Category Archives: Rosary

Open Doors Podcast

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The leaders of our local Patchogue Prayer Meeting produce a PODCAST each week. I would like to recommend it to you. They talk about real life issues of living out our Catholic faith by sharing stories and experiences as well as teaching moments. To me, the thing that makes them stand out is the range in ages from teenage to Grown Adults. I asked them to write a short description and to give links to their podcast. Please find that here:

The Open Doors Podcast is a local Long Island–based, Catholic faith-centered podcast rooted in Christian testimony, reflection, and honest conversation. Through real-life stories of trials and triumphs, the podcast creates space for listeners to encounter God’s presence in everyday moments—especially when faith feels messy, uncertain, or difficult to articulate. Its mission is to encourage deeper trust in Christ and remind listeners that they are not alone on their spiritual journey.

The podcast is hosted by four voices from different seasons of life: Marissa (36), Janine (49), her son James (15), and Ivette (25), from Spain. Together, they offer an intergenerational perspective on faith, family, doubt, perseverance, and grace. Their conversations are intentionally relatable and welcoming, with a special heart for those who may feel disconnected, overlooked, or unsure if they truly belong within the Church.

At its core, The Open Doors Podcast exists to support evangelization by welcoming all—especially those searching for meaning, healing, and belonging. Select episodes are also available in Spanish, helping to reach listeners who feel more comfortable engaging in their native language. Wherever someone finds themselves on their faith journey, the podcast seeks to remind them that God meets them exactly where they are—and that the door is always open.

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@theopendoors.podcast?si=oqPxmoYtER9wyoIT

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ry05GnYAhYbIJ9eweZ60D?si=_lDnii6KQ9KLXsZHoP5ffw

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-open-doors/id1777095076

The Death, and Impact of a Christian Evangelist, Charlie Kirk – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Agony and Difficulty, Apologetics, Blessed Virgin Mary, Charlie Kirk, Church, Communication, Conversion, Converts, Crucifixion, Death and Dying, Evangelism, Family, Forgiveness, Godly Patriotism, How to be Catholic, Marriage, Prayer, Preaching, Pro-Life, Rosary, Spirituality, Women, , , , ,

First of all, this is not a political article, it is simply about the death of a great American Christian evangelist and his impact on so many. His assassination on September 10, 2025 brought widespread sadness to so many people. I watched his memorial service on September 21 and was shocked at two things. First of all, it was a huge service with over 100,000 people attending, including the President and most of his Cabinet. Secondly, it seemed more like an Evangelical praise and worship meeting, than a funeral service. Also, I have never seen so many government officials give testimony to their faith in Jesus. I think that the reason for this was that even though Charlie Kirk was known as a Conservative political activist, I believe that his deepest convictions lay in his Christian faith and his desire to spread the Good News. He himself, when asked what he would like to be remembered for, or what his legacy was, said, “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith”. When asked of his goal of teaching conservatism to people, he said, “You have to try to point them toward ultimate purposes and toward getting back to the church, getting back to faith, getting married, having children. That is the type of conservatism that I represent, and I’m trying to paint a picture of virtue, of lifting people up, not just staying angry.” That is the role of a Christian Evangelist.

The slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was “a modern-day St. Paul,” New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said in a Sept. 19 appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “He was a missionary, he’s an evangelist, he’s a hero,” he said. “He’s one, I think, who knew what Jesus meant when he said, ‘The truth will set you free.’”

The Cardinal was not familiar with Kirk before his shooting, but when he heard about it, and the tremendous outpouring of grief about it he said, “I thought, ‘I’ve got to learn about this guy,’ and the more I learned about him, I thought, ‘this guy’s a modern-day St. Paul,’” “Now I understand he was pretty blunt and he was pretty direct. He didn’t try to avoid any controversy, he didn’t even try to avoid confrontation,” he said. “The difference is the way, the mode, the style that he did it — always with respect (for his opponents) and not only was that a gracious, kind of virtuous thing to do, it’s effective. … I thought this guy can teach us something.” I agree so much with the good Cardinal. The Cardinal went on saying Kirk “wasn’t afraid to talk about the Lord. He wasn’t even afraid to say the name of Jesus,” Cardinal Dolan said, adding, “I heard Billy Graham once say, ‘I will never publicly speak without saying the name of Jesus because that name has power and it echoes through the universe.’ And apparently, that’s what Charlie did.” Dolan said he had spent the previous evening with about 200 students at the New York University Catholic Center and “this is what they talked about.” He said he is seeing a return to religion among young people, who, he thinks, are feeling there’s “something missing … a void,” despite their jobs and success. There’s a “kind of a revival” of “a sense of value and truth and conviction” among young people, he said, “almost an elevation of the role of faith back into the public square where our founders intended it to be from the beginning.” “This overwhelming sense of appreciation for Charlie and the great solidarity that we’re sensing is itself an answer to prayers and is itself a sign of the Resurrection,” he said. “I would reckon,” the cardinal added, “that some people are saying, ‘Well, you’re saying too many nice things about him (Kirk).’ I don’t know him that well, but I am sure if he was a convinced disciple of Jesus Christ, he knew his sins. Jesus knew them.” He praised Kirk’s debate style — respecting those who disagreed with him and those he disagreed with. The focus of healthy debate, the cardinal said, must be “issues not individuals, principles not just politics, principles not people. The weakest of all arguments, you know, is ad hominem, when you begin to attack the person.”

I agree with our good Cardinal. Whether you agreed with Charlie Kirk on his political beliefs, or not, there is no doubt that he led many young people to Jesus and back to their church. I have now watched several of his video appearances and have been amazed at how much he talked about Jesus and his faith. He has done several interviews and has impressed so many people, both religious and not, with his faith.

R.C. Bishop Robert Barron said, “I first met Charlie Kirk about four years ago when I was in Phoenix for a speaking engagement. He reached out and invited me to breakfast. I was deeply impressed by him that day. He was a man of great intelligence, considerable charm, and real goodness of heart I reconnected with him just last year, after I saw him debate twenty-five young people who were, to put it mildly, hostile to his views. I texted him that I was so struck by how he kept his cool and his charitable attitude in the face of some pretty obnoxious opposition. I then asked him to appear as a guest on my interview program, “Bishop Barron Presents,” and he eagerly accepted my invitation. He was scheduled to come to Rochester, Minnesota in about ten days. The last contact we had was two nights ago. After I appeared on one of the evening news shows to talk about the Religious Liberty Commission, he texted me and told me how much he appreciated what I said and then added, “I’m excited to join you on your show soon. God bless you.” That last sentence shows what was most important to Charlie. He was indeed a great debater and also one of the best advocates in our country for civil discourse, but he was, first and last, a passionate Christian. In fact, when we had that breakfast in Phoenix, we didn’t talk much about politics. We talked about theology, in which he had a deep interest, and about Christ. I know I’m joining millions of people around the world in praying that he rests now in the peace of the Lord. The assassination of Charlie Kirk kept him from going on Bishop Barron’s show. I would have loved to see that.

Another Catholic, Alex Jones who is the co-founder of the Prayer app, HALLOW, said that Kirk had contacted him recently and told him that he used HALLOW as a prayer app. Jones said that Kirk “was so kind to me; a brother in Christ.” Jones said that in the week following Charlie Kirk’s death, the HALLOW app saw a 95 percent increase in new users.

Charlie Kirk worked with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Author and speaker, who said, “I am devastated by the tragic murder of my friend Charlie Kirk. Charlie was not only a fearless voice for America but also a tireless advocate for Israel’s safety and security. We worked together, shoulder to shoulder, as activists committed to strengthening the bond between these two great allies. I’ve been looking back through our many text messages, especially from the days of the first Trump administration, when I strongly encouraged him to ensure that Turning Point USA and young American conservatives fully grasped the threats against Israel. Charlie responded as a devout Christian with passion and conviction, emerging as one of Israel’s leading defenders in the United States. His courage, friendship, and unwavering voice will be deeply missed. America is becoming a sewer of anti-American hatred and anti-Israel violence. Those fomenting that hatred against Jews and their steadfast allies like Charlie Kirk have blood on their hands tonight. May his memory be a blessing.

When Charlie Kirk met with Bill Maher, who was raised in a Catholic/Jewish household and has declared himself an atheist or at least a skeptic, Kirk told Maher, “”The greatest minds of history have been mesmerized by the Scriptures — Isaac Newton, Thomas Aquinas. Isaac Newton wrote more about biblical prophecy than even physics. And so there’s something about the Scriptures that are intellectual, that does push your limits. And that’s what I think is so beautiful about our faith is it can be accessible to everyone, but also infinitely nourishing in exploration.” He went on to say, “In China and, of course, in the Soviet Union, there was an anti-Christian movement. Very hardcore. …What book do you think is best for humanity to live by? I say the Bible. … The entire arc of the Bible is a story of love and a need for humanity’s redemption. …The Bible has wisdom in ways you might not ever imagine. …Humanity will seek to find a book, they’ll seek to find a code to live by.” After Charlie Kirk’s death, Bill Mayer said, “Charlie Kirk and I certainly didn’t agree on much politically, but he sat here, he’s a human being, he’s not a monster,” Maher said. “And I liked him.”

There is no doubt that Charlie, and his evangelical love of God and preaching touched many people. He definitely is responsible for drawing many young people back to Jesus and back to Church. Charlie himself, knew what growth in faith was all about. He was initially brought up by his parents in the Presbyterian Church. They later became Evangelicals and Charlie was definitely an Evangelical Christian. He did, however marry a woman, Erika, who was brought up by Roman Catholic parents and who attended Catholic school. It would appear that she and Charlie shared a deep faith commitment to each other and that a little of each other’s faith rubbed out on each. There are some insiders who say that Erika attends Catholic mass often and there are pictures of Charlie and her and the family at mass. There are pictures of them at mass at St. Bernadette parish in Scottsdale, AZ and at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Charlie told others that the pastor at St. Bernadette’s was a good friend of his.

Edgar Lujano, of Catholic Answers, tells us that a little more than a week before his murder, Kirk attended a pro-life prayer breakfast in Visalia, California, which is in the Diocese of Fresno. The local bishop was among those in attendance and had a brief, private moment with Kirk. It was there that Kirk told the bishop about his Catholic wife and children and how he attended Mass with them. He punctuated this conversation with “I love my Catholic pastor.” As they were parting to attend the more public portion of the prayer breakfast, Kirk mentioned speculation regarding his contemplating entering the Catholic Church, saying: “I’m this close.”

There are some friends who say that Charlie would even pray the rosary on occasion. In one of his video shows he said, “But let me first say, I think we as Protestants and Evangelicals under-venerate Mary. She was very important. She was a vessel for our Lord and Savior.” “I think that we, as Evangelicals and Protestants, we’ve overcorrected. We don’t talk about Mary enough. We don’t venerate her enough. Mary was clearly important to early Christians. There’s something there. In fact, I believe one of the ways that we fix toxic feminism in America is that Mary is the solution.” “Have more young ladies be pious, be reverent, be full of faith, slow to anger, slow to words at times. Mary is a phenomenal example, and I think a counter to so much of the toxicity of feminism in the modern era.”

In an interview with Russell Brand in 2024, Charlie said, “I mean, I’m nothing without Jesus. I’m a sinner. I fall incredibly short of the glory of God. We all do. I gave my life to the Lord in fifth grade, and it’s the most important decision I’ve ever made, and everything I do incorporates Jesus Christ.” On September 6, 2025, four days before his murder, Charlie said, “Jesus defeated death so you can live.”

Pastor Rob McCoy, Co-chair of Turning Point Faith said, “Charlie did not die. Instead, he has begun to truly live. His life was secured eternally by His Savior Jesus Christ. This truth allowed Charlie to face every threat with courage because he didn’t fear death.” I do believe that Charlie is in a better place now. But what about those he left behind. He has a beautiful wife, Erika and two children. Erika is a strong woman, and strong in her faith, and has taken up the role of CEO of Turning Point, Charlie’s organization. She brought me to tears when at Charlie’s memorial service she publically said, “My husband Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.” She then mentioned how Jesus, while on the cross, forgave those who were killing him and said that they don’t know what they do. She then said, “That young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and it is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer, we know from the Gospel is LOVE, and always love, love for our enemies, and those who persecute us.”. It seems that Erika is certainly a great choice to continue what Charlie had started. She has shown the world what true forgiveness as a Christian is all about. It is also interesting to know that membership in Turning Point, as well as attendance at the events they have held since the death of Charlie has grown tremendously.

Thank you Charlie for your faith and the way you shared it, especially with young people. “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen”, “May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen”.

The FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY of the Rosary – THE CORONATION OF MARY AS QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Apologetics, Assumption of Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Community, Converts, Evangelism, Family, Healing, Holiness, How to be Catholic, Jewish roots, Nativity, Prayer, Rosary, Scripture, Tradition, Women, , ,

First of all, I feel so inadequate to write this because I was brought up as a Protestant Methodist (I converted in 1972) and I heard very little about Mary when I was growing up. About the only time we heard about her was at Christmas. However, after becoming Catholic, I have grown in love with Mary, not only as the mother of Jesus, but also as my mother. Because of this, I am very excited to write about her Queenship. Believe me, most Protestants do not understand how we Catholics can see Mary as Queen. Hopefully, this might help. I think that it is interesting that the Protestant Evangelist and Conservative commentator, Charlie Kirk, only two months before his assassination/death, had this to say, “But let me first say, I think we as Protestants and Evangelicals under-venerate Mary. She was very important. She was a vessel for our Lord and Savior. I think that we, as Evangelicals and Protestants, we’ve overcorrected. We don’t talk about Mary enough. We don’t venerate her enough. Mary was clearly important to early Christians. There’s something there. In fact, I believe one of the ways that we fix toxic feminism in America is that Mary is the solution. Have more young ladies be pious, be reverent, be full of faith, slow to anger, slow to words at times. Mary is a phenomenal example, and I think a counter to so much of the toxicity of feminism in the modern era.” Whether or not you agree with the political side of that statement, I think that it is notable that a Protestant Evangelical made such a statement about Mary. I once read an article stating that Mary would be the one who brings the Protestant and Catholic Church back together. I would love to see that happen.

The main scripture that shows Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth is Revelation 12: 1-6 which describes a woman, with a Crown of 12 stars giving birth to a male child who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” It tells how the Devil wished to devour the child. This vision that Saint John descibes, clearly shows Mary, the Mother of Jesus as a Queen. But the question is often asked, “why does the Church need a Queen? Didn’t Mary fulfill her duty by giving birth and raising Jesus?” The answer is clearly, no. Mary was chosen not only to be the mother of Jesus but our mother too, She was chosen to be the Queen of Heaven and Earth. We can understand this better when we look at the Hebrew scriptures and the history of their Kings. Don’t forget that Jesus is known as the King of Kings and Son of David. The Davidic Kingdom finds its fulfillment in Jesus as KING OF THE UNIVERSE.

In the Davidic Kingdom of the Jews, the King had primary authority and often they had many brides. Even if there was one favored bride, the Mother of the King was known as the Queen. This was a recognized office and not just a title. In her office she possessed a Crown and a Throne and had signigicant powers. The Queen had the title of Gebirah (Hebrew for Great Lady) and served as a powerful and influential person within the King’s royal court. Often the King would have his subjects go to her with their requests and she would bring to him the ones she thought were necessary and would often handle many on her own. Catholics continue this tradition by often bringing to Mary their intercessions, to then to bring to Jesus. Remember that the Queen mother had the highest royal position, even above any of the King’s wives. Today the Church is seen as the Bride of Christ and we can all thus be seen as his bride (males too). There are many scriptures that show this, but my favorite is Isaiah 54:5 – “For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and the Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.” However, even though we have many Brides of the King, we have only one Queen, His mother Mary. This is just like the Davidic Kings.

Bathsheba, the wife of Solomon, is known as the first Gebirah, or Queen mother. Many others followed; Maacha, Azubah, Zibiah, Jehoaddom, Jecholiah, Jerusha, Abi, Hephzihah, Meshullemeth, Jedidah, Hamutal, Zebidah, and Nehusta who was the last when the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom. It should also be noted that the royal expression for addressing the Gebirah was “the mother of my Lord”. This is the same exxpression that Elizabeth called Mary when the Visitation occurred (Luke 1:43). Even Elizabeth, during that very special meeting, while Jesus was still within Mary’s womb, recognized Mary as the Gebirah or Queen Mother. Today the Church continues that tradition of recognizing Mary as the Queen Mother, the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Why? Because Jesus is the King of Kings, the King of Heaven and Earth and Mary is His Mother and both Scripture and Tradition tell us to..

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

1 – Do I really honor Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth?

2 – Do I appreciate the rich link between our Christian faith and the Jewish traditions?

3 – Do I see Mary as someone to intercede to?

4 – Do I recognize Jesus as the King of the Universe?

5 – Do I see how God was at work within the Jewish nation and how it led to our beliefs today?

6 – Do I stand up for my beliefs even among people who believe differently than me?

7 – Can I think of ways to give special honor to Mary, as Queen of the Universe”

8 – Again, how am I doing on praying the Rosary on a regular basis?

9 – In the midst of her Queenship, can I see Mary as my mother?

10 – Do I understand how special I am as a believer in Jesus, as having Him as my Spouse and as having His Mother as my mother too?

The FOURTH MYSTERY of the Rosary – THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY IN TO HEAVEN – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Ascension, Assumption of Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary, Books, Church, Early Church Fathers, Holiness, How to be Catholic, Prayer, Relationships, Relics, Resurrection, Rosary, Saints, Scripture, Spirituality, Tradition, Women, ,

This is the only Mystery of the Rosary that does not have a DIRECT scriptural reference. It has a very strong TRADITIONAL reference going all the way back to the apostles. This mystery celebrates the fact that Mary, at the completion of her time on earth, was taken body and soul in to heaven. The Church carefully uses the word ASSUMPTION for Mary compared to ASCENSION for Jesus. The ASCENSION of Jesus implies that He did this on His own (by His own power – He was God). The ASSUMPTION of Mary implies that it was done to her (not by her own power – She was human). There are several indirect scriptural passages that can be used in seeing how this happened. First of all, the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament) tell us that two previous human beings were taken in to heaven, Enoch and Elijah. Genesis 5:24 tells us about Enoch and 22 Kings 2:11 tells us about Elijah. These set the precedent for Mary being taken up too. Also Psalm 132:8 describes God arising into his resting place with the ark. Mary is seen as the new Ark of the Covenant, in that she carried the very presence of God within her. In line with that, Revelation 11:19 shows the presence of the Ark in heaven right before it describes Mary as Queen of Heaven in Chapter 12.

One of the ways that we can see that Catholic Tradition is correct about the bodily assumption of Mary is by considering that there are two tombs, dating back to the earliest times that say that Mary had died there. Both were in places where she had lived, one in Ephesus and the other in Jerusalem. Both of these tombs are empty and tradition indicates that although Mary was placed there after her death, the tombs were found to be empty shortly afterwards. ALSO, the Church loves relics (including body pieces) and has relics from the Apostles and the early Saints, it does not have any body relics of Mary. There have been attempts to reconcile the two separate traditional places of Mary’s “dormition” but we simply do not know. I have been to both spots, the tomb in Jerusalem and the tomb in Ephesus, Turkey. Both are credible but I have to say that the location in Ephesus sent shivers up and down my spine. I felt the presence of Mary there and it was a very holy place.

Although the Assumption of Mary was believed and celebrated from the earliest times, it was not made a dogma of the Church until 1950. The Assumption of Mary tells us many things. First of all, it highlights the position of Mary as the Mother of Jesus. Secondly, it shows us what all Christians will be receiving at the end of time. The very fact that the unstained (Immaculate Conception of Mary) body of Mary is the “NEW -ARK OF THE COVENANT” demands that it could not be left on the earth to decay. For me, it also tells me that my mother (Mary given to us in John 19: 26-27) is alive in Her fullness. I personally believe that is why she appears to us in so many apparitions. Hail Mary, FULL OF GRACE………

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

1 – Do I consider the Blessed Virgin Mary an important part of God’s plan of salvation?

2 – Do I consider the Blessed Virgin Mary an important part of my life, especially in prayer?

3 – Do I consider Mary as my mother too, as Jesus said in John 19: 26-27?

4 – Have I tried to find out more about Mary (suggestion for Scott Hahn’s book, Hail Holy Queen)?

5 – Do I see Mary as the Ark of the Covenant?

6 – Do I pray the rosary often?

7 – Do I understand that someday I too, like Mary, will be body and soul together in Heaven?

8 – Do I appreciate the role of Tradition in my faith?

9 – Do I believe that I will be going to heaven after my time on earth is done?

10 – Am I doing what is necessary to get in to heaven?

The Church is Alive with Young People; two new Saints, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Agony and Difficulty, Blessed Virgin Mary, Charity, Church, Communication, Community, Eucharist, Evangelism, Family, Holiness, How to be Catholic, Liturgy, Prayer, Rosary, Saints, Scripture, Spirituality, Suffering, ,

There is something very special happening to the Church today. I am seeing more and more young people coming to mass and attending spiritual gatherings. The Church invited youth and young adults to celebrate the Jubilee of Young People for 2025 in Rome in late July and early August. To the surprise of many, 500,000 participated during the week and over 1 million attended the final mass with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. It was certainly a sight to see. The young people and the Pope reflected so much joy and holiness. They showed that the Church was truly alive and also quite relevant to young people.

This weekend the Church will be canonizing two young men; Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis. Pier was only 24 when he died and Carlo was only 15. Both of them were young men who loved Jesus and His Church and who served as an example to others of what the Christian Life was all about. They also enjoyed the fullness of life as so many young people do. I fully believe that these two Saints (soon to be) will continue to serve the world by being examples to young people about how to enjoy youth as well as how to be a good Christian. I would like to take a brief look at both of their lives. Pier lived in the beginning of the 1900’s and Carlo lived in the beginning of the 2000’s. Pier is known as the “Man of the Beatitudes” and Carlo is know as the “First Millenial Saint”. May they continue to inspire us all, especially the young men and women in today’s world.

CARLO ACUTIS was born on May 3, 1991 in London England. Shortly after his birth, his family moved back to Italy and lived a life like so many others do. Carlo’s parents worked, and Carlo attended school. Carlo had several pets, played soccer, loved movies, went snow skiing and loved to play video games. Ever since he was little, Carlo had a devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. His mother tells how he could not pass a church without going inside to say hello to Jesus in the tabernacle. Carlo’s parents had stopped going to Church and because of the devotion that Carlo had, they started attending again. Finally, after much anticipation, Carlo received first communion in 1998. Carlo just naturally seemed to know the significance of the Eucharist. To Carlo, that was his fuel for living. Carlo attended mass, and went to Adoration to continually be refueled. His Eucharistic zeal was contagious. Although Carlo did many of the other normal things youth do, like school, homework, sports practices, social events, games, music, the internet and absolutely loving to eat gelato, he stood out from the crowd by managing his time towards the Eucharist and helping others. He once talked about his friends by saying, “They’ll stand in line for hours to go to a concert, but won’t stay even a minute before the tabernacle.” He couldn’t understand this.

In the early 2000’s the Internet was becoming quite available and Carlo dove right in. He learned coding and how to build websites and saw the Internet as a new tool to draw attention to the Church and the Eucharist. He developed websites for his parish and school. He even helped to develop the Vatican website. He began to become known as a technology protege around the world because of his work in the Vatican. He used the Internet to find out more and more about Eucharistic miracles He decided that he wanted to create a website just for that (and you can still use it today). He talked his parents in to taking him around to many sites of the Eucharistic miracles and took pictures and copious notes. He even walked to many and gathered information from 17 countries and made up 142 panels for helping others see the miracles.

In the fall of 2006, this faith filled young man started feeling ill. His parents took him to the doctor with flu-like symptoms. Testing came back showing that he had advanced stages of Leukemia. Despite this bad diagnosis, Carlo kept up his spirit and kept Christ as his top priority, offering up his sickness for the Pope and the Church and for his direct entry in to heaven. Carlo suffered gently and always thanked the people around him and kept a positive spirit. Fr. Sandro Villa, the hospital chaplain tells of the last time Carlo received the Eucharist. He says, “I was amazed by the composure and devotion with which, albeit with difficulty, he received the two sacraments. He seemed to have been waiting for them and felt the need for them.” He continued by saying, “I discovered that he was in love with the real presence of Jesus in the eucharist.” Carlo also said earlier to his mom, “I am happy to die because I have lived my life without wasting a minute on those things that do not please God.” Carlo died on October 12, 2006 at 15 years old.

Rejoice when you see a Statue of a teenage Saint, dressed in blue jeans and sneakers. Check out his website at https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/liste/list.html

PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI was born in 1901 in Turin, Italy and died in 1924. Saint John Paul II declared him a patron of World Youth Days and named him the “Man of the Beatitudes”. John Paul II also said he “was a young man filled with a joy that swept everything along with it, a joy that overcame the difficulties in his life”. Pier was known for his regular worship and adoration, as well as his service to the poor and the marginalized. He was a great advocate for Social justice and religious liberty. He was an avid mountain climber and saw many parallels between that and Catholic Life. On the back of a picture taken during his final climb, he wrote, “Verso L’Alto” which means “to the heights”.

Like Carlo Acutis, Frassati was enamored by the Eucharist. He once said to young people, “Prayer is the noble supplication which we lift up to the throne of God. It is the most efficient means to obtain from God the graces which we need, and especially the strength of persevering in these times, in which the hatred of the sons of the devil is breaking out violently against the sheep who are faithful to the fold. In recommending heartfelt prayer to you, I am including all the practices of piety, first of all the most Holy Eucharist. And remembering that apostle of the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Father Pius X of venerable memory, I urge you with all the strength of my soul to approach the Eucharistic Table as often as possible. Feed on this Bread of the Angels from which you will draw the strength to fight inner struggles, the struggles against passions and against all adversities, because Jesus Christ has promised to those who feed themselves with the most Holy Eucharist, eternal life and the necessary graces to obtain it. “And when you become totally consumed by this Eucharistic Fire, then you will be able to thank with greater awareness the Lord God who has called you to be part of his flock and you will enjoy that peace which those who are happy, according to the world, have never tasted. Because true happiness, young people, does not consist in the pleasures of the world and in earthly things, but in peace of conscience which we can have only if we are pure in heart and in mind.”

Frassati love to minister to the poor. He spent much of his time doing so. He was known to use his bus fare to give to the poor, and then run home to his parents to be home in time for meals. He not only gave his money to the poor, he also gave of his time. Besides receiving the Eucharist daily, he meditated on St. Paul’s “Hymn of Charity” (I Corinthians 13), and put that in to action. He loved mountain climbing and outings to the mountains. He invited friends to these as well as to his apostolic work, He brought his friends to Mass, to the reading of Scripture, and to praying the rosary. He also did worldly things like going to the theater, to the opera, and to museums. He was a young man who really enjoyed life.

Just before receiving his university degree, Pier Giorgio contracted poliomyelitis. Doctors later speculated he caught it from the sick whom he tended. After six days of terrible suffering Pier Giorgio died at the age of 24 on July 4, 1925. Even on his death bed, he wrote notes to help people that he had cared for. For his funeral, the streets of the city were filled with mourners. His family did not know them. They were the poor and the needy whom he had cared for. They, in turn, were surprised to find out that the Pier Giorgio was the heir of the influential Frassati family. He loved the poor, loved Jesus, loved Mary, loved the Eucharist, loved Adoration, loved the scriptures and loved the rosary. May he inspire us all, especially the young.

The THIRD GLORIOUS Mystery of the Rosary – The Descent of the Holy Spirit – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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It must be mentioned that the third Glorious Mystery tells us about the Descent of the Holy Spirit, primarily at Pentecost. This account is found in scripture at Acts 2: 1-41. However, as important as that descent of Pentecost is, we must realize that the Holy Spirit has descended many times upon the earth, and its people. In Genesis 1: 2 we hear about the Holy Spirit coming at the dawn of creation and hovering over the waters. We recall this during the blessing of the baptismal waters. The Hebrew Scripture, the Old Testament, often talks about the work of God’s Spirit. The psalmist in Psalm 51:11 says, “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. “ The Prophets and Kings and Judges often talk about the presence of the Holy Spirit and its work among them. There are over 100 mentions of the Holy Spirit at work in the Old Testament.

The New Testament writing often mentions the Holy Spirit at work even before Pentecost. Many times the Holy Spirit is seen descending and at work in Jesus and His miniistry. Don’t forget that during the Annunciation, the angel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and because of this she would have a miraculous conception. Because of this, Mary is often known as the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus first began His ministry, John the Baptist poured water on Jesus and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. Even during His ministry we see the Holy Spirit at work, leading Jesus, and empowering Jesus. After His resurrection, John 20:22 tells us, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is at work in all the scriptures, but, something quite different happened at Pentecost.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit is seen in so much power at Pentecost. This is after Jesus died, and after He spent 40 days instructing His people and building His Church. He knew that He was ready to ascend to the Father and He also knew that the Church needed a special presence to help them. He had told the disciples that they needed to pray for The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to come upon them. The Apostles, Mary and many disciples, went to the Upper Room and prayed for nine days and the Spirit descended upon them in POWER. Acts tells us, “And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The disciples were now quite changed men and women. They left their shyness and worry to become bold proclaimers of the Good News. The Church was now born. As a matter of fact, some consider Pentecost, with its coming of the Holy Spirit, to be the Birthday of the Church. Just as Jesus received the Descent of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of His ministry, His followers now received it as the beginning of their ministry of spreading the Good News.

But what does the Holy Spirit do for us? It leads us and guides us and empowers us to do what God wants us to do. The Church (and scripture) have identified many gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. The gifts are identified as wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of of the Lord. The fruits are identified as charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. The Charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit include, healing, tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy and the discernment of spirits. No matter what gift or fruit you look at, it is given to empower us as Christians in the building up of the Church and in doing whatever God asks of us. The Holy Spirit IS at work in His people.

Questions to Ponder:

1 – Am I aware of the Holy Spirit at work in me?

2 – Am I aware of the Holy Spirit at work within the Church?

3 – Do I ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide me?

4 – Do I ask the Holy Spirit to empower me to do God’s will?

5 – Do I pray to the Holy Spirit?

6 – Does the way I live my life reflect the fruits of the Holy Spirit?

7 – Do I use the gifts of the Spirit in what I do?

8 – Have I ever experienced the Charismatic gifts of the Spirit?

9 – Do I recognize the close link between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Spirit?

10 – Do I believe in the Power of God at work through the Holy Spirit?

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.

The Second GLORIOUS Mystery – THE ASCENSION by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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This mystery recalls how Jesus, at the end of his earthly ministry, ascended in to heaven and sat at the right hand of God the Father. This occurred forty days after His resurrection. Both the gospel of Mark (16:19 ) and the Acts of the Apostles (1:8-9) mention this in the scriptures. The Church associates the Ascension with Jesus’ call for His disciples to pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. This happened nine days after the Ascension on the Feast of Pentecost. We, to this day, celebrate novenas (prayers for nine days) because of this. Also associated with His Ascension is the Great Commission from Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus tells us, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This is the mission of the Church.

This second Glorious mystery is so important as it celebrates the very successful culmination of Jesus’ ministry here on earth AND His triumphal return to the Father in Heaven. It also celebrates the elevated human condition of all mankind as Jesus takes His glorified, human body in to Heaven. We, as His human children, will follow Him. Now, and forever, humanity is a permanent part of the Godhead. Think about that….. It is so amazing. God has lifted up humanity to share in His divinity. At mass, in the preparation of the cup, as he pours water in to the wine, the deacon (or if there is no deacon, the priest) quietly says, “By the mystery of this water in wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.” Because of Jesus, we share in the Divinity and the Divinity shares in our humanity. That is quite mind-blowing when you really think about it. The Jesus that we follow and pray to is BOTH the Word (2nd person of the Trinity) and the glorified human born of the Virgin Mary, now and forevermore in Heaven.

Before His crucifixion, Jesus was preparing His disciples for His absence and said to them, in John 16: 7, “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth: it is better for you that I depart. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, whereas if I go, I will send Him to you.“ As much as the apostles wanted Jesus to stay, He made it quite clear to them that it was better for Him to go. When He went to the Father, He, would send the Holy Spirit to be with them, and to all of us, forever. Jesus’s Ascension to the Father allowed us to receive the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ promise to be with us always, until the end of the world, is kept in our receiving THE power from heaven, the Holy Spirit.

The departure of Jesus in the Ascension led to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, just nine days later. This Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles and disciples of Jesus at the beginning of the Church and has continued to do so to the present day. Jesus, in John 16: 12 said, “I have much more to tell you, but you would not be able to bear it now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth”; but more about that next week in the third Glorious Mystery.

Questions to Ponder:

1 – Do I honor all humanity by recognizing it sharing in the divinity of God?

2 – Do I respect, and help others to respect human life from conception to natural death?

3 – Do I really believe in the power of prayer?

4 – When is the last time that I prayed a novena?

5 – Do I rely upon the power of God’s Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me.

6 – Do I try to live out the mission of the Church by trying to “make disciples” by teaching others the Christian Way through my words and the way I live my life?

7 – Do I encourage others to seek the Christian baptism?

8 – Do I read and study the scriptures on a regular basis?

9 – Do I pay attention to all the words of the mass?

10 – Do I feel the presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit and through the Church?

The First GLORIOUS Mystery – THE RESURRECTION – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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The First GLORIOUS Mystery: The RESURRECTION – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

All four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell us about the resurrection of Jesus. They vary in different details, and order, but essentially tell us the profound truth that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified and buried. This is essential to our faith. This is the heart of our faith. This is the heart of the good news. The resurrection of Jesus shows us that that death no longer has a hold on the world, or on us. This is so essential to our faith that EVERY Sunday we celebrate it by going to mass where we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus and we follow His command in John chapter 6, verse 54 to “eat my body and drink my blood”. The Eucharist that we receive is the resurrected-glorious, body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. It is so important to do this that the Church has made it an obligation to attend mass EVERY Sunday (or Saturday evening in anticipation). Sunday, as the day of Jesus’ Resurrection was so important to the early Church that, even though they were good Jews, they started to move the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday to recognize the Resurrection. We should reflect on this central facet of our faith even more than just once a week. Reciting the Rosary and the Glorious Mystery helps us to do this.

The gospel accounts tell us that after Jesus died on the cross (clearly shown by the gospels and eyewitness accounts), he was taken down and laid in a tomb. On the third day, the women went to visit His tomb and He was gone. They were greeted by angels and by the resurrected Jesus himself and given instructions to tell the GOOD NEWS of His resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus is further shown by His glorified presence to the apostles and disciples for a forty day period before His Ascension to Heaven. One of my favorite stories from the Gospel during this period is the story of how Jesus appeared to His disciples in His glorified body in the Upper Room. Thomas was not there and when the disciples told Thomas of seeing the resurrected Jesus, he told them that he could not believe this unless he, himself, put his fingers in to the nail holes and his hand in to the pierced side of Jesus. Shortly after, the disciples were again gathered and this time Thomas was with them. Jesus again appeared in His resurrected, glorious body and looked to Thomas and told him to place his fingers in His nail holes and His pierced side. Thomas responded with, “my Lord, and my God”. I think that it is interesting that Thomas, forever known as DOUBTING Thomas because of his initial doubt, gave one of the greatest expressions of belief and faith found in the gospels. This gives us all hope. In Mark 9:24 the father of a boy possessed by a demon said to Jesus, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” This is a cry we too can utter at times, especially in difficult moments.

Another resurrection story that I love is the walk to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35). In this narrative, we have two of Jesus’ disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus (7 mile walk). As they walk, they are discussing the death of Jesus and how the women found an empty tomb. It appears that they didn’t fully understand that this meant that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. The resurrected Jesus then appeared to them and walked along with them, but they did not recognize Him. As they walked, He explained to them all of the Scriptures that talked about the Messiah and His death and resurrection. When they came to an Inn, they stopped for some rest and food. It was here that Jesus took bread and broke it and at that time they recognized Him in the “breaking of the bread”. After that, He disappeared and they immediately walked back to Jerusalem to tell the others that they had seen the resurrected Jesus. This is definitely an eucharistic moment. As a matter of fact, the whole story reminds us of the two parts of the mass that we celebrate, (and the final dismissal where we are given our mission). His explaining the scriptures reminds us of the Liturgy of the Word, and His breaking of the bread reminds us of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We too are called, each time we attend mass, to recognize Jesus in both Word and Eucharist. At the end of mass we are told to GO FORTH and share the gospel message with others, just as the disciples on the walk to Emmaus did. This is our mission.

I cannot stress enough that the Resurrection of Jesus is the important event that allowed the Good News to spread. It is essential to our faith. Even St. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:14) says, “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith”. It is so important for us to celebrate His Resurrection and remember this always. The First Glorious Mystery of the Rosary helps us to do this.

Questions to Ponder:

1 – How often do I think about how Jesus ROSE from the dead?

2 – Do I offer Him thanks and praise for dying and rising for me?

3 – Do I attend mass at least on Sunday (or Saturday evening) every week?

4 – Do I listen closely to all the readings in the “Liturgy of the Word”?

5 – Do I pay close attention to the Homily and think about it afterwards?

6 – Do I recognize that the Eucharist is the risen, glorified, body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus?

7 – When I have moments of unbelief, do I ask God to help my unbelief?

8 – When a friend or family member loses a loved one, do I offer HOPE and FAITH and LOVE?

9 – Do I ponder the Mystery of the Resurrection in my prayer life and in the rosary?

10 – Do I follow the mission given to me to share the GOOD NEWS with others?

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF JESUS – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF JESUS – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

All four Gospels tell us about the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus. Matthew and Mark have very similar accounts and Luke adds “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do” as well as the story of the repentant thief to whom Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” John adds the story of Jesus giving His mother to John (and all of us) and her being given John (and us) as her children. John also adds the lines, “I thirst” and “It is finished”. These two remarks indicated that the Passover observance (The Last Supper) is finally done. When Jesus is given the sour wine, it marks the fourth cup of the Passover, the final cup. I would highly recommend reading Dr. Scott Hahn’s book, THE FOURTH CUP – Unveiling the Mystery of the Last Supper and the Cross.

Jesus’ death on the cross is at the very heart of our Christian beliefs. We Catholics remember it every time we celebrate mass. St. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians says, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” Quite simply, Jesus’ death on the cross was a sacrificial offering, which fulfilled scriptural prophecies and was done in atonement for our sins. The Fifth Mystery is truly one that we should meditate on frequently and celebrate often. Remembering the death of Jesus, on the cross is central to our Catholic belief and something that we should often ponder, especially by attending mass.

I once saw a medical presentation of what the human body has to go through when it is being crucified. Suffice it to say that Jesus suffered so much for us. He persevered through it all even offering forgiveness to those who were persecuting Him. He also thought enough to make sure that His mother, Mary was taken care of and that she would be linked to us as our mother too. Jesus was driven by His mission to set all of us free. He knew that His death (and Resurrection) was needed to allow all of us, as God’s children, to be given the gift of immortal life with Him and the Father.

As I once said before, a protestant friend of mine told me that he did not like to see the corpus of Jesus on a cross, because Jesus had resurrected from the dead. I reminded him that the very ACT of Jesus dying on the cross is what gave us our salvation. He suffered and died for us. We can never forget what He did for us. St. Paul tells us that he preaches Christ crucified. We as Catholics, fully knowing that Jesus rose from the dead, also preach the crucifixion of Jesus. We must never forget that Jesus suffered terribly on a cross, for our salvation.

Questions to Ponder:

1 – How often do I think about the suffering of Jesus on the Cross?

2 – Do I have some form of penance that I do on Friday to remember that Jesus died for me?

3 – Have I learned to persevere in those things that I know I should do?

4 – Am I good at forgiving people who hurt me?

5 – Do I see the Blessed Virgin Mary as my mother?

6 – Do I try to strenthen my relationship with Mary and Jesus and the Church?

7 – Do I truly believe that Jesus offers us the gift of eternal life with Him?

8 – Do I proudly display the Crucifix on my person and in my home?

9 – Do I tell others that Jesus died for all of us and offers us eternal life?

10 – Do I attend mass at least every Sunday (or Saturday evening)?

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary – THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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All four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell us about Jesus carrying the cross. The Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that Simon of Cyrene was chosen to help Jesus carry the cross. John does not mention Simon. Mark alone tells us that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. This detail would make us think that the early Church knew who Alexander and Rufus were, and indeed later scripture does mention Rufus. Simon was from northern Africa in what is today Libya. You can’t help but to consider that his being selected, out of the blue, made a total change in his life. This experience must have made him become a follower of Jesus. Undoubtedly he brought his children in to the WAY too.

John, in his Gospel, tells us that Jesus carried His own cross, but the witness of the Synoptic writers can’t help us but to consider that Jesus had reached the point of pure exhaustion when carrying His cross and could not do it by himself. The Roman soldiers wanted to do what they were ordered to do; to Crucify Jesus. They knew that He needed help to get to Golgotha and thus they ordered Simon of Cyrene to help Him. One can only imagine what Jesus suffered in this ordeal. Remember that he had been beaten and whipped and thus in great pain. Now He had to carry a heavy large beam that was to be His cross, His instrument of torture. Along with the physical pain, He had to endure the mockery of the crowds. He had to also see His Mother Mary, and his disciples and friends, watching Him suffer so much. It must have been such a long and hard road for Him to travel to Golgotha.

I can’t help but to wonder if His friends and disciples remembered how Jesus had earlier told them how they had to pick up their own cross to follow Him. All of them would be used to seeing the crucifixions that were too often used by the Romans to show their power. They knew that a crucifixion was a very painful sacrifice that led to death. Now they had to watch their own leader, their Jesus, walk to His own crucifixion. Did they think that the same thing might happen to them? Did they know that following Jesus would mean that they had to endure hardship, suffering and perhaps even death? Did they have any idea that this terrible sacrifice and suffering would lead to eternal life?

Jesus himself, in His humanity, must have wondered this too. Did the human side of Jesus know that someday His followers would see the cross as the instrument of their salvation? Did he, and His followers know that they would sign themselves with the cross? Did they know that they would have the cross mounted on their walls of their homes and made in to jewelry to wear around their necks? Soon St. Paul would, be saying, “I PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, a stumbling block to many but THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD”. To this day, on Good Friday, when we recognize the day when Jesus was crucified, we kiss the cross and say, Behold the Wood of the Cross, on Which was Hung Our Salvation. Truly, this instrument of torture has become the instrument of our salvation.

Questions to Ponder:

1 – Have I really considered how much Jesus suffered for me?

2 – Have I thanked Him for all that He has done for me?

3 – Do I have my own personal cross in my life?

4 – Have I been able to unite my own suffering with the suffering of Jesus?

5 – Do I truly believe that my own cross will lead me to something quite beneficial?

6 – Have I ever been like Simon of Cyrene and helped someone carry their own cross?

7 – Have I ever suffered because of my love of Jesus or for preaching His Good News?

8 – Do I have the cross placed in several prominent places in my home?

9 – Am I ever ashamed to wear a cross?

10 – Do I honor the cross not only on Good Friday, but on every Friday?

.

The Third Sorrowful Mystery – THE CROWNING OF THORNS by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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Matthew, Mark and John all tell us of the Crowning of Thorns. They describe how Jesus was put in to a purple cloak (symbolizing Kingship) and had a crown of thorns placed upon His head. They also placed a staff (or reed) in His right hand and knelt before Him saying, “All Hail, King of the Jews” To continue their mockery, the spat upon Him and hit Him upon the head with the staff. They then took off His purple cloak.

None of us want to be mocked, and if we have, we know how difficult it is on us.. Here is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, being mocked by the soldiers. How emotionally difficult that must have been for Jesus. People can be so cruel and the Roman soldiers were known for their cruelty. The mocking must have been so intense. There was also serious physical pain. The pain from the Crown of Thorns pushing in to Jesus, as well as the pain from being hit by the staff must have been terrible.

When I went on a pilgrimage tour of Israel, I vividly remember how our bus driver stopped the bus and the tour guide ran out to bring back a branch of thorn bush that grows there. He said this is what was woven in to a crown and placed upon Jesus head. He passed it around the bus and I was shocked to see how long, hard and sharp the thorns were. He also said that the Roman soldiers did much more than just “place” the crown of thorns on Jesus’ head, the forced it down in to the skin to cause a great deal of pain. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like for Jesus. The absolute pain that He endured for us!

It is so very important that we take time, as often as we can, to remember all that Jesus suffered for us. Many of our hymns reflect this. One of my favorites is “See the Destined Day Arise “ originally written by Venantius Fortunatus in 569. Here is one verse:

Who but Christ had dared to drain, steeped in gall, the cup of pain,
And with tender body bear thorns, and nails, and piercing spear?
Slain for us, the water flowed, mingled from your side with blood;
Sign to all attesting eyes of the finished sacrifice.

The sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday was indeed a sacrifice of great physical and emotional pain. He did it all for us!

Questions to Ponder:

1 – Do I try to always make Jesus my King, and follow Him?

2 – Do I meditate on, and appreciate all the He did for me?

3 – How did I feel when I was mocked?

4 – When I was mocked, was I able to peaceably receive it without lashing out?

5 – Have I made sacrifices to help others?

6 – When I have been in pain, either physically or emotionally, have I joined it to Jesus’ pain?

7 – When I have been in pain, either physically or emotionally, have I offered it for others?

8 – Have I confessed for any times that I mocked others and caused them pain?

9 – In my own sufferings, do I see God at work in and through me?

10 – Take a moment to meditate on the words of St. Maximillian Kolbe: “For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more”.

The Second Sorrowful Mystery – THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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All three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) as well as John’s gospel tell of how Jesus was tortured in one way or another before being crucified, Matthew and Mark and John mention that Jesus was scourged, or flogged. Luke says that He was punished. The mention of the pillar is not in scripture, however, it was common Roman practice to strip a man before crucifixion and to tie him to a pillar and then to whip him. Also, Church tradition not only tells us that he was tied to a pillar, but the Church is in possession of the pillar that Jesus was whipped on. The Roman’s were very good at inflicting pain, and there is no doubt that Jesus suffered greatly here, even to pealing off of his back skin. The scourging was done with a flagrum, which is a leather whip with three or more leather tails that had plumbatae (small metal balls or sheep bones) attached to the end of each tail. These not only inflicted great pain, but also would rip open the skin. Jesus suffered greatly from this scourging.

When the Romans tortured Jesus, they did so in front of the public on the very streets that Jesus walked, teached and healed people. Mel Gibson, in his movie about the PASSION of Jesus, delivers the scourging scene that makes even the most hardened of hearts, cringe from the pain that Jesus suffered. There is no doubt that the pain that Jesus felt during this scourging was immense. On top of that immense physical pain, I can just imagine the emotional pain that Jesus felt. Here were the people that Jesus was dying for, now mocking him. Here were His children, whom He loved so much, giving Him terrible pain. He must have seen his own mother, Mary as well as His disciples gathered around watching Him be scourged. How difficult, emotionally, that must have been on Jesus.

Jesus knew that He was on the way to be crucified and how painful that was going to be. Now He had to suffer the agonizing pain of being scourged. We cannot forget that as painful as the actual crucifixion was, there was so much pain leading up to it. When we think about how Jesus was BOTH, human and divine, we have to realize that THE WORD, the second person of the Holy Trinity bore suffering for us. He suffered so that we could be saved and to show us the oceans of Mercy that He has for us. The Church is so right in asking us to do something special, every Friday (the day of the week that Jesus died) to help us remember His great love for us and the suffering that He endured for us. Before Vatican II we were asked to give up meat on Fridays, every Friday all year long. Vatican II took that obligation away, except for during Lent, BUT asked us to do something on our own to remember Friday as the day that Jesus suffered and died.

Questions to Ponder:

1 – Do I really appreciate all that Jesus did for me to give me His Salvation?

2 – When I have suffered either physically or emotionally, have I asked to unite it to Jesus’ suffering?

3 – Have I attended Stations of the Cross, during Lent?

4 – Do I thank God for all that He has done for me?

5 – Do I do something special every Friday to remember that Jesus suffered and died for me?

6 – Have I thought about the humanity of Jesus, as well as His Divinity?

7 – Do I do anything to help those who suffer throughout the world?

8 – Is there anything that I do that causes people to suffer?

9 – Do I attend mass regularly so as to be able to re-live what Jesus has done for me?

10 – Do I make use of the many resources the Church has, so as to learn more about Jesus?

The First Sorrowful Mystery – THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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The agony in the garden is found in all three synoptic gospels (Matt 26: 36-46, Mark 14: 32-42 and Luke 22: 39-46 as well as John 18: 1-12). The gospels tell us that Jesus, and His disciples, went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus asked his disciples to sit while He took Peter and James and John with Him to go pray. The gospels also tell us that as He prayed, he became quite distressed and told Peter and James and John to wait and watch as He got up to move and go pray by Himself for a while. We are then told that Jesus fell to the ground and asked the Lord to take this cup away from Him, if possible, but also said that God’s will was to be done. After some prayer, He went back to His disciples, Peter and James and John and found them to be asleep.

Jesus seems to be quite disappointed in their falling asleep and asked Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch, and pray that you may not enter in to temptation; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, Jesus went off to pray by himself. He came back to find the three sleeping again and He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come; The Son of man is betrayed in to the hands of sinners. Rise and let us be going, see, my betrayer is at hand.” At that time Judas came, and sealed his deal with a kiss.

How difficult it must have been for Jesus to know what would be happening to Him the next day. He knew of the horrors of crucifixion and knew that He would have to endure those horrors. Also, how difficult it must have been for Him to see that His closest disciples could not even stay awake to watch with Him and to offer Him comfort. He also had to experience one of His own twelve, Judas, betray Him with a kiss. It was such a difficult night for Jesus. It was pure agony for Him.

When we hear Jesus’ words to Peter, (The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak), we can’t help to think of the many times in our lives that we experienced the same thing. How often were we weak and committed sin? To know that Jesus endured the agony that He did, for our own sins, weighs hard upon us. Jesus, who was so filled with LOVE, had to endure so much SUFFERING and BETRAYAL because of US. Also, to know that He asked the Father to remove this cup from Him, if possible, but desiring to do God’s will, gives us a great example of our prayer for facing hard times. There is nothing wrong with asking to avoid a difficulty, but also to trust that God’s plan is so much better than ours. The agony that Jesus suffered in Gethsemane was so intense, that the scriptures tell us that He actually sweat out drops of blood. Jesus endured all this pain and suffering and agony for us.

Questions to ponder:

1 – Do I truly understand how much Jesus suffered for all of us?

2 – Am I sincerely sorrowful for my sins?

3 – Do I attend the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) regularly?

4 – Am I truly sorry for the ways that I personally have made Jesus disappointed in me?

5 – Do I truly pray for God’s will to be done, no matter what?

6 – Do I do everything I can to make the spirit stronger to deal with my weak flesh?

7 – When I do endure suffering and agony, do I unite it to Jesus’s suffering and agony?

8 – Am I thankful to God for sending me the friends who do “watch” with me?

9 – Am I a good friend who spends time with my friends in their hours of need?

10 – Do I do whatever I can to overcome my “weak flesh” and sin no more?

The Fifth Luminous Mystery – THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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The Institution of the Eucharist is recalling how Jesus, at the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Jewish Passover, started the Eucharistic celebration of the mass. It was here that He taught His disciples to consecrate bread and wine to become His body and blood. It started at the Last Supper and continues today throughout the world in the mass where the priests or bishops use the same words of Jesus to take ordinary bread and wine and make it become the body and blood of Jesus. Catholics believe that even though the hosts and wine keep their appearances of bread and wine, they DO become the glorified body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. This process is called Transubstantiation.

Matthew, Mark and Luke, as well as Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, detail the account. John spends one whole chapter discussing this, without repeating the exact words of consecration. The Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) tell us that Jesus took bread, broke it and said, “take this and eat. This is my body”. They continue to say that he then took the chalice of wine and said, “drink from it all of you. This is the blood of my covenant, poured out for you.” The Church has continued, from the earliest days, to celebrate the Eucharist and to hold it up as Live Giving. St. John, in his chapter 6 of the Gospel tells us how Jesus is to give us His body and blood to eat and drink to give us Life for all eternity. He recalls how Jesus said that everyone who eats His body and drinks His blood will live forever. For Catholics, the Eucharist is the “Summit and Source of our faith”. To attend mass and to receive the Holy Eucharist is the highest form of our faith and worship.

It is important to realize that Jesus instituted the Eucharist during His last celebration of the Jewish Passover meal. We must remember that as Catholics, we are rooted in Judaism. Jesus and the twelve were all good Jews, and their church continues the Jewish traditions in many ways. I can’t help but to recommend a couple of books by Dr. Scott Hahn. He is easy to read, but is also profound in what he teaches. Two books on the Eucharist that he wrote and that I would highly recommend are; “The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth” and “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper”. There are many other books as well, but starting with these would be highly recommended.

Above I indicated that the changing of the bread and wine in to the Body and Blood of Jesus is called Transubstantiation and that even though the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood, they keep the appearance of bread and wine. Sometimes this is not so. There have been numerous Eucharistic miracles where the bread and wine also change their appearance in to the body and blood. Our soon (Sept 2025) to be Saint, Carlos Acutis who had a great devotion to the Eucharist, compiled a list of Eucharistic Miracles and put them on a website prior to his dying at the age of 15 from leukemia. His website is available at https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/liste/list.html. Many scientific studies of these miracles have confirmed their authenticity. The Eucharist truly is the body and blood of Jesus.

Questions to ponder:

1 – Do I really believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus?

2 – Do I attend mass at least every week on Sunday (or Saturday evening)?

3 – Have I considered going to mass more often, if possible?

4 – Do I see the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of our Faith (from Catechism)?

5 – Do I understand that our Church relies heavily upon its Jewish roots?

6 – Have I read any good books on the Eucharist?

7 – If NO to above, then why not?

8 – Have I looked at any Eucharistic Miracles?

9 – Do I treat the Eucharist with utmost respect?

10 – Have I ever attended Eucharistic Adoration?

The Fourth Luminous Mystery – THE TRANSFIGURATION by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Baptism, Church, Eucharist, Holiness, Jewish roots, Miracles, Resurrection, Rosary, Scripture, Spirituality, The Transfiguration

All three Synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, contain the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. John’s gospel has a passage that may allude to it in John 1:14 where he says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”. The Transfiguration of Jesus happened shortly after Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer and die, and Peter declared to Jesus that He is the Christ, the Messiah. In the Transfiguration story, Peter, James and John go with Jesus up a high mountain and there is a miraculous change in the appearance of Jesus. Both Moses and Elijah appear and the voice of God is heard.

The gospels tells us that Jesus’ face shone brightly and that His clothes became as white as light. This shows the divine nature of Jesus. Peter, James and John saw the true, hidden nature of Jesus. They were awestruck by this. Also, Moses and Elijah appeared. Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets. This showed that the Old Testament, the (Hebrew Scriptures) were being fulfilled in Jesus, the awaited Messiah. The voice of God was then heard saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”.

The significance of this event cannot be ignored. The divinity of Jesus shone forth for the select disciples. As John said, “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”. The appearance of Moses and Elijah show us how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and of the Prophets. The voice of God is the absolute acknowledgment that Jesus is the Chosen One and that we must follow what He says.

This Transfiguration of Jesus must have really helped Peter, James and John know that Jesus was the Son of God and must have given them some strength to deal with the upcoming torture and death of Jesus. For us today, it shows us the divine nature of Jesus, and how he was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law and Prophets. It also shows us that we are to listen to Him and follow Him.

Questions to ponder:

1 – Do I fully believe that Jesus was BOTH human and divine?

2 = Do I understand that when I rcceive the Eucharist that I am receiving the GLORIFIED body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus?

3 – Do I show the proper respect to Jesus in the Eucharist?

4 – Do I take time to LISTEN to Jesus (in prayer) and to DO what He says?

5 – Do I study the bible and understand the link between the Old (law and prophets) and New (Jesus and the Church) testaments?

6 – Am I truly AWE-STRUCK by Jesus and what He has done?

7 – Do I listen closely to scripture in mass and also try to read it at home.

8 – Do I attend a bible study either in person or online or through reading?

9 – Do I consider myself truly a follower of Jesus?

10 – Do I really believe that Jesus invites me to know Him personally?

The 3rd LUMINOUS MYSTERY: The Proclamation of the Gospel – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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Both Matthew and Mark tell us of the first words of Jesus in His public ministry. They each differ slightly, but since bible scholars tell us that St. Mark wrote His Gospel before St. Matthew, I will start with his. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus starts His ministry by saying, “The time has come, the Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News!” St. Matthew shortens is by saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”. Both indicate the proclamation of the Kingdom. Throughout His ministry, Jesus often proclaims the Kingdom of God and as a matter of fact mentions it about 126 times within the Gospels. Matthew, being a good Jew and writing for Jewish readers uses Kingdom of Heaven instead of the Kingdom of God (Jews did not like to write the word, GOD). The Kingdom is most definitely a central theme of the Gospel message. Jesus lets us know about the riches of the Kingdom but also calls us to repent (conversion), so we can obtain it. This represents a significant shift from the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament (the Hebrew Scriptures), the emphasis is on the covenant that God made with the Jewish people and their call to follow it. In the Gospels, and the rest of the New Testament, the Kingdom now includes ALL peoples, not just the Jews. Jesus did place an emphasis on preaching to the Jews, but also indicated that ALL people would be included within the Kingdom. When the Apostles and followers of Jesus went out to proclaim the Kingdom, they were sent by Jesus to ALL the world. Before His Ascension in to Heaven, Jesus said in Matthew 28: 19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” This is known as the great commission from Jesus. Each and every one of us is called to proclaim the Good News.

The interesting thing about what Jesus proclaims to us about the Kingdom is that it is something for us to wait anxiously for, YET, it is here already. The fullness of the Kingdom has yet to come, however, we are receiving many of the fruits of the Kingdom right now. I personally see that in the presence of the Church. The Church is here for us now giving us abundant graces, yet it has not reached it fullness. Another example could be seen in how the night can be so dark, and then when at dawn the sun starts to come up, light is seen. Later on, when the full sun is seen, we have the fullness of light. We are now in the dawn of the Kingdom anxiously awaiting its fullness. Let us know reflect on this:

1 – Do I see myself as part of the Kingdom of God?

2 – Do I see the Church as the current representation of the Kingdom?

3 – Am I anxiously praying for the fullness of the Kingdom?

4 – Do I share with others the way God works in my life so as to proclaim the Kingdom?

5 – How am I doing in repenting of my sins?

6 – Do I regularly go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

7 – Have I consistantly supported those who are looking to have their children baptized?

8 – Have I encouraged non baptized and non confirmed adults to seek out their parish OCIA program?

9 – Do I regularly receive the graces given me by the Church (especially the Eucharist)?

10 – Do I try to preach the Good News to those people around me?

The Second LUMINOUS MYSTERY – The Wedding Feast at Cana by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Anxiety and Worry, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Community, Family, Fatherhood, Holiness, Jewish roots, Marriage, Miracles, Prayer, Relationships, Rosary, Sacraments, Scripture, Spirituality

After His baptism, Jesus performs His first public miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana. It would appear that He really chose this place because of the plea of His Mother, Mary. The scripture (John 2:1-12 ) makes it seem that He did not feel that His time had come yet, but because of the intercession of His mother, He changed the water in to wine.

The fact the first public miracle of Jesus happens at a wedding celebration tells us that marriage is of primary importance. Jesus himself chose to come in to the world through a married couple, Mary and Joseph. He chose to submit himself to them as His parents. In doing this, He blessed marriage and family life. Marriage is of primary importance to the world and especially to the Church.

This mystery also tells us that Jesus listens to, and answers the intercession of His mother. It was Mary who saw the need and came to Jesus with the need. At first Jesus tells Mary that His time has not yet come (to begin His ministry?), but Mary proceeds to tell the stewards to do whatever He tells them. I can’t help but to think that Mary knew her son well enough to know that He needed a little “push” to get going. How many of us parents know that sometimes our children need a little encouragement, to begin what they are called to do? Perhaps Mary knew that, and did it.

This mystery also tells us that Jesus and His disciples and Mary knew how to enjoy a good time. They knew how to celebrate. I think that Jesus would today tell us that a little wine (or beer or drink) can help us to celebrate, as long as we don’t have a problem with it, and that we can use it in moderation. Jesus often said that He wants us to have an abundant life and a joy filled life. I think that He loves us to have responsible parties. He does love community and joy.

We cannot stress enough that Jesus listens to His Mother and that she is very concerned with His people. Mary’s roll as both an intercessor and her concern for us, has been shown over and over again in the history of the Church. There is no doubt that we can pray directly to Jesus, however, isn’t it great to have His mother join us in prayer? He listens to His mother and heeds her call.

The very fact is that not only did Jesus act on Mary’s request at Cana, but He did so with over-abundance and great quality (he filled many large jars and even the wine steward said that the wine was the best). Doesn’t it make great sense to have Mary join us in our prayers so that we know we will receive above and beyond what is expected? This definitely builds up our faith, just as it did the disciples who were at Cana. Let us take a few moments to reflect on this.

1 – Do I call upon Mary to help me with her intercession?

2 – Do I expect Jesus to respond to my needs with abundance and even more than I ask for?

3 – Do I have great respect for the Sacrament of Marriage?

4 – Do I have great respect for healthy family life?

5 – Do I enjoy celebrating events with others?

6 – Do I expect miracles from Jesus to happen in my life?

7 – Do I drink alcoholic beverages in moderation?

8 – Do I offer encouragement (and perhaps a little push) to others to ger them started?

9 – Do I have concern for others and offer prayers for them?

10 – Do I allow the miracles of life (and those from the history of the Church) to build up my faith?

The First LUMINOUS MYSTERY of the ROSARY – The Baptism of Jesus by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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Many people ask, “Why did Jesus undergo Baptism by John?” It is obvious that the Baptism performed by John was one of repentance for SIN. Since Jesus did not sin, why would He consent to this baptism? The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, “The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. His baptism even is a connection to his saving death and resurrection and unites us to that. Saint Paul tells us, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his [Rom. 6:3-5]. Jesus is the normative man; that is, we should do as Jesus does. The Catechism goes on to say, “Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father’s beloved son in the Son and “walk in newness of life”

Just as the Baptism of Jesus was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, our Baptism is the beginning of our walk with Him. The baptism that we follow in the Catholic Church is at the command of Jesus. Just before ascending in to heaven, Jesus told His disciples, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19). The Catholic Church follows this command, strictly. Let us take a moment to reflect on how this affects us.

1 – Have I been baptized in the Trinitarian formula (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)? If you were baptized in the Catholic Church, you were. If you were baptized in another faith, you many not have been. Check to see and if you were not, sign up for the Adult Christian Initiation classes in your church and be baptized as Jesus tells us to.

2 – Do I understand that my baptism marks me for all eternity as a follower of Jesus?

3 – Do I understand that my baptism means that I have been given a job to do, namely being like Jesus and telling others about HIM.

4 – Do I understand that when I was baptized, I received new birth and received the Holy Spirit (to be later given in fullness at Confirmation).

5 – Do I understand that my baptism has made me a child of God?

6 – Do I fully appreciate the humility that Jesus showed in being baptized?

7 – Do I treat the baptism of friends and relatives with the respect that it deserves?

8 – Do I understand that God has sanctified water and continually uses it to bring about His graces.

9 – Do I see other baptized people as my brother and sisters?

10 – Have I encouraged my friends and relatives to honor baptism,

The Fifth JOYFUL MYSTERY of the ROSARY – the FINDING OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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The scripture that portrays the 5th Joyful Mystery is Luke 2:41-52 which says; “Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.”

This Mystery causes us to think of many things. First of all, what was the boy Jesus like in those 12 years that we hear nothing about from the scriptures? Second, what was it like to be the Mother and step-Father of the Messiah, the Son of God? Third, did Jesus really know who He was? He readily called God His Father, did His human side know anything about His Divine side? What was the anxiety like for Mary and Joseph. All of these are things that we should ponder. In addition to that, let us question how this affects us in our everyday life.

1 – Do I take my children to Church festivals and feasts throughout the year?

2 – Do I readily mix family and Church together, especially in activities?

3 – Do I trust leaving my children with friends and relatives?

4 – How much anxiety do I feel when I cannot find my child?

5 – How well do I understand my children?

6 – Do I know my children well enough to be able to find them in a reasonable time?

7 – Have I taught my children to be obedient to me?

8 – Can I see how my children mature so quickly?

9 – Do I see my children grow in divine and human favor?

10 – Can I take some time and re-read these questions seeing myself as the child, and God my Father?

MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY the Fourth JOYFUL Mystery: the PRESENTATION – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

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In Luke 2: 22-40 we hear how Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple to perform the prescribed rituals as to the custom of the law. We heard how Mary’a time of “purification” was over (not that she really needed it) and that she and Joseph would take the baby Jesus to the Temple. It appears that there was both a need for a purification ritual for Mary and a Presentation of the Lord as the first born son. Both were required by Jewish law. The purification of Mary meant that a sacrifice (two doves indicated their poor status) had to be offered. It was also customary for the first born male baby to be presented to God. This reflected the call from Exodus regarding the Angel of Death passing over the first born males of the Jews, but not the Egyptians. Joseph and Mary did both.

While going in to the Temple, they were greeted by two prophets. The first was Simeon who was led by the Spirit to go to the Temple at that perfect time. Luke relates that Simeon was a Holy man who had been told by God that he would not pass from this life, until he had seen the Messiah. Upon looking at the baby Jesus, Simeon immediately knew that He was the Messiah. Simeon then prayed the

Nunc Dimintis, sometime known as the Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon. This prayer says to God:

“Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise.
My own eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.
A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel”.

This canticle is recited every day in Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted – and you yourself a sword will pierce, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Mary Queen of Sorrows)

About this time a prophetess by the name of Anna came. All of scripture only mentions four women prophets, and Anna is one of them. We were told that she was a very Holy woman who remained in the Temple day and night fasting and praying. She too immediately recognized the baby Jesus as the Messiah. She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke then said, “when Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

There is so much to meditate on in this Mystery. Here are some questions to help us see how this Mystery affects each one of us:

1 – Do I diligently do all that the Church asks and even requires me to do?

2 – Do I include my immediate family in this?

3 – Am I comfortable in going, with my whole family, in to the Church?

4 – Do I see my children as both a gift from God and as a gift to God?

5 – Am I open to listening to the words of Holy men and women?

6 – Am I able to trust God, even when given bad news?

7 – Do I experience the wonder (and grace) of watching my children grow?

8 – Am I open to hear the voice of God, and to do what He asks me to do?

9 – Do I truly believe that every childs is filled with potential?

10 – Am I confident enough to share with another a “word” that God has given me for them?