Our Lady of the Rosary

Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

There is nothing more Catholic than the Rosary and there is no prayer that can bring the person who says it such peace and such power.  For some of us, the only time we will hold a Rosary will be when, for artistic reasons, the undertaker threads one into our cold and stiff fingers while we lay quietly in our casket.  For other Catholics, the Rosary is a living and vibrant thing, another proof of God's love for us, and a powerful source of meditation and a force that can, and has, changed the course of history.  But where did this powerful prayer come from?  What were its origins? 

Imagine, if you will, you are a peasant and your day is spent working in the fields. As you work, you hear the beautiful sounds of the brothers in the neighboring monastery singing the Psalms of David as they gathered several times a day to pray the Divine Office. As a peasant, you were not educated like the brothers, you did not have a Bible, they were very costly and only the wealthy could have a personal copy of the Scriptures.  Even if you were to come into possession of this wonderful book, it would do you no good as you were unable to read.  But, if there was one thing that was true, you were just as pious as the brothers in the monastery.  You loved the Lord and you prayed faithfully, but you wanted to do as the brothers did and pray a divine office. Given the limitations of money and education, you would not be able to sing the Psalms, there were too many for you to memorize and you did not own a Bible.  The brothers suggested that as you work that you pray one-hundred and fifty Our Father's, one for each of the Psalms.  You liked this idea but you often lost count as you worked.  When you prayed this office at home, you took one-hundred and fifty pebbles and used them to count the prayers.  This would not work so well when you were working in the fields.  Then you came up with the idea of carrying a knotted string that you could keep in your hands, moving one knot for each Our Father that you said.  This worked for a long time, but it was only the beginning.  Eventually, you said your prayers while thinking of the Bible stories you heard at church. Soon, the Rosary evolved into the prayer we know today using the Hail Mary, consisting of the words spoken to Mary at the Annunciation by the angel Gabriel, and our request that Mary prays to Jesus for us and to help us at the hour of our death. While we pray the familiar words of these basic prayers, namely, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be, we meditate on the lives of Jesus and Mary and the major events that led to our salvation. 

Contrary to what rabid, anti-Catholic Bible thumpers believe, the Rosary is not mindless repeating of words in order to get God's attention.  The Rosary is a prayer that brings those that pray it closer to Jesus, closer to His Mother, and of course, closer to God.  Those that pray (not just say) the Rosary open up for themselves a world where they gain insight into what Jesus did for mankind and what He did for them personally.  

Praying the Rosary is not an affront to God. The most important person in Heaven right now, besides Jesus, is Mary, His Mother.  She was assumed, that means, brought up to Heaven, because after her death, Jesus did not want her body to decay so she received what we will all certainly receive at the end of time, a glorified physical body that will dwell with God, Jesus, and all of the Saints forever.  As great as Mary, the Mother of God is, we do not offer her worship. We hold her in great reverence because we are imitating Jesus Himself who loved His mother so much that from the Cross, when his strength was all be spent, He placed Mary into the care of John the Apostle who from that moment cared for Mary as if she was his own mother. 

There is so much misunderstanding between Protestants and Catholics when it comes to Mary and the vast majority of it comes from true ignorance of the truth that has been fostered by anti-Catholic bigots over the years. When Jesus gave Mary to John from the cross, He was not only speaking to John but to us as well.  He gave us His Mother as our heavenly mother, one that we can turn to in our neediness and be assured that she will be an advocate for us and using her mother's love, pass our prayers, with her recommendations, to Jesus.  Recall, if you will, how Jesus began his ministry early at the Wedding Feast at Cana at the request of His Mother and said the wisest words ever recorded, "Do whatever He tells you."

Yes, it's time for the commercial...The Poor Souls in Purgatory need our prayers.  Oddly enough, one of the most powerful prayers for them is the Rosary.  Please, Please, Please pray for the Poor Souls today.  They really need our help.  Thank you!

Christians Are Under Attack ! A Prayer Crusade is THE answer !

Christians are under attack world wide.  In many places the followers of Islam burn churches and kill believers, both Catholic and Protestant.  It's time to do something about this unwholesome situation.  Should we arm ourselves and take to the streets?  No, that is not what Jesus would have done.  What we need to do is to embark on is a Prayer Crusade.  Our Father in heaven is waiting for us to join together and ask for help against the people who are injuring His people. 

What do we really know about Islam and their holy book, the Koran. Here are a few quick facts for you. Get to know the enemy so that they will not be able to trick you. 

Islam and Civil Rights:  Islam does not recognize freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press. 

The Koran: The Koran was supposedly handed down directly from Allah to Mohammed and is in perfect Arabic.  In actuality it contains sentences that are incomplete, sentences with poor grammar, and contradictions in what a follower should do.  The Koran contains text ripped from the Hebrew Bible because the Prophet hoped that by putting in something the the Jews were familiar with he could convert them.  This failed and the peaceful Prophet began attacking caravans and Jewish settlements.  Through this means the Prophet was able to obtain great influence and huge monetary resources.  

Islam and Women:  (From the Koran Sura 4-34) "Men are the managers of the affairs of women. Those you fear may be rebellious - admonish them; banish them to their couches and beat them."

The Prophet: The Prophet used the Koran for his own benefit on many occasions.  For example; the Koran says that a man may have up to four wives.  The Prophet had at least sixteen wives and had relations with up to six more concubines or slaves. Aesha was nine years old when the Prophet took her into his bed. In another instance he fancied the wife of another man and son of a gun, Allah spoke and told the man to give his wife to the Prophet.  

These are just a few facts about the Islamic faith that everyone should know.  We, Catholics and Protestants of all denominations MUST enter into a Crusade against the Muslims.  Do not be deceived by their words of honey.  They play only by their rules and peaceful co-existence with any other religion will not happen.  Look at what the Taliban did to those ancient statues in Afghanistan.  

Do not engage in any violence against these poor people.  Remember they have been brainwashed their whole lives to accept the mush-mosh that is the Koran is the word of God.  Our Crusade must be completely non violent.  We must pray to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and ask them for help against a vicious foe.  

So, fellow Christians, will you commit to praying each day for God to move His mighty arm and to rebuke the followers of Islam that employ violence against His children.   We have to show by our actions that we trust in God, that we trust in Jesus and we have to be ready to put our action where our beliefs lead us. 

Fellow Catholics, the Rosary helped bring down the Berlin wall and communism. Let us resort to our sharpest sword and dedicate one Rosary per day to the defeat of violent Islam. 

Other Christians, pray however you want, but do it daily and do it faithfully.  We need to unite to defeat this enemy.  We will either hang together now or hang separately later. 

God is watching and waiting for His children to ask for help.  His mighty hand will protect us.  We must remember too that Jesus has already won the victory for us.  It is the duty of every Christian to participate in the work of Christ, in the manner he has taught.  We must not trade violence for violence.  For if we do this we are not trusting in God, we are trusting in our weapons.  If we enter into prayer and ask our Father for what we need and we are all united in our words, what Father could refuse us?