I received a evening phone call from my nun daughter, Hallel, last night for my birthday. Pat and I shared with her on speaker phone our concerns and she missed doing the dishes while we chatted. They were then going down the hill to the grotto to pray in the place of intentions and miracles dedicated by Archbishop Joseph Naumann a year ago now. We are so blessed to know that our needs as a family are lifted up by our daughter and her Community of the Lamb in KC, and when really big needs arise like John's brain cancer 10 years ago... throughout the Community the world over!
Today is the joyful mysteries and we meditate upon the Annunciation first decade and that is Mary's Yes which brought LIGHT/LIFE/LOVE into the world of sin and darkness.
The story of Jonah is the first reading for today, and that is how much of us ignore The Lord's word to us to share without hesitation the Truth to all around us... Quite the powerful story of how we can run from Him, but never escape. We suffer the consequences of our actions as we turn to sin, rather than go forth down the narrow path after Him carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross!
We are looking at a different time there as we will either be able to stay right with them in the monastery or a hotel nearby. I am excited to get down there with two of my daughters sharing Faith and Family are the best!
I can see the 3 together if I scroll really fast up and down. Jude missed George, who was on the farm for the weekend, but he was away up north. Passing in the night or at some point of the day yesterday when George returned to Delano and Jude to Marshall. Three happy healthy wonderful boys that are within 6 weeks of each other and how I long to get them all together, but Christmas is not looking hopeful... so sad.
The day is filling up with needs from my farmer husband, so I will grab the rosary beads out of my purse and they will be my constant companion as I navigate through the day. Jesus, how I love to ponder your life and death and resurrection with each new day and pray for all those close to me and with needs asking for prayers. Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barb
"Jesus gave Himself as spiritual food
and True Presence among us
in the Blessed Sacrament. In our own century at Fatima,
Mary asked the three children and us to,
'Pray the Rosary every day.'
Here we see two marvelous fonts of grace flowing together.
When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we become united with Him.
Adoring His presence exposed on the altar or in the tabernacle we bask
in His warmth. Meditating on the Rosary, we recall Jesus' life, death
and resurrection and the union of His mother in the work of our salvation.
Through the Eucharist and the Rosary,
two hearts are joined in love,
and we, in love, are joined to those two hearts."
From the article, "Mirroring Divine Love," by Michael Six
St Dominic receiving The Rosary!
More on...the FEAST of Our Lady of the Rosary
To commemorate the victory of the Christian Armada over the Turks on Oct 7, 1571, Pope Pius V introduced the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. Christian Europe had been at risk of being conquered by the Ottoman Empire (Muslim). The year leading up to the battle had been declared the Year of the Rosary. At the beginning of that year, each mariner of the Holy League was given a rosary and instructed to pray it daily. The rosary also served to unite the contentious factions of the Holy League during the year of its formation and proved equally important for getting the Holy League to the battle as winning the battle. When faced with unfavorable wind at the onset of the battle, the men picked up their rosaries and began praying. Miraculously the winds shifted and served to be a key factor in the ensuing victory.
The Feast's name was changed in 1969 to Our Lady of the Rosary and it is now a mandatory memorial. It is now attached to and starts Respect For Life Month.
Many complain that the Mass and Rosary are repetitious. However, the “repetition” of the Mass and Rosary alike can work a slow but deep transformation of one's heart. One could also point out that repetition is not necessarily a sign of a lack of imagination. It may be sheer exuberant pleasure that makes us repeat an activity. G. K. Chesterton argued that repetition is a characteristic of the vitality of children. They like the same stories, the same words, time and time again, not because they are bored and unimaginative but because they delight in life.
Chesterton wrote:
“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead, for grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes each daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old and our Father is younger than we. The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore. Heaven may encore the bird who laid an egg."
Pray the Rosary. Pray the Mass.
Exult in the monotony. Transform your heart.
By word and example bring others close to Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary!
"Love is expressed with few words,
always the same and always repeated."
~ St Charles de Foucauld
She did the entire rosary to music! Amazing!
