Gospel: Luke 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Kathleen H’s thanksgiving.
Reflection:
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He obliged. He taught them what we now call as “The Lord’s Prayer”. The Our Father has been said during the Mass and in the Rosary. Today’s feast was established by St Pius V in thanksgiving for the victory won by the Christians against the Turks in 1571. Such victory was attributed to the recitation of the Rosary. This Marian devotion first developed when people recited 150 Our Fathers to mirror the 150 Psalms. During that time, the lay faithful do not have access to the Bible. A parallel practice of 150 Hail Marys followed. Soon, a mystery in the life of Jesus was attached to each Hail Mary. The focus of this devotion is on Jesus as contained in the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries. According to some commentators, “The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus’ Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glory Bes remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.” Next time we recite the Rosary, especially when we say the Our Father, let us remember that our God is with us. He will fight with us particularly during this pandemic. He will save us if we let Him.
- How do you relate with God in prayer?
- When was the last time you and your loved ones prayed the Rosary?
- “The Rosary is the Weapon for these Times.” (St Pius of Pietrelcina). In what ways has this devotion become a weapon in your life?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Through the prayers and example of Our Lady of the Rosary, may we contemplate the mysteries of our salvation, recognise Your presence in the many ups and downs of our life, and grow in hope that You will bring us to Your glory one day. Amen.
Sincerely,
Pietro
