A reading from Acts 1:12-14
After Jesus had been taken up into heaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
REFLECTION: ..." devoted themselves with one accord to prayer..."
The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was formerly known as Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary. On this day the combined fleet of the Holy League (a coalition of European Catholic states) defeated the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto. These states banded together and prayed the Rosary. God gave them a victory at one of the most famous naval battles in history. The battle took place just off the coast of Greece in 1571.
John Paul II proclaimed October 2002-October 2003 the Year of the Rosary with the introduction of the Luminous Mysteries.
Now the rosary was complete and we entered into the full life of Jesus.
The Joyful Mysteries of His birth.
The Sorrowful Mysteries of His passion and death.
The Luminous Mysteries of His public ministry.
The Glorious Mystereis of His Resurrection.
How can we transform a static knowledge of Christ's time on earth to a vibrant, dynamic, ever growing love of Jesus? How does one fall in love? How do we see what love is? How do we feel love? What does love do? Love can be answered by living and breathing the life of Jesus Christ, God made man.
We have been advised by the priest "in the person of Christ" to pray the rosary daily. Each day the rhythm of our lives joins the Spirit of God when we contemplate, study and meditate how He lived His life on earth. Each day brings us to a different mystery of God's love for us. Each day we fall more in love with Jesus.
PAPA invites us to rediscover the powerful prayer of the Rosary (pages 12, 35-40 of the PAPA handbook). May our PAPA family "devote themselves with one accord to prayer..."
God Bless You.
