20221007 CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY CONTINUOUSLY IN THE ROSARY
07 October, 2022, Friday, Our Lady of the Rosary
First reading | Acts 1:12-14 © |
The apostles all joined in continuous prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus
After Jesus was taken up into heaven the apostles went back from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Responsorial Psalm | Luke 1:46-55 © |
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
He looks on his servant in her nothingness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Lk1:28 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!
Blessed art thou among women.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 1:26-38 © |
'I am the handmaid of the Lord'
The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.
CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY CONTINUOUSLY IN THE ROSARY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 1:12-14; LUKE 1:26-38]
“All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” That Mary is mentioned specifically with the rest of the apostles at the beginning of the Church implies that she had gained a prominent position in the Church. She was highly regarded by the early Christian community, including the apostles. As the mother of Jesus and therefore of the body of Christ in an analogous sense, since she is both mother of the Church and a member of the Church, she is able to offer her maternal support.
This maternal role of Mary in the Church is most fitting for her. We read in the gospel of John the incident at the Wedding at Cana. Mary, a woman of charity and compassion, has always been looking out for others. She was extremely sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Her first action following her election to be the mother of our Lord was not to celebrate or announce to the whole world how great and worthy she was to be chosen for the role. Rather, her immediate concern was her cousin Elizabeth who, in her old age, was pregnant and that she would need her assistance. Again, we notice this maternal solicitation of Mary when the newly wedded couple ran short of wine for the celebration. Her immediate instinct was to let her Son know the predicament they were in.
Indeed, this maternal role of Mary for the Church was also intended by our Lord Himself. When asked to help the newly wedded couple, His response to Mary was “My time had not yet come.” In other words, it was not time for Him to reveal His glory. It was also not time for her to assume her role as the mother of the Church. (cf Jn 2:1-12) Regardless, on account of the faith of Mary, the Lord anticipated His glory by changing the water into wine. But when the hour had finally arrived, when our Lord was hanging on the cross, Jesus said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” To the disciple Jesus loved He said, “Here is your mother.” And we read, “From that hour the disciple took her into his own home.” (cf Jn 19:26f)
In the light of what we have said, it is fitting therefore for Mary to assume her rightful place in the early Church. Her role was to point people to her Son. Just as she brought the situation to Jesus and told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you”, she too wants to continue to lead the early Church to our Lord. (Jn 2:5) For this reason, she stood with Jesus until the end when He was on the cross; and with the apostles in the Upper Room praying continuously as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. What would they be doing for nine days before Pentecost and how did they pray continuously?
Besides vocal prayers, praying the psalms, Mary would have shared with the apostles the life of Jesus. Indeed, we know that the prayer of Mary was more contemplative than vocal. We hardly hear her speak in the gospel. But we find her always contemplating, pondering and reflecting on the events of salvation. In today’s gospel she too asked the Angel how it could be possible. She was always seeking understanding of the mystery of God’s plan in her life. We can be sure that just as she contemplated the significance of the birth of Jesus when the magi came to pay their respect to the Lord; or when Jesus was lost at the Temple or when Simeon made the prophecy how He would be the cause of the rise and fall of many, Mary would have spent much time contemplating and reflecting on these events in her life. The rosary, therefore, principally is not a vocal prayer but a prayer of contemplation on the history of salvation, particularly the lives of Jesus and Mary. Through a prayerful contemplation of their lives, we seek to be united with them in mind and heart so that we could also live a life of faith, love and compassion.
Contemplating on the history of salvation, beginning with Abraham until the arrival of our Lord, would have given the early Christians much strength and hope. “He protects Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy, the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons forever.” Mary was able to connect for us the unfolding of God’s plan in Christ, beginning from the Old Testament. In this way, as expressed in the Magnificat, she would have given new strength and courage to the early Christians.
Most of all, Mary would have spoken about the marvels of God in Christ and recounted with the disciples all that Jesus had said and done. Through contemplation on the marvels of God we certainly find courage to face the future. “He looks on his servant in her nothingness; henceforth all ages will call me blessed. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy his name! His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear him. He puts forth his arm in strength and scatters the proud-hearted. He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly. He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.’ Such is the greatness and mercy of our God who comes to the help of the weak and the humble. This was a necessary reminder to the disciples because before they could be sent forth they needed to be reminded to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and not their own strength. Most of all, they needed to keep themselves humble before the Lord so that God can work in and through them. Remembering the works of Jesus in His ministry would have given them the confidence to do what Jesus said and did.
Besides recounting all the deeds of our Lord, especially His miracles and works of deliverance, she would have helped the apostles to come to know the Lord better, how He felt and His demeanor. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, Mary was always at the background with the rest of the women. As a woman and as all women are, she would have been very attentive to the needs, the feelings and the dreams of Jesus. More so as the mother of Jesus, she would have this intuitive perception of Jesus. Contemplation of our Lord certainly helped the disciples to be prepared before they went out for the work of evangelization. They needed to learn how to be sensitive to the needs of others, to feel with them as the Lord did during His ministry.
Indeed, this is what the rosary is all about. It is a powerful prayer and a continuous prayer contemplating on the life of Jesus and Mary because both their lives were intimately intertwined. To pray the rosary is to join her in contemplating on the life of Christ, His works and words, and the mystery of His person. Indeed, most of the events contemplated in the rosary are fundamentally focused on Christ and less on Mary. This also explains why St John Paul II added five more luminous mysteries to complete our contemplation on the ministry of Jesus in the proclamation of the kingdom. Yet, when we consider all the 20 events of the life of Christ and Mary contemplated, only two refer directly to Mary. Even then, when Mary is contemplated, the focus is never on herself but in relation to Christ and the Church. In the mystery of Our Lady’s Assumption and Queenship, she is contemplated not for herself per se but so that we, as the Church, can remind ourselves that what Mary had already received, we too will be glorified with her at the end of time and reign with the Lord forever.
So, as we celebrate the Feast of our Lady of the Rosary, we are reminded not to pray the rosary in such a way that it becomes monotonous; just a vocal prayer, without uniting our minds and hearts with Jesus and Mary. Most of all, we must try to connect their lives with ours so that we can gain inspiration and insight from them to live our lives more joyfully and meaningfully. Praying the rosary is not just praying to Mary but rather it is to pray with Mary, contemplating on the mystery of salvation, especially the life of her Son. Through our contemplation of the different events in the lives of Jesus and Mary, we can gain insight as how we too can live our lives in such a way that is positive, life-giving and one of faith and hope. And because this form of prayer is so simple, all can pray together, young or old, the simple and the intellectual, and yet all pray according to their depth of relationship as well.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment