WHY DO YOU KEEP ME WAITING?
Standing guard at one of the pilgrim images of Our Lady of Guadalupe recently the words came into my head 'Why Do You Keep Me Waiting' I reflected on my life and perhaps to Mother Mary I was a disappointment. Yes, I am very good at preaching to others what they should do but perhaps it was a cover so that my own failures would not be noticeable. It is not difficult for me to acknowledge the many gifts that God has given me, but despite the urgings and movements inside my heart I fled from the responsibility of using them.
But Mother Mary will not let me alone. She is always prompting me. She wants me to spread the Rosary. I can almost hear her voice. 'You were taught as a child to love me and the Rosary, you know that the Rosary today is needed more than ever and young people especially need to learn the way to my heart'. Mary knows that I know 'what more than ever' means. For fourteen hundred years there has been war between extreme Islam and Christianity. The years have seen the blood of Christian Martyrs soaking the earth and today it is happening again as Christians are put to death in the Middle East. But in the past Governments knew that it was not just a case of going to war and destroying the enemy, they recognised that there was a religious and spiritual element to the war with Islam. As St Pau told us ".... our enemies are Principalities and Powers...." The Church was very much involved in the battle. When the Islamists came in their ships to conquer Europe they were opposed by a much smaller fleet at Lepanto. The Islamists had the wind at their back and their triumph was certain. But thousands of Christians were in nearby Churches praying the Rosary. Suddenly and for no apparent reason the wind changed and was behind the Christian fleet who then destroyed the enemy. There are many occasions in which Mary and the Rosary saved Europe.
Today Europe is again in danger from extreme Islam. The ordinary people are afraid and despite all condemnation of Governments for 'doing nothing' the truth is they do not know what to do. But the Church, despite the assaults from within, should know. We turn to the Mother of the Church and our Mother, Mary. We ask Mary who is fully human as we are fully human, to intercede with her Divine Son for us and gain for us the humility we need in this battle. As I said I was taught at an early age to love Mary and saying the Rosary came natural. Our schoolchildren, so poorly schooled in the Faith, cannot be expected to start with a full Rosary, so perhaps one decade each night from Monday to Friday would prepare them, as I am sure Mary will help them. We need the Rosary in the schools in our families, and in our Church. The Rosary is not 'just a devotion' to be lightly dismissed. God is our Spiritual Father and Mary is our Human Mother. We are family.
But Mother Mary will not let me alone. She is always prompting me. She wants me to spread the Rosary. I can almost hear her voice. 'You were taught as a child to love me and the Rosary, you know that the Rosary today is needed more than ever and young people especially need to learn the way to my heart'. Mary knows that I know 'what more than ever' means. For fourteen hundred years there has been war between extreme Islam and Christianity. The years have seen the blood of Christian Martyrs soaking the earth and today it is happening again as Christians are put to death in the Middle East. But in the past Governments knew that it was not just a case of going to war and destroying the enemy, they recognised that there was a religious and spiritual element to the war with Islam. As St Pau told us ".... our enemies are Principalities and Powers...." The Church was very much involved in the battle. When the Islamists came in their ships to conquer Europe they were opposed by a much smaller fleet at Lepanto. The Islamists had the wind at their back and their triumph was certain. But thousands of Christians were in nearby Churches praying the Rosary. Suddenly and for no apparent reason the wind changed and was behind the Christian fleet who then destroyed the enemy. There are many occasions in which Mary and the Rosary saved Europe.
Today Europe is again in danger from extreme Islam. The ordinary people are afraid and despite all condemnation of Governments for 'doing nothing' the truth is they do not know what to do. But the Church, despite the assaults from within, should know. We turn to the Mother of the Church and our Mother, Mary. We ask Mary who is fully human as we are fully human, to intercede with her Divine Son for us and gain for us the humility we need in this battle. As I said I was taught at an early age to love Mary and saying the Rosary came natural. Our schoolchildren, so poorly schooled in the Faith, cannot be expected to start with a full Rosary, so perhaps one decade each night from Monday to Friday would prepare them, as I am sure Mary will help them. We need the Rosary in the schools in our families, and in our Church. The Rosary is not 'just a devotion' to be lightly dismissed. God is our Spiritual Father and Mary is our Human Mother. We are family.
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