A Random Thought from Today

In Genesis 1, we see the hands of G'D forming the earth - He fashions the sun, the moon, and the stars, He pulls from the waters the land on which we walk, and He crafts the figures of a myriad of flora and fauna, setting them loose across the earth. It seems as though every time G'D makes something new, it has more and more of an impact until finally, we reach the creation of man! 

As G'D looks fondly at Adam, the crown of creation, He blesses him and gifts him with all of the earth's bazillion and one living things, and man becomes dominant over these, naming them all. 

Today, as I travelled two hours to an orchard in the Virginia mountains, I passed hundreds of these creations. I watched the distant sapphire mountains sweep across the horizon under the gleaming jewel of sun. I saw moss-touched thickets rise and fall as we passed, sprinkled with flowers colored fire and fuchsia. I watched wispy cotton-ball clouds soar overhead, pushed by a gentle summer breeze. And while I was watching this beauty go by, I started wondering. 

Creation is an expression of the love of G'D for man. He doesn't paint the harlequin sunsets so He can watch them Himself! He didn't teach the birds to sing so He could delight in their simple refrains! He did it all so that we, His most beloved creation, can take pleasure in the things of this world, understanding that every thing of beauty here just points to Him in the next...

You can look to the cross and see that G'D loves you. You can look to the Old Testament and see the ancient plan, formed through the covenants, that G'D created because He loves us. But we can see the love of G'D for us in an even simpler way - through the marvelous works of His hands that bring color to Earth and joy to our hearts. 

"And G'D saw all that He had made, and it was good"

Wrapped Around Our Fingers

"The Rosary is a chain which links heaven and earth."

- Saint Therese of Lisieux

In 1208, Saint Dominic was granted the gift of the rosary by Our Lady, supplying to the human race a simple devotion through which many graces could be ferried to the Church. As ages passed, the humble string of beads became one of the most common prayers of the Catholic Church, being recited in pairs, families, and congregations across the globe. The rosary has become a staple of the religious habit, being suspended on the belts of Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and various others. The rosary is not a devotion which sits in the shadows of our faith, but is prominently depicted everywhere we turn. 

For many Catholics, it can be difficult to truly understand the beauty of the rosary. We know that praying it comes with a myriad of spiritual benefits and that Our Lady constantly requests that the people of earth pray it fervently for the conversion of sinners, but it can be hard to truly appreciate this "monotonous" prayer...until you're faced with its beauty head-on by someone who is already in love with it. 

This school year, I was blessed with a particularly wonderful chemistry teacher. A man who always begins class with a smile and a prayer, Mr. Chaves truly inspired me to explore deeper the devotion of the rosary. As a chemistry teacher, Mr. Chaves checks all the boxes - he teaches us students in a personable way and helps us to understand when we just can't wrap our minds around the mystery that is chemistry. As a Catholic, Mr. Chaves checks all those boxes too. Often, before class, he finds a way to stick in a quick plug about the awesome gift of the rosary. One can easily see the Christlike joy radiating from Mr. Chaves' smile, and he daily works to emulate the virtues of Our Lord. I have no doubt that every day, when Mr. Chaves prays the rosary, he prays it for us. 

My family always prays the rosary together in the evenings, and, as cradle-Catholics, all of my siblings and I have spent this family time going through the motions and saying the words on repeat, without truly knowing what we are saying. The beauty of "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee..." - it all goes over our heads! But there comes a point in every Catholic's journey where we come to embrace the rosary as Our Lady's hand in ours and depend on it for strength throughout our days. 

If you are reading this and have not yet realized the true beauty of this hymn to Our Mother, then I encourage you to continue praying it, to continue asking for the guidance of Our Lady in all that you do. Wrap those 59 beads around your hand and feel Our Lady holding you there, watching over you. I promise she will never leave you alone, though it may feel like that in the moment. And one day, when all this is finished, we will be able to fall into the arms of Our Blessed Mother and truly feel her there, with us. 

Mother of G'D, Mother of the Church, and Mother of Mine, pray for us!!!