Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Christ says: John 19:26-27
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
Blessed John Paul II: Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae
The Rosary, a contemplative prayer
12. The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary's own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer. Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: “Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed”.*
*Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus (2 February 1974), 47: AAS (1974), 156
Prayer: The Hail Mary (please say slowly)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now, and at the hour of our death. Amen
My thoughts:
Today is the feast of the Holy Rosary. The Rosary is one of the most powerful weapons we possess against the evil which exists in the world. Said prayerfully and meditatively, as Blessed John Paul II suggests, it becomes a beautiful way for us to unite ourselves with the lives of Mary and Jesus. When Mary was asked to be the Mother of God, she accepted His will without asking why; she had the faith to place her life in God's hands. She will teach us how to do the same, if we but turn to her. Jesus gave us His mother as He hung on the cross. The mother He so tenderly loved while on earth is now our mother, who will always lovingly present our petitions to her Son. She loves us very much, and like any good mother, will always take care of us. Go to her, pray to her, and ask her to lead you to her son: “To Jesus through Mary.”
Today is the feast of the Holy Rosary. The Rosary is one of the most powerful weapons we possess against the evil which exists in the world. Said prayerfully and meditatively, as Blessed John Paul II suggests, it becomes a beautiful way for us to unite ourselves with the lives of Mary and Jesus. When Mary was asked to be the Mother of God, she accepted His will without asking why; she had the faith to place her life in God's hands. She will teach us how to do the same, if we but turn to her. Jesus gave us His mother as He hung on the cross. The mother He so tenderly loved while on earth is now our mother, who will always lovingly present our petitions to her Son. She loves us very much, and like any good mother, will always take care of us. Go to her, pray to her, and ask her to lead you to her son: “To Jesus through Mary.”
Your prayer:
Statues of Mary usually show her with her arms wide open, hands extended, palms beckoning to us to come to her and rest, to give her our troubles, and to trust that she will take them to her son. As you pray the rosary today, picture yourself in her loving embrace, and believe your Mother loves you very much.
Statues of Mary usually show her with her arms wide open, hands extended, palms beckoning to us to come to her and rest, to give her our troubles, and to trust that she will take them to her son. As you pray the rosary today, picture yourself in her loving embrace, and believe your Mother loves you very much.
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