Friday, April 8, 2011

Praying the Rosary for Our Troubled World

We have proven incapable of fixing the problems of our world

I received the following in my email inbox this morning and believe it is important to share with people of goodwill thoughout the world.  It is a simple request founded on the principle of looking beyond our own selves to the author of our salvation for the help we need from Him to bring about peace in our world and a return to moral values.

Here is the email:
Hi Everyone,

Imagine what might happen if every Catholic in the world would pray a Rosary on the same day! We have an example in October of 1573, when Europe was saved from the invasion of the mighty Turkish fleet, by the praying of the Rosary by all Christians!

So, on Good Friday, let us all pray a Rosary for peace in the world and the return of moral values into our communities. If possible, please pray your Rosary between 12 noon and 3:00 pm.

Also, please e-mail this message to every Catholic on your address list, and ask them to pass it along to every Catholic on their lists. Let's unite in praying one of the most powerful prayers in existence, for these intentions, on one of the holiest days in our Church year.

God bless all,

"I shall pass this way but ONCE.
Any Goodness I can DO; Any Kindness I can SHOW
Let me do it NOW. For I shall Never Pass this way,.. AGAIN
There is a slight bit of confusion on the date of the invasion of the Turkish Muslim fleet of Europe.  That battle occurred at Lepanto, off western Greece on October 7, 1571.  On October 7, 1571 Pope St. Pius V prayed the Rosary with many faithful in Rome from dawn to dusk.  On that day, as documented here, the winds miraculously changed to assist the Christian forces against a superior Muslim invading force, suffering minimal casualties for such a significant battle.

From that same article is this quote:
"Following the great Christian victory at Lepanto, Pope St. Pius V declared that henceforth a commemoration of the Rosary would be a part of the Vatican's Mass on every October 7. His successor, Pope Gregory XIII, went further. In 1573 he established the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary--to be celebrated at all Churches which had specific altars dedicated to the Rosary."
If you read further, you will note that the Rosary was instrumental in further protection of Europe from Muslim invasion.

But today
"our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

The enemy has infiltrated every structure, political and corporate in our world, has laid waste family after family, has brought sickness and disease into our bodies, and has stolen the faith (at least temporarily) of loved ones and family members around the world.  Morals have disappeared in a moral relativist maelstrom in our society, and up is down and down, up.

As the nations of the world have turned away from prayer to try and fix these challenges and problems by our own merits, we have learned that we are no closer to resolution, and have lost our way.

So, here is a simple opportunity to place trust where it belongs, in the hands of He who died on the Cross to save us, Jesus Christ.  When the Church has turned to Him in prayer, He has answered.  When we have turned our backs on Him, He has allowed us to operate in our free will, and to wander about almost aimlessly.

So, on Good Friday, when we celebrate the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, could we set aside a short span of time, preferably between noon and 3 pm in your local time, to join others in the world praying the Rosary for peace in our World, and a return to moral values?

What have we got to lose?  More than that, what have we got to gain?

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