The Holy Spirit and the Annunciation

I try to begin every day with a Bible reading.  After discovering a wonderful Bible study a few years ago called The Great Adventure, I finally began to grasp what Salvation History really means.  I realize now the critical importance of becoming more familiar with both the Old and New Testament.

Before I start my reading, I always pray to the Holy Spirit to help me know, understand and live the Word of God.  I am often amazed when the selection I'm reading brings me insight, inspiration.or understanding.

The Holy Spirit is probably the most difficult of the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity to comprehend.  He is depicted as a dove (Matthew 3:16), as the wind (Acts 2:2), as a cloud (Mark 9:7) or as tongues of fire (Acts 2:3).  Since I am no theologian, I direct you to this link for a very thorough teaching on the Holy Spirit.  (I refer to the Holy Spirit as "He" although there is no gender associated with a being who is pure spirit.  It would definitely be a mistake to refer to the Holy Spirit as "she," as you'll see below.)

The most important role, in my mind at least, of the Holy Spirit is His presence in the First Joyful Mystery, The Annunciation.  He is revealed rather subtly in the opening words of this scene when the Angel Gabriel greets Mary with the words, "Hail, full of grace." (Luke 1:28)  Since the Holy Spirit is the Giver of Grace, He has prepared Mary from conception to be the Mother of God (CCC 721)  Then He "overshadows" Mary and the "Word is made flesh." (John 1:14). 

Stop for a moment and reflect upon this scene.  The Holy Spirit has become the Divine Spouse of the Blessed Virgin.  Clearly not a "she" then.  This union is not a sexual one, but a great mystery.  Another Catholic truth that shines forth here is Mary's perpetual virginity.  As the spouse of the Holy Spirit, she could never enter into an intimate relationship with a mere human.  One more point to ponder:  At the beginning of the scene, Mary is "full of grace".  At the end, the Holy Spirit, Giver of Grace, has overshadowed her and God Incarnate enters her womb.  Now, Mary is literally overflowing with grace. 

Since today is Monday, the traditional day to pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, take some time to reflect on the First Joyful Mystery, the Annunciation, and the role of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother.

As we approach the day of Pentecost, the great feast of the Holy Spirit, make a resolution to learn more about this Third Person of the Holy Trinity.  The links in this post will lead to more information, or try these:
Catholic Culture article on the Holy Spirit and Mary  (Search the library of this excellent site for more articles)
EWTN article (Also, many more articles on this site)

The Missing Mary at the Tomb

Today was a beautiful, sunny day and I decided to go for a run outside for the first time in ages.  The winter in my new home at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains has been unusually harsh, so most of my workouts have been indoors.  I view running on the treadmill as more penance than joy, so I looked forward to getting some sun on my face as I ran and prayed the Rosary.

Since it's the Octave of Easter, I decided to pray and reflect on the Glorious Mysteries while I ran.  As I meditated on the First Glorious Mystery, The Resurrection, I thought of the women at the tomb.  All four gospels place Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, and the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) add Mary, the mother of James.  The obvious missing Mary is Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  Not one of the gospel writers tells us about the reunion of the risen Lord and His beloved Mother.  Yet, it must have happened.  I can't imagine that Jesus would not make a private appearance to the person who followed Him on the long road to Calvary, wept at the foot of the cross, and held Him lovingly in her arms before His burial.  Mary, of all people, must have trusted in the Resurrection.  She was without stain of sin and knew the Scriptures and their foretelling of the triumph after the suffering. 

As I finished my run (2 miles, at least this time...), I walked slowly back to my car, thinking about the reunion of Mother and Son and praying for an increase in my own faith.

Feast of the Annunciation

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation, the First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.  Note that on today's date, March 25, there are exactly nine months until Christmas.

The details of this event are related in just one small paragraph in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:26-35; I prefer the Douay-Rheims version), yet it is one of the most pivotal events in human and salvation history. 

The Annunciation can be traced all the way back to Genesis 3:15 (again I prefer the text of the Douay-Rheims Bible).  Mary is indeed that Woman who crushes the head of Satan.  That is why she is often depicted in art with a snake under her foot. 

To aid my Rosary meditation, I often like to find interesting and beautiful works of art that depict the various mysteries.  Since my family travels frequently, I often take the time to visit art museums, and I particularly enjoy looking at religious art. 

I came across this painting of the Annunciation (above) by George Hitchcock in the Art Institute of Chicago.  I was immediately drawn to its simple beauty, and I liked that it was different from so many other typical paintings of this mystery,which usually show an angel presenting Mary with a single lily.  Here, she is surrounded by lilies, the symbol of purity and virginity.  Mary, "full of grace," is the new Eve, depicted in a garden of lilies, reversing the disobedience of the old Eve in that long-ago garden of Paradise.  Her fiat, or yes, will allow us to re-enter that garden.

I could spend the rest of my life meditating on this one mystery of the Rosary and never fully grasp its depth and beauty.  Today, I will reflect on Mary's words, "May it be done to me according to thy word."  I hope and pray that I can find the strength to do what God wills of me.

Transfiguration, Part 2

Note that Jesus and the three Apostles go "up the mountain to pray". Bible scholars believe that this mountain was Mount Tabor. In the Bible, many important events occur on top of mountains: Noah's ark comes to rest, Moses receives the Ten Commandments, Abraham nearly sacrifices Isaac, Jesus delivers "The Sermon on the Mount". (It would be an interesting Lenten study to research the significance of mountains in the Bible.) Also note that "Jesus prayed". As always, He sets the example for us.

Next, Jesus is physically transformed: "His face was changed in appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white." If Jesus' three chosen companions on this trip had any doubt that He was the Son of God, they sure didn't at this point in the narrative! Catholic theologians interpret this transformation as a means for Jesus to strengthen the resolve of the chosen three shortly before their big test of faith during His Passion and Crucifixion.

This Gospel now ties in beautifully with the second reading. St. Paul says, "He will change our lowly body to conform with His glorified body by the power that enables Him also to bring all things into subjection to Himself." During the Transfiguration, Jesus reveals His glorified body and gives us hope that our own bodies will "conform with His" in a similar transformation. That hope certainly strengthens my own resolve!

Perhaps you can pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary this week and meditate on what you are learning. These reflections are meant to inspire others to learn more about the mysteries of the Rosary. One caveat, if you use the internet to research the Rosary or the mysteries, please use caution and discernment. There are many sites out there that do not adhere to Catholic teaching (or the Magisterium) even though they call themselves "Catholic". I like to use the site review feature at Catholic Culture to verify questionable sites.

The beautiful icons I've posted with the blog entries are also meant to help facilitate meditation. More on this fascinating mystery tomorrow.

The Transfiguration

As I was driving to Mass this morning, I quizzed my children (ages 10 and 12) on the mysteries of the Rosary. I am always a bit perplexed at some of the "mysteries" they come up with:
"The Washing of the Feet"
"The Nailing to the Cross"
"The Walking on Water"
Eventually, between the two of them and with a few hints from me, they were able to recall all 20 mysteries.

I recently began a weekly practice of reminding my children to listen carefully to the readings, Gospel and homily so that we can discuss them on the way home.

During the Gospel, my son leaned over and whispered, "It's the Transfiguration!" I was proud that he was not only paying attention but was actually able to come up with the title of the 4th Luminous Mystery.

As we drove home, I asked them to recall a few facts about the Transfiguration.
First of all, Jesus chooses just three Apostles for this journey: James, John and Peter. Why these three? Peter's inclusion is obvious given his pivotal role as our first pope. John will also play a big part as an evangelist and as Jesus' chosen caretaker of His belvoed mother. The presence of James is a bit of a puzzle. He was the brother of John and probably a relative of Jesus. Perhaps you can ask St. James for insight the next time you pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.

More on the Transfiguration tomorrow...

My Rosary Scrapbook

This blog has been a little buzzing bee in the back of my head because I have great plans for sharing my love for and devotion to the Rosary. However, I've been swatting it away as other priorities demand my attention -- a move to a new state, a growing list of writing assignments, and a book about to be published by Bezalel Books.

Nevertheless, I have been mulling over ideas on how to best proceed with my plans for this blog. An idea hit me just the other day as I was editing my book, The Rosary Workout, for publication. In one section, I suggest building a notebook or scrapbook on the Rosary mysteries as an aid to meditation. It can include Bible verses, artwork depicting the mysteries and thoughts or revelations experienced during meditation. I don't personally keep a Rosary scrapbook, but I have been meaning to start one. I realized that this blog can be my Rosary scrapbook. I can use it to share the knowledge and insight I've gained on the Rosary through years of study and meditation.

I read over my past blog entries, and now I think they are too impersonal. My initial aim was to avoid the ME, ME, ME aspect of blogging. However, the blogs that I enjoy are those written by people who inject their personality into their writing and who share their trials, triumphs and setbacks.

I hope you enjoy my virtual Rosary Scrapbook.

Rosary Mysteries

The Rosary is composed of both verbal and mental prayer. The verbal portion consists of reciting (aloud or silently) the prayers marked by the crucifix, beads, and central medal. The mental portion, or meditation, is the true "soul" of the Rosary. During each decade (10 Hail Marys), we ponder a specific event from the Gospels. These events are known as mysteries. In this case, a mystery is not a puzzle to be solved, but a scene from the lives of Jesus and Mary that can only be partly understood on earth. By meditating on these mysteries, we can better understand them through Divine inspiration.

There are 20 mysteries of the Rosary. They are divided into four sets of five mysteries each:

The Joyful Mysteries:
- The Annunciation
- The Visitation
- The Nativity (Birth of Jesus)
- The Presentation in the Temple
- The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

The Luminous Mysteries (Mysteries of Light):
- The Baptism of Jesus
- The Wedding Feast at Cana
- The Proclamation of the Kingdom
- The Transfiguration
- The Institution of the Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries:
- The Agony in the Garden
- The Scourging at the Pillar
- The Crowning with Thorns
- The Carrying of the Cross
- The Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries:
- The Resurrection
- The Ascension
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- The Assumption
- The Coronation (Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth)

Meditation is a skill which takes time and practice to master. My hope is to enhance your Rosary meditation by covering each of the twenty mysteries of the Rosary individually. I will provide Bible references, links to artwork, and reflections based on years of reading and research. I always welcome contributions from others who have studied and pondered these events.

To Jesus Through Mary

Why pray the Rosary? Why pray to Mary?

First, it is important to understand that Catholics do not WORSHIP Mary. We only worship the three Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity-- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. However, we HONOR Mary as the greatest of saints. She was chosen and created by God and was given the gift of a soul free from Original Sin from the first moment of her conception. Catholics refer to this as the Immaculate Conception, and we celebrate this event each year on December 8th.

Note: Many Catholics are confused by the Immaculate Conception and think that it is a celebration of the day that Mary conceived Jesus. This is actually called the Feast of the Annunciation (when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary) and is celebrated on March 25th, nine months before the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. The feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th) honors the day that Mary was conceived, free of Original Sin, in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. Mary was given this special honor because she was to become the Mother of God (Theotokos, the Greek term). Certainly, the woman who was to conceive, bear and raise the Son of God could not be tainted by sin.

As the Mother of Jesus, Mary was also His first teacher. She taught Him how to walk, how to talk and all the other things a mother teaches a young child. She also teaches us through the Rosary. St. Luke tells us in his Gospel, "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) Through the Rosary, she guides us in reflecting on the events of her Son's life. The Rosary is not a path TO Mary, but a path THROUGH Mary to Jesus, and ultimately to our Heavenly Father.

Mary has appeared to many saints and visionaries, urging them to pray the Rosary. St. Dominic, St. Louis de Montfort, Blessed Alan de la Roche, and St. Lucia of Fatima are just a few of the many saints who spread devotion to the Rosary.

If you are interested in reading more about this subject, I highly recommend The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort:
Order the book: https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage_gr/product_id/37/
Or, read the book online: http://www.rosary-center.org/secret.htm

The Rosary and a Garden

I'm afraid that I've let this blog lie idle for too long. I apologize if you're interested in learning more and have been patiently waiting.

The following excerpt from my ebook, The Rosary Workout, compares the Rosary to a garden:

"The word 'Rosary' comes from the Latin word 'rosarium,' which means 'a rose garden, often circular'. In Catholicism, the images of a garden, a rose and a circle are rich in symbolism.

Place your Rosary in front of you in a circle with the crucifix pointing toward you. The short chain, known as the pendant chain, is like a pathway leading to a garden, which is represented by the circular part of the Rosary. The crucifix marks the opening prayer of the Rosary, The Apostles’ Creed. The Creed (and our corresponding faith) is the key to unlock the garden gate, where Our Blessed Mother will lead us to a deeper understanding of the mysteries of the Rosary. The five beads on the pendant chain represent a pathway into the garden as we recite the prayers they represent: The Our Father, three Hail Marys and the Glory Be. The three Hail Mary are traditionally prayed for an increase in the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity. The three beads are also said to honor the three persons of the Blessed Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We enter the garden, or circle of beads, when we begin the first decade of the Rosary. While we’re in the garden, we meditate on five mysteries, leading us to a deeper understanding of the Gospels. We exit the garden after making a final prayer of praise and petition to our Blessed Mother, the Hail Holy Queen.

The Rosary is a path to the garden which we most long to enter: Paradise."

Rosary prayers

In order to pray the Rosary, you must first memorize the seven primary prayers of the Rosary and their "markers":

1. Sign of the Cross (Catholics begin and end all forms of prayer my making the Sign of the Cross)

2. Apostles' Creed (marked by the crucifix)

3. Our Father (marked by the isolated beads separated with longer chain links)

4. Hail Mary (marked by the 3 closely-spaced beads on the crucifix chain and the 10 closely-spaced beads on the circular part of the Rosary)

5. Glory Be or Gloria (marked by the longer chain links before the Our Father beads)

6. Fatima Prayer (same marking as the Glory Be)

7. Hail Holy Queen (marked by the central medal)

There are several more optional Rosary prayers, but I will cover these in a future post.

Find the text of the prayers above at the following links:

http://www.scborromeo.org/prayers/rosary.htm
http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary/howto.htm
http://www.erosary.com/rosary/prayers/prayers.htm

My ebook, The Rosary Workout, includes a more detailed Rosary tutorial:
www.rosaryworkout.com

Introduction

Hello!

I started this blog as part of my apostolate to spread devotion to the Rosary. I've found that many people are confused about the Rosary. They don't know the prayers or may not realize that the "soul" of the Rosary is meditation on the mysteries of the Gospels. I welcome readers of all faiths who want to learn more about the Rosary. I also welcome readers who are already very devoted to the Rosary who would like to share their knowledge and reflection with others. Please keep any comments or questions respectful and charitable.