“Recite your Rosary with faith, with humility, with confidence, and with perseverance.”

“Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if—and mark well what I say—if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.” - Saint Louis de Montfort: (1673 – 1716: French Roman Catholic priest and Confessor)

Gospel Text:  (Jn 19:25-27)

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Let me stand and mourn with you, O Mother standing ’neath the Cross, your loving eyes gazing up at your bleeding Son.  You saw your Son condemned to die like a common criminal; you heard them free a thief instead.  You watched him fall ’neath the weight of the beam placed across his torn shoulders after the whipping he received.  You wanted to run to him, to take away his crown of thorns, and to kiss his wounds, if only they would have let you near him.  You saw them nail him to the cross and toss dice for his cloak.  You watched him cry in agony. You stood by Him.  Even as your tears fell.

Let me stand and mourn with you, O Mother.  Through your Son’s life you bore the pain. He was destined to be a sign that would be contradicted, and yes, Simeon was right; the sword did pierce your heart.  With the little babe in your arms, Joseph and you fled to save him from being slaughtered.  When the Child was missing for three days, you found him in his Father’s house.  When your own kinsfolk thought he was out of his mind, you went looking for him.  You pondered all these in your heart.  You stood by Him.  Even as your tears fell.

Let me stand and mourn with you, O Mother.  Permit me to mingle my tears with yours.  Allow me to share your grief.  Let me learn to feel as you do.  Help me understand the depth of His love for me, a sinner.  Foster in me the urgency to reach out to those in anguish.  Remove the complacency in me so that I become sensitive to the needs of others.  Let me hear these words everyday: “Woman, behold your son.”  For he died for me.  And you stood by Him.  Even as your tears fell.