The following comes from a May 17 Angelus article by Archbishop Gomez:
My parents taught me to pray the rosary when I was a child. They always taught my sisters and I that we had a mother in heaven who loves us — just as we had a mother on earth who loves us.
I have been thinking about the rosary a lot during this month of Mary. I was thinking that the rosary is a lot like the Our Father — it’s a family prayer that teaches us the whole Gospel. The rosary is the prayer that we make as children of God who are looking at the life of Jesus Christ through the eyes of his mother, who is also our mother.
Recently I shared a picture of my rosary and a few words about where it came from on my social media channels — Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We created a hashtag — #MyRosaryStory — and invited others to share pictures and stories about their rosaries.
The response was overwhelming. Nearly 1.2 million people were reached by the post on Facebook alone. There were 10,000 “likes” and more than 5,000 shares. More than 500 people added their own stories.
The numbers are not what matters to me. What matters is the depth of people’s love for Jesus and Mary. What matters is that we are praying the rosary! I really believe the rosary is a key to growing in our friendship with Jesus and our following him as missionary disciples.
If we pray the rosary every day, we start to see our lives in the light of God’s plan for us. The mysteries of our lives becomes joined to the mysteries in Jesus’ life — from the joys of his birth and hidden childhood, to the light that he cast on the earth by his preaching, teaching and healing, to the sorrows of his suffering and death, and finally to the glory of the new creation that begins with his resurrection.
Like the Our Father, the rosary is a prayer of contemplation that leads to action. At the heart of the rosary are Mary’s words from the wedding feast at Cana, the second luminous mystery — “Do whatever he tells you.” We find this same spirit at the heart of the Our Father — “Thy will be done.”
Praying the rosary as children of God and children of Mary, we grow to see that our lives are “not about us.” Our lives are meant to be lived for God and for others — for our family and friends, the people of our society, especially the poor and vulnerable. It’s about God will, not our will.
Ask the archbishop why a gay couple with a toddler brought up the gifts at the closing Mass for the Religious Education Congress in February. Ask him whether he’s fired the people responsible for that sneaky, sacrilegious and defiant attempt to make a public statement gravely contrary to Catholic faith in a manner that tried to make it seem that the archbishop and the Church consider homosexual unions to be acceptable.
Sawyer, I regret to have to say that I was thinking the same thing myself recently if that report is true. After all the Rosary is a celebration and meditation on the Holy Family, which Our Heavenly Father chose to give a foster father, St. Joseph, in His place, so that Our Lord could have both an earthly father and mother.
Thank you, Sawyer! Certain things just do not comport with the well-known results of praying the rosary daily. Especially, knowing, that Our Lady of Akita spoke about those who are compromising.
“Do whatever he tells you.” We find this same spirit at the heart of the Our Father — “Thy will be done.”
Our Lord would have NEVER told an Archbishop to allow a “gay couple” to scandalize the toddler and also His flock during Mass. This gives faithful Catholics the impression, that it is NOT God’s Will, that is being done. This abomination makes it look like it IS the Archbishop’s will that is being done.
I was thinking the same thing, sadly, and was very angry, at the Archbishop! It is so sad! Too bad this Rosary reflection of the Archbishop, could not have been a truly beautiful and inspiring occasion!! It HURTS!! Shame on the Church!
Please add my family to your intentions. Thank you