This weekend, we welcome home Reverend Brother Christopher Brannan, OP, who will preach Rosary Sunday.

There are so many things we can say about the rosary, this beautiful and sacred devotion that we Dominicans cherish.  Acknowledging the upcoming international inauguration of the Jubilee Year of the Order of Preachers (here at St Dominic’s at 10:00am on Saturday, October 31^st – all are invited to attend this Mass), let us contemplate how this devotion is related to the spirituality of the Order.

According to legend, during St Dominic’s early days, he had a dream.  The Blessed Mother appeared to him, giving him a suggestion on how to preach against the Albigensian heresy, which Dominic spent his life to preach against.  During their discussion, she handed him the rosary, the string of beads named after Mary’s crown.

The essence of the Albigensian heresy is that all matter, the body, food, the material world, is evil.  The only thing worth saving is the spiritual world, the soul.

If we think about the mysteries of the rosary, this is a perfect counter to the Albigensian way of thinking.  The first Joyful Mystery is the Annunciation, the announcement that the spiritual God will be incarnated into a human body.  The first Luminous is the Baptism of Jesus, where St John pours water over Jesus’ body in order to sanctify and institute this Sacrament of Baptism.  The first Sorrowful Mystery is the Agony in the Garden, when Jesus sweats tears of blood while preparing for his Passion and Death.  Finally, the first Glorious Mystery is the Resurrection of Jesus’ Body to new life.  How could you not see that the body and soul is holy, worthy of saving from Jesus’ point of view?  His entire earthly experience sanctified human action.  By the blueprint of Jesus’ life, he demonstrates that the body—as the soul—is a gift from God the Father, and can and may be an instrument of holiness and light.

Dominican spirituality acknowledges the weakness of every human being; despite ourselves, every one of us is redeemed by Christ.  Thus, we do not condemn the world.  Rather, it is wiser to acknowledge our weakness, and pray for an abundance of blessing to make holy those whom he has redeemed.  The blueprint of Jesus’ life shows us how and what we can do through His grace and life.

This is why we Dominicans wear the fifteen-decade rosary on our left hip.  We remember the great dream that Holy Father Dominic received, and also remember that we have this great weapon-of-choice, this sword of prayer, that will grant grace from God through Mary’s intercession.

May we use the grace given to live out the mysteries of the rosary in the here and now!

Lastly, on our blog, Praedicare (blog.stdominics.org) I plan to share my latest short story that I had written whilst away on vacation.  Star Watch tells the tale of a young woman who is trying to live out her faith in a strange and beautiful situation.  Facing adversity and doubt from home and abroad, she is surprised by those who help her, and together, they strive to become the best versions of themselves. The first installment had been published this past Wednesday, October 7. Parts two and three will be published on October 14 and October 21 respectively.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Holy Father Dominic, pray for us!

~Fr. Isaiah Mary Molano, O.P.