Putting together random thoughts...

Did you ever hear something or think of something and it made you think of something else that might have some connection to that thought?   Sometimes if you get enough of those random thoughts or sayings, they begin to form one whole thought in your mind; kind of like connecting the individual dots and coming up with a bigger picture.  That happened for me recently.  I'll tell you the "random" thoughts first so it'll make a little more sense.

#1  Brother Andre of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal visited our parish last fall and attended our Homeschooling Mass one morning and spoke to the children afterward.  He told them about the rosary he wears on the rope around his waist and the symbolism that holds for him.  He likes to have a big rosary, he said, because to him, it is like holding Mother Mary's hand.  What a beautiful thought.

#2  For the last few years I have slept with my rosary in hand.  Sometimes I fall asleep praying the rosary, other times, when I am too tired to pray, I just take comfort in knowing our heavenly Mother is close to me.

#3  I see people who have their rosaries in hand during Mass.  It is beautiful to see their devotion to our Lady, but I always hope they are not praying the rosary during Mass.  The Mass is the greatest prayer we can offer, so praying the rosary - which is also a beautiful prayer - during Mass, would take away from the Mass and Mother Mary would never want our attention turned from her Son to her.  The rosary is not supposed to take us to Mary, except in that it leads us closer to her glorious Son.

While I have been in Kansas City I've been visiting different churches for Mass.  Last night I had the pleasure of visiting St. Patrick's Oratory for the 6:00 p.m. Latin Mass.  I love the Latin Mass, though I understand scarcely one word of it.  That, coupled with the fact that I didn't have a Mass guide, led to my eyes wandering a bit.  There was a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus directly in front of me, which of course reminds me of my home parish, and just to the left of the altar, a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother.

I don't know how long I stared at that statue of Mother Mary, long enough for the random thoughts above to shoot through my head and click into place.  Mother Mary was there for the sacrifice of her Son and she is there every time and every where Mass is celebrated.  If we allow her, she takes us by the hand and leads us to her beautiful Son. 

So the next time you see me at Mass, don't be surprised to find my rosary in my hand - it's Mother Mary's hand, guiding me through the sacrifice of the Mass, closer to her Son.