My dear parishioners,
Peace! The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights the “prayer of the rosary” as a popular substitute for the Liturgy of the Hours in the Western Church (§ 2678). In praying the rosary we “meditate on the mysteries of Christ” engaging our “thought, imagination, emotion, and desire” leading not only to “knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus” but “union with Him” (§ 2708). In fact the rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an “epitome of the whole Gospel” and is also an expression of “devotion to the Virgin Mary” (§ 971). Saint John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (16 October, 2002) proposed that we join to the classic fifteen mysteries contemplating the infancy, passion and resurrection of Christ the Lord, Mysteries of Light which highlight His public life on Earth (RVM, 21). Here we consider the third of the Luminous Mysteries, the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion.
Both aspects of this mystery are important as the Lord Jesus Himself points out: “The Kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the Gospel” (cf. Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; RVM, 21).
The Lord Jesus proclaims His Kingdom. The Lord Jesus calls us to seek His Kingdom (cf. Matthew 6:33). The Lord Jesus seeks to share His responsibility of judging the twelve tribes of Israel and all humanity with us when He sits on His glorious throne (cf. Matthew 19:28). While the Lord Jesus has established His Kingdom on Earth in Mother Church it will only be fully realized in Heaven (cf. John 18:36). That Christ’s Kingdom is mysterious is clear when He says “The Kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the Kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:20-21). We show our love for Christ our King by keeping His Commandments, His holy law (cf. John 14:15; 15:10).
The Lord Jesus calls us to conversion (Mark 1:15; RVM, 21). Repeatedly in Sacred Scripture we are called to repent, to turn away from sin (cf. Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22). If we fail to repent in the here and now the likelihood of our dying in our sins in greater (cf. Luke 13:4-5; 16:19-31). In that Christ the Lord is our King, He has a law which to the extent we follow it our hearts and minds are converted as we read in Psalm 19:7: “the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.” The Greek word metanoeo , translated as “repentance”, is not unrelated to Jesus’ call to conversion. He calls us and all to turn away from sin, to return to God with all our heart and mind and away from sin and Satan (cf. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:26-28; Acts 3:19).
May Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, intercede for us always.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr