Our Lady of the Rosary

Made popular by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd, the song 'Mary Did You Know' captures the unique and beautiful relationship between Mary and Jesus. My favorite line from that song is: "When you kissed your little baby, you've kissed the face of God"- what an amazing line to meditate upon.

Today, as we celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary, we give honor to our Blessed Mother whom we pray to for two reasons while praying the rosary.

First, we pray to her to intercede on our behalf. She, a mother who loved and cared for her Son on this earth, knows the pains and fear that we all encounter in life. Mary knows that we need the care, protection, intercession and love of a mother - all of us need her. In praying the rosary, we are asking for her to pray for us. We are asking her, in the presence of her son Jesus, to help us in all that we have to encounter and go through in life. Every storm, trial, fear, pain and hardship is made lighter and bearable with the love and care of our Mother.

Secondly, we are pray the mysteries of the rosary. These are human events that played out in the life of Christ with Mary by His side. But, these are also Divine events. God; in all His majesty, depth, wisdom and love; is working through these human events to bring about His will and to make Himself known. Yes these are human events, but they are also Divine events. In praying the rosary, we are asking Mary - who know Christ as fully human and divine - to help us explore and enter more deeply into the divine realities of these events. To know God more, we need to see him in earthly and human events for He truly does work through them. Our Mother helps us see the deeper truths and realities in life; she helps us see God.

The rosary, certainly for me, is an encounter with both God and His mother Mary. It is seeking and speaking to she who knows Christ and loves Christ like no other human has ever had or will. She loves so perfectly and completely and that love is what we seek. In praying the rosary, we ask her to be with us and pray for us in everything life gives us. We also pray the rosary to ask her - who kissed the very face of God - to help us to enter into the depth and love of God.