Reciting the Rosary is like presenting an exquisite crown of roses to Our Lady. She lovingly responds by showering us with a multitude of supernatural gifts. Pope Blessed Pius IX notes that “Among all the devotions approved by the Church none has been so favored by so many miracles as the devotion of the Most Holy Rosary.”
“The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.”
~Venerable Fulton Sheen
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “According to Scripture, it is the heart that prays. If our heart is far from God, the words of prayer are in vain” (CCC 2562). Even our richest traditional prayers, when delivered without meaning, become merely words.
We can’t stop it, we can’t store it, we can’t touch it, and we can’t change it. Time is one of our most precious gifts from God. This month, we explore the stewardship of time. In gratitude for all of time that God freely gives to us, for each of our earthly lives, and for the promise of eternal salvation, we dedicate a portion of our time to God through prayer, sacred studies, and execution of His good works.
The new year draws to mind our tradition of making resolutions. This month, we explore the simple and meaningful resolution to “praise God for the grace and mercy that fill our days.” The Church dedicates a different spiritual theme for each day of the week. Our time is a sacred gift, and every day has a special significance. These daily devotions provide a routine for contemplation designed to direct us toward the Lord and progress spiritually throughout the year.
We recognize that death can be an end, but it does not have to be the end. For those who have gone before us, our bonds of charity need not be destroyed by death. Through the providential love of God, our connection with the dearly departed is strengthened by the power of intercessory prayer.
We began our program with an inward focus to examine our conscience followed by an outward shift to express charity toward others. This month, we turn our focus upward as we strive to improve our relationship with God through prayer.
