Oct. 7, 2016: Our Lady of the Rosary
Oct. 7, 2016: Our Lady of the Rosary
Role of Rosary in the life of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa’s favorite and most frequent prayer as she practiced union with Our Lady was, without doubt, the Rosary. The Rosary becomes true prayer of the heart when we pray it slowly and deeply, when we seek a deeper level of soul, staying at the level of the heart, wrapped in Our Lady, meditating with her the events of our salvation in Jesus her Son. The particular power of the Rosary as a means of grace, of entering into that sacred space so prized by Mother Teresa, has been underlined by Our Lady herself in virtually all of her apparitions around the world, not to mention her own words to Mother Teresa:
“Take care of them — they are mine. — Bring them to Jesus — carry Jesus to them. — Fear not. Teach them to say the Rosary — the family Rosary and all will be well.…”
Though it is often misunderstood, and therefore poorly prayed, the Rosary is indeed a form of contemplative prayer.
Those who lived with Mother Teresa knew that she held a rosary in her hand constantly, in everything she did and everywhere she went. This was her way not only of holding Our Lady’s hand, but of recalling and reliving her founding everywhere she went. This was her way not only of holding Our Lady’s hand, but of recalling and reliving her founding vision. This vision helps us to understand and, if we so desire, to follow this humble Nobel Prize winner who placed all her confidence in the heart of Mary, and who spent her life as she is surely now spending her eternity, in the Shadow of Our Lady.
Fr. Joseph Langford MC, "Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady"
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Testimony on Rosary by Niurka Del Valle Miami, Florida
I Knelt Broken Before Her
In 1988 I was four months pregnant with my first child when I had a test done to see how high the protein was. The results of this test came back positive, which meant there was a possibility of a birth defect that could range from spinal problems to deformities. This had to be the worst moment of my entire life.
The doctor sent me for other tests that included an amniocentesis that showed the baby’s measurements were good, but it did not confirm any abnormalities. I had to wait four to six weeks for all of the test results, and they were the longest weeks of my life.
One day I was so desperately sad that I walked into a church hoping to speak to a priest for consolation. Until that day, I was not one to visit church often, and I was not one who prayed to the Blessed Mother, or prayed the rosary, even though I had gone to a Catholic school all my life.
As I walked into the empty church with tears in my eyes and the worst pain in my heart, I noticed an image I had never noticed until that day. For some reason, I looked to my left and there was an image of the Virgin Mary as she appeared in the grotto at Lourdes. Not knowing anything about her or her miracles, I knelt in front of her to pray, asking only for the safety and well being of my baby. I stayed there a very long time, praying and crying at the same time. When I looked at her face, a sense of relief came over me and I knew that she would protect my baby.
From that moment, I have promised my devotion to her. I now have a statue of her in front of my house, which was one of my promises, along with teaching my children all about her and her miracles.
My life has changed in a very special way since then. I now know of her miracles, and I love her as much as I love our Lord. She is my inspiration, and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t pray to her and thank her for her blessings.
Needless to say, my prayers were answered, and I had a beautiful, healthy baby girl! I can’t begin to express my gratitude to our Lady of Lourdes for the hope and peace I found the day I knelt broken before her in that empty church. I know there is nothing— no pain or problem— too great that our prayers to our Blessed Mother and the rosary will not answer.
- Patricia Proctor, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Rosary"
Role of Rosary in the life of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa’s favorite and most frequent prayer as she practiced union with Our Lady was, without doubt, the Rosary. The Rosary becomes true prayer of the heart when we pray it slowly and deeply, when we seek a deeper level of soul, staying at the level of the heart, wrapped in Our Lady, meditating with her the events of our salvation in Jesus her Son. The particular power of the Rosary as a means of grace, of entering into that sacred space so prized by Mother Teresa, has been underlined by Our Lady herself in virtually all of her apparitions around the world, not to mention her own words to Mother Teresa:
“Take care of them — they are mine. — Bring them to Jesus — carry Jesus to them. — Fear not. Teach them to say the Rosary — the family Rosary and all will be well.…”
Though it is often misunderstood, and therefore poorly prayed, the Rosary is indeed a form of contemplative prayer.
Those who lived with Mother Teresa knew that she held a rosary in her hand constantly, in everything she did and everywhere she went. This was her way not only of holding Our Lady’s hand, but of recalling and reliving her founding everywhere she went. This was her way not only of holding Our Lady’s hand, but of recalling and reliving her founding vision. This vision helps us to understand and, if we so desire, to follow this humble Nobel Prize winner who placed all her confidence in the heart of Mary, and who spent her life as she is surely now spending her eternity, in the Shadow of Our Lady.
Fr. Joseph Langford MC, "Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady"
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I Knelt Broken Before Her
In 1988 I was four months pregnant with my first child when I had a test done to see how high the protein was. The results of this test came back positive, which meant there was a possibility of a birth defect that could range from spinal problems to deformities. This had to be the worst moment of my entire life.
The doctor sent me for other tests that included an amniocentesis that showed the baby’s measurements were good, but it did not confirm any abnormalities. I had to wait four to six weeks for all of the test results, and they were the longest weeks of my life.
One day I was so desperately sad that I walked into a church hoping to speak to a priest for consolation. Until that day, I was not one to visit church often, and I was not one who prayed to the Blessed Mother, or prayed the rosary, even though I had gone to a Catholic school all my life.
As I walked into the empty church with tears in my eyes and the worst pain in my heart, I noticed an image I had never noticed until that day. For some reason, I looked to my left and there was an image of the Virgin Mary as she appeared in the grotto at Lourdes. Not knowing anything about her or her miracles, I knelt in front of her to pray, asking only for the safety and well being of my baby. I stayed there a very long time, praying and crying at the same time. When I looked at her face, a sense of relief came over me and I knew that she would protect my baby.
From that moment, I have promised my devotion to her. I now have a statue of her in front of my house, which was one of my promises, along with teaching my children all about her and her miracles.
My life has changed in a very special way since then. I now know of her miracles, and I love her as much as I love our Lord. She is my inspiration, and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t pray to her and thank her for her blessings.
Needless to say, my prayers were answered, and I had a beautiful, healthy baby girl! I can’t begin to express my gratitude to our Lady of Lourdes for the hope and peace I found the day I knelt broken before her in that empty church. I know there is nothing— no pain or problem— too great that our prayers to our Blessed Mother and the rosary will not answer.
- Patricia Proctor, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Rosary"
