Christ the King Sunday
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October 25th, 2020 Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING Volume 8 Issue 43 CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY WE MUST PERSEVERE IN THE 4. He delays because, by this means, he DEVOTION OF THE ROSARY wishes to unite himself more closely to us. "This continual recourse to God in prayer," When Holofernes was besieging the city says St. Alphonsus, "and this confident expec- of Bethulia, all men, women, and children be- tation of the graces which we wish to obtain gan to pray and to fast, crying to the lord, with from God-oh! how great a spur and chain of tears in their eyes: "Have thou mercy on us, love are they not to inflame us and to bind us because thou art good " (Judith 7:20). But as the more closely to God!" We must not, therefore, Lord deferred to come to their aid, they began imitate the Jews by appointing the time within to despair. Ozias, their leader, rising up all in which God is to hear our prayer, as otherwise tears, said: "Be of good courage, my brethren, we would deserve the above reproach of Ju- and let us wait these five days for mercy from dith; but let us humble ourselves before the Our Lady of the Rosary the Lord; but if, after five days be past, there Lord, and pray to him with tears, that, accord- comes no aid, we will do the things which you 15 Pepper Street ing to his will, so he would show his mercy to Monroe CT 06468 have spoken"; that is, deliver up the city into us. If we are patient, resigned, and deter- the hands of the enemy. Now, it came to pass mined to persevere in prayer until he will be Fr. Adan Rodriguez (Pastor) that when Judith heard of this she came and pleased to hear us, we shall not be disappoint- [email protected] said to them: "What is this word by which Ozi- ed in our hope and expectation to receive Assistant Priest: Fr. Santiago as hath consented to give up the city to the what we ask of him. Assyrians, if within five days, there come no Richards aid to us? And who are you that tempt the Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us this when Lord?.....And you have appointed him a day, he said: "Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and (203) 261-8290 you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to according to your pleasure" (Judith 8:10-13). Thus Emergencies: (203) 268-9200 you" (Lk. 11:9). It might seem that he would Judith reproaches the Jews and their leader www.rosarychapel.net for their rashness in having fixed upon the have said enough by simply saying "ask," and time within which God was to come to their that the words "seek" and "knock" would be HOLY MASS aid. This is not the way to obtain mercy from superfluous. " But no," says St. Alphonsus; "by Sundays: 7:00 & 10:00 A.M. them our Savior gave us to understand that God, but rather to excite his indignation. "This Saturdays: 7:00 A.M. we must imitate the poor when they ask for is not a word that may draw down mercy, but Weekdays: See Schedule rather that may stir up wrath and enkindle alms. If they do not receive the alms at once, they do not, on that account, cease asking; indignation " (Judith 8:12). CONFESSIONS they return to ask again; and if the master of Jesus Christ has, it is true, promised to the house does not show himself, they begin to Sundays give us everything we ask of him, but he has knock at the door, until they become so trou- 6:40—6:55 A.M. 9:15—9:55 A.M. not promised to hear our prayers immediate- blesome and importunate for him that he pre- Weekdays ly. The holy Fathers assign many reasons for fers to give them an alms rather than to suffer 6:40—6:55 A.M. which he often defers the grant of our peti- their impunity any longer." If we pray again and by appointment tions: and again in like manner, and do not give up, 1. That he may the better try our confi- God will at last open his hands and give us HOLY ROSARY dence in him. abundantly. “When thou openest thy hand Sundays: After 7:00 A.M. Mass and at 9:40 A.M. 2. That we may long more ardently for his they shall all be filled with good" (Ps. 103:28). gifts, and hold them in higher esteem. "He First Saturdays: after 7:00 A.M. If men sometimes give alms to poor beg- Mass defers the granting of them," says St. Augus- gars merely for the sake of ridding themselves tine, "in order to increase our desire and ap- of their importunity, “how much more," says preciation of them." St. Augustine, “will our dear Lord give, who 3. "That he may keep us near him," as both commands us to ask, and is angry if we Advisory Board St. Francis de Sales says, "and give us occasion do not ask!" Hence St. Jerome, commenting to pray with greater fervor and vehemence. on the parable of the man who would not give Meeting next He acted thus towards his two disciples at bread to his friend in the middle of the night, Emmaus, with whom he did not seem willing until he became importunate and annoying in week after the to stay, before they forced him, as it were, to his demands, says: "Not only once but twice, do so." yea, three times, must we knock, and we must 10:00 A.M. Mass OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHAPEL MASS INTENTIONS: continue to do so until the door of God's mercy treated in like manner: she had to pray to God be opened." Perseverance is a great thing; if it for seventeen years before she could obtain of We have Mass intentions become importunate, it will prove a better him the grace of conversion for her son Augus- until November 19, 2020. friend to us than the friend mentioned in the tine. Had she become tired with pouring out And we are working on the parable. prayers and shedding tears before the face of next list for Bp. Morello. "Let us humbly wait for the consolations of the Lord, in all probability the name of Augus- THANK YOU FOR tine would not now he shining with so great a YOUR the Lord our God" (Judith 8:20), and imitate the perseverance of the servants of God in prayer. luster in the calendar of the saints. For twenty GENEROSITY. years did St. Philip Neri pray for a high degree Fr. Rodriguez. Moses was a very great servant of the Lord, who would not have granted him a complete of the love of God. After that time, this gift was victory over the Amalekites had it not been for granted him in such a measure as has seldom been granted to man. A Sure Peace Plan his perseverance in prayer. "By perseverance in prayer," says St. John Chrysostom (in his ser- Not only were the servants of God, but from Heaven mon on Moses), "he rendered the victory com- even Jesus Christ himself, was thus treated by plete." Isaac was very dear to the Lord, and his Heavenly Father. Prostrate on his face, he MARY'S PROMISE: "Russia will yet, in order to obtain a child, he had to pray prays to him, but receives neither relief nor be converted and there will be for twenty years. "Isaac persevered in praying comfort. He prays a second time in a most peace, if my requests are heeded." and sighing to the Lord for twenty years," says lamentable voice: "Father, if it be possible, let the same saint, "and finally he obtained what this chalice pass away from me"; neither is he MARY'S WARNING: There will he asked" (Hom. 94, in Gen.) heard this time. He prays a third time with be worldwide communistic war And how did the Lord treat the woman of greater intensity, and not till then did the an- gel come to comfort and console him. and oppression, unless her re- Chanaan? "And behold a woman of Chanaan, who came out of those coasts, crying out, and Poor miserable creatures, wretched sin- quests are heeded. said to him: Have mercy on me, 0 Lord! thou ners, that we are! How exalted an opinion REPENTANCE: Our Lady of the son of David, my daughter is grievously trou- have we not of ourselves! The Heavenly Father Rosary warns us to stop sinning, bled by a devil" (Mt. 15:22). And what does our lets his only-begotten, well-beloved, most in- Lord reply? He does not so much as even look nocent, and afflicted Son, like a poor beggar, ask pardon for our sins and offer at her, nor does he give her any answer- "Who knock three times at his door before he, for the conversion of all sinners all answered her not a word." Still, she continues opens; and we think we have done enough sacrifices connected with our daily to pray with great humility: "Lord, help me." when we have petitioned a few times at the duties. REPARATION: We must But our Lord seems not to hear her; so much gate of heaven! We complain so readily of be- so that even his disciples, being annoyed by ing unmercifully treated by God if he does not consecrate ourselves to the Im- her incessant supplication, "came and be- come at once to our aid, and, almost despair- maculate Heart of Mary.