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Today, Sunday 25th May, we have 786 people from all over the world and from many Christian and some non-Christian denominations joining together in prayer. Missed out again last week - sorry. My brother and  his priest friend from Canada are visiting and on Sunday my sister, Fr. Bob and I went rambling around some of the many early church monuments here in the west of Ireland. Clonfert is just one of them and was a monastic community founded by Saint Brendan the Navigator. There's the most beautiful little 12th century cathedral in this tiny country village on the Galway/Offaly border and the final resting place of St. Brendan. But we started our day's travels on the shores of Lough Corrib in Annaghdown where Saint Brendan died at his sister's convent. Then we journeyed to the most beautiful little 15th century church in Meelick outside of Eyrecourt, founded by the Franciscans in 1414. All places off the beaten track and virtually unknown to all but the locals. We had a brilliant day, full of peaceful prayer and mooching through graveyards. They are such interesting places! Anyway, 't'was well after 10pm when we got home and too pooped to sit in front of me 'puter!

The reflection from Bob and Debbie Gass is actually their contribution for today, May 25th. and one to make us sit back and think. In my view, it highlights the need for prayer like never before. It's called 'Hold Fast' The Word for Today

The Weekly Intentions are  available on a plain page to be able to print off and kept to hand for your own prayer time. The list has become too long now to include each week.

http://www.circleofprayer.com/weekly-intentions.html

"Father, bless all those who have requested prayers in whatever it is that you know they may be needing this day! Father, we ask You to heal the broken bodies, broken hearts, broken spirits and broken relationships and may all their lives be full of your peace, prosperity, and power as they seek to have a close relationship with you. Amen."

Thank You Jesus for answering our prayers because we know You hear every prayer and never refuse to answer. You are providing answers and healings from the prayers of all these wonderful people. Praise God!

Right then, back to where we left off two weeks ago - the role of Mary. You know, Our Lady gets some really bad press from the non-Catholic denominations and even from some of those within 
the Church. I looked up both 'pray' and 'prayer' in the dictionary and no where does it specify denominations. Strange how the Rosary is seen as a predominately 'Catholic Prayer'. To my mind, prayer is just prayer, no matter who utters it.

So let's just look briefly at the history and Scrpitural basis for the prayers of the Rosary. It's hard to place an exact date on this beautiful prayer as some would say it dates back to the early church, some to the monastic times of the 5th and 6th century as the Psalter of Mary. Illiteracy and lack of access to the psalms for the ordinary folk who could hear the monks chanting and intoning the Divine Office and the Psalms, led the way to a set of prayers based on the number of psalms - 150. However, most admit that the Rosary was handed down by Saint Dominic in 1214, given to him by Our Lady as a means of converting the Albigensians and other sinners. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist, it is the beloved prayer of many Catholics and some of the other denominations.

As we discussed last week, Mary's role as a powerful intecessor cannot be denied. She is Mother of the Church and Queen of Heaven. This is a Scriptural Truth. Christ defined Her as Mother of His Church before He died on the Cross. In antiquity the Queen was the king's mother - why - because 
monogamy was not yet in vogue, so which of the wives could claim queenship. We read about the powerful role of Bathsheba, King David's mother.

I quote Father John Corapi and echo his sentiment when he says:"Every thing good in my life has come to me through Mary, because Jesus came to me through Mary." Mary leads us to Her Son. She does as She did at the wedding Feast of Cana, telling us to "Do as He says."

The prayers of the Rosary are written in Scripture - the Lords Prayer, the greeting of Elizabeth when Mary visited her in the hill country, and prayers of praise to the Blessed Trinity. They are prayers of supplication and they are prayerful meditations on the Life of Christ. The four Mysteries are divided into the early years, the ministry, the passion and suffering and the glory of the Resurection.

The first of the four Mysteries is called the Joyful Mysteries and the decades allow us to meditate on the Annunciation of the Birth of Our Divine Lord by the Archangel Gabriel, the Visitation when Mary went to stay with Elizabeth, the Birth of Our Divine Lord in Bethlehem, the Presentation of Our Divine Lord in the Temple, and the Finding of the Lord in the Temple after His disappearance for three days during the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem.

The second Mystery, the Mysteries of Light and only added in October 2002 by Pope John Paul II, focuses on the Ministry of Jesus starting with His Baptism in the River Jordan, His fist Miracle performed at the wedding feast of Cana, His proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven, His Transfiguration on Mount Habor, and finally His institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.

The third Mystery, The Sorrowful Mysteries helps us to meditate on the passion and suffering which led to the death of Jesus. It starts with His Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His Scourging at the Pillar, His Crowning of Thorns, His Carry of the Cross, and finally His Crucifixion.

The fourth Mystery, the Glorious Mysteries, brings us to the Glory of the Resurected Christ, starting with the Resurection, His Ascension into Heaven, the Decent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven, and the Coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven. 

Those who have a difficulty with this prayer cannot deny the first 18 decades but might question the last two. The writings of the early Church Fathers make no mention of any grave or resting place for Mary. She was much honoured as the Mother of the Saviour and had she died and been buried we would surely have a church or basilica in Her honour in the Holy Land, or some other place in Christendom, as the place of Her interment. 

There is just no such place, yet there are churches dedicated to the Apostles, and relics of them. Tré Fontaine, outside of Rome, is said to be the place of Saint Paul's beheading. The bones of Saint Peter lie in the Crypt of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. But no mention of any place or relics of reverence for Mary.

As to Her Queenship, there can be no question about it. God chose Her from the start of time in His plan of Salvation. She was the spotless Mother of His Son, Christ the King. She remained without sin throughout Her life, dedicating Her whole life to God, from start to finish. 

So, back to the Rosary. Some decry its repetition. I see it as a prayer of the Rythm of Life - The Life of Christ. When said slowly and with reverence, meditating on the various stages of the Life of Jesus, it is most relaxing and comforting. We Praise and give Glory to God in repetitious prayer over and over again, why should this type of prayer be any different? 

It is a most powerful prayer and much hated by the Evil One. I invite you all to set aside about twenty minutes a day to recite one Mystery. Or a few minutes to recite just one decade; or even the four Mysteries said in the morning, noontime, evening and at night. It's no more a Catholic Prayer than saying the Lord's Prayer. Honest to God, I can guarantee you won't be struck by thunder and lightening if you aren't Catholic and give it a try. 

You know, the most interesting part of Scott and Kimberley Hahn's conversion story was the difficulty they had initially in praying the Rosary. Both were Presbytarian Theologians and so deep was their training to deny Mary that they found that first step to acknowledge Her role by praying the Rosary to be the hardest. Now both love it to bits, as I do too.

There is a complete section on the website dedicated to the Rosary and can be found from the links at the top of the page:

http://www.circleofprayer.com/rosary.html

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Hold fast! 

" DON’T…MOVE BACK THE BOUNDARY LINES "  PROVERBS 22 : 28 (TM) 

In a recent Gallup poll, 70% of those interviewed said they believed ‘there are no absolutes when it comes to good and evil.’ Fortunately God doesn’t share their opinion! Listen: ‘…hold fast that which is good’ (1 Thessolonians 5:21). If we don’t, it may be gone before we know it. Listen to these 
sobering words:

‘Today we mourn the passing of an old friend - Common Sense. He devoted his service to schools, hospitals and churches; he got jobs done without fanfare and foolishness. For decades, silly rules and frivolous lawsuits didn’t affect him. He cultivated practices like…sharing with others…teaching kids spiritual values…living within your means. He survived the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression. But he couldn’t withstand the ravages of declining moral and spiritual values. He watched as leaders became corrupt, and good people became apathetic. He saw the Ten Commandments outlawed in public buildings, prayer banned from the classroom, and criminals enjoying more rights than their victims. He watched in despair as teachers who needed parental consent to administer an aspirin, couldn’t tell a parent their child wanted an abortion. Common Sense was predeceased by Truth, Trust and Responsibility. His funeral wasn’t well attended - few realised he’d gone!’

‘Don’t…move back the boundary lines..’ God established them for our protection and guidance. Stand up for what’s right and expect criticism! Jesus said, ‘All who desire to live godly…will suffer…’ 
(2 Timothy 3:12 NKJ). Darkness has never been a friend of light. We’re ‘…the salt of the earth…’ (Matthew 5:13), which means we’re supposed to be ‘a preserving agent’! Try to remember that today!

God Bless you all,

Mary in Galway

Pray before the Cross:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now Your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit live in the hearts of all nations, that they may be preserved from degeneration, disaster and war. May
the Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary, be our Advocate. Amen."