I’m going to forgive the “mom centric” tone of this article considering that the source is a website called CatholicMom.com. But her advice on squeezing the rosary into your daily routine was just too good that I felt like I had to post and comment on it. Of course, long time RosaryMeds readers will probably find her advice very similar to what I’ve been saying. In short, 5 ways to squeeze the rosary into your life are:
The best part of the article for me was when she said, “Rather than the laundry, the dishes, or checking Facebook, make a decade of the Rosary your first priority when you have a moment to breathe.” How many times do we make the rosary a priority in our lives on par with our work, our home, and our families? I know most of us can’t stand that pile of dirty dishes in the sink, the crumbs on the floor, the dust on the tables, or the toys on the floor. It haunts us until we do something about it. But how many of us feel that same sense that something is out of place when we haven’t prayed all day long?
English: A rosary found on board the carrack Mary Rose. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are many correct ways to pray the rosary and not too many wrong ways. The main point of the CatholicMom article was that God cherishes your effort to pray even if the quality is less than ideal. So stop waiting for the perfect time, place, and inspiration to rattle off a few Hail Marys when you find the time. Much like getting that quick bite to eat for physical energy to get through the day, the rosary can serve as your quick spiritual recharge. And often you will find that a spiritual renewal drives a renewed sense of physical energy and motivation.
When’s the perfect time to pray the rosary? Anytime. Where’s the perfect place? Anywhere. What’s the correct length of time for the rosary? However much you can find. Stop finding excuses, start finding Jesus. Start right now before moving on to the next email, website, or Facebook post with one Hail Mary. Need help? There’s a free guide for rosary prayer.
This is a very well known Navy SEAL motto. If it sounds familiar, it’s because the book written by the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden was titled No Easy Day which echos the same sentiment. There are multiple meanings behind this Navy SEAL motto. In training, it means that each day will be more challenging than the previous one. This is due to increased expectations from the instructors, greater scrutiny because of the increasingly smaller class, the elevated competition because those left in training are able to perform at a high level of intensity, and that the drills become more difficult as recruits get more fatigued.
The physicality of SEAL training is one aspect behind that motto. But it also points to the state of mind a Navy SEAL brings with him, not only in training but throughout his career. It’s a state of mind that is always focused on tackling the challenges at hand and always pushing yourself to do your job better. A SEAL never thinks that the worst is behind him and that it is clear sailing after a certain point. To a SEAL, there is no such thing as resting on your laurels. Even when things are going well the SEAL always searches for ways he can do better.
SEALS must adopt this motto because their lives, and the lives of others, depend on it. They must approach each mission with the utmost focus and intensity to succeed and stay alive another day. And while a SEAL may conduct a certain type of mission, such as a rescue operation, dozens of times, it is the first and only mission for these SEALS from the point of view of those being rescued. They put themselves and the people around them in great danger if these soldiers treated any operation as something they could just coast through because they’ve done it a dozen times before.
Like a SEAL approaching a mission, we must also treat each time we pray the rosary with a fresh and focused mind. We cannot get lulled into a state where we just “coast” or go on “automatic pilot” with our prayers. What’s the point of praying if we just race through the words without any thought? Is that pushing ourselves to get the most out of each rosary? This Navy SEAL motto fits in well with my previous post, almost from the military, about always setting higher standards each day. Otherwise we stop growing our spirituality and could even lose a bit of our faith through complacency.
The rosary isn’t a magical chant or incantation like a spell. In other words, it’s not the quantity of prayers that matter rather it’s the quality. This is why the rosary doesn’t fall into the category of “mindless repetition” that Jesus warns us about in the Gospel (Matthew 6:7).
What is a good quality rosary prayer? It’s focused prayer backed up with specific intentions that is said slowly and deliberately. To focus on the rosary means to consciously block out all those other thoughts that may distract us. You first have to acknowledge when you are distracted and then stop, take a few deep breaths, and resume. If you go through an entire decade without even realizing what mystery you were praying, back up and start that decade over again. Mary will be more pleased with one decade said with focus than an entire month’s worth of hollow prayers.
We can achieve better focus by turning our distractions into intentions. Do you have worries about members of your family? Offer those worries to Jesus in your rosary prayers. Perhaps the best way to do this is to actually say out loud your concern and that it will be your intention for the decade. And while it may seem silly to vocalizing your intentions, especially if you are praying alone, it really does help bring focus to your prayers.
As you practice on more focused rosary prayer, always try to push yourself. Remember the SEAL motto that the only easy day was yesterday. It’s not just that the situation a SEAL finds himself in gets more difficult, but they expect more from themselves over time. They look forward to that next challenge because they want to prove to themselves that they have the strength of mind and body to overcome it. Similarly, we should be pushing ourselves to get more out of the rosary each time we pray it. While at first it may be enough to remember to pray a rosary every day, later we need to push ourselves to deeper meditative states and really open our hearts to what God is trying to tell us through the rosary.
Pray like you’ve never prayed before. It’s go time Rosary SEAL!
As many of you know, I’m a software engineer. My career revolves around analyzing the business needs of my employer and designing and implementing a software solution. Although my job title has the word engineer in it and my degree is in a science, the software development world can be an undisciplined, unscientific mess. Someone who doesn’t understand software development might be a little uneasy with the number of bugs that are introduced in the process, the amount of code that gets thrown out or rewritten, and how different a final product will look from the initial concept or prototype. Personally, every good idea I have usually stems from five bad ones — some being immediately dismissed while others I worked on a bit before realizing they weren’t a good fit for what I was trying to accomplish.
I see a lot of parallels between my experience in writing software and the recent Synod on the Family. A lot of commentary and fuss has been made over the midterm report. It shows a process where it may appear bishops are make statements and decisions contrary to Church doctrine in topics like divorce and homosexuality. We have to remember that this report isn’t the finished product nor a definitive statement upholding or changing Church doctrine.
The synod is like a piece of code in progress. Sometimes I just have to write a few lines of code to steer my thinking in the right direction. Similarly, I think the bishops have to bring up topics and lines of thought, not with the intent of those thoughts becoming the final word. Rather, it steers the dialog in different directions to find the right path — the truth of Jesus Christ.
While I’m a little uneasy about the statements being reported, I’m also glad that they are at least being mentioned. It wouldn’t be much of a synod if the bishops sat down and just regurgitated Church teaching, patted each other on the back for their rote knowledge, and went home. Again, in the software world I would be highly skeptical of a code’s quality that was completed quickly with no revisions. How do we know that the developer took into account all the scenarios and details? Why didn’t he integrate any feedback from his colleagues? Similarly, the mentioning of ideas that run counter to the Church’s teachings shouldn’t be seen as a challenge to the doctrine but as part of the exploration of these broad and complex topics. I want my bishops to leave no stone unturned in their search for truth.
One of the great mysteries enshrined in the ecclesiology of the Catholic Church is that Christ speaks through the rather messy and unpredictable process of ecclesiastical argument. The Holy Spirit guides the process of course, but he doesn’t undermine or circumvent it. It is precisely in the long, laborious sifting of ideas across time and through disciplined conversation that the truth that God wants to communicate gradually emerges.
The interim report on the Synod represents a very early stage of the sausage-making process and, unsurprisingly, it isn’t pretty. Two more weeks of discussion will follow; then a full year during which the findings of the Synod will be further refined, argued about, and clarified; then the Ordinary Synod on the Family will take place (the one going on now is the Extraordinary Synod), and many more arguments and counter-arguments will be made; finally, some months, perhaps even a year or so, after that, the Pope will write a post-Synodal exhortation summing up the entire process and offering a definitive take on the matter. At that point, I would suggest, something resembling edible sausage will be available for our consumption; until then, we should all be patient and refrain from bloviating.
Now, I would also be naive to think that there aren’t some bishops guided more by politics than the Holy Spirit in this process. I think that’s part of the reason why this interim report was released to the public — so that some bishops could score some political points with the Church’s critics. It’s their way of getting some political cover by implying, “You see! I did try to represent your viewpoints but the magisterium didn’t listen.” Unfortunately, I think some bishops are aiming more to increase the Church’s likability by bending her teachings to the whims of society and not through explaining her truths.
I don’t think there will be a radical rewriting of Church doctrine when this is all over and many of the bishops know that. So those who may have ulterior motives other than fostering dialog may want their viewpoints made public so that they can become a talking point or be used in a counter argument in future debates. Unfortunately, our society (the media in particular) has an uncanny way of turning “this was mentioned in the synod” into “this is what the Catholic Church believes.” And over time, the context certain statements were made in will be completely lost and all you’re left with is a soundbite from Nancy Pelosi quoting the interim synod report and misrepresenting Church doctrine.
The media’s “goto” person for Catholic teaching.
Like St. Simeon in the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the rosary, we must show patience for this process. St. Simeon had faith that he would one day see God’s Chosen One. We too must have faith that the truth of Jesus Christ will not only reveal itself, but will burn more brightly when held up against weaker ideas. We pray for patience with the Church, both personally and for a patience from the greater society to not misrepresent the Church’s teachings. We also need to pray for the bishops and all those taking part in the synod that they let the Holy Spirit guide their thoughts and actions. And we must pray especially for those bishops who may treat their vocation as a political office rather than spiritual shepherds.
Last week at work I had the privilege of attending a class on the science of happiness. I find topics about brain and neuroscience fascinating probably because I haven’t studied it to death. A two hour seminar from a former software developer fits nicely into my mosaic of brian knowledge formed from Ray Kurzweil books and Wired magazine articles.
Why would my company want me to learn about the science of happiness? According to various studies and polls, happy people are about 12 to 25% more productive in their work. Furthermore, much of what makes people happy revolves around them choosing actions that lead towards happiness. Therefore, a company has a vested interest in its employees choosing routines that lead to happiness and hence, more productivity.
I’m going to spare you the details of the seminar. If you want to learn more, just go to HappyBrainScience.com. I bring up this seminar for one reason — readers of RosaryMeds already know many of the choices that lead to happiness. For example, in the class we learned about the value of meditation as a way to combat the negative effects of stress. Guess what? Many of us who pray the rosary regularly already experience the positive effects rosary meditation has on combating the stress of everyday life. I’ve mentioned a study in a previous post about the cardiovascular benefits of rosary prayer. I’ve also talked about how people are happiest when they find “flow” or are “in the zone.” Many people who pray the rosary regularly find it comforting because they can more easily get in the zone of deep meditation and prayer.
Going back to my happiness seminar, I also learned how we all have a bias towards focusing on the negative. I think we all know how difficult it is to concentrate or be happy in a group of people if you find even just one person in that group annoying. Instead of focusing on the people whose company we enjoy or the good situations around us, we too often dwell on what’s wrong and foment a bitterness, if not an outright hatred, of those people who we don’t get along with for some reason or another. Similarly, we also tend to dwell on our weaknesses more than our strengths. “I’m overweight.” “I’m not smart enough.” “I work too slowly.” “I don’t have enough patience.” “I don’t have enough energy.” Sound familiar?
When I heard about our negative bias and some of the tricks to combat it (you can get a taste of it from the HappyBrainScience blog), I immediately thought this all sounded vaguely familiar. I then remembered the introduction to my rosary book, The Rosary for the Rest of Us, where I explained the main benefit I get from rosary prayer — perspective. Praying the rosary helps me understand that all the negative things in life we often dwell on aren’t that big of a deal in the big picture. By praying the rosary every day, I manage to keep all my problems, stresses, and worries in perspective. Rosary prayer also reminds me of God’s awesome power to forgive me for all my mistakes, no matter how big. Rosary prayer reminds me that the Holy Spirit is present and always trying to lead me on the path of true happiness. Rosary prayer reminds me that no matter how terrible the world appears, there is hope for a better tomorrow.
This can bring more happiness than winning any lottery.
Not all of us can attend a happiness seminar. But you don’t have to attend one or buy a “secret of life” type book to start choosing a lifestyle that yields increased happiness. Want to be happier? Turn off the TV and computer, silence your phone, pick up a rosary, and pray! Oh, and reading my rosary book and telling others about this website wouldn’t hurt ;-).
I always leave the house armed. In this world I think you are naive, if not a little crazy, if you don’t carry some sort of personal protection. Of course, given that I live in the Bay Area, I don’t carry my sidearm openly. It’s usually concealed but I’m ready and willing to use it if the situation calls for it. Don’t worry, I have plenty of practice using it. I’ve gone with a standard, white model. It isn’t very fancy, but it packs a punch with a 60 round capacity.
Wait, what? Take a look… yes, you’re still on RosaryMeds and not the NRA website. And no, I’m not delirious from a lack of sleep. But I am talking about weaponry in this post; very powerful weapons that pack more punch than what any Colt or Gloc could possibly deliver. If you haven’t guessed, my weapon of choice is the rosary. Of course, the 60 rounds should have been the give away (5*10 Hail Marys + 5 Our Fathers + 3 Hail Marys + 1 Our Father + 1 Crucifix = 60). For the last 8 years, since I started praying the rosary seriously and routinely, my rosary has been in my pocket wherever I go.
My sidearm, always ready for action.
I mention this in the wake of the gruesome execution of James Foley at the hands of Islamic radicals. One of the lesser known facts about James Foley was his devotion to rosary prayer and how it helped in through his captivity in Libya in 2011. In a letter to Marquette University (his alma mater) after his Libyan release, Foley wrote:
I began to pray the rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed. I said 10 Hail Marys between each Our Father. It took a long time, almost an hour to count 100 Hail Marys off on my knuckles. And it helped to keep my mind focused. Clare and I prayed together out loud. It felt energizing to speak our weaknesses and hopes together, as if in a conversation with God, rather than silently and alone.
And this is why I think carrying a rosary is so important. You never know what life is going to throw at you when you will need to respond with the power of prayer. Granted, most of us won’t be captured by radicals, imprisoned, or martyred. But we don’t have to go to those extremes to understand the importance of carrying a rosary. How many times have you received bad news about a friend, family, your job, your city, your neighbors, your country, your parish, or anything that is important to you? How many times have you faced a difficult challenge in your life? Or what about the times when something great has happened? Those are all perfect opportunities to reflect and meditate on some rosary mysteries. I think we come across opportunities on a daily basis for praying the rosary but maybe we miss them because we aren’t physically carrying one that we can whip out when we need to.
Prepared for every situation.
I’m not saying that you can’t pray the rosary unless you are physically carrying beads. James Foley prayed the rosary counting on his knuckles. When I can’t physically hold a rosary (usually because I’m rocking an infant to sleep) I will often look for something in the room that is in a group of five or ten so I can keep track of where I am within a decade. Maybe there is a flower pattern on the rug with five petals that I can stare at. Maybe the door or window has 10 sections that I can focus on. But I do find that actually carrying a rosary is a great reminder of the importance of integrating prayer into my daily routine. I take my phone, keys, and wallet with me because they will be useful tools throughout my day. The same can be said about my rosary.
Try this. Add a rosary to your other daily essentials that your carry in your pocket or purse. Or attach a rosary ring to your keychain. More importantly, instead of reaching for your smartphone when you have five minutes to burn, reach for that rosary and pray.
“Praying the rosary hasn’t made me rich. Praying the rosary hasn’t made me famous. Praying the rosary hasn’t given me a promotion at work. So why do I pray the rosary? Praying the rosary regularly gives me perspective. I start to see things the way God wants me to see them. I don’t obsess over the little things in this world that aren’t important to my eternal salvation. Praying the rosary helps me focus on what is truly important – my relationship with God. It hasn’t made my problems go away, but it has given me the strength to endure and overcome them just as Jesus Christ did in the sorrowful mysteries.”
I actually had a difficult time answering why I pray the rosary. It’s not that I don’t like or believe in the power of the rosary, but it is difficult to put its value into words. The rosary is a divine gift from God. And coming from God, who is outside our human understanding, makes explaining the rosary hard to capture in words. But at the same time, it is important to occasionally ask, “why?”
Asking ourselves why we pray the rosary forces us to evaluate the role it plays in our lives. Do we just pray it out of habit or routine without understanding why? Do you mistake it for some magical chant? Do we pray the rosary because someone told us to? The rosary isn’t a prayer we should take for granted. When we know why we should pray the rosary, we become that much more motivated to want to pray it. My “ah-ha!” moment with the rosary came on my pilgrimage to Medjugorje. I felt this peace come over me as if God was tell me, “It’s going to be okay… I got you.” Ever since then the rosary has provided me an oasis of peace in my busy, tiring, and hectic life.
The rosary is much like an uncut and unpolished gem. To the unobservant, it just looks like a rock. To those who take the time to dig deeper, they will find something of great value. On this feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, ask yourself, “why?” And when you do find an answer, please leave a comment. You never know if your insight might provide a spark for others to discover a greater value in rosary prayer.
The “Occupy Wall Street” protests occupy a lot of news headlines. Society appears to be split on the morality of the movement. Is it a protest to give a voice to the little guy or is it a leftist, socialist power grab? Is it a fight against corporate greed or a fight for larger government control? One question that keeps popping up is, “What would Jesus think of Occupy Wall Street?” There areseveralarticles that ponder that question. Personally, I think many people are just playing the “Jesus card” to drum up support from religious groups by showing their cause has God’s “seal of approval.” But let’s suppose that this question was asked in all seriousness. What would Jesus say about the Wall Street protests?
Trying to play the “Jesus card” to support political views is as old as Jesus Himself. The first people to ask, “What would Jesus do?” were the pharisees and they had the privilege of asking Jesus directly. But much like our modern day politicians and special interest groups, the pharisees were not looking to learn from what Jesus had to say but merely wanted something they could twist around to suit their already-established views. They played the original “gotcha politics.” In the Gospel of Matthew, the pharisees tried to trap Jesus on the topic of taxes (some things never change). They asked:
Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” When they heard this they were amazed, and leaving him they went away. (Matthew 22:17-22)
In exchanges like this throughout the Bible, Jesus made it quite clear He did not come into this world to settle age-old political and social questions. As much as the Jews wanted their Messiah to be a political and social leader, Jesus’ teachings and goals transcended people’s squabbles about government and finances. His goal was to show people the true path to eternal happiness, not to reform Jewish law or fight the Romans. That path resides in individuals following Jesus’ teachings and making an effort to live in God’s grace. The laws will always be imperfect and cannot cover the complete moral spectrum because they are made by humans who are inherently imperfect. We will never achieve perfection through the law alone. Jesus knew that and that is why He focused on showing how we, as individuals, can find true happiness with Him in Heaven. In other words, Jesus taught that salvation is not gained by trying to perfect our laws, rather it is gained in trying to perfect our souls.
Image by humberpike via Flickr
There are many people in this world who think we can legislate our way into a perfect world. If we can just enforce the right set of rules then everyone will have just the right amount of happiness. Would Jesus be in favor of this type of legislative chemistry? Again, look at the Bible and all the Jewish laws Jesus and His disciples broke. He healed people (aka worked) on the Sabbath, did not fast, and did not wash His hands before eating. Jesus did this to point out the incompleteness of the law. He wanted to show people that it was far more important to act out of a love for God than just blindly following rules. Jesus came to teach us to understand what is good and what is wrong and choose to do good on our own free will instead of coerced by the fear of breaking laws we don’t understand.
I think Jesus would be saddened by today’s world that tries to legislate morality blindly instead of teaching and instilling a sense of morality in people’s hearts. To put it another way, why do we need rallies and protests demanding legislation to prevent people from lying, stealing, and cheating? Why don’t people understand that lying and stealing are wrong and naturally try their best to avoid such behaviors? Unfortunately, we live in a world where something is wrong because there is a law against it, instead of a world where we have laws because we know some behaviors are inherently wrong.
So imagine if Jesus was here in this world in human form today. Like the pharisees in the Bible, people would ask Him about his views on Occupy Wall Street, Obama Care, illegal immigration, and any number of social issues. Do you think His answers would be any different from the ones He gave nearly 2000 years ago? My guess is that many people would walk away disappointed because Jesus probably wouldn’t weigh in on these questions or provide answers that would make great sound bites on the evening news. Jesus would probably say that in the grand scheme of things, we don’t go to Heaven because we pass good laws. We go to Heaven because we strive to love Jesus by being good people and avoiding evil.
That brings us to the rosary, particularly The Nativity in the Third Joyful Mystery. Jesus came into this world in the humblest way possible. He was not born in a royal court nor did He grow up to be a worldly leader as many thought He would. From His birth, Jesus showed that His ways were not the world’s ways. When we pray the Third Joyful Mystery we must remember to accept Jesus and His message for what it is and not what we want it to be. We must remember to not act like the pharisees and try to twist Jesus’ teachings to suit our wants and desires. We pray for Jesus’ guidance to live according to His will. We pray that we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in making just and moral laws but we don’t look to the law alone to find true happiness.
You have to love our German Shepherd, Pope Benedict XVI. Last week he traveled to Germany and delivered some great speeches and homilies. What I like about the Pope is that he tells things as it is and teaches the Catholic faith even if it runs contrary to the norms of modern society. And unlike many politicians, he doesn’t take on the victim mentality but instead challenges the faithful to really live as Jesus calls them regardless of the obstacles imposed by the outside world. Like the manager of a sports team, he discusses our weaknesses so that we are aware of them and can aim to be better Catholics and better people. In this day and age, that level of honesty mixed with compassion and motivation are rare.
“We must honestly admit that we have more than enough by way of structure but not enough by way of Spirit. I would add: the real crisis facing the Church in the western world is a crisis of faith.” This is observed, said the Pope, “in the inconstancy and fragmentation of many people’s lives and in an exaggerated individualism,” such that many people “no longer seem capable of any form of self-denial or of making a sacrifice for others.”
Image by Catholic Church (England and Wales) via Flickr
I understand what the Pope means in terms of the Western Church having structure but lacking faith. I receive a Church bulletin every Sunday and there is no shortage of club meetings, events, and services. There is also no shortage of people in the pews at Sunday Mass. And yet, I do feel that something is missing in terms of spirituality. Many people treat Sunday Mass as putting in one hour of work before they can socialize and enjoy donuts and coffee. And yet, where are the large crowds to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, pray the rosary, and attend Adoration? How many people attend Mass on Sunday almost like they are clocking in and out of work because it is an obligation? And worse, how many children learn that “in and out” attitude regarding Mass from the adults’ example?
Contrast the modern day American parish with that of a small village in some unknown part of the world. I’ve seen other parts of the globe where someone’s life and faith are basically one. They pray regularly for long periods of time, dedicate and offer fasting and abstinence for intentions, attend Mass multiple times a week, and receive the Sacraments. But there is more to their faith than just these outward acts. It’s hard to explain, but you just get the sense that their faith is just part of who they are and means so much to them. When you compare these two groups you realize that Pope Benedict is right when he noted that the Western Church has plenty of structure and not enough of the Holy Spirit.
When praying the rosary, meditate on this crisis of faith on the Fourth Glorious Mystery — The Assumption of Mary. Remember, God assumed Mary, body and soul, into Heaven. And she is now our guide in all things spiritual. We pray for her guidance that we live our faith fully every day, in every word, every action, and every thought. We pray especially that we can muster the strength to imitate Mary and not take the great gift of faith for granted or reduce the Church to a weekend social club. Mary begs us to follow her advice because she knows the great joy that awaits us in Heaven and she does not wish for that joy to be delayed (Purgatory) or lost (Hell).
We must remember that we are Catholics, not just for an hour at Mass on Sunday, but 24/7. And nearly all of us fall short of living our faith in its entirety. And that is why we pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit, Mary, the saints, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Previously I said how articles on RosaryMeds would tie together news and current events with the rosary. I talked about the Pope meeting with young seminarians, a recent announcement from English bishops reminding people to abstain from eating meat on Fridays, and some tips for people going to college. However, not all news is neutral and light hearted. It is the difficult cases that teach us the most about our faith and the power of the rosary.
Take this story for example. A jury awarded a Florida couple 4.5 million dollars because their child was born without arms and one leg. And while that is unfortunate, the real tragedy was their reason for suing the doctor. According to the Palm Beach Post (bold by me):
During a roughly two-week-long trial that ended Wednesday, Mejia and Santana claimed they would have never have brought Bryan into the world had they known about his horrific disabilities. Had Morel and technicians at OB/GYN Specialists of the Palm Beaches and Perinatal Specialists of the Palm Beaches properly administered two ultrasounds and seen he was missing three limbs, the West Palm Beach couple said they would have terminated the pregnancy.
I’m going to skip the social, political, moral, and ethical commentary since, as a pro-life Catholic, I think what’s wrong with their argument is very clear (plenty of other articles dive into those discussions). Instead, I want to focus on what we can learn from this story. What does the rosary teach us about difficult cases like this one? If we look at the Second Joyful Mystery, the Visitation, we see Mary sharing the joy of her pregnancy with her cousin Elizabeth. Luke’s Gospel talks about how John the Baptist “leaped for joy” in Elizabeth’s womb upon hearing Mary’s greeting and how Mary felt blessed. Mary goes on to say how her soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and how God did great things to her. We learn from this encounter that all life, in whatever form, is a gift from God. All human life, while not perfect, is valuable because God infused us with souls meant to live with Him in Heaven forever.
Image by andy castro via Flickr
Compare Mary’s story with the Santana’s. Mary also faced hardships first by being pregnant and unmarried (which would have been quite the scandal) and later seeing Jesus suffer in the Crucifixion. But through all those challenges she saw God’s ultimate glory and her role in bringing joy and happiness to the world. Both Mary and the Santana’s stories show that life is not without its hardships. Some people face larger obstacles in life than others. But God does not give us any challenge we cannot ultimately handle. Unfortunately, all the Santanas saw was the hardship and not God’s gift to them. Instead of finding strength through God as Mary did, they wanted a “do over” because they saw their son as a gift with “strings attached.” And while many of us may not face such large challenges as the Santana family, we often want God to pave over all the challenges or hardships we might encounter through life. We tend to blame God for any inconvenience or think He does not hear our prayers just because we do not receive the answers we want.
When we meditate on the Second Joyful Mystery we should remember that all life is precious no matter what form it comes in. Even the “lost souls” in this world, whether they be criminals, addicts of all kinds, or just plain “evil” persons, are special and precious in God’s eyes. All those living in mortal sin have an opportunity for forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and can return to the same level of grace as the greatest saints. In short, we all have an intrinsic value despite the terrible acts we may commit or our physical/mental limitations. We pray that we have the strength to see past the hardships and challenges in life and see God’s imprint on everyone as Mary does.
For many of us, September means the start of a new school year. And perhaps one of the largest transitions students face is going off to college. I know this is “so last month” for those on the semester system, but I was a quarter system guy when I was in school. Regardless of whether you are just moving in for orientation or are a few short months away from graduation, I want to share this article I came across in the Catholic San Francisco and how it relates to the First Sorrowful Mystery of the rosary.
The article is the Beatitudes for College Students and it outlines eight smart tips for thriving in college. Some of them like staying away from drugs and going to class are just part of being a good student and a responsible adult. But other ones like making sure you attend Mass, pray regularly, and keep in touch with family are often swept aside in pursuit of higher education. While many people may do well on the academic, social, and career fronts, some often stumble spiritually during their college years. For those who do fall away, hopefully it is just a temporary bump in the road. But unfortunately, many become spiritually derailed in college. We should pray for all of those in college as many schools (even Catholic ones) have become extremely hostile environments for practicing religion and spirituality.
One of the college student beatitudes is “Blessed are students who pray about and think through important decisions.” People make very important decisions during their college years. They must decide what to study, how to support themselves after graduation, where to live, how to manage finances, who will be their friends (or possibly spouse), and just how manage life as a responsible adult. Furthermore, college is often a time to decide how much of a priority you will make living according to your faith and values. For example, as many students find themselves living away from home for the first time, the question arises on whether to continue praying or attending Mass. Often, we come to these decisions after consulting with friends, professors, family, and counselors. We read articles, attend lectures, and try to research these life-altering decisions as best we can. And yet we often forget to ask God for guidance by praying. This not only applies to college students, but all of us. Do you pray earnestly and listen to God before making large decisions?
We should remember the First Sorrowful Mystery where Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed so hard to God on the eve of His death that He started sweating blood. He begged God to find another way to redeem us other than crucifixion. Ultimately, crucifixion was God’s will and Jesus followed it faithfully. But Jesus’ prayers were answered in that God gave Him strength to endure crucifixion and peace knowing that through His death and resurrection He would ultimately open the gates of Heaven and give us the opportunity for eternal joy and happiness.
And so college students can learn a lot from Jesus’ example of praying earnestly when facing big decisions. God does have a plan for each one of us but we have to listen carefully through prayer. We must be particularly vigilant in those times when it seems like God does not answer our prayers. Perhaps He did but in a different way than what we were expecting. Sometimes, instead of removing obstacles in our lives, God gives us the strength to overcome them.
College saddles students with many questions and decisions. For those starting college, take time to reflect on what people are of good quality and what activities will ultimately make you a better person (hint: it’s not drinking and partying). For those in the middle of their college years, ask God for guidance before declaring a major. And for those in the final years of school, consider praying for insight on how you will spend the rest of you life after you get that diploma. And important decisions don’t end after graduation. Your will need to make decisions your entire life whether it be about work, family, finances, and politics. You will have challenges but don’t think you’re alone in facing them. God is always one prayer away and will always lead you in making the right decision if you listen to Him.
