Our Minute Meditations celebrates St. Francis and the Word of God. đ
Dear John, The power of praying the rosary simply canât be overstated, and thereâs something uniquely cathartic about the repetitions of Hail Marys and Our Fathers as the beads slide through our fingers. The sense of touch seems to accentuate our link to God and the Blessed Virgin. Full disclosure: I have a cheap, plastic rosary that I simply cannot part with. I have a newer, more decorative rosary tucked away in a drawer somewhere, but the plastic one came from my Irish American grandmother as part of a first Communion gift. A tad sentimental? Sure. But I know Iâm not alone in feeling a deep connection to the rosary that stretches back to childhood. Today, on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, we invite you to pray the decades of the rosary with all of us at Franciscan Media. And as you do, we ask you to consider making a donation to Franciscan Media to help us continue delivering spiritual resources such as Saint of the Day to your inbox every morning. I, for one, am planning on taking out my old, blue-and-white plastic rosary todayâjust as my grandmother hoped I wouldâand praying with all of you. Many blessings to you on this day, and thank you for your continued support! Peace! Daniel Imwalle Managing Editor |
Saint of the Day for October 7: Our Lady of the Rosary Listen to the Story of Our Lady of the Rosary Here Saint Pius V established the feast of Our Lady of Victory to thank God for the Christian defeat of the Turks at Lepantoâa victory attributed to praying the rosary. Pope Gregory XIII changed the name to Feast of the Holy Rosaryâoriginally celebrated on the first Sunday in Octoberâin 1573. Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716. And in 1913, Saint Pius X set the date for the feast that we know today of October 7. The development of the rosary has a long history. First a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesusâ life was attached to each Hail Mary. Though Maryâs giving of the rosary to Saint Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of Saint Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as âthe apostle of the rosary.â He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century, the rosary was developed to consist of 15 mysteries: joyful, sorrowful and glorious. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the five Mysteries of Light to this devotion. Reflection The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the Gospel. The main focus is on Jesusâhis birth, life, death, and resurrection. The âOur Fathersâ remind us that Jesusâ Father is the initiator of salvation. The âHail Marysâ remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The âGlory Besâ remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity. The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.
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Godâs Wisdom and Grace The Spirit of Godâs love lives in us. Our lives are holy and secure in Christ. Christ and his Gospel were, therefore, the center of the life of Francis. To live like Francis, we are to live the Gospelâthat is, live according to the Good News, live as Godâs children, brothers and sisters of Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit. Practically every detail of life has been modeled for us on the earthly life of Christ. The Franciscan life is a high calling. But if God has given us this vocation, he will also give us his grace to carry it out. One important quality is required: a spirit of trust and generosity. This is the lesson of Francisâ life: a spirit of childlike confidence in his Father in heaven, and in the power and wisdom and love of his Father. With him, there is nothing to fear. Nothing can hurt us. There is no problem we cannot solve with Godâs wisdom and grace. âfrom Franciscan Mediaâs âSt. Francis and the Word of Godâ
by Jovian Weigel, OFM |
Join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of this classic by Richard Rohr! Delve into the teachings of Eager to Love and the companion guide! |
In Praise of First Responders Reflect We often take for granted there is someone to help us in our time of need. When things are going well, they go unnoticed. Only when we need them do we think of them. Let us pray for those people now. Pray Christ,
you chose to become
a servant to all,
taking on the weight of our sin,
braving ridicule, pain, and death,
so you might rescue us
and bring us to life again.
Be with those who face danger
for the sake of others,
guide and protect them this day,
and give me a heart full of gratitude for them.
Amen. Act Today, offer a simple gesture of gratitude to a first responder and let them know you have prayed for them. Today's Pause+Pray was written by Clifford Hennings, OFM. Learn more here! |
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