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.

Religious Orders and the Rosary: A Walk Through the Scriptures

The Rosary is a wonderful prayer and meditation on the life of Jesus Christ through the eyes of His Blessed Mother. In studying the history of the rosary I have come across a number of things that have given me a new appreciation for our faith. One thing I did not know is the rosary did not develop all at once. The rosary developed in religious orders and was picked up by the laity. So with different religious orders, there are different types of rosaries. I would like to share some of those rosaries with you in this article. Instead of going into an historical background of each, I will merely show or describe what each looks like and the religious order that established it.

The Dominican Rosary

The first rosary is the standard 5-decade or “Dominican” rosary. This rosary developed in the Dominican Order. The reflections for meditation are: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added another decade to this rosary. This is not an official addition per se, but it certainly adds to growing experience in devotion and reflection of the Gospel.

The Servite Rosary

Rosary of the 7 Sorrows of Mary or Servite Rosary

The next rosary is called a “Servite” rosary. It is also known as the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The Servite’s or Servants of Mary developed this rosary as a means of meditating on the sorrows that Mary experienced throughout her life. Notice that this rosary looks a lot like the standard rosary but has 7 groups of 7 beads.

The Franciscan Crown Rosary

A third rosary originated in the Franciscan order. It is called the “Seraphic” rosary or Rosary of the Seven Joys of Mary. It is also called the Franciscan Crown rosary. This is similar to the Seven Sorrows but reflects on the 7 joys in the life of Mary. On this rosary there are 7 groups of 10 beads. It is ended with two extra beads for a total of 72 in honor the 72 years our Lady lived in this life.

Our Lady of Lourdes holds a six decade Rosary

The Brigittine Rosary
A fourth rosary comes from the Carmelite Order. For those who have been to Lourdes, France, you may have noticed that the rosary on the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes is a little different from those we have spoken of already. This rosary is called a “Brigittine” rosary, named after Saint Brigit of Sweden. This rosary looks like the 5-decade rosary only with an extra decade. So the Brigittine rosary has 6 groups of 10. These also contemplate the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries.

The standard “Dominican” rosary has been the one that is most popular. The rosary was originally begun as a means to keep track of daily recitation of the Psalter or Psalms of David. There were 150 psalms and the monks kept count by the use of beads or stones. Stringing the beads made it easier to pray while traveling. This later developed into a recitation of “Our Fathers” (Pater Nosters) and/or Hail Marys (Aves).

In future posts I will be giving a short overview on each type of rosary and a short history. My goal is to point out the wonderful diversity we have in the Catholic Faith in our 2000 years of history. This was one of the means the Church spread the Gospel before Bibles were widely available. If you have any questions or know of any other rosaries from various religious orders, please comment.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Resources:
The servite rosary information:  http://www.rosaryandchaplets.com/chaplets/seven_sorrows_prayer.html
For more information on the Franciscan Crown Rosary see: http://www.fisheaters.com/franciscancrown.html
Our Lady of Lourdes information and picture retrieved on 1/5/2012 from  http://www.newmanchaplets.com/articles/the-six-decade-rosary/