PERSONAL PONDERINGS

From Rae's Desk

I am not a theologian, biblical scholar, professional aplogist or anything like that.  But I thought I’d begin to write down some of the things that I reflect upon, from day to day, anyhow.  It’s often that, during the course of reflecting on Sunday’s homily, a verse of Scripture, etc., that I come up with a good amount of subject material.  Since it’s floating around in my head, I may as well attempt to put it some of it down, worthwhile or not.  I will try to avoid any misrepresentations or errors regarding Catholic teachings in doing so. 

It’s seems fitting that the title of my page should include the word ‘pondering’, as that is the main subject of this first ‘subject’ I’d like to discuss:  the rosary.

I have included this brief history that I found while surfing the internet, to begin: 

From www.RosaryArmy.com:

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROSARY

It is usually suggested that the rosary began as a practice by the laity to imitate the monastic Office (Breviary or Liturgy of the Hours), by which monks prayed the 150 Psalms. The laity, many of whom could not read, substituted 50 or 150 Ave Marias for the Psalms. Sometimes a cord with counters on it was used to keep an accurate count. The first clear historical reference to the rosary, however, is from the life of St. Dominic (+1221), the founder of the Order of Preachers or Dominicans. He preached a form of the rosary in France at the time that the Albigensian heresy was devastating the faith there. Tradition has it that the Blessed Mother herself asked for the practice as an antidote for heresy and sin.

One of Dominic's future disciples, Alain de Roche, began to establish Rosary Confraternities to promote the praying of the rosary. The form of the rosary we have today is believed to date from his time. Over the centuries the saints and popes have highly recommended the rosary, the greatest prayer in the Church after the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours. Not surprisingly, it's most active promoters have been Dominicans.

Rosary means a crown of roses, a spiritual bouquet given to the Blessed Mother. It is sometimes called the Dominican Rosary, to distinguish it from other rosary-like prayers (e.g. Franciscan Rosary of the Seven Joys, Servite Rosary of the Seven Sorrows). It is also, in a general sense, a form of chaplet or corona (also referring to a crown), of which there are many varieties in the Church. Finally, in English it has been called "Our Lady's Psalter" or "the beads." This last derives from an Old English word for prayers (bede) and to request (biddan or bid).

--this brief history comes from EWTN’s Frequently Asked Questions Page and was written by Colin B. Donovan, STL

 

If we consider, as I have, the occasions that Mary was shown to have ‘pondered these things in her heart’, and the lifetime she had to do so, it is a big key to the rosary’s significance. 

 

I’ve heard the erroneous charge, made by some Protestants, about ‘not much being said about Mary in the Bible’ as proof that she wasn’t a big deal.  And, certainly, Mary’s whole constitution was about obedience and humility, not in self-exalting.  But, that lack of large volumes of information about her, doesn’t have anything to do with the lifetime that she did, in fact, live.  Neither is there loads of information about the childhood of Jesus, the lives of the Apostles, and others in the Bible.  It doesn’t negate the fact that they, did indeed, live, from day to day, and spoke and did things not recorded in the Bible.  Even Jesus noted that there was SO MUCH said that was not recorded in the Bible, that it would fill countless volumes!  But not to get off-track, I’ve often reflected on those times where Mary ‘reflected and pondered’ the greatness of the Lord.  And, for her, it was most tangibly real and concrete—being the Mother of our Lord.  Even though the Bible doesn’t give detail to Jesus’ childhood and all the day-to-day events and exchanges between mother and son, we know that they happened and can only imagine what they must have been like. 

 

From the moment of the Annunciation (the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary as a young teenage virgin), a lifetime of pondering began.  Of course, she didn’t hesitate (“let me think about this”), when Gabriel announced God’s intention for her life.  Without knowing what she was in store for, she consented.  Upon her ‘yes’, her life became one of endless moments of awe and wonder. 

 

Before continuing, I’d like to comment on the prayer that is most often repeated in the rosary.  The Hail Mary.  It’s significance is the ‘background’ for our meditation and reflection of every stage of Jesus’ life.  It unlocks, with every recitation, a key to further knowledge and personal relationship with Christ. 

 

I have always loved the explanation that was first brought to my attention by apologist Tim Staples (a former Assemblies of God youth minister), about the opening title bestowed upon Mary, by Gabriel.  It was “Hail, Full of Grace”.  Mr. Staples pointed out the fact that “Hail!” was a term used for greeting royalty (thus, “Hail, Ceasar!”).  It wasn’t a greeting for everyday use, as common as “Hello, Mary”.  It was significant in its use.  For a glorious creature, such as an angel, to use the term upon meeting a very young, human teen, is amazing in itself.  It was acknowledgement that God intended this girl, Mary, to be exalted.  That he had chosen Mary, for His purposes, and made her special for His purpose(s).  Tim Staples has a wonderful set of tapes entitled “All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed” (which, by the way, was a prophetic statement which was the Holy Spirit’s prompting).  I’d recommend them, highly.   

 

But, I’ll leave further reflections upon the prayer to someone else or for another time.  I want to continue with Mary’s ponderances.  Can you imagine what it must have been like?  Gabriel’s visit would have been something so powerful and so overwhelming (even the sight of an angel is enough to have people, in the Bible, fall on their face in adoration—not knowing the difference between an angel and the appearance of God Himself).  That tremendous moment in her life, united her to her Son, forever.  Her ‘yes’, in contradiction to Eve’s ‘no’, signified Mary’s place in His Life.  She became the Mother of our Lord.  What an honor!!! 

 

From that moment in history, began a lifelong meditation on the mysteries of His Life.  And in every instance, Mary put her complete trust in God.  It wasn’t God’s intent to select just any teenage virgin that was around at that time.  God chose Mary, because He knew her before time, just as he knows all of us before we were in the womb.  He had special plans for her, which included her being ‘kept from original sin’ and subsequent personal sin.  Her being born, without sin, is what we know as the “Immaculate Conception”.  She was to be the Ark of the Covenant.  And like the Ark of the Old Covenant (the stone tablets that contained the 10 Commandments—The Word of God)—she was the Ark of the New Covenant—the womb which would carry THE LIVING GOD!!!  That title, is my favorite title for her (Ark of the Covenant).  I could write an entire paper on my own reflections about that fitting title.  Here, I will only briefly note its significance.  But just ponder the significance of that title alone!  God gave the people of Israel, special and specific instructions on HOW to build the ARK—the materials He desired for its construction--with acacia wood, and golden angels, for its adornment, etc..  To me, this makes it easy to understand and BELIEVE in the sense of the Immaculate Conception and Mary's being sinless!!!  What MORE would God do for the Ark that would contain the New Covenant—the Incarnation!—Christ Himself!!!  God in the flesh!!!  Can you imagine the magnitude, the sanctity of THAT WOMB???  Jesus shared Mary's blood, and DNA!  It was an extraordinary, miraculous pregnancy that came about by the Power of the Holy Spirit!!  If the Ark of the Old Covenant was led into battle, in the forefront….if the Ark of the Old Covenant was so HOLY that the mere physical touching of the Ark was forbidden (by God—and, indeed, struck Uzzah DEAD when he touched it)……….what does that say about the ARK OF THE NEW COVENANT, MARY?   She carried GOD within her body!!!  She gave birth to, and nurtured, and raised Jesus, the New Covenant!!!  If God gave such intense instructions for the inanimate, wooden box that held the Word of God, what MORE would He have planned for His own plans for Mary (a person)?  Would He give more attention and care for a wooden box?  Yet, the Ark, itself, held a high place, simply due to its intended purpose. That is significant in reflecting upon her status as the ‘Immaculate Conception’ and as the ‘Ever Virgin’.  Would that womb, which held within it, GOD!!!!, afterward, contain other life?  No.  God preserved the integrity and sanctity of the Ark of the Old, He also preserved the integrity and sanctity of the Ark of the New Covenant, Mary. 

 

Mary’s purpose was not ‘only’ to usher Jesus into the world, but has many other facets.  Her main purpose is to bring us closer to her son.  Her role is the ultimate human example of apostleship.  The holiest of God’s saints.   

 

Even the mundane or ordinary things must’ve been totally amazing to her.  Just thinking “my little baby, this little child, IS God!” must’ve completely filled her mind and her heart!!!  From tender moments of mother and child, in common situations, in growth and development—how she must have observed and reflected upon the MIRACLE of His life!  We have a glimpse of this, in the Bible, during the entire course of Mary and Joseph’s flight into Egypt, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (when the Holy Spirit prompted Elizabeth’s words and the action of Saint John the Baptist’s ‘leaping in her womb’), during the actual BIRTH and arrival of the Kings and shepherds...and all the days that followed.  In the Bible we read about Mary’s taking Jesus to the temple, and being greeted by the old prophet who, due to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, recognized His Lord in a baby!!!  Can you imagine what Mary must have been thinking???  He KNOWS!!!  How does he KNOW?!!  Wouldn’t that be enough to give you the chills and strike you with such a profound impact as to be struck by something heavy?!!  What a wow-effect!!!! 

 

And it is also striking that Jesus’ first miracle was at the encouragement of his Mother, Mary.  He told her he wasn’t prepared to perform a miracle, yet, BECAUSE SHE ASKED HIM, he turned the wedding’s water into more wine for celebration.  It was upon her request, that he performed his first miracle. 

 

That is why, we Catholics, pray the rosary.  At Mary’s request, Jesus continues to answer prayers in miraculous ways.  Because of their close connection, realized by the very nature of the Incarnation—the Ark and the New Covenant—mother and son, He still honors her and her requests on our behalf. 

 

We ponder His Life, with her.  With each bead, and every ‘decade’ of the Rosary….in the Hail Mary’s which are biblical, in the Our Father which Jesus taught us, in the Creed which the Church gave us….we pray for her intercession (not interference, as some Protestants suggest), to pray, for us, to God.  If we can ask our neighbors, friends, and fellow parishioners to pray for us, as intercessors, then we can certainly ask Mary to pray for us!!!  We are participating in the reflections that she experienced, and we are striving to know God fully, as she does now in heaven. 

 

When Jesus was dying on the cross, his mother was there.  All the words spoken from the lips of Jesus were Truth, and had broad, encompassing meaning—including those that he spoke from the cross.  Among those last ‘words’ (actually phrases, but are referred to as the last ‘seven words’ of Christ), was Jesus’ speaking to His beloved Apostle, Saint John.  The words of Christ were not simply his care and living arrangements for his mother, but had profound meaning that was extended to all.  He was giving his mother to us.  Knowing Him better than anyone, she is our help and our aid toward knowing Jesus like she does.  Every ‘word’ spoken from the cross had deeper meaning than what was evident on the surface (I thirst….It is finished).  Indeed entire books have been written about those last seven words.  And so, with his dying words, he gave His mother to us, to help guide us in knowing Him more personally.  He has bestowed many gifts to His Church, including Mary and His Saints.  So, we can pray to Mary.  We share the extraordinary honor that God gives her (perfectly faithful to the 4^th commandment), as well as to her special place as exalted above all other human beings as the Ark of the Covenant and the Theotokos (Mother of God, in the second person of the Trinity). 

 

In reflection upon the great suffering of our Lord on the cross, we have endless contemplation.  It is good to reflect on His sacrifice for our sins.  I also think, as a mother myself, what tremendous grief and suffering that Mary shared with her son, during the scourging and his crucifixion.  How agonizing it must have been to watch!  The depth of the knowledge that she acquired, through a lifetime of ‘ponderings’, would have culminated on that hill, and were fulfilled.   

 

 

The rosary is biblical and is our contemplation, like Mary’s, of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  Those that pray it recognize the graces which flow from it’s recitation.  We should never tire of reflection upon the events of Christ’s life, and with the prayers of the rosary, we should delve deeper into meditation, with Mary, who certainly has learned more than any of us, about her Son.  As someone once said, “Let Mary show you how to hold the baby.”  

 

God bless you!

Rachel Baer

 

“No Mary, No God.  Know Mary, Know God!”

 FOR MORE INFORMATION, ON THE ANCIENT TITLE FOR MARY, 'THEOTOKOS' (Mother of God), SEE THE PAGE ENTITLED, "MARY AND THE SAINTS, (page 4), an article written by Dwight Longenecker.