Pray The Rosary

 Our Bible Study group reflected on MT 22:1-14, the parable which compares the kingdom of heaven to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding, only all who had been invited were “not interested,” and mistreated the king’s servants.  So, the king destroyed those ungrateful people.  Then he invited all he found on the street corners, “bad and good alike” to the feast.

Our study group reflected on why people today aren’t interested in heaven, or they assume they don’t have to prepare for it.  We talked about what we could do to get more people interested in heaven.  I think witness by our actions, and then trust in God’s work, was where we ended up.

After that Zoom-meeting, I went to my parish in Ann Arbor.  After the noon mass, they distribute communion outside the church to those at risk, reluctant to enter due to the Covid crisis.  I received communion and took hosts for friends who are homebound.  The deacon walks right up to the car and places the hosts in the pyx I brought, to minimize contact.  I then drove to the back of the church lot, received communion – the Body and Blood of Christ, and prayed.

But when I was ready to leave, I glanced back at the church entrance.  There, standing alone by the road, was the deacon, waiting for more cars to come.  And then it hit me:  This is just like the parable.  God is here, inviting, waiting.  There should be a line of cars miles long to come and receive Him, to come to His feast, but few came.  And I felt the sadness, and anger, of the king in the parable.

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Today was the anniversary date of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima in 1917.  Mary told the children she was appearing to, that the miracle would happen on that date, and the word spread far and wide. Over 50,000 people came from all over Portugal.  Many came to mock; they expected no miracle.  But they all saw the sun change, and the ground dry up instantly from the storm.  Most people, however, don’t know the rest of the Fatima story.

In 1910, the government of Portugal outlawed all religion.  Thousands of priests were executed.  Churches were destroyed.  Public worship was forbidden.  The government declared: “There is no God”

I wonder how different Portugal then was from our country now.  No one cares about heaven.  No one comes to receive the God who waits for them.  And God is struck from the Pledge of Allegiance --- we won’t  profess that we are a country under Him. 

When Mary spoke to the children at Fatima on the day of the huge miracle, she told them to pray the rosary every day, for God’s mercy.

I’m sure she’d give the same advice today.