I was driving home, especially since the woman had identified herself as Maria, that for whatever reason, I may have had an encounter with the Blessed Mother, not to mention the fact that the woman’s physical appearance reminded me so much of just about every image I have ever seen of our Blessed Mother during my lifetime. But why me? I don’t know! I only know that for the remainder of my life, I’ll always remember the day I encountered a woman who may have been the “Star of the Sea”!

An encounter with our Blessed Mother, or just a case of wishful thinking?

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to our Heavenly Mother!

Let's Listen to Our Mother!

I recently finished a book entitled, "Our Lady of Kibeho: Mary Speaks to the World from the Heart of Africa". The author, Immaculee Ilibagiza, survived the terrible genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994 – thirteen years after Our Blessed Mother warned of the atrocities through the visionaries she appeared to in the village of Kibeho, Rwanda.

Over a million lives were lost in the genocide, including Immaculee’s grandparents, mother, father, and two brothers. However, under the care and direction of our Blessed Mother, combined with her faith in Almighty God, Immaculee forgives her family’s killers, and continues to preach about forgiveness and reconciliation to this day.

This book has inspired me to strive for a closer relationship with my heavenly Mother, a Mother who loves us and whose only desire is to draw us closer to her Son! I am sure it will continue to have the same impact on many others who read its pages.

Mary appeared to three young college girls in 1981. She predicted the genocide in Rwanda 13 years before it happened. This convinced the Vatican that the apparitions were real. Immaculee Ilibagiza survived the genocide and wrote the best selling novel Left to Tell. She was left to tell the remarkable story of how Our Lady appeared in Kibeho, Africa.

"Woman, Behold Your Son - Behold, Your Mother"

Jesus appointed Mary to be the Mother to all Christians when he said the following words as he hung on the cross.

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27)

Our Blessed Mother’s words to the servants at the wedding at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you," (John 2:5) are the very same words she has for us today, ‘Do what Jesus tells you!’ Mary wants nothing more than to lead us to her Son!

If you have ever been told by well-meaning, but uninformed Christians about how wrong Catholics are to “pray” to Mary, David MacDonald offers some valuable information concerning the truth about our relationship with our Blessed Mother . . . read it here

On Devotion To Our Blessed Mother

True devotion to Mary leads us closer to Jesus

The following is a letter Pope John Paul II wrote on St. Louis de Montfort's “Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”

On December 8, 2003, Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to the Montfort religious family, on the occasion of the 160th Anniversary of the publication of the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, written by St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. Here are large excerpts from this letter:

A work destined to become a classic of Marian spirituality was published 160 years ago. St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin at the beginning of the 1700s, but the manuscript remained practically unknown for more than a century. When, almost by chance, it was at last discovered in 1842 and published in 1843, the work was an instant success, proving extraordinarily effective in spreading the “true devotion” to the Most Holy Virgin.

I myself, in the years of my youth, found reading this book a great help. “There I found the answers to my questions”, for at one point I had feared that if my devotion to Mary “became too great, it might end up compromising the supremacy of the worship owed to Christ” (Gift and Mystery). Under the wise guidance of St. Louis Marie, I realized that if one lives the mystery of Mary in Christ, this risk does not exist. In fact, this Saint's Mariological thought “is rooted in the mystery of the Trinity and in the truth of the Incarnation of the Word of God” (ibid.).

Since she came into being, and especially in her most difficult moments, the Church has contemplated with special intensity an event of the Passion of Jesus Christ that St. John mentions: “Standing by the Cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, Your son!’. Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, Your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took Her to his own home” (Jn 19: 25-27). . . Read More @ http://www.michaeljournal.org/montfort.htm

May It Be Done To Me According To Your Word!

As we begin the Advent season and look forward to the day upon which we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, let us contemplate the events that led to up to this most memorable occasion.

Let us first consider our Blessed Mother’s role in God’s plan of salvation, and in particular her eagerness to do His will. Put yourself in Mary’s place, a very young girl from humble surroundings, betrothed to marry a carpenter by the name of Joseph, and suddenly she is visited by a messenger from God who informs her that God has chosen her to miraculously become pregnant with the long-awaited Messiah.

The author of the Gospel of Luke provides a beautiful account of Mary’s response to the surprising news she has just received, and one from which we can all take a lesson.

Given her circumstances, the news must certainly have been alarming. We can only imagine how her mind must have raced with the many consequences she could possibly face as a result of the pregnancy.

But even if fear entered her heart, it was quickly extinguished by her love of God and her desire to do His will. God did not interfere with Mary’s free will to either accept or reject what He called her to do, just as He does not interfere with our free wills in response to His call.

Mary quickly said YES in the most beautiful way, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."(Luke 1:38 NAB)

At this same time, the angel Gabriele also informed Mary of the good news concerning her cousin, Elizabeth’s pregnancy, since it was thought that she would be unable to conceive due to her advanced age. A short time later, Mary would visit her cousin at which time she would give praise and worship to the Lord in what we now know as The Magnificat, which we also find recorded in the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55).

What lesson should we learn from Mary’s response? Our Blessed Mother sets the perfect example of how we should be eager do God’s will and respond to His call with a humble, thankful, and submissive spirit.

As we live and grow in our faith, let us put some time into learning more about the importance of the role of our Blessed Mother in God’s plan of salvation.

In the Book of Revelation, speaking of our Blessed Mother, the Apostle John writes of his heavenly vision referring Mary as “a great sign appearing in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Rev 12:1 NAB)

Begin reading and learning about Our Lady in SIGNUM MAGNUM translated as THE GREAT SIGN, an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI.

Advent Begins on Sunday, November 30, 2008

In a season during which most people experience anxiety at the approach of the Christmas holiday, most of which, by the way, is the result of the impact materialism and commercialism has had on what should be a very peaceful and joyous occasion, let us turn our hearts and minds to the mercy and love of God as we approach the day on which we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Let us start by contemplating the first of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, The Annunciation, and in particular our Blessed Mother’s obedience and surrender to the will of God.

The Annunciation

A devout Jewish girl living in as obscure town during the military occupation of her country is suddenly confronted by a messenger of God. Her familiarity with Scripture would leave her with little doubt about what is happening because all devout Jews awaited the Messiah. Every Jewish girl was given the hope that this might happen to her. But she was not a wife. How could this be?

In her puzzlement she knows what to do. What had the prophets and the holy women of the Bible done before? They had said, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). Puzzled, frightened, confused, she says the most simple and profound thing, “Be it done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:3:38).

Every real attempt at holiness and friendship with God must begin here. There is no real and honest beginning without an unqualified act of obedience and of surrender.

The above was written by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. and appears in his leaflet entitled, The Rosary: Opening Our Hearts to the Mysteries of Faith, Creative Communications for the Parish, St. Louis, MO, 1995) – you may purchase this booklet and many other works by Fr. Groeschel @ http://www.franciscanfriars.com/books/benedict_books.htm. Fr. Groeschel also hosts a series on EWTN called Sunday Night Live with Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Find out more about this television series @ http://www.ewtn.com/tv/prime_sunday.asp.