The Rosary

There is a string of beads many Catholics use to pray. It is called the rosary. "Rosary" has roots in Latin, and it means "garden of roses".  The rosary was first given to Saint Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The rosary consists of 150 Hail Marys in groups of five separated by an Our Father. Each set of ten beads comes with a mystery to pray. If you read some earlier posts about the Rosary Garden, you can find all the mysteries there! There are the Joyful Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. All of them have to do with the lives of Jesus and Mary.

Challenge!: Find a time to pray at least a decade of the rosary (a decade is just one set of ten beads). My family prays a decade of the rosary each night and a whole rosary on Sundays. Can you make a time with your family to pray the rosary? Remember: Mary is the one who asks us to pray her special prayer! So the next time you see a rosary, pray with it.

(I have a few ideas! If you want to keep your rosary with you all the time, put it in your pocket. If you don't have a pocket, put it in your pencil bag for school! This is a good way to remind you about praying the rosary!)

God bless you!

February, The Month of the Holy Family

February is the Month of the Holy Family. The Holy Family should be the role model for all families, and they show us how to act as a family. Sure, Mary and Jesus were both perfect, and we are nowhere near, but we can still try to act like them!

We can act like Mary when she became selfless when the Angel Gabriel told her she was going to have a Son. Selfless means when you are more concerned about others' needs. How can you be selfless like Mary?

We can act like Joseph when he was obedient when the Angel Gabriel told him in a dream to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Obedient means doing what others tell you. How can you be obedient like Joseph?

We can act like Jesus when he was sharing his knowledge with others in the temple. Sharing your knowledge means helping other people learn something they don't know about. How can you share your knowledge (that God gave you) with others like Jesus?

As you can tell, all three members of the Holy Family were very virtuous. If you haven't already noticed, the entire Holy Family shares their virtues! For example, Mary was also obedient when the Angel Gabriel told her she was going to have a Son. Joseph was selfless when he married Mary even though he knew it was going to be tough. Jesus was obedient in the temple when Mary and Joseph told Him to come with them. Mary and Joseph shared their knowledge with Jesus when he was a boy. They taught Him all the things He needed to know, sort of like school!

Now, try to help your family become like the Holy Family! Try to be more selfless, obedient, and share your knowledge with others! 

God Bless you!

The Fifth Glorious Geranium: Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven

The last geranium in the entire garden is the final mystery of the rosary: the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Jesus loved His mother so much that He gave her a sparkling golden crown. Now, she lives in heaven and she watches over us.

How can you serve Mary? Try to do what Mary did: say yes.

The Fourth Glorious Geranium: Mary Goes to Heaven

The last two geraniums have to do with Mary. She was so holy and so special that, in the Assumption, God took her to heaven body and soul. This was very special because, when we die, we can't take anything with us. We can't even take our bodies! The only thing that lives on is our soul. Jesus loved His mother, so He took her straight up to heaven.

How can you be like Mary? How can you honor her? Remember: we don't pray to Mary or the saints, we simply honor them, like someone would honor a prince or princess. You don't pray to a princess or a prince, but you honor them. So how can you honor Mary?

The Third Glorious Geranium: The Holy Spirit Comes to the Apostles

The third glorious geranium is when the Holy Spirit came to the apostles and Mary. This was shortly after Jesus had ascended into heaven. The apostles and Mary were all together in one room when a great wind blew into the room. Small tongues of fire hovered over each person's head. The apostles began to speak in different languages so that they could go out and preach the Good News in other countries. When the apostles came out of the room, everyone was amazed because they were speaking in different languages and everyone could understand what they were saying! Today, we celebrate this mystery of the rosary by another name: Pentecost!

Jesus gave us the mission to be evangelists. That means that we have to go out and share the Good News. Your job as an evangelist is to use your special talents to share Jesus' message. What are your talents? Who can you tell about the Good News?

May God bless you on your mission!

Latin

For a very long time, the church has used the language Latin for all of their Masses. In fact, the priest would do Latin for the whole Mass! Many of your favorite Catholic saints probably attended Latin Mass. Here are a couple Latin phrases that you can memorize and teach your friends!

Ora pro nobis: Pray for us

Gloriam Deo: Glory to God

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Habemus papam: We have a Pope

Agnus Dei: Lamb of God