Calendar

Leader's School
Thur June 6, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA
RE classroom #8

Ultreya-Tulsa
Fri June 7, 7:00pm
St. Mary's, Tulsa

Ultreya-BA
Fri June 21, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA

Leader's School
Thur July 11, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA
RE classroom #8

Ultreya-Tulsa
Fri July 5, 7:00pm
St. Mary's, Tulsa

Ultreya-BA
Fri July 19, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA

Men's Weekend #31
Sept 26-29, 2002
St. John's, McAlester

Women's Weekend #31
Oct 10-13, 2002
St. John's, McAlester

SPIRITUALITY 101
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 115
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

During a raging battle near the western front in the second world war a young soldier was in a fox hole with three others. Their position was being heavily shelled, and he noted that one of his companions was praying a Rosary. Suddenly a piece of metal from an exploding shell struck his companion and killed him. The young man picked up the rosary as it fell from his dead companion's hands. In his youth, had prayed the rosary with his family at home, but after entering high school had discontinued the practice. At once, however, he began to pray the ave's and pater nosters of the rosary, while thinking of the joyful mysteries (annunciation, visitation, nativity, presentation, finding in the temple). He then moved from that fox hole to another. No sooner had he moved, when a shell hit his former fox hole, killing its occupants. After another rosary, thinking of the sorrowful mysteries (agony, scourging, crowning, carrying the cross and crucifixion), he moved again. Once again, his former fox hole was hit. He completed the third rosary, thinking of the glorious mysteries (resurrection, ascension, descent of the Holy Spirit, assumption of the Blessed Virgin and the Crowning of Mary). Once again he moved and in a few minutes saw his last fox hole demolished.

The young man treasured that rosary for the rest of his life. Seventy years later he died in with the rosary in his hands. He commonly related the story of how the rosary had delivered him three times in the war. At the time of his death he was a priest who had served God in the Catholic church for 40 years. In these years he had fought the spiritual battles of the world, daily praying the rosary and depending upon the protection of our Lady that he had experienced as a soldier on the western front.

DEVOTION - Growth in love- 3rd stage
DEVOTIONALS- MEDITATION-SACRAMENTALS-THE ROSARY-42

The Mysteries of the Rosary-1

For many Christians the rosary serves as a pocket lectionary, a missal and a Holy Office. It can be prayed at nearly any place, and nearly at any time. It can be prayed aloud, or quietly within the mind. It can be prayed alone or in community. The prayers and meditations associated with the rosary offer a meditative study of the Good News of Scripture, to the celebrations of the Church, and to the major central prayers of the Church. It can be carried in a pocket or a purse where it is always available for times of prayer.

There are a number of types of rosaries, with the beads organized in different patterns, and some variation in the order of meditation. The most popular Rosary is however, the Dominican rosary. This rosary is said to have been received by St. Dominic from the Blessed Virgin. The base of the Dominican rosary consists of five series of ten small beads each, united in a ring. Between each decade of small beads for which a series of Hail Mary's is prayed, there is a large bead for which an Our Father is prayed. These five decades of the rosary are used to meditate on five aspects of the life of Jesus and His Blessed Mother and Joseph, His foster father. The object of these meditations are called the mysteries of the rosary.

There are in all 15 mysteries that are used during the week for meditation while praying the rosary prayers. In praying the rosary with these meditations the central core activities of Jesus and his life on earth in the joyful mysteries. Stages of His suffering and death are used for meditation in the sorrowful mysteries and His resurrection, ascension begin the glorious mysteries. Following these there is a meditation for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the upper room fulfilling the promise of Christ to send another Paraclete who would teach us all that he ever did. There is then a meditation on the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul into heaven followed by one for the crowing of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of heaven and earth. Within a week, the joyful mysteries are used for meditation on Monday and Thursday, the sorrowful mysteries on Tuesday and Friday and the glorious mysteries on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. In a week, therefore, those who meditate on the mysteries of the rosary review the Life of Christ, as with a sort of "small Gospel."

In the following series, we will reflect on each of these mysteries and their meaning in a Christian life. Meditative prayer, based on the Mysteries of the life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, provides a rich resource for training in prayer. Understanding that prayer is not our way of serving ourselves, but provides us a school of love. In praying the prayers of the rosary on a daily basis, with careful meditation on the sequence of associated mysteries provides insights into living a life of love. During the meditations, the Blessed Mother, who is in heaven with her Son Jesus is well pleased, because she knows that through such meditation, we will come to know and to love and to serve her Son.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM
ARTICLE NO. 1097
In the liturgy of the New Covenant every liturgical action, especially the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacraments, is an encounter between Christ and the Church. The liturgical assembly derives its unity from the "communion of the Holy Spirit" who gathers the children of God into the one Body of Christ. This assembly transcends racial, cultural, social--indeed, all human affinities.

ARTICLE NO. 1098
The assembly should prepare itself to encounter its Lord and to become "a people well disposed." The preparation of hearts is the joint work of the Holy Spirit and the assembly, especially of its ministers. The grace of the Holy Spirit seeks to awaken faith, conversion of heart, and adherence to the Father's will. These dispositions are the precondition both for the reception of other graces conferred in the celebration itself and the fruits of new life which the celebration is intended to produce afterward.

RECREATED IN LOVE
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

Christ encountered with celebration
Sacraments unite in love all nations
Souls renewed through reparation
Spirit in Assembly induce re-creation
Awakened faith by Spirits oblation
Converted hearts through inspiration
Becomes Christ in love without negation
His Love expressed without reservation

Ó2002 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS