Sometimes I feel so old I think I must abandon the effort of making known my views on mental health. Then, at other times, something surfaces that make me change my mind. That notion, I tell myself is too good to keep. That happened to me yesterday, July 17, 2017. I was, as usual, praying the rosary, something I've been doing for many years. Although my status as a born and bred Catholic is well known, my status as a practicing Catholic is often questioned. And rightly so, I do not go to church since I cannot drive, I do not share the notions of all those who I say worship the Catholic Church instead of God, but I love, absolutely, believe and honor the basics of the first Christians. Enough said. And I believe Pope Francis is on the right road.
Now the rosary, a short explanation first: The rosary takes me all the way through the life of Jesus. The first decade is the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel telling her she is to be an unwed mother. She ponders over this impossible event. How can that be? The second decade has her visiting her Cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant with John the Baptist; the third is the Nativity, the birth of the savior and the fourth is concerned with her presenting Him at the temple forty days afterward. The Fifth decade is about Joseph and Mary leaving Him in the temple and having to backtrack to find. Yesterday was Monday and normally this is the Rosary dedication for that day and Saturday. Tuesday and Friday is concerned with the Agony in the Garden, The Scourging, The Crowning of Thorns, The Carrying of the Cross and Him dying on the Cross.
On Wednesday and Sunday The Resurrection, Him ascending into Heaven, The Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles, And the other two decades are about Mary and her anticipation and her entrance into Heaven. Okay, basically that's it. But on Thursday modern day rosary praying people usually go along with the Luminous Mystery recommended by the recent Pope John Paul. Here, we find John the Baptist at The River Jordan baptizing Jesus, The Wedding of Cana, Jesus beginning his ministry, the Transfiguration the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. (During the recitation of the litany of the ten Hail Mary's one often finds their mind wandering. Often as I am contemplating the past events the present concern enter the picture, I wander off course, fall asleep if too tired etc. But that is not the point I want to make.
What then is the point? How we get messages from God. He has various ways and He has designed each of us for his purpose and it is for us to keep the gates, doorways and passages open. That is an almost impossible chore but as one gets older and one's eyesight dims, hearing is lost, ability to get from here to there becomes more difficult.All one is left with is an inner vision. And wow, the joys one finds there! Trinket of the mind are scattered everywhere. Okay, so here goes, call me crazy if you have a mind to, but it won't take away from yesterday's enlightenment:
My words as I probably uttered them: "Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and the time of our (did)" !!! What did I say? Why didn't I say death? Then, being playful as I am I pondered over the difference of the two words. What was the meaning of this careless mistake. Was I at fault for rapidly trying to get through the monotony of the repetitive words? "I am sorry, I first thought, for having been so careless.
Then wow! That's it, I thought. He is telling me why wait until death to make amends, why not ask for forgiveness as soon as an offense has been done. As soon as what I did. It's these little things, these little sins that accumulate cluttering up our minds, making us less mentally healthy as we would like to be. Get it off your chest now and decide never to do it again. Well, of course there was no real sin in what I said, the Lord knows my absent-mindedness and both He and I are comfortable with that, but I can almost hear laughter coming out of somewhere up there. :Why so rigid. Relax, take each minute as it comes, learn the lessons as they arrive and love the Lord with your whole heart. You do this by being a good neighbors and helping wherever you can. And yes, by listening in to what you say and how you say it. Who knows what might get slipped in under the door? And by sharing it.
(Holy Mary, Mother of, pray for us sinners now and at whatever thing we did whenever we should not have done it.) But of course at the time of death also, because we are all so imperfect here on earth that to error can also be called human. There is no reason, however, not to listen to every word we utter and look for any signs form above. Love you all, and be good, if you can, and if you cannot, at lease be truthful. That goes a long way on the journey onward.
Now the rosary, a short explanation first: The rosary takes me all the way through the life of Jesus. The first decade is the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel telling her she is to be an unwed mother. She ponders over this impossible event. How can that be? The second decade has her visiting her Cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant with John the Baptist; the third is the Nativity, the birth of the savior and the fourth is concerned with her presenting Him at the temple forty days afterward. The Fifth decade is about Joseph and Mary leaving Him in the temple and having to backtrack to find. Yesterday was Monday and normally this is the Rosary dedication for that day and Saturday. Tuesday and Friday is concerned with the Agony in the Garden, The Scourging, The Crowning of Thorns, The Carrying of the Cross and Him dying on the Cross.
On Wednesday and Sunday The Resurrection, Him ascending into Heaven, The Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles, And the other two decades are about Mary and her anticipation and her entrance into Heaven. Okay, basically that's it. But on Thursday modern day rosary praying people usually go along with the Luminous Mystery recommended by the recent Pope John Paul. Here, we find John the Baptist at The River Jordan baptizing Jesus, The Wedding of Cana, Jesus beginning his ministry, the Transfiguration the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. (During the recitation of the litany of the ten Hail Mary's one often finds their mind wandering. Often as I am contemplating the past events the present concern enter the picture, I wander off course, fall asleep if too tired etc. But that is not the point I want to make.
What then is the point? How we get messages from God. He has various ways and He has designed each of us for his purpose and it is for us to keep the gates, doorways and passages open. That is an almost impossible chore but as one gets older and one's eyesight dims, hearing is lost, ability to get from here to there becomes more difficult.All one is left with is an inner vision. And wow, the joys one finds there! Trinket of the mind are scattered everywhere. Okay, so here goes, call me crazy if you have a mind to, but it won't take away from yesterday's enlightenment:
My words as I probably uttered them: "Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and the time of our (did)" !!! What did I say? Why didn't I say death? Then, being playful as I am I pondered over the difference of the two words. What was the meaning of this careless mistake. Was I at fault for rapidly trying to get through the monotony of the repetitive words? "I am sorry, I first thought, for having been so careless.
Then wow! That's it, I thought. He is telling me why wait until death to make amends, why not ask for forgiveness as soon as an offense has been done. As soon as what I did. It's these little things, these little sins that accumulate cluttering up our minds, making us less mentally healthy as we would like to be. Get it off your chest now and decide never to do it again. Well, of course there was no real sin in what I said, the Lord knows my absent-mindedness and both He and I are comfortable with that, but I can almost hear laughter coming out of somewhere up there. :Why so rigid. Relax, take each minute as it comes, learn the lessons as they arrive and love the Lord with your whole heart. You do this by being a good neighbors and helping wherever you can. And yes, by listening in to what you say and how you say it. Who knows what might get slipped in under the door? And by sharing it.
(Holy Mary, Mother of, pray for us sinners now and at whatever thing we did whenever we should not have done it.) But of course at the time of death also, because we are all so imperfect here on earth that to error can also be called human. There is no reason, however, not to listen to every word we utter and look for any signs form above. Love you all, and be good, if you can, and if you cannot, at lease be truthful. That goes a long way on the journey onward.
