The Rosary Light and Life - Current Announcements - March-April 2010

I write these reflections on the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 74) the great Dominican theologian. He is best known for his systematic presentation of Catholic theology, the Summa Theologiae, but his sermons, and the other writings that have come down to us, provide remarkable food for thought - especially as we look forward to Lent and Easter.

St. Thomas asks, "Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us?" His answer,

There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example how to act... Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.

St. Thomas presents the cross as an example of love, an example of patience, an example of obedience, humility, and contempt for earthly things. He counsels

Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Lent is a time to consider what we need, and what we can do without; what is necessary, and what may be superfluous. St. Thomas' words are a valuable reflection on Lent's call to self-denial. Most of us undoubtedly grew up denying ourselves some special treat during Lent. My friends, I recall, often foreswore candy. I was allergic to chocolate in my youth, so giving up candy was never much of a challenge.

As I grew older, fasting and not eating between meals, proved a little harder. I just celebrated my sixty-third birthday, and I have found no better way to discern what is truly necessary than by asking myself, at the end of a meal, whether I have eaten enough to keep me from snacking until I sit down to the next meal.

One Lent, when I was in high school, I decided to give up watching television. After two weeks, I concluded I had given up very little, and scrambled about to find another penance. I have never returned to watching television, but I remember one year, shortly after my ordination, when I calculated I was watching about three hours of television a week. I gave it up again, and announced at a meeting of my Dominican community that in the time I'd saved, I had read five novels. One of my brothers said, "Perhaps you should have given up reading novels!"

I took his remark to heart a few years ago, and now read no fiction on Lenten weekdays. Occasionally, I discover some work of non-fiction that proves as irresistible as a good novel, but more often I find myself employing the evenings of Lent writing long-ignored letters, or saying a few extra prayers. However I choose to spend the time, I always learn something about how I spend time - and how I might spend it more profitably. Especially as I grow older, I realize how precious time is, and how often I waste it.

I can no longer recall where I read - or who wrote - what struck me as a Lenten challenge each of us might find beneficial: the challenge of silence. No one will be surprised if I remark that the Blessed Virgin provides a remarkable example of silence. When she speaks in the gospel, she says no more than is necessary, and when she allows herself to wax poetic, as she does in her Magnificat, her sentences show the immense power of our words, when we use them to preach God's goodness.

The Catechism offers a beautiful reflection on Mary's prayer, which

"...is revealed to us at the dawning of the fullness of time. Before the incarnation of the Son of God, and before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, her prayer cooperates in a unique way with the Father's plan of loving kindness... In the faith of this humble handmaid, the Gift of God found the acceptance he had awaited from the beginning of time. She whom the Almighty made "full of grace" responds by offering her whole being... "Fiat": this is Christian prayer: to be wholly God's, because He is wholly ours (no. 2617).

What better time to strive to "be wholly God's" than the days of Lent?

Thus far, I have considered Lent only as a time of voluntary deprivation. Modern spiritual writers remind us Lent is also an ideal time to undertake some special activity. If time allows, the days of Lent provide a splendid opportunity to do something extra - to attend Mass more frequently, add a few more minutes to prayer, pay a visit to someone who is ill or living alone. When I worked in campus ministry as a young priest, one of my priest-colleagues urged our college students to attend daily Mass during Lent. I was always amazed at how many did so - and how many continued to attend the daily Masses after Easter.

Once again, no one will be surprised if I summon Mary as our exemplar of charitable activity. Her traveling "in haste" to assist her kinswoman Elizabeth, her quiet intervention in the wedding at Cana, and especially in accompanying her Son to Calvary, Mary invites us to stand by her, to learn from her, and to be strengthened by her courage and love.

The days of Lent lead us to Christ's sacrifice on Calvary, the saving act we witness whenever we gather to worship at Mass. Here, perhaps, we encounter Mary most intimately. Once again, the Catechism affords a remarkable reflection,

To the offering of Christ are united not only the members still here on earth, but also those already in the glory of heaven. In communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice. In the Eucharist the Church is as it were at the foot of the cross with Mary, united in the offering and intercession of Christ (no. 1370).

Someone once told me his journey back to the practice of the faith, which he had abandoned for a number of years, was the result of his return to praying the Rosary. "She doesn't let go," he concluded. Mary doesn't let go, and we never have to look far to find her hand extended to help, strengthen, and console us. Let us make this Lenten journey with her, and share her joy at the Resurrection of her Son.

Anyone who has ever wondered what goes into the education of a Catholic priest will be interested in Fr. Mullady's new CD, A Complete Study of Christ. Obviously, no academic course can exhaust the depths of Christ's nature and love, but this 15-CD series provides an excellent introduction to Catholic teaching on the person, life, and ministry of Our Savior. Although the series is intellectually challenging, it is accessible to anyone curious about the Church's long and beautiful Christological tradition.

The CD series is priced at $70.00, and may be ordered from the Classes, Retreats, and DVD section on our secure web order form.

WE ARE FREQUENTLY ASKED whether Confraternity members must pray twenty decades of the Rosary to fulfill the requirements for membership. The answer to this question is no. Pope John Paul II presented the Luminous Mysteries as a suggestion, which he hoped would contribute to the devotion of lovers of the Rosary. The present Holy Father has made no comment, so Confraternity members will continue to fulfill the requirements for membership by praying the traditional fifteen decades of the Rosary.

For those who wish to learn more about Pope John Paul's promoting the Luminous Mysteries, the Rosary Center offers a helpful new book, The Rosary, The John Paul II Method, by Robert Feeney. We offer it for $7.95 plus shipping & handling, and hope it will prove helpful to devotees of the Luminous Mysteries, as well as those who wish to learn more about them. To order please visit our secure web order page.

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