My friend Bonnie asked why we pray Hail Mary…. over and over, repeating the Hail Mary 50 times in a Rosary over 1/2 hour…. And I told her, it’s not just Hail Mary … a greeting from the angel Gabriel to Mary in St Luke’s first chapter, he calls Mary "Full of Grace" and tells Mary she will be the mother of God, but also it ends with us asking Mary to pray for us…. So it like saying "Hello Mother… You are so blessed and so wonderful. I love you. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death." My sisters and I have been so blessed that all of us have had Mother present at the birth of children (well not me… sorry Mom), and after surgeries. I will never forget watching Mother and my doctor touching the wound in my belly after surgery. … Mom and the doctor. What better thing can we ask? and wouldn’t it be the grandest thing to have our mother there with us, at the hour of death? Many of us can’t have our mother with us, as she has preceeded us. So we pray to Mary, Mother of God, who was given over to John’s care at the death of her Son on the cross. "This is your mother." We take that statement by Jesus from the cross, literally.
Today and yesterday as I watched Mass, the EWTN priest talked about the Million Rosary March. The church is attempting to pray a million Rosaries, and actually counting them through our commitment of time. So if I commit, they know Susie Peabody will pray 100 rosaries between now and December 8, 2020. Check. 100 rosaries. and onward to December when we will reach 1 million. The prayers are for the Covid victims, those sick and those who died. And the prayers are for those who need mercy and healing of their hearts that are full of anger, resentment, violence, all sickness. It just so happens that I am listening to a voice of the Holy Spirit. I heard the priest on the TV on Sunday morning, but it wasn’t until middle of the night that I realized I will pray a Rosary a day at the park, at the circle here in Lake Placid outside the school. I will pray for the health and safety of our school children who started school today. As I sat at the picnic table in the park, I prayed and watched school children in the school yard, in and out, phys ed I guess. There was a loud speaker announcement. Remember those? A disembodied voice comes at you and you have to be quiet…. "shhhh". It all floods over me when I sit still and listen in the park. Make your own personal commitment. It doesn’t have to be Hail Marys although it sure is comforting to know you have a Mother who will be with you…. "now and at the hour of your death", it can be reading prayers and meditations for 1/2 hour. Pray for the children. Peace, safety. God bless America.