Tim Speer's Blog - Posts Tagged "rosary"
Abortion and the Rosary
I went to Adoration this evening, something I probably don't do near often enough. I have found that whenever I'm troubled, or in need of answers for anything, there is nothing like a little "one on one" with Christ to give me the answers I need.
My first plan was to go and pray the Rosary. Another thing I probably don't do often enough. But yet also, another thing that often brings me peace, and answers to any questions I have. However when I got there, I felt the need to just pray and to listen. So I was going to be content with just doing that, and not praying the Rosary. But yet again, my plans were changed, and I felt called to pray the Rosary.
The reason for my trouble today was not personal, it was related to the recent news on Planned Parenthood. In addition to the shocking revelations of the peddling of baby organs, in the latest video, the Planned Parenthood official repeatedly made very casual references to D&E. This is where I have to admit my naivety, as I had no idea what D&E referred to. Upon Googling it, I found that it stood for a method of abortion known as Dilation and Evacuation. Still being naïve, I searched onward to find out exactly what that entailed. I will post a link to the best description I found. It is one of the more disturbing things I have read in a long time. For anyone that tries to characterize abortion as a civilized procedure, I invite you to read it.
So I went into Adoration partly troubled about the news, and further troubled by my new education. I felt compelled to write something about it - to speak out. But I really didn't have a good idea of what to write, or how to go about it. And so I ended up feeling called to pray the Rosary. My first inclination was that, given the news, and the current state of the world, the Sorrowful Mysteries would be the most appropriate. However, I ultimately decided to pray the mysteries of the day which, as it turned out, were the Luminous Mysteries - go figure.
As it turns out, it may be more appropriate than I first felt it was. For those not familiar with praying the Rosary, it involves meditations on five aspects of Jesus' life. There are different sets of prayers, or "Mysteries" that one can say. Each focuses on different aspects of Jesus' life. And, as the Rosary beads form a circle, ultimately, so do the "Mysteries". They all start with the early part of Jesus' life, or in the case of the Luminous Mysteries, his ministry, and end with the later part of his life. Of course, in the end there is the Resurrection, or "re-birth", and hence a circle is formed.
The first Luminous Mystery is the Baptism of Jesus. Now, Jesus, being free of sin, did not need to be Baptized as such. He did this for two reasons. First to serve as an example, and second, to show his obedience to God the Father. And as he did the Heavens opened up and there was a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Thus Jesus is not just giving us the example of us needing Baptism, perhaps even more important is the fact he is showing the need to be obedient to God, and God's pleasure with us when we do so.
The second Luminous Mystery is the wedding at Cana. This is where Jesus turned the water into wine at the request of his mother, Mary. Thus it serves as the first instance of the intercession of Mary. Yet it also demonstrates something else. Following her request to her son, Mary turned to the servants and said, "Do whatever he tells you." So here again we are reminded of the need for obedience.
The third Luminous Mystery is the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." Here we have a more direct call to both repentance, and obedience. Yet here too, there is more. Jesus is saying the time is now. God, through Jesus is here on earth, here to claim his Kingdom. All we have belongs to God, and God is the ultimate ruler.
The fourth Luminous Mystery is the Transfiguration. This is where Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the mountain and was Transfigured as "his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light." Jesus had said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." To me, it is not a coincidence that Jesus appears as a light in the Transfiguration. Obviously he is revealing himself in his full Devine glory as the Son of God. However, he is also showing us that he truly is the light, and again, calling us to obedience, calling us to follow him.
That brings us to the fifth, and final Luminous Mystery, the institution of the Eucharist. Here we come full circle. Through Baptism, we are given new life in Christ. Through his death and resurrection, we are again given new life. Jesus had said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Through the Eucharist, Jesus sustains us and gives us life.
So how does this tie back in to the abortion issue. The Luminous Mysteries start and end with our spiritual re-birth. First through Baptism, and then through the Eucharist. The Luminous Mysteries remind us of the spiritual life and sustenance we receive through Christ. They also call us to obedience, obedience to God's will for our life, and for the world. Jesus said, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." Here Jesus is talking about our "spiritual life". However, our physical life is important as well. When we kill an unborn baby, we are destroying life.
Unlike some, I do not feel sorry for the baby. On one hand they are deprived of their life here on earth. But on the other hand, they gain a straight pass to Heaven. All of the glory and joy of Heaven, without any of the worries and pain that we go through here on earth. It's like getting the Monopoly card that says "Advance to Go and collect $200"; and you get to do this without going through the booby traps of properties owned by the other players. Only in this case, it's an infinitely better deal. I do feel sorry for those of us here though. By letting a physical life be destroyed, we are losing a piece of our spiritual life. Instead of following God's plan, and being obedient to him, we are following our own plans and desires. Each time an innocent life is lost, a little piece of our soul is lost as well.
For those of you brave enough, here is the link I mentioned earlier:
http://www.priestsforlife.org/resourc...
My first plan was to go and pray the Rosary. Another thing I probably don't do often enough. But yet also, another thing that often brings me peace, and answers to any questions I have. However when I got there, I felt the need to just pray and to listen. So I was going to be content with just doing that, and not praying the Rosary. But yet again, my plans were changed, and I felt called to pray the Rosary.
The reason for my trouble today was not personal, it was related to the recent news on Planned Parenthood. In addition to the shocking revelations of the peddling of baby organs, in the latest video, the Planned Parenthood official repeatedly made very casual references to D&E. This is where I have to admit my naivety, as I had no idea what D&E referred to. Upon Googling it, I found that it stood for a method of abortion known as Dilation and Evacuation. Still being naïve, I searched onward to find out exactly what that entailed. I will post a link to the best description I found. It is one of the more disturbing things I have read in a long time. For anyone that tries to characterize abortion as a civilized procedure, I invite you to read it.
So I went into Adoration partly troubled about the news, and further troubled by my new education. I felt compelled to write something about it - to speak out. But I really didn't have a good idea of what to write, or how to go about it. And so I ended up feeling called to pray the Rosary. My first inclination was that, given the news, and the current state of the world, the Sorrowful Mysteries would be the most appropriate. However, I ultimately decided to pray the mysteries of the day which, as it turned out, were the Luminous Mysteries - go figure.
As it turns out, it may be more appropriate than I first felt it was. For those not familiar with praying the Rosary, it involves meditations on five aspects of Jesus' life. There are different sets of prayers, or "Mysteries" that one can say. Each focuses on different aspects of Jesus' life. And, as the Rosary beads form a circle, ultimately, so do the "Mysteries". They all start with the early part of Jesus' life, or in the case of the Luminous Mysteries, his ministry, and end with the later part of his life. Of course, in the end there is the Resurrection, or "re-birth", and hence a circle is formed.
The first Luminous Mystery is the Baptism of Jesus. Now, Jesus, being free of sin, did not need to be Baptized as such. He did this for two reasons. First to serve as an example, and second, to show his obedience to God the Father. And as he did the Heavens opened up and there was a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Thus Jesus is not just giving us the example of us needing Baptism, perhaps even more important is the fact he is showing the need to be obedient to God, and God's pleasure with us when we do so.
The second Luminous Mystery is the wedding at Cana. This is where Jesus turned the water into wine at the request of his mother, Mary. Thus it serves as the first instance of the intercession of Mary. Yet it also demonstrates something else. Following her request to her son, Mary turned to the servants and said, "Do whatever he tells you." So here again we are reminded of the need for obedience.
The third Luminous Mystery is the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." Here we have a more direct call to both repentance, and obedience. Yet here too, there is more. Jesus is saying the time is now. God, through Jesus is here on earth, here to claim his Kingdom. All we have belongs to God, and God is the ultimate ruler.
The fourth Luminous Mystery is the Transfiguration. This is where Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the mountain and was Transfigured as "his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light." Jesus had said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." To me, it is not a coincidence that Jesus appears as a light in the Transfiguration. Obviously he is revealing himself in his full Devine glory as the Son of God. However, he is also showing us that he truly is the light, and again, calling us to obedience, calling us to follow him.
That brings us to the fifth, and final Luminous Mystery, the institution of the Eucharist. Here we come full circle. Through Baptism, we are given new life in Christ. Through his death and resurrection, we are again given new life. Jesus had said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Through the Eucharist, Jesus sustains us and gives us life.
So how does this tie back in to the abortion issue. The Luminous Mysteries start and end with our spiritual re-birth. First through Baptism, and then through the Eucharist. The Luminous Mysteries remind us of the spiritual life and sustenance we receive through Christ. They also call us to obedience, obedience to God's will for our life, and for the world. Jesus said, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." Here Jesus is talking about our "spiritual life". However, our physical life is important as well. When we kill an unborn baby, we are destroying life.
Unlike some, I do not feel sorry for the baby. On one hand they are deprived of their life here on earth. But on the other hand, they gain a straight pass to Heaven. All of the glory and joy of Heaven, without any of the worries and pain that we go through here on earth. It's like getting the Monopoly card that says "Advance to Go and collect $200"; and you get to do this without going through the booby traps of properties owned by the other players. Only in this case, it's an infinitely better deal. I do feel sorry for those of us here though. By letting a physical life be destroyed, we are losing a piece of our spiritual life. Instead of following God's plan, and being obedient to him, we are following our own plans and desires. Each time an innocent life is lost, a little piece of our soul is lost as well.
For those of you brave enough, here is the link I mentioned earlier:
http://www.priestsforlife.org/resourc...
The Greatest Show Not on Earth
Today I got up, and went out for a morning run before sunrise. Looking up at the sky to the east, I could see that the planetary conjunction has definitely begun. Jupiter and Mars are now so close together, that you have to look closely to see Mars through Jupiter's bright glow. And Venus lies about three moon widths above, and is closing in on the other two.
Swinging to the south, Canis Major, now two months separated from the dog days, looms brightly. From there, one can trace the path of the Milky Way north, as it goes through the bright stars of Orion, Taurus, Perseus, and Cassiopeia. As I run, I can't help but marvel at how truly grand God's creation is.
Looking at the stars this morning, I think of the times when I have been out under truly dark skies, such as in Big Bend. And I can suddenly imagine the sailors of long ago, such as those that might have been sailing with Columbus or Magellan. As trying and hard as their voyages might have been, I can picture a lone sailor standing on the deck, on a clear night, when the sea was calm, looking at the stars and thinking, it's all worth it. In the case of these two examples, that sailor quite possibly would have been clutching a string of Rosary beads in his hand. May the Star of the Sea shine upon you.
Swinging to the south, Canis Major, now two months separated from the dog days, looms brightly. From there, one can trace the path of the Milky Way north, as it goes through the bright stars of Orion, Taurus, Perseus, and Cassiopeia. As I run, I can't help but marvel at how truly grand God's creation is.
Looking at the stars this morning, I think of the times when I have been out under truly dark skies, such as in Big Bend. And I can suddenly imagine the sailors of long ago, such as those that might have been sailing with Columbus or Magellan. As trying and hard as their voyages might have been, I can picture a lone sailor standing on the deck, on a clear night, when the sea was calm, looking at the stars and thinking, it's all worth it. In the case of these two examples, that sailor quite possibly would have been clutching a string of Rosary beads in his hand. May the Star of the Sea shine upon you.
