Religious Life and the 20 Decade Rosary - Spending Time Wisely

Some time ago I wrote on the subject of the 20 decade rosary. Today, for the first time in a long time, I prayed it and discovered several things about prayer and religious life.

I asked myself these questions:

1. Don’t you get bored?
2. Doesn’t your mind wander?
3. What if you get tired and feel like dozing off?

Imagine you are in a Carthusian monastery in the French Alps. The silence is deafening. The quiet is only disturbed by the ringing of chapel bells at various times of the day. How can those called to religious life continue in constant prayer and work in service to the community? Ok, that may challenge a majority of readers, but it provides a point of reference for this subject.

Our minds are constantly stimulated with the latest technology and entertainment devices. There was a time where you could go to the theater and focus on the movie or the concert. Now there is a sea of lights from almost every seat as individuals surf the internet and text one another. No wonder we can’t pay attention for very long! Talking to God and developing a spiritual relationship for eternity is something there is no time for, because . . . (bzzzzz....) excuse me I have to answer that . . .

Consider one of the following scenarios:

• If you had a short time to live, how would you use that time?
• If you were on a desert island and there was no electricity or internet/cell phone service, what would you have with you? Obviously, books would eventually wear out and fade. There would be hours when there would be nothing to do. There would be no one to talk too . . . except . . . How would you use your time?

In the first case, depression or sentimentalism would take up some of that time. For the second case, there is a lot of empty time to fill. Both of these cases are extreme and can only be answered by the individual. These scenarios are forced detachment from the world and all its pleasures.

Here is the big question; Could you voluntarily detach yourself from the world and all its distractions? Would you be bored? Could you mind wander? Don’t fall asleep!

All 20 decades of the rosary take about an hour and a half to pray. Peter, James and John had trouble praying for an hour (1st Sorrowful Mystery). We may not feel well. Back pain, headache, hunger, etc. So how can we proceed? Here are some ideas:

• Who? Jesus Christ is at the center of our prayer, just like in the Hail Mary.
• What? Twenty decades of the rosary (obviously).
• When? Time you give wholly to God. (In this case, about 1 1/2 hours).
• Where? The Catholic Church is ideally suited to prayer and meditation. After all there are the stations of the cross, the stained glass windows that depict events from Scripture and lives of the saints. The Tabernacle! The Alter!What a blessing we have!
• Why? I have limited time. I want to use it wisely.
• How? Start with the Apostles Creed and don’t stop until you get to the end! I find it extremely helpful to walk around the inside of the church while praying. On a quiet Sunday afternoon this can be very relaxing and uplifting.

To answer the three questions stated above, it is very simple:

1. Detachment
2. Detachment
3. Detachment

The rosary is more than a line of beads strung together. It is an encounter with the Living God. We see these events through the eyes of His Blessed Mother. We are saved by grace. We also have to participate in that grace. Our relationship with Jesus Christ will not last long if we do not pray. The rosary is a physical object, but it is a means to develop our prayer life. So give it try! It will take effort, but it is all worth it.

Merry Christmas!
Ave Maria!
Praised Be Jesus Christ!
Jesus and Mary, protect and save the unborn!

The following is the trailer to "Into Great Silence." It is a look into the Carthusian Monastery in France. It is a long movie, but if you have time to say the 20 decade rosary, this will take twice as long. It is well worth the time!

Seeking For a Sign - Taking A Deeper Look at Scripture and the Rosary

The Gospel is radical. It confounds us. The demands that Jesus makes: “Go, sell all your possessions and give to the poor, then take up your cross and follow Me.” (Matt. 16:24) “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (5:48) Regular church attendance can relieve our conscience for a short time. After a while the signs that should inspire us cease to spark that sense of wonder.

Why are we always seeking for a physical sign that God is with us? The Israelites in the wilderness were constantly looking for signs of God’s presence. As if the Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night were not enough. As if the parting of the Sea and the vanquishing of their former captors did not provide enough evidence, they still cried for water and food and longed for their former chains. The Pharisees and Sadducees saw Jesus healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead and forgiving sins. They, as well as the disciples, themselves still sought signs. They looked for material evidence. They wanted Jesus to proclaim himself king and lead an army against Rome. Satan tried the same tactics in the wilderness; make bread from stones. . . throw yourself down and the angels will catch you. . . and the opportunity to totally evade the cross altogether, worship him.

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen stated that the Crucifix is a reminder to us of how serious sin is (Sheen, Calvary and the Mass, p. 25).  The world hates two extremes; the very evil and the very Holy. This is true because the very Innocent and the very guilty were crucified on Calvary. The drama increases from there. Like the shepherd separating the sheep from the goats, the two thieves crucified with Jesus bring this to light. The thief on the right new he deserved this punishment and also saw that Jesus was innocent and did not deserve this punishment. The thief on the left cried out that if he was the Son of God to save himself and them also. This was a call for a physical sign just like the Pharisees who taunted Jesus with the same question. “Come down from the cross and we will believe. . .”

The thief on the right, “. . . emitted a plea, not for a place in the seat of the mighty, but only not to be forgotten: ‘Remember me, when thou shalt come into thy kingdom’” (Sheen, p. 32). He did not seek to be relieved but partook of the sacrifice of Christ. He said, like Paul, “I am crucified with Christ, . .” The mother of our Lord witnessed this at the foot of the cross. Her flesh and blood hung on that cross and the anguish of a mother watching her son die a terrible death felt the sword go through her heart as well. She knew it was coming and was now here (Luke 2:35).

This Advent, let us abide in Christ in such a way we recapture the wonder of our Savior. Peter and the Apostles carried this radical Gospel to the world. They share with us in the pages of Sacred Scripture what it means to abide in Christ. Let us live a humble life. If we need faith as a grain of mustard seed, let us think “inside the mustard seed,” so that the greatest of trials may be endured and overcome. The Rosary takes us through the Life, Death and Resurrection of our Lord. These truths should be rehearsed in our everyday life. The only way we get bored with Truth is when we are not living in the Truth. So keep up the fight!

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Ave Maria!
Praised be Jesus Christ
Jesus and Mary, protect and save the unborn.

The View from the Cross - According to Saint Matthew

The following is a dialogue between the Apostle Matthew, the Loved One and Jesus, the Beloved. I wrote this poem and reflection based on Matthew's gospel account of the Sermon on the Mount.
 
Matthew:

I enter the garden where it all began, my heart aches for my Beloved.

Beloved:

Where are you Matthew? O scribe most true. You speak to My People, My Beloved Jew.

Matthew:

Your birth, Your baptism I recall.
Then three temptations all.
You sent the enemy reeling.

We learned your precepts from the Mount,
Your commandments we recall.
O Poor, O Mournful, O Meek,
such a peculiar Savior to all.

To hunger and thirst we await on the way,
you wash our hearts pure to the end of our day.
I await the view from the cross, my Beloved.

O Merciful Savior let me show mercy too,
for my life is so empty until I rest in You.
Let me show myself a man at peace,
that my persecutors may rage and Your glory never cease.

O my Beloved I do not deserve You.

Salt and light You call us to be,
so Your Church must shine in our view from the Tree.

You did not come to abolish but to fulfill,
and to show us your kingdom in good times and ill.

O my beloved I have been angry with Thee,
I insulted, and counted my brother worthless to be.
O my beloved I leave my gift at your alter.
I will reconcile quickly while I can still see.
O my beloved, forgive me for I have betrayed Thee.

My own eye betrays Thee, for you know all my thoughts.
Though my actions be faultless, I still suffer loss.
I would remove my eye that I may not sin in what I see.
My hand, O my hand I would sever, that I would not betray Thee.
Though the fires of hell reserve a place for me,
Let it go vacant for all eternity.

A vocation, a beloved sacrament You bind.
No dissolution can sever, our salvation in kind.
You joined them for life, the two became one,
so it shall always be in the Father, the Holy Spirit and the Son.

The two become one, they attain the others destiny,
so my beloved, may it end in heaven with Thee.

Put a watch on my mouth, my beloved,
that my words may be true.
For by Your throne, Your footstool,
Your dwelling place, I trust in You.

Every detail about me You know,
so my yes will be ‘yes’ and my no will be ‘no’.

Beloved:

Resist the one who strikes your right,
the left cheek present for humility and spite.

As the soldier requests that you carry his load,
go the extra mile down the long road.

If one require you to give them your coat,
in lowliness of spirit, give them your cloak.

With hand open to all, refuse no one who asks,
for your Father in heaven grants grace for the tasks.

Though the enemy revile you, please your Father in heaven,
Forgive what they do be it seventy times seven.

He gives good things to all, the vile and the just,
Pray for those who hurt you, do this you must.

Matthew:

So indeed in my worldly profession I disdain,
for indeed I did good for those who loved me the same.

Grant me to love as You love,
and live without blame.

Beloved:

Be perfect, Be perfect, my loved one, and see,
For your heavenly Father is perfect and wants you to be.

Into Your hands, O Father, My spirit I give Thee,
That Cross I once carried, now carries me,
As I pour out my life for all humanity!

If you truly desire to see what I see,
take up your cross and follow Me.

The Rosary – It Is Like Carrying the Gospel in Your Hands!

Religious Life and the Rosary – The Carthusian Way

Mary is considered principal Patron of the Carthusian Order.

Over the past several months I have been doing some in-depth study into religious life and the life of the Church. Many of the devotions and customs in the Catholic faith come from religious communities of monks and nuns who devote their entire life to prayer in service of the Lord. The standard rosary was handed down from Saint Dominic and the Dominican order. The Franciscan, Servite and Brigittine orders developed other versions of the rosary. There are shorter “chaplets” that concentrate specifically on the Passion of our Lord contributed by the Camaldolese (a Benedictine order). A chaplet that has expanded beyond the beads is the Way of the Cross. This devotion is illustrated in all Catholic Churches and some Protestant denominations as the Stations of Cross and incorporates prayers, readings and meditations for each scene of the Crucifixion.

One version of the rosary fascinated me and has expanded my personal devotion to Christ and His blessed Mother. This devotion is called, ‘The Life of Christ Rosary,’ also known as the Carthusian Rosary. The Carthusian religious order is one of the strictest observing religious orders in the world. The order has remained almost the same in their religious observance for the past 900 years. The rosary that is associated with this order is attributed to Saint Dominic of Prussia (not to be confused with Saint Dominic of the Dominicans). “The primary difference between the Life of Christ Rosary and the Dominican . . . are the structure of the mysteries. The Dominican has 20 mysteries, divided into four sets of five.” The Life of Christ Rosary consists of 50 mysteries prayed along with 50 Hail Mary prayers. It is prayed on the same 5-decade rosary. Each mystery is inserted into the Hail Mary prayer. For example, the first prayer would go as follows;

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed in the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, conceived in you by the Holy Spirit during the annunciation of the angel. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

Each bead has its own mystery. Every decade is a meditation on the events of the life, passion and resurrection of our Lord.

First Decade (His birth)

Second Decade (His youth and public ministry)

Third Decade (His passion)

Fourth Decade (His crucifixion)

Fifth Decade (His resurrection)

This rosary takes longer than one might think. There are, of course, the prayers that proceed and follow the decades. This version of the rosary is like carrying the gospel in your hands.

I will go into greater detail in a future post. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free. I hope you all have had a happy Thanksgiving. Have a blessed Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, protect and save the unborn!

Reference: Frattarelli, Daniel, 2012, The Life of Christ Rosary (also known as the Carthusian Rosary). 

Addendum: The following is a link to a webpage with a list of meditations for the Life of Christ Rosary.

More Reflections on the "Our Father" Prayer: Part Two

The Lord’s Prayer “is truly the summary of the whole gospel” (CCC 2761). This quote from an early Church Father gives us a grand perspective to one of our most beloved prayers. If you were to read through and pray the psalms on a regular basis, you would notice the themes of the Old Testament coming up time and again. In the midst of those psalms is the proclamation of the gospel in the New Testament as well.

Give us this day our daily bread . . .

English is a funny language. It is no wonder so many seminarians prepare for their ministry by studying Hebrew and Greek. This simple phrase seems to repeat itself. The best way to explain this is to let the Church give the answer:

“Daily” (epiousios) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament.

Taken in a temporal sense, this word is a pedagogical repetition of “this day,” to confirm us in trust “without reservation.”

Taken in the qualitative sense, it signifies what is necessary for life, and more broadly every good thing sufficient for subsistence.

Taken literally (epi-ousios: “super-essential”), it refers directly to the Bread of Life, The Body of Christ, the “medicine of immortality,” without which we have no life within us.

Finally in this connection, its heavenly meaning is evident: “this day” is the Day of the Lord, the day of the feast of the kingdom, anticipated in the Eucharist that is already the foretaste of the kingdom to come. (CCC 2837 emphasis mine)

John’s gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish prepares us for one of the most dynamic sections in the whole New Testament. Jesus does NOT command rocks to become bread. He commands bread to multiply (John 6:1-14). Jesus asks the people, “Did you seek me because you saw the signs I did or because you ate your fill of the loaves”? (v. 26) He mentions physical food that parishes and food that endures to eternal life. There is a difference and that difference is Jesus.

Now comes the most simple, yet misunderstood passage of the New Testament. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he (the Father) has sent” (6:29). It sounds simple, but once again, those that asked Jesus about a sign where looking at physical manifestations. For example, they bring up their fathers in the wilderness when God gave them bread from heaven. Jesus proclaims, “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world” (v. 33).

Lord, give us this bread always!

This is the reply of the people who sought Jesus. Does this sound familiar? This is why the sacrament of the Eucharist is so very special. Bread is commanded to become the Body of Christ and it is by this that we truly abide in Christ.

“I am the bread of life” (v.48).

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (v. 51).

“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (v. 56ff).

As you can see, there is more to the Lord’s Prayer than meets the eye. Read the Prayer again in light of this information and you will see how indeed it is a summary of the gospel.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, protect and save the unborn!

Coming into the Presence of God: Reflections on the Our Father Prayer - Part One

It has been a few months since I posted anything on The Rosary Board. This summer has been one of much change and hope for me personally. I have investigated a few more versions of the Rosary. Stay tuned for that. It is amazing the heritage of our Faith.

I hope your times at prayer have been fruitful. They certainly have been for me, even at times when God says nothing. There is a story of an old farmer that came to the church where St. John Vianney was. Fr. Vianney observed the farmer sitting quietly before the Tabernacle. He asked him, “What do you see?” The farmer replied, “I look at Him, and He looks at me.” 

Coming into God’s presence isn’t always easy. The more distractions life throws at us, the more we can get weighed down with the cares of this life.

Our Father Who Art in Heaven . . .

The reaction of that humble farmer is one of a lover for their beloved. Humility, which is the opposite of pride, will attract God’s full attention. It is in this state that God’s grace can have it’s full affect. We cannot be demanding our own way. The other day I was reflecting on the life of prayer and why we need to always be filled with God’s love. It is easy to get all wrapped up in “doing good," feeding the poor and doing many different things on behalf of the church and community. These are important. Yet the apostle Paul states that, “If I give away all I have, and if  I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3 RSV througout). That is why diligence is required. A relationship with Jesus Christ is more than just “accepting Him as your personal Savior.” It is abiding in Him (John 15:4). Abiding in the love of Jesus glorifies the Father (v. 8-9). Think about this the next time you say, Our Father who art in heaven . . .

Hallowed be Thy Name

Another reaction that occurs when one comes into God’s presence is unworthiness. On the lake of Gennesaret, Jesus preached from Simon Peter’s boat (Luke 5:1-3). Right after that Jesus told him to set out onto the lake and cast their nets. Simon Peter, reluctantly agreed to obey Jesus, even after explaining their previous efforts at fishing for the day (v. 4-5). They cast their nets and caught such a great amount of fish that the nets began to break. After the struggle to bring in the nets, Simon Peter’s response tells us a lot about our own condition. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord (v. 8). Truly coming face to face with Christ causes a deep examination of conscience. Jesus knows all and sees all. He knows the heart. The apostle John had a face to face encounter with the glorified Jesus according to Revelation 1:17. The prophet Isaiah was practically reduced to a puddle on the floor when he came into God’s presence (Isa. 6:4-5). Imagine one of the seraphim at God’s throne saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts” (Isa. 6:3). The reactions of Peter, John and Isaiah give a glimpse into the statement, “Hallowed (holy) be Thy Name.”

Many years later one of those angels Isaiah encountered came to a young virgin. He said to her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Luke 1:28). He had appeared earlier to Zechariah. The angel said that his name was Gabriel and who stands in the presence of God (v. 19). Gabriel was sent on a mission regarding the salvation of world. The grace that was in Mary is reflected in her response; "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (v. 38).

Approaching Jesus in prayer may seem easy enough. But, if we have views that are contrary to the Truth, we have a problem with Christ or we do not see His holiness. When we abide in Christ and bear much fruit, we can ask God for what we really need (John 15). Pray for an increase of faith, hope and love. It is by this we ascend to God. So what remains? (Hint: 1 Cor. 13:13).

I am looking forward to sharing with you some of the new things I have learned about the Rosary this summer. I am even considering a podcast presenting these rosaries. If you have any suggestions regarding these reflections or have ideas for a podcast presentation, I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you

Ave Maria!

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, Protect and Save the Unborn!

Life is a Vocation - Part III (b)

A New Look at the Beatitudes 

This is the conclusion of our exploration of the beatitudes.

Hunger and Thirst

Many times we equate hungering and thirsting with being poor. There is a deeper hunger and thirst that affects all those who are truly poor (Matt. 5:6). Righteousness or justice is what they ask for. Throughout the Old Testament, God told His people to always make provision for the poor (Lev. 19:10). Why would Jesus humble Himself and become poor to ransom a fallen world? He said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).

Jesus gives us Himself in the Most Holy Eucharist to feed us and to come to the realization of His love for us (John 6:53).

Give us this day our daily bread

The Merciful

Blessed and happy are the merciful, for indeed, God has shown great mercy to us (Matt. 5:7). Whoever has been forgiven much, loves much (Luke 7:43). God has given us something we do not deserve.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

The Pure in Heart

Blessed and happy are the pure in heart because only those with a pure heart will be able to see God (Matt. 5:8). Jesus says that the greatest commandment in the law is to love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul and all our might (22:37). Not 50% of one, 70% of another and 98% of the other. There is no middle ground here. He adds to this love of our neighbor as ourselves (22:39). Christ is present in the poorest among us (25:31-40; Luke 16:19-31).

And lead us not into temptation, . . .

The Peacemakers

We are to be peacemakers because we are the servants of the Prince of Peace. He calls us the children of God (Matt. 5:9). The peace that Jesus gives is not what the world gives (John 14:27).
                                 

The Persecuted

And we are not done yet. Like our King and Savior we will be persecuted for the very sake of righteousness (Matt. 5:10). Jesus brings us back to what it truly is to be poor in spirit. Our kingdom is not of this world. 

The more our faith grows, the more we hope for what we do not see (Heb. 11:1). The purer our heart becomes, the more God’s love flows through us. This love overflows to our neighbor.

Why is this LOVE crucified? He was poor. He humbled Himself to death on a cross (Phil. 2:5-8). He endured the agony in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36ff). He fasted forty days in the wilderness and was tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1-11). On the cross He said, “I thirst.” (John 19:28) With the thrust of a lance, the last drop of His life was poured out from His Sacred Heart.

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

As the Douey Rheims translation states, “the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. . .”

Jesus said we would be persecuted. This is not an easy way. The way to life is narrow and hard (Matt. 7:13-14). Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). How much do we want heaven? As the apostle Paul stated, I am crucified with Christ . . .” (Gal. 2:19-20). The beatitudes reveal what this truly means. We bear our cross and ultimately our cross will bear us if we live as Jesus asks us.

. . . but deliver us from evil.

With the passages that have been gleaned from Sacred Scripture, the Church describes this so beautifully.

The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity.

• They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection;

• they shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life;

• they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations;

• they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's disciples;

• they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints. (CCC 1717)

So the Catechism ties all this together most beautifully. This is what we are called to. It is not easy and demands effort on our part. How much do we want heaven? The beatitudes are of heavenly value and conform us to His image.

Ave Maria!

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, Protect and Save the Unborn!


Bible quotes for the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, retrieved from  http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P5I.HTM

Life is a Vocation - Part III (a)

A New Look at the Beatitudes

Beatitude means happiness. Beatitude is when one is truly blessed. This is part of the Christian life. Jesus speaks of this in the Sermon on the Mount. These are not characteristics of eight different individuals. You cannot have one without the other.  

Jesus says the poor in spirit are happy (Matt. 5:3). They are detached from things of this world (6:24). The poor have the Gospel preached to them (11:5). Their kingdom is not of this world (theirs is the kingdom of heaven). True riches are stored up for them in heaven (6:19-21). Material goods are means, not ends in themselves. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church introduces this subject in the following way.

The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. the Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven (CCC 1716).

 Our Father Who art in heaven,

The meek are those who are humble (Matt. 5:5). There is something they hope for because Jesus says that they shall possess it. The Christian does not grasp for things of this life and yet God gives us all we need (6:25-33). Jesus was born poor and died poor.

How can someone be happy or blessed by mourning (Matt. 5:5)? The man that would not so much as look up to heaven but beat his breast saying, “Have mercy on me a sinner!” Jesus promises comfort (Luke 18:13). They mourn for their sins, their unworthiness. They mourn for the sins of the world. In their helplessness God’s grace is revealed.

Hallowed (Holy) be Thy Name.

Many times we equate hungering and thirsting with being poor. There is a deeper hunger and thirst that affects all those who are truly poor (Matt. 5:6). Righteousness or justice is what they ask for. Throughout the Old Testament, God told His people to always make provision for the poor (Lev. 19:10). Why would Jesus humble Himself and become poor to ransom a fallen world? He said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on earth as it is in heaven.

To be continued . . .

Ave Maria!

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, Protect and Save the Unborn!

Bible quotes for the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, retrieved from  http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P5I.HTM

Life is a Vocation: Part II

Some months ago, I offered a prayer challenge. This was more a challenge for myself than for anybody else. Though I speak very plainly about saying the Rosary or the Liturgy of the Hours, prayer does not come easily to me. From the outside, the rosary seems like a bunch of rote prayers. The Liturgy of the Hours seems like a bunch of page flipping. In the final analysis, the only way to get to heaven is to pray. So what makes up the difference when prayer does not come so easy to us?

I have recently been reading a fascinating book by Fr. Thomas Dubay entitled, “Happy Are You Poor.” In this book Fr. Dubay unveils what truly living the Gospel is about. He emphasizes our detachment from things, which is the meaning of Lent. He gives many wonderful examples of the saints, both married and religious. I hope to share more when I go back through this book again. He also makes the point that true joy is not a matter of sensual pleasure in finite experiences (eating, drinking, etc., etc.) It is a result of our detachment from the world and abiding in Christ. It is a call to live simply and to share with others not just out of our own abundance, but also out of our need. This may sound easy and simplistic. Jesus after all did say that the way was hard and the gate was narrow that leads to life. Prayer is the same way. The distractions of the world and our own sin keep us from being able to pray.

Where is Your Treasure?

When I make the investment of time to say the Liturgy of the Hours and or the Rosary, the more I want to be right with God. The more I want to be right with God, the more I want to go to confession. The more I want to go to confession, the more I want to attend Mass and receive my Lord and Savior in the Holy Eucharist. (Faith) Mass doesn’t seem as long as it used to because I am on God’s time. The more I am on God’s time, the more I want to be with Him for all eternity. (Hope)

A vocation is more than a career or job. Our responsibility to God and our neighbor should out-way any career or job. Pope Francis is showing by his example what it is to live the Gospel. (Love) Living the Gospel takes us out of our comfort zone. We cannot serve God and mammon.

Spiritual Renewal and Deep Reflection.

Lord Jesus Christ, increase in me the virtues of faith, hope and love, that I may ascend to you. Make me holy in Your time. May Christ be seen in everyone that I meet throughout this day until You, Lord Jesus, call me home.

Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, JESUS. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Christ Has Risen!

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, protect and save the unborn!

Pope Francis washes the feet of young prisoners.

Life is a Vocation: Part I

The above video is from The Vatican YouTube channel. This was the first order of business for Pope Francis.

On Sunday, March 17, 2013 this blog, “The Rosary Board” will have completed its first year. Though this is a small testimony of my own faith and walk with the Lord, it has been worth the time and effort.

Either The Times are a Change’n . . . or We Are.

This has been a Lent like none other. With Pope Benedict XVI stepping down and the election of Pope Francis it is an exciting time to be Catholic. Pope Francis has already shown that evangelization begins at the feet of Our Lady. She is the one who brought us Jesus. She gave Jesus His humanity. The Mary's Creator humbles himself to be born of her. Perhaps we forget this young woman from Galilee whom God the Father chose to be the mother of our Savior.

I would like to quote the Gospel Canticle from the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel (1:46-55) and which is part of our evening (Vespers) prayer.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down them mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. (The Liturgy of the Hours, According to the Roman Rite, Vol. II, . Catholic Book Publishing Corp. New York, 1976, 1066)

In this canticle, Mary is saying that her soul proclaims or magnifies the Lord. She says that her spirit rejoices in God her Savior. Why? Because God has looked on his lowly handmaid with high favor. The mother of our Lord says that from that very day all generations will call her blessed.

• Mary’s soul proclaims or magnifies the Lord.
• Mary’s spirit rejoices in God her Savior
• She does not elevate herself, but declares that she is the lowly handmaid of the Lord.
• Mary then proclaims the great works God has done in the following verses. These are the great works of the Lord that we also proclaim along with the Psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours.

Now let us look at the “Our Father” prayer.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed (holy) be Thy Name. . . ” Compare this to Mary’s prayer of praise; “. . . the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His name.”

And finally,

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

The first two sentences are from the same chapter as our Gospel Canticle. The Hail Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord and she rejoices in God her Savior. It tells very plainly why all generations would call Mary blessed. Mary cooperates with the Divine plan. It is not only the fruit of her womb that is blessed, but Mary is blessed.

Perhaps you have heard that the rosary is “one prayer to the God the Father and ten prayers for Mary?” But is that what the rosary is all about? Obviously not!

From this perspective the Hail Mary

• Proclaims the greatness of the Lord.
• Proclaims the Divinity and the humanity of Jesus.
• Proclaims the great works of God.
• Proclaims God’s mercy . . . His strength . . . feeding of the hungry . . . and the fulfillment of the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel).

Mary will always point to her Son. She will always lead you to her Son, Jesus. The rosary does proclaim the Gospel at its very core. Do not neglect this very simple devotion. No spontaneous prayer can possibly come near the words of Our Lady proclaiming the greatness of the Lord! This was her vocation.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, Protect and Save the unborn.

The Power of a Simple Prayer

When we are facing the storms of persecution from an unbelieving world we can find the insight of a simple prayer all that supports us in our faith. Remember there was a time when there was no Bible. The first three hundred years of Christian history did not have the luxury of the fancy cross-referenced Study Bibles with maps and concordance we have grown accustomed too. There was only the Creed and the preaching of the Apostles and other ordained ministers. There was the Eucharist, baptism and receiving of the Holy Spirit (confirmation). The very authority in which Jesus gave the Apostles to forgive sins, heal the sick, raise the dead and turn bread and wine into His Body and Blood was what sustained a fledgling Church. This Church eventually conquered the greatest empire of their time. That Church soon after collected the known writings of the apostles and compiled what we know today as the Holy Bible made up of 74 individual books.

Today, that Church awaits the selection of a new leader. Be sure to pray for the Cardinals this week as they enter the Conclave at the Vatican. This is a very important time in the history of the Church. The prayer of the Church is powerful. It changes bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It changes us from sinners into saints. When we say the Apostles Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be, let us realize the power these prayers contain. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the ultimate prayer. We not only get to hear the Word of God, we literally take that Word of God in the Eucharist into ourselves.

Now, take Rosary in your hand. Every one of those beads has a prayer connected to it. Make each one of those prayers count! Any thought of “mindless repetition” will go out the window. In the Creed, we profess the very core of our faith. That very core is the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the Our Father prayer, we make seven petitions; three to God and four for ourselves. In the following three beads we ascend to God by asking for an increase of faith, hope and love. Then we walk through the very heart of the Gospel message. We meditate on the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Now you may say at this point that the Hail Mary prayer is quite repetitive. Try reading through the Psalms of the Old Testament. It is amazing how may calls for deliverance the psalmist makes. All the while the psalms contain the history of the nation of Israel and the mighty works of God in their midst. Think about the Psalms of the Old Covenant. Compare that to the Psalter of the New Covenant. It all comes to fulfillment in Christ. The “seed of the woman” from Genesis 3 crushes the head of the serpent! Such a simple prayer, but WOW the power it contains!

Ave Maria!

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, protect and save the unborn!

Unity and Diversity in the Rosary

The Rosary Board at Sacred Heart Parish

In a past blog post I summarized and described different versions of the rosary. Now I will go into more detail on each version of the Seven Sorrows, The Franciscan Crown and the Brigettine rosaries.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary (The Servite Chaplet)

Names of this Devotion:

1. The Seven Sorrows of Mary
2. Servite Chaplet
3. The Seven Dolors Rosary
4. The Seven Swords

Religious Order: Order of the Servants of Mary or “Servites”

Date of the Devotion: 13^th Century

Beginning prayer: Act of Contrition

Mysteries for Reflection:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)
2. The Flight Into Egypt (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)
4. The Meeting on the Way of the Cross (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)
6. The Body of Jesus is taken down from the Cross (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)
7. The Burial of Jesus’ Body (1 Our Father, 7 Hail Mary’s)

The Seven Joys of Mary

Names of the Devotion:

1. The Franciscan Crown
2. Seraphic Rosary
3. Seven Joys of Mary

Religious Order: Franciscans

Date of Devotion: 1422

Mysteries for Meditation

1. The Annunciation (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)
2. The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)
3. The Nativity (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)
4. The Adoration of the Magi (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)
5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)
6. The Resurrection (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)
7. The Assumption and Coronation of Mary (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s)

Add two Hail Mary’s for a total of 72 in honor of the years of Mary’s sojourn on earth.

Conclude: 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be (for the intentions of the Holy Father, the Pope).

The Franciscan, Dominicans and Servites appear in Church history about the same time. As you might notice, the reflections of each of these rosaries co-mingle. They are practically the “other side of the coin” and counterbalance each other. *

*Amato, Lucas J., Spiritual Meditations, Acta Publications, 2009, p. 31.

The Brigettine Rosary

Religious Order: Carmelites

This Rosary begins similarly to the Dominican Rosary with 1 Our Father and three Hail Marys. The 7 total Our Father prayers commemorate the 7 sorrows of Mary. The 63 Hail Marys in commemoration of the 63 years of Mary’s sojourn on earth. (There are two different traditions on the age of Mary; that of the Franciscan Order and that of the Carmelites). At the end of each decade is 1 Apostles Creed, instead of the Glory Be.

The six-decade rosary is worn on the Carmelite habit whereas the 15 decade rosary is worn on the Dominican habit. *

The Joyful Mysteries

1. The Immaculate Conception (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
2. The Annunciation (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
3. The Visitation (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
4. The Nativity (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
5. The Presentation of our Lord in the Temple (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
6. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)

The Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
2. The Scourging (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
3. The Crowning with Thorns (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
4. The Carrying of the Cross (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
6. Jesus is taken down from the Cross and placed in the arms of His Sorrowful Mother. (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)

The Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
2. The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
4. The Assumption of Mary into Heaven (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
5. The Crowning of Mary (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)
6. In honor of Mary’s Patronage, the Mediatrix of All Grace, and for Mary, Queen and Beauty of Carmel. (1 Our Father, 10 Haily Marys, 1 Apostles Creed)

These different versions of the Rosary compliment one another. In some cases they are the looking at the same mystery from a different viewpoint. It also gives us a greater appreciation of the many religious orders who devote their lives to the service of God. The devotions they handed on to the Church through the centuries are priceless and keep us always in the Truth.

If you have any questions or comments please leave a message below. Also if there are other facts and details that I did not mention please let me know. Let us learn about Jesus and His Blessed Mother together.

* http://www.newmanchaplets.com/articles/the-six-decade-rosary/

   http://8kidsandabusiness.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/the-brigittine-rosary/

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus and Mary, Protect and Save the Unborn!

Receiving Our “Crown”, Just Like Mary.

Window at Sacred Heart Parish

In today's Morning Prayer readings we read Psalm 8. This particular psalm emphasizes God's love for us and our destiny.

Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honor you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet. Psalm 8:6 NAB

Peter mentions in his first letter, "And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” 1Pet. 5:4 NAB

The apostle Paul writes of an athlete that competes to receive a crown. The runner competes for a perishable crown, but we as Christians compete for an imperishable crown (1 Cor. 9:25). Is it any wonder that Our Blessed Mother has been crowned by her Son? (Revelation 12:1) If God is our Father and Jesus our Brother, Mary is our Mother. Mary is not God, nor do we worship her. But as we have a physical mother in this life, we also have a Mother in heaven that during her sojourn on this earth brought forth life for the world in her Son. If we endure unto the end, we also will receive a crown. 

What a glorious destiny God has for His creation! Let us strive to attain that imperishable crown of glory. We have a whole communion of saints in heaven cheering us on from heaven. So, strive to attain that crown.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

A Deeper Look Into the Rosary

Window at Sacred Heart Parish in Miles City

The word, “rosary” comes from the Latin word rosarium, which means, “rose garden”. The word “chaplet” is from the Old French word chapel ‘hat’ from the Latin cappa ‘cap’. It is a garland or wreath for a person’s head.* The rosary came about as a means of honoring the Mother of God by weaving a wreath of spiritual roses for her head. A chaplet is often used to refer to the rosary in its different forms (as discussed in my previous post). To clarify, we know that Mary is NOT God. So why do we honor her with a garland of spiritual roses? Let’s dive into the Scriptures and find out.

O What Love God Has For Us!

My dad often speaks of a time when he was bringing flowers to Mary’s alcove in our church. He heard Mary saying to him, “my little boy loves to bring flowers to his Mother.” These words still bring tears to his eyes. St. John in his first epistle states, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God and obey his commandments.” (1 John 5:1-2)** So many times our vision of Christ becomes myopic. We think we see and feel what Jesus does. Jesus could have come to us on a cloud or in a fiery chariot with angels guarding his way. Couldn’t Jesus just forgive all of our sins without having to suffer anything?

The answer to this question is: God loved us so much that through His life, death and resurrection, we are not just forgiven, we are redeemed and purified. Our Creator loves us so much that he humbled himself to be born of a woman, flesh and blood. He participated in our humanity so that we could participate in His life. Our Creator gave himself into the hands of a poor family and this family participated in God's plan of salvation.

Something about Mary

Catholics are often accused of putting too much emphasis on Mary at the expense of Jesus. My thought is that God put far more emphasis on Mary than the most devout Catholic ever could.

1)   God said from the time of the original sin in the Garden of Eden, “I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman and between your seed and her seed.” (Gen.3:15) This is a prophecy of the Messiah and the "woman" the devil hates. Ave Maria!

2)   God preserved the line of Abraham and King David through slavery, division, invasion and persecution. (See Matthew 1) Ave Maria!

3)   God sent the archangel Gabriel, who stands before the very Throne of God, to the home of a humble virgin in Nazareth (Luke 1). Ave Maria!

4)   The Spirit of God hovered over the waters at Creation and filled the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of Solomon. This same Spirit that brought all things into being overshadowed Mary. (Luke 1:35) Ave Maria!

5)   One of the greatest acts of praise by any of God’s creation is the Magnificat. “My soul magnifies the Lord . . .” Read it for yourself in Luke 1:46-55. Ave Maria!

6)   An angel from heaven appeared to the lowly shepherds declaring the birth of the Messiah. A host of angels praised God. “Glory to God in the highest!” The shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the babe in a manger. (Luke 2:8-18) Ave Maria!

7)   Creation declared the coming of the Lord. The wise men were led by a star. Coming into the house, the wise men saw the Child with Mary his mother. (Matt. 2:11) What a beautiful sight! Our Savior in the arms of His mother. Ave Maria!

8)   God the Father announced His Son from heaven at the Jordan River. (Luke 3:21-22) At the wedding feast at Cana, Mary requested Jesus perform his first miracle. (John 2) This event began His way to Cross. Ave Maria!

9)   Mary beheld her Son on the cross. From the Cross Jesus gave Mary into the care of the beloved disciple. (John 19:26-27) Ave Maria!

10) The enmity declared in Genesis is revealed in the book of Revelation. "Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring (who are they?), on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” Rev. 12:17. Ave Maria!

Can you see that especially in these last two Bible references that Mary is and should be a part of our lives? Even though God is outside time and space, He sent His Son into the world through a woman. I can see now why the Rosary emphasizes the early years of Jesus in the Joyful Mysteries. These reflections show us that Jesus is fully God and fully human. The Glorious Mysteries reveal how Jesus honored His Mother by her Assumption into Heaven and Crowning as Queen. When we understand this, the rest of the gospel message shines even brighter. We have our physical parents in this world. If Jesus is our Brother, God is our Father and Mary is our Mother!

In honoring our Parents we weave a spiritual garland of roses. Pray the Rosary.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus, Protect and Save the Unborn!

* Definitions from the New Oxford American Dictionary

**Bible quotes are from the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition as in previous posts.