The rosary helps me to be a child...

Ave Maria!  In October 1973, on the occasion of the 4th centenary of the Feast of the Rosary, the future Pope John Paul I, Albino Luciani, then Patriarch of Venice, gave a homily suited to the occasion. He concluded his homily with these words:

"When we speak of 'adult Christians' in prayer, at times we exaggerate. Personally when I speak tête-à-tête with God or with the Blessed Virgin Mary, more than an adult I prefer to think of myself as a child. The mitre, skullcap and ring disappear; I give a holiday to the adult and the bishop and also to heavy burdens, sober and pondered, and let myself go with the spontaneous tenderness of a child in front of his papá or mamma. To be – at least for half an hour – before God as I truly am with my wretchedness and also with the best of myself: to feel rising from the depths of my being the child of other days who wants to talk and chat with the Lord and love him and who sometimes feels the need to cry that he may be granted mercy, all this helps me to pray. The rosary, a simple and easy prayer, helps me to be at times a child again and of this I am not in the least ashamed.

"The rosary a prayer of repetition? Père de Foucauld used to say: 'Love is expressed in a few words, always the same, repeated time and time again.'"

Dearest Mary, Mother Most Wonderful, how good it is to be your child!

Mary, our loving consoler

Mary Most Holy goes on being the loving consoler of those touched by the many physical and moral sorrows which afflict and torment humanity. She knows our sorrows and our pains, because she too suffered, from Bethlehem to Calvary. 'And they soul too a sword shall pierce.' Mary is our Spiritual Mother, and the mother always understands her children and consoles them in their troubles. Then, she has that specific mission to love us, received from Jesus on the Cross, to love us only and always, so as to save us! Mary consoles us above all by pointing out the Crucified One and Paradise to us! ~Pope John Paul II

Thank You, dear Jesus, living in Mary,

for the great consolation You have given us in Your beloved mother!

Regina Caeli

Queen of Heaven (to be prayed in place of the Angelus from Easter Sunday to Pentecost)

V. O Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

R. For He whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia.

V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.

R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the whole world through the resurrection of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Do you love me? Follow me!

The Gospel from today's Mass, John 21:15-19, reminds me of the magnificent homily Pope Benedict XVI gave at the funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II on April 8, 2005. In his homily, the Holy Father spoke of the many sacrifices that Pope John Paul so lovingly made as he faithfully responded to our Lord's call to follow Him and to feed His sheep. Looking back on this homily, it seems prophetic given Pope Benedict's election to the papacy a few days later on April 19. He also has made many sacrifices in his own life, especially in accepting God's will to be our current pope, and he has done so with much love, deep faith, and great serenity. Dear Lord, please bless them both, richly and abundantly!