External Solemnity of the Rosary Homily

Today we celebrate the External Solemnity of the Most Holy Rosary. This celebration is great way to start this month of October because it reminds us that this month is dedicated to the rosary. Pope Leo has asked that the faithful throughout the world will join with him throughout this month to pray the rosary for peace.

This request is important to take seriously because our prayers are very important. This feast ended up being instituted by Pope Pius V to commemorate the victory that was won at the Battle of Lepanto. Pope Pius V had encouraged Christians throughout the world to pray the rosary for victory.

Our world truly needs such victory to be won. We are gravely in need of the peace that our Lord alone can bring. The news constantly reminds us of such turmoil that takes places locally, in our country, and in this world. There is constantly war, senseless violence such as attacks on schools or churches, and there has been the assassination of Charlie Kirk as well as the death of others.

Not only do we need peace in such areas as these, but our world also seems to move further and further away from the divine truths of faith. Children have wondered away from the faith, there increase in broken homes and a lack of a domestic church, sexuality is flaunted not accordance with divine law, and the sanctity of human life from conception until natural death is not respected.

Within the Church we have an attack on the unity of faith. There are some who have allowed their own opinions to rip them away from such unity and therefore we have so many denominations which reflect a splintered Christianity. Even in the Church there are some who allow personal opinions and preferences to become more important then the unity of faith.

Again the answer to this never ending litany of issues which our world faces is Christ the Prince of Peace. As our Blessed Mother appeared at Fatima and addressed herself as “The Lady of the Rosary.” She asked that the rosary be prayed in order “to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.”

Some might claim that the rosary is a devotion that focuses to much on Mary. This claim is not founded in truth. The hinge to which all things point in the “Hail Mary” is Jesus. He is the fruit of the womb and through the rosary we are able to mediate on the mysteries of His life, death, and resurrection.

Through the rosary we place our faith in the Lord as we allow our heart to be drawn closer to Him through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us take up this powerful weapon in faith and pray that our life, our family, our world may come to obtain peace. We can only obtain peace if we place our trust in Jesus.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

26th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

The month of October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. On October 7th we will celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. It is this feast that commemorates victory won at the Battle of Lepanto which was attributed to the faithful praying of rosary as called upon by Pope Pius V. On October 13th we call to mind the miracle of the sun which brought about the conclusion of the apparitions at Fatima. It was here that she came to proclaim that “I am Our Lady of the Rosary. This first Sunday of the month of October is traditionally set aside to focus upon the importance of the Most Holy Rosary.

The focus of the rosary is Jesus. Through the praying of the rosary we mediate upon the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. With each “Hail Mary” that is prayed we place our attention upon Jesus for He is the fruit of her womb. It is this Name which is most powerful over all other names. From Philippians we were told “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend.” It is the Name of Jesus which serves as the hinge of this prayer and so we cannot hurry past this Name. Whenever we call upon this Name in the rosary or at other times we should keep it holy.

Throughout Scripture we are told that Mary treasured these things in her heart. We have the opportunity to do precisely this when we take up the rosary. Through this prayer we take to our heart the mysteries of our salvation by entering into those important moment’s in the life of Christ that lead towards such a reality. By entering into such devotion leads us to love Christ and to live a life which is more loving of Him. When we live such a life we turn away from a life of sin and choose to live for the Lord

As was instructed of us by the prophet Ezekiel, we must turn away from all the sins that we have committed for by doing so we will surely live and not die. Our Gospel reveals this reality to us through sinners who came to enjoy Everlasting Life because they turned away from their life of sin. So too the rosary aids us in taking on that spiritual armor that is necessary to combat temptation and to lead our heat unto the Lord. As we pray in the “Hail Mary,” “pray for us sinners now and the hour of our death.” Here we turn towards her intercession that we may turn away from our life of sin and live for her Son and thus for Everlasting Life.

 

If the rosary is not a devotion that you foster I encourage you to rediscover the beauty of this devotion. As was stated by Saint John Paul II, “I look to all of you, brothers and sisters of every state of life, to you, Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young people” confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the Liturgy, and in the context of your daily lives.” Let us take up this invitation thus growing in our love for the rosary and our desire to turn away from sin and to live for Christ. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

External Solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary Homily

Today we celebrate the External Solemnity of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It was on October 7th, 1571 that a battle was won by Christian forces at Lepanto. Pope Pius V invoked the Blessed Mother with his rosary in hand and had asked the Christian faithful to do the same. It was the rosary which was attributed to this victory at Lepanto.

The Most Holy Rosary serves as a weapon against all spiritual enemies especially Satan who attempts to tempt us towards the plight of sin and death. Just as Mary crushed the head of the cursed serpent so too does the Most Holy Rosary crush his head as we hold it in our hand and pray our Aves.

The rosary serves as a way for us to mediate upon those principal events which exist in the history of salvation. Therefore, we have the opportunity to mediate upon the birth, death, and resurrection of our Blessed Lord. Through the rosary we enter not into repitious babbling, but into authentic prayer which brings us to our Lord through Mary.

At the heart of each prayer of the rosary is always the Lord. Jesus was the fruit of her womb and thus Jesus is at the heart of this prayer. As Saint John Paul II stated of it, “With the rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love.”

The world in which we live is in great need of experiencing the depths of Christ’s love. Through the praying and promotion of the rosary we make this reality known. The Battle of Lepanto came to be won through the rosary and so too many spiritual battles come to be conquered each day through its use.

As we come to celebrate this solemnity let us be concerned with the rosary. Let a day not pass by where we do not take it up in a spirit of prayer. The rosary should be that which joins the family together in prayer and centers their gaze upon Christ. Everything that we do on this earth should have its gaze centered upon Christ. With rosary in hand we place our gaze upon Him. Let us take it up in faith and promote it in the midst of this world which needs the presence of Christ in its midst.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

External Solemnity or the Most Holy Rosary of the BVM Homily

Today we celebrate the External Solemnity of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This solemnity falls on October 7th which is the anniversary of the battle at Lepanto in 1571 where Christian forces overtook Turkish invaders. In this battle Christians were greatly outnumbered, but through the encouragement of Pope Pius V the faithful took up the praying of the rosary and victory was won.

At Fatima the Blessed Mother came to the three shepherd children and said, “Pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.” We can see that the rosary is a most powerful of devotions. Through the faithful praying of the rosary victory was won at Lepanto and victory is daily won in the life of the faithful. The rosary is sometimes refereed to as being a sword for through the praying of it we enter into spiritual battle to slay demons, covert sinners, and to conquer hearts.

Saint Dominic attests to this for through the promotion of the rosary he was able to slay a heretical sect known as the Albigensians. The Albigensians saw the universe as a constant struggle between good and evil. It was upon failing to convert them through his words that he retreated to prayer. Here Mary came to him and said, “Wonder not that until now you have obtained so little fruit by your labors; you have spent them on a barren soil, not yet watered with the dew of divine grace. When God willed to renew the face of the earth, he began by sending down on it the fertilizing rain of the Angelic Salutation. Therefore, preach my Psalter.”

Through the faithful preaching of Mary’s Psalter Saint Dominic was able to win victory of the Albigensians. Due to a battle which was won in September 12, 1213 a chapel was dedicated to the rosary. From here many battles were won and attributed to the rosary. Again through the rosary one is able to slay demons, covert sinners, and conquer hearts. We may not be in the midst of a battle when it pertains to country versus country, but we daily find ourself in the midst of a spiritual battle. No greater prayer reminds us of this then the Saint Michael prayer, “Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.”

As the Blessed Mother stated to Sister Lucia: “There is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families… that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”

For this reason let us take up the Psalter of the Rosary and pray it each day. Such devotion will lead us onto the Lord and allow our heart to dwell with Him always.

Mary Mother of God Homily

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As we embark upon this new year we do so through the intercession of our Blessed Mother. This celebration in no way pulls our sight away from Christ. Rather it orients our sight towards who Christ truly is. We thus call our Blessed Mother the Mother of God. This title is a testament to who her Son is for Christ is God made present with us in the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity.

Many embark upon a new year with many resolutions on their mind. For the most part these resolutions never became a reality. As we embark upon this new year may we do so with the desire to draw closer to Christ each day. If we allow ourself to grow in our devotion to Mary we will indeed come to grow in our love for Christ. She points the way to her Son who we should desire to follow after entirely.

If one has not already done so this I would recommend making a Consecration to our Blessed Mother during this new year. Simply pick a Marion date on the calendar and do the prayers of preparation which can be found in Saint Louis Marie de Montfort‘s book “Total Consecration” or the modern book “33 Days to Morning Glory.” Also, don’t forget to commit yourself to the praying of the Most Holy Rosary. This prayer allows us to give our Lady a crown of roses and allows us to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Let us also turn towards Sacred Scripture where the Angel Gabriel proclaims that she is “full of grace.” From this we can see that she leads us in all of the virtues. If we want to grow close to her Son in this upcoming year we need her intercession in growing in virtue.

May our Blessed Mother interceded for us thus leading us into this new year with the fervent desire to draw closer to her Son.

External Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary Homily

The Church devotes the month of October to the Most Holy Rosary. Thus as we embark upon this month we do so by celebrating the external feast of the Most Holy Rosary.

The Feast of the Most Holy Rosary takes us back to the Battle of Lepanto and thus the victory which was won there over the Turks. This victory was attributed by Pope Pius V to be due to the praying of the Most Holy Rosary.

The prayers of the rosary are most important for through them we repeat the words of the Angel Gabriel when he appeared unto Mary: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.” Through the rosary we are able to mediate upon the life, death, and resurrection of Christ our Lord. The rosary is a most beautiful prayer because through it we have the opportunity to honor our Blessed Mother as we continue to dwell with her Son.

Throughout scripture it is often said concerning Mary: “That she pondered these things in her heart.” Thus through the rosary we have ability to join with her as we ponder the reality of Christ’s love made manifest for us.

Recently in Poland the faithful were asked by their bishops to join in praying the rosary. They are asked to line the borders of their country to commemorate the celebration of this Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. In doing so they will petition that their country may always be protected under her maternal care.

Let us reflect upon our world and the nation in which we live. Let us reflect upon those who have lost sight of their faith. We must now turn towards the rosary and be willing to make time for its use not only in our life, but also in the life of the family. I encounter so many children who don’t know the “Hail Mary” which probably a reflection of the fact that their family makes no time to pray the rosary together.

On the 13th of this month we will come to the conclusion of Fatima. It was the message of Fatima which was given to those three shepherd children and thus to the whole world that we may pray the rosary and yet we have not heeded this request.

May we truly take to heart these words of our Blessed Mother and thus begin to foster true devotion to the rosary within our life. May our Lady of the Rosary intercede for us and for the whole world that we may always come to honor her Son as we live our life to the praise and honor of His Most Holy Name. 

15th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Truly God gives to each of us the grace which is necessary to lead good and holy lives, but we so often allow ourself to get up in the ways of the world at the expense of the Gospel. No matter the life that we have lived in the past we must remember that we can become this good soil which is prepared to receive God’s grace.

Therefore let us consider for ourself the ways in which we can prepare the soil of our soul to receive this abundant outpouring of God’s grace. Let us realize that in doing so we must also consider the ways in which we allow the weeds to grow up within our soul and thus choke out this gift of grace which God is pouring upon us. We must remember that it is not God who withholds rather it us who reject this gift by the way in which we live our life.

If we are to clean out the weeds which choke out grace within our life then we must be willing to enter into the silence of prayer. Here making a daily examination of conscience which causes us to be truthful in our reflection of the ways in which we have transgressed against God and thus each other. Such a practice allows us to make a daily act of contrition as we continue to set straight our path towards an encounter with the Lord. Frequent confession also assists the soul in coming to be cleaned for such an infusion with God’s grace.

Yes, we should desire to cultivate within our life and home this attitude which is open to receiving God’s grace. Throughout our life there are so many ways in which we can be strengthened in our relationship with the Lord. We strengthened when we worthily receive the Most Holy Eucharist for what we receive is truly Jesus Christ who loves us dearly.

The world is a busy place therefore we must constantly remind ourself of the Eucharist. Be it a visit to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the midst of our busy day or a simple recollection of mind to the gift which is Christ present with us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Truly such visits are beneficial in changing the disposition of our life in order that we may be more patterned after our Lord and thus open to receiving God’s grace.

Other forms of prayer also assist us in cultivating this reality within ourself especially that of the Most Holy Rosary. The Rosary assists us in lifting our minds and hearts to the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. The Rosary allows us to walk with our Blessed Mother and thus in return ask that she may assist us in preparing our soul to receive God’s grace. We must remember the exclamation of the angel Gabriel to her: “Hail Mary, full of grace.” Truly she is most perfect in God’s eyes and thus intercedes that we may receive the gift of God’s grace.

This day and always let us keep watch over the soil of life in order that it may be found rich in nature and thus welcoming of God’s grace.