Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
Lectionary: 462
Lectionary: 462
Brothers and
sisters:
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it,
and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
So they glorified God because of me.
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it,
and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
So they glorified God because of me.
Responsorial Psalm PS 139:1B-3, 13-14AB, 14C-15
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Gospel LK 10:38-42
Jesus entered a
village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
Meditation: "You are anxious - one thing is
needful"
Does the peace of Christ reign in your home and in your personal
life? Jesus loved to visit the home of Martha and Mary and enjoyed their
gracious hospitality. In this brief encounter we see two very different
temperaments in Martha and Mary. Martha loved to serve, but in her anxious
manner of waiting on Jesus, she caused unrest. Mary, in her simple and trusting
manner, waited on Jesus by sitting attentively at his feet. She instinctively
knew that what the Lord and Teacher most wanted at that moment was her
attentive presence.
Give your concerns and pre-occupations to the Lord
Anxiety and preoccupation keep us from listening and from giving the Lord our undivided attention. The Lord bids us to give him our concerns and anxieties because he is trustworthy and able to meet any need we have. His grace frees us from needless concerns and preoccupation. Do you seek the Lord attentively? And does the Lord find a welcomed and honored place in your home?
Anxiety and preoccupation keep us from listening and from giving the Lord our undivided attention. The Lord bids us to give him our concerns and anxieties because he is trustworthy and able to meet any need we have. His grace frees us from needless concerns and preoccupation. Do you seek the Lord attentively? And does the Lord find a welcomed and honored place in your home?
Always welcome the Lord into your home and heart
The Lord Jesus desires that we make a place for him, not only in our hearts, but in our homes and in the daily circumstances of our lives as well. We honor the Lord when we offer to him everything we have and everything we do. After all, everything we have is an outright gift from God (1 Chronicles 29:14). Paul the Apostle urges us to give God glory in everything: "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17).
The Lord Jesus desires that we make a place for him, not only in our hearts, but in our homes and in the daily circumstances of our lives as well. We honor the Lord when we offer to him everything we have and everything we do. After all, everything we have is an outright gift from God (1 Chronicles 29:14). Paul the Apostle urges us to give God glory in everything: "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17).
When you sit, eat, sleep and when you entertain your friends and
guests, remember that the Lord Jesus is also the guest of your home. Scripture
tells us that when Abraham opened his home and welcomed three unknown
travelers, he welcomed the Lord who blessed him favorably for his gracious
hospitality (Genesis 18:1-10; Hebrews 13:2). The Lord wants us to bring him
glory in the way we treat others and use the gifts he has graciously given to
us. God, in turn, blesses us with his gracious presence and fills us with joy.
"Lord Jesus, to be in your presence is life and joy for me.
Free me from needless concerns and preoccupations that I may give you my
undivided love and attention."
 Prayer Is the Lifeblood of My Relationship with Jesus |
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October 7, 2014. Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
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Luke 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha
welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat beside the Lord at his
feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him
and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to
do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is
need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be
taken from her."
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the master of the
universe, and yet you wish to listen to me and guide me. You know all things
past, present and future, and yet you respect my freedom to choose you. Holy
Trinity, you are completely happy and fulfilled on you own, and yet you have
generously brought us into existence. You are our fulfillment. Thank you for
the gift of yourself. I offer the littleness of myself in return, knowing you
are pleased with what I have to give.
Petition: Lord, help me to learn how to pray better.
1. “More Things Are Wrought By Prayer Than This World Dreams
of”: Many good people see prayer as a weak thing that really doesn’t
help. So they put their effort into doing great projects, into doing as much
as they can to bring about good in the world. This is a good thing. But
prayer is essential. Even if I manage to involve thousands of others in my
project, I will still not accomplish as much as when I get God involved.
Getting God involved through prayer is the first and the most important thing
to do if we are going to accomplish anything. As King Arthur says to Sir
Bedivere in Tennyson’s Morte d’Arthur, “More things are wrought by prayer/
Than this world dreams of.”
2. Persevere in Prayer with Love: Many critics of prayer
complain that they pray a lot, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. Well,
there are a couple of things to say about that. First of all, there needs to
be love for God in my heart. God needs to be someone familiar to me, a
friend. In asking for a favor, I expect to get a greater response from
someone I know, someone who is close to me, than from a stranger. Imagine if
there was someone I barely knew, and the only time I saw him was when he
needed a favor from me. Would I be inclined to give him what he needs?
Second, I need to persevere. Like the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to cure
her daughter, I have to persevere in prayer when things are difficult. Her
perseverance increased her faith, and in the end it got her what she wanted.
If I persevere in prayer with love, I will get all that I need.
3. Cooperate with God’s Plan Instead of Insisting on Your Own: I
need to remember that every prayer has its effect. How often am I
disappointed when I don’t get what I’m asking for? Am I open enough in my
prayer to let God work as he wants; to follow his plan and not mine? Do I
force him to refuse my request by making it so narrow that there is no way to
incorporate it into his plan? Even if I don’t see the results of my prayer,
that doesn’t mean God is not listening. God always rises to the occasion and
will often do something a lot better than what I wanted him to do. He does
what is best for me, even if it does not entirely conform to my plan. I may
never know or realize – in this life – the specifics of how God listened to
my prayers. It takes faith to accept this.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, whatever project I
undertake, help me to remember to start it with prayer, pray while I am doing
it, and finish it with prayer. I want to be close to you like Mary. I want to
serve you like Martha. Help me to find the right order and balance in my
life.
Resolution: When I consider the biggest thing I am doing for God
today, I will be sure to ask him in prayer to bless it.
By Father James Swanson, LC
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, LUKE 10:38-42
(Galatians 1:13-24; Psalm 139)
(Galatians 1:13-24; Psalm 139)
KEY VERSE: "Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her" (v 42).
READING: On Jesus' journey to Jerusalem, he stopped at the village of Bethany to rest at the home of his friends, Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. Jesus had been teaching his disciples about the privilege and responsibility of being a disciple, and then he did a radical thing―he taught a woman. Mary seated herself at the feet of Jesus, and listened to his words just as a disciple of a Jewish rabbi would do. Martha criticized her sister for neglecting her duties as host, but Mary showed true hospitality by being totally present to her guest. When Martha complained that Mary had left her with all the serving, Jesus told Martha that she was too "anxious and worried about many things" (v 40-41). The one thing that should concern her was "to seek God's kingdom before all else" (12:29-31). Mary freely chose to be Jesus' disciple, and she would not be deprived of the opportunity. Her service to others would flow from her single-hearted devotion to the Lord.
REFLECTING: Do I serve others with love and dedication?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to welcome you into my home so that I might listen to your words.
Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
On October 7th, the Catholic Church celebrates a memorial in honor of Mary as Our Lady of the Rosary. October has also been traditionally known as the month of the Rosary. The recitation of the Rosary is a devotion based on Sacred Scripture. The feast of "Our Lady of the Rosary" is attributed to a vision of the Blessed Mother to St. Dominic. The Rosary ("rose garden") is called the "Psalter of Mary" because its 150 "Aves" (all 15 decades) correspond to the number of psalms. The Rosary has been called the "Jesus Prayer" of Western Catholicism. While saying the prayers of each decade, the person meditates on the mysteries of our Lord and Lady's life. In addition to the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries, Pope John Paul II recommended that the Luminous Mysteries be recited on Thursdays. These "Mysteries of Light" are drawn from the life of Christ, and the public revelation of his divine nature and mission.
Tuesday 7 October 2014
Our Lady of the Rosary.
Julian Tenison Woods.
Galatians
1:13-24. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way—Ps
138(139):1-3, 13-15. Luke 10:38-42.
‘Martha,
Martha! You worry and fret about so many things.’
We feel sorry for
Martha—anxious to do so much for Jesus while Mary just sits and lets her do all
the work. St John tells us that Jesus loved Martha and Mary (notice that he
puts Martha first). Jesus was quite at home in their house, so we are observing
a happy domestic scene.
Martha may be too fussy,
giving herself extra work to do, whereas Jesus would have been happy with the
equivalent of a cup of tea and her company. Any sting in Jesus’ remark is
removed by him saying, ‘Martha, Martha’ in a friendly way. We ask ourselves:
who has the more to give—Jesus or Martha?
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
The Franciscan Way
The Gospel is not a fire insurance policy for the next world, but
a life assurance policy for this world
October
7
Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary
St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to
thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a victory
attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast to the
universal Church in 1716.
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 Jesus' life was
attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is
recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the
followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the
apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary
in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its
present form—with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002,
Pope John Paul II added five Mysteries of Light to this devotion.
Comment:
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 Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys 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 Glory Bes remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.
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 Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys 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 Glory Bes 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.
Quote:
“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.... It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).
“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.... It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).
LECTIO DIVINA:
OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
Lectio:
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Father,
your love for us
surpasses all our hopes and desires.
Forgive our failings,
keep us in your peace
and lead us in the way of salvation.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
your love for us
surpasses all our hopes and desires.
Forgive our failings,
keep us in your peace
and lead us in the way of salvation.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
GOSPEL READING - LUKE 10,38-42
In the course of their journey Jesus came to a village, and a
woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet
and listened to him speaking.
Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, came to him
and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving
all by myself? Please tell her to help me.'
But the Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha,' he said, 'you worry and
fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary
who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from her.'
3)
REFLECTION
● Today's Gospel presents the episode of Martha and Mary, the
two sisters of Lazarus. Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus was listening to his
word. Martha, in the kitchen was busy doing the domestic work. This family,
friend of Jesus is frequently mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (Lk 10, 38-41)
and of John (Jn 11, 1-39; 12, 2).
● Luke 10, 38: The friendly house in Bethany. At that
time, Jesus came to a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her
house". Jesus was going toward Jerusalem, where he would die. He
arrived to Martha's house and she welcomes him. Luke does not say that Martha's
house was in Bethany. John tells us that Martha's house was in Bethany, near
Jerusalem. The word Bethany means House of Poverty. It was a village on the
Mount of Olives, close to Jerusalem. When he was in Jerusalem, Jesus usually
went to the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus (Jn 12, 2)
●It is impressing to see how Jesus entered and lived in the
houses of the people: in Peter's house (Mt 8, 14), of Matthew (Mt 9, 10), of
Jarius (Mt 9, 23), of Simon the Pharisee (Lk 7, 36), of Simon the leper (Mk 14,
3), of Zacchaeus (Lk 19, 5). The official recognizes: "I am not worthy to
have you enter under my roof" (Mt 8, 8). People looked for Jesus in his
house (Mt 9, 28; Mk 1, 33; 2, 1; 3, 20). The four friends of the paralytic
stripped the roof to lower the stretcher where the man was and put him before
the place where Jesus was teaching the people (Mk 2, 4). When he went to
Jerusalem, Jesus stopped in the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus (12, 2). In
sending out the disciples, their mission was to enter in the houses of the
people and take peace (Mt 10,12-14; Mk 6,10; Lk 10,1-9).
● Luke 10, 39-40: The attitude of the two sisters.
"Mary sat at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking; Martha was
distracted with all the serving". Two important attitudes, always
present in the life of Christians: to be attentive to the Word of God and to be
attentive to the needs of persons. Each one of these attitudes demands total
attention. For this reason, both live in continuous tension which is expressed
in Martha's reaction: "Lord, do you not care that my sister is
leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me". This
is also expressed in the reaction of the Apostles before the problem which
arose in the community of Jerusalem. The service at the tables took up all
their time and they could not dedicate themselves completely to the
announcement of the Word. This is why the community met together and they said: "It
would not be right for us to neglect the Word of God so as to give out
food" (Ac 6, 2).
● Luke 10, 41-42: Jesus' answer. "Martha, Martha!
You worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only
one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from
her". Martha wanted Mary to sacrifice her attention to the Word
and to go and help her in the service of the table. But one attitude cannot be
sacrificed in favour of another one. What is necessary is to attain a balance.
It is not a question of choosing between contemplative and active life, as if
the first one was better than the latter. It is a question of finding a just
distribution of the apostolic tasks and the ministries in the community. Basing
oneself on this word of Jesus, the Apostles asked the community to choose seven
deacons (servants). The service at the tables was entrusted to the deacons and
in this way the Apostles would be able to continue their pastoral activity: "to
dedicate themselves completely to prayer and to the service of the Word" (Ac
6, 4). It is not a question of trying to find in this word of Jesus an argument
to say that contemplative life in the monasteries is superior to the active
life of those who do pastoral work. Both of these activities have something to
do with the proclamation of the Word of God. Martha cannot oblige Mary to
sacrifice the attention to the Word. The interpretation of the mystic of the
Middle Ages is beautiful. The Dominican friar Mestre Eckart who said: Martha
already knew how to work and serve at table without compromising or impairing
in any way, her attention to the presence and the word of God. Mary, he says,
was still learning at the feet of Jesus. This is why she could not be
interrupted. Mary chooses that which for her was the better part. The description
of the attitude of Mary before Jesus recalls the other Mary. Of whom Jesus
said: "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it" (Lk
11, 27).
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
● How do you try to find a balance in your life between the
desire of Mary and the concern of Martha?
● In the light of the response of Jesus to Martha, the apostles
knew how to find a solution to the problem of the community of Jerusalem. Does
the meditation on the words of Jesus and his gestures help me to enlighten the
problems of my life?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
The works of his hands are fidelity and justice,
all his precepts are trustworthy,
established for ever and ever,
accomplished in fidelity and honesty. (Ps 111,7-8)
all his precepts are trustworthy,
established for ever and ever,
accomplished in fidelity and honesty. (Ps 111,7-8)
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