At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And
behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, "Have pity
on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." But he
did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, "Send
her away, for she keeps calling out after us." He said in reply, "I
was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But the woman
came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me." He said in reply,
"It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the
dogs." She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that
fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour. (Matthew 15: 21-28)
Introductory Prayer: Lord
Jesus, I believe you want me to have faith in you, faith that hearkens to your
words without any second guessing. I hope in your words, not relying solely on
my own strength or reasoning. I love you. You continue to astonish me by
showing me that your ways are not my ways.
Petition: Lord,
fill my heart with gratitude and trust even when those I love suffer.
1. My daughter… “My
daughter is tormented by a demon.” Sufferings of strangers stir our compassion.
But when a son or daughter suffers, anguish can reach fever pitch. Imagine the
agony of the mother in this Gospel passage. Imagine the near-physical pain she
felt in the depths of her heart. However, her love nourished her hope and
propelled her to seek out Christ. When those we love suffer, we need the same
wisdom to seek the Lord.
2. Unfathomed Dimensions: Only a mother or father knows the depths of his or her love for
a child: “Words cannot express.…” We truly understand love when it involves
people we know and love. Contemplate the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine the false accusations, scourging, humiliations and the crucifixion. Now
imagine your own son or daughter, or mom or dad or loved one, suffering the
same fate. Christ’s passion takes on a new dimension.
3. Our Title to God’s Grace: "Please,
Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their
masters." Faith and humility move Christ’s heart. How easily we adopt a
spoiled-child mentality, believing that we deserve more. “The earth doesn’t owe
you a living,” a sage once said. “It was here before you.” How much happier we
are when we acknowledge our littleness and unworthiness, when we recognize our
status as creatures of God who gives us life, breath and every beat of our
heart. All we possess is a gift of his creative love. How happy we are when we
are grateful and let him know this a thousand times a day.
Conversation with Christ: Lord,
I will praise and thank you a thousand times and in a thousand ways for all you
do for me. Even sufferings, I know, come from your hand for my greater good,
although I may not always perceive the good at that moment. Give me the
gratitude, faith and trust to accept my cross and rejoice in your creative love
for me.
Resolution: I
will thank the Lord repeatedly throughout the day.
St. Dominic was wondering if he was doing good with the Dominicans and if some of the deseased members were able to make it in to heaven... The Virgen Mary one day show Him this:
Do you know that it is attributed to St. Dominic the creation of the prayer of The Holy Rosary as we know it?
Around the year 1203, Dominic was sent by Pope Innocent III to South France to preach to the Albigenses. At the time, the Albigensian doctrine was based on a dualism of two eternally opposing principles, good and evil, all matter being regarded as evil and the creator of the material world as a devil. St. Dominic discovered that this doctrine was becoming widespread due to the fact that the Albigenses were well educated and well organized. To combat the unorthodox teachings of the Albigensians, Dominic organized and educated his preachers so they would be better equipped to overcome this Albigensian heresy. Dominic stressed the importance of education, and his preachers traveled throughout Europe and educated common people and religious leaders as a way to challenge the heresy.
It was during Dominic's fight against this heresy when tradition tells how this saint received the rosary from the Virgin Mary in a vision. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary told him to "Pray my Psalter and teach it to your people. That prayer will never fail". Dominic was told that if he did as instructed, the heresy would be dispelled from France. Eventually after widespread teachings on the rosary and the meditations of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the heresy was defeated and the Church was strengthened.
St. Dominic is widely associated with the origin and creation of the Rosary because he was the first to implement the widespread teaching of this sacred
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