My Rosary Bracelets

You may be wondering 'What is a Rosary Bracelet?'
Well, when I heard of Beaded Rosary Bracelets, they were quite a novelty to me too. They have been around for some time and came into use as part of a person's jewellery to be worn with the intention of reminding oneself to pray. Many of us say we are always too busy but really, saying the Rosary takes up only around 10 to 15 minutes. We may say we don't even have so many minutes to spare...OK, how about 2 to 3 minutes, even waiting for a bus takes longer! So we can just pray one decade (one mystery) whenever we find those extra minutes. AND that is what these bracelets are for...as a reminder and to help us pray...besides don't you think they're pretty!

For anyone wishing to learn more about how the Rosary is prayed, click on the link at the bottom of this posting.

These bracelets are most often made with chain, but some are also made with cord, elastic, twine, flexwire or even memory wire. A rosary bracelet has a small crucifix and a small medal, which in my case I have left out but inserted a finding which allows you to add your own. Usually this is a miraculous medal and many already own one or more in gold or silver. There are ten Hail Mary beads and one Our Father bead. Most bracelets are about 7 1/2 inches in length, but they can be adjusted by adding or removing chain.

Since I have been teaching myself beading and beading techniques, I decided to try and make some. I used different coloured beads so that when anyone is praying the Rosary, one can think of different intentions with each Hail Mary while contemplating on a particular mystery of the Rosary.

By the way you don't have to be a Catholic to pray the Rosary and as a Catholic you do not need to pray the Rosary, but it certainly has many benefits and spiritual fruits.

St.Joseph the Worker, May Day, International Workers Day

Today May 1st is a the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker

who is also the patron saint of our Parish Church.

God our Father creator and ruler of the universe,

in every age you call us to develop

and use our gifts for the good of others.

With Saint Joseph as our example and guide,

help us to do the work you have asked

and receive the rewards you have promised.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Picture and prayer from The Franciscan ecard site...

http://holyecards.com/ecards.php?action=build&id=1543

For Maltese speaking patrons of this blog here is a link to our parish website...http://www.sanguzepphaddiem.com/

Today is also May Day, a national holiday in many countries, synonymous with International Workers Day or Labour Day. In pre-Christian times May Day celebrations focussed on the festival of Flora the Roman Goddess of flowers, also the Walpurgis Night (a religious holiday of pre-Christian origin) celebrations of the Germanic countries.





Dancing around the Maypole is another way of observing this feast in America and Europe.


The giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps is a tradition that has unfortunately been slowly fading this past century.




During the process of conversion in Europe many pagan celebrations were abondoned or christenized and today we celebrate this day mostly to commemorate the Worker and his/her rights mostly with peaceful parades or marches. Check here for more on how this day is celebrated in different parts of the world... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Workers%27_Day






In the Roman Catholic tradition May is also observed as Mary's Month and throughout the month of May especially in various schools the Crowning of the Queen of the May is a yearly ceremony that is very much looked forward to. I remember how we used to prepare a crown of flowers or a golden tiara and one of the pupils dressed in white would crown the head of a statue of Our Lady in class, this was also a significant celebration when it was done with the entire school.

Here is a special page for children for the month of May

http://www.annieshomepage.com/may.html

May the month of May shower on all of you

many Blessings of strength to work,

good will to persevere

and friendships to uplift you!

Divine Mercy Novena

The Novena to the Divine Mercy

begins today on Good Friday

For those who wish to pray this devotion here is a link for the prayers
to be said on the next nine days leading to
the Feast of the Divine Mercy,
the Sunday after Easter Sunday.

This first link is the link to the daily intentions...
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

may also be offered each day for the day's intention,

but is not strictly necessary to the Novena.

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm

Thoughts for Good Friday

Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net

Although Lent may seem a sad time,

we should make it a 'Joyful season of the year',

one that challenges us to renew and strengthen

our faith, hope and love for the Lord.

How often have I tried to do God's will and failed?

Lord help me not to be discouraged by my failures.

Give me strength to persevere,

for I know that not to try harder is the worst "failure".

The above thoughts and prayers are taken from The Stations of the Cross written by Fr. Philip Heng, S.J.

+++++++

God gave me the gift of Himself. Totally.

My challenge now is to accept this gift. Totally.

Hmmmm. Not sure exactly how to do that -

but I am going to pray for you and for me,

that we find out how and do it.

A thought from Sr. Patricia Proctor

~ Franciscan Monastery of Saint Clare, Spokane, USA ~

Send your Greeting Cards from the Franciscan Ecards site http://holyecards.com/

Join to receive Sr. Pat's Joy Notes ~ there is a link on the right side of the page in this link.

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise You

Because by Your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Hosanna

Image is from my files

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week leading to Easter Sunday. Today we commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem while people laid down palms and clothing in front of his path. Their cry of Hosanna was an exclamation of praise, originally it was an appeal for deliverance.

On Palm Sunday palms and olive branches are blessed before Mass and distributed to the congregation at the end of today's celebration to take home to place in a prominant places to keep throughout the year.

The passion of Our Lord is recounted during today's Mass and this helps us as we prepare for Holy Week.

In some countries it is customary to make crosses with palms, here is a link on how they are made...

http://www.thesacredheart.com/plmcross.htm

The picture above shows the olive branch that we brought home today after church...I like to leave it in a vase until it starts to dry out and then I take small branches from it to place in different rooms.

A quietness awoke me

I was serene and so happy today

With the crowd I will shout Hosanna

As I lay palms across your way.

Your triumphant entry Lord

into my lonely heart

uplifts me and gives me hope

May we never be apart.

But I am frail and will deny you

Not once but many a time,

Like Peter did though he loved you so ~

I'm moved with your sweet love sublime.

I will shout Hosanna

Praise and honour be yours today

Please save me oh sweet Jesus

Do not let me go astray!

Doreen Scerri © 2009

Image is from my files

The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

(A picture from my files)

It was a busy day for me as well as a quiet day... I wanted to write a posting about today's feast of Our Lady of Sorrows and was thinking of what I could possibly write for this to be effective as a meditation or an outreach. I could write about how Our Lady suffered or about the suffering and pain that goes on in our world but then most of us already know about all this. Suffering can be such a personal thing, some people speak of their suffering constantly while others suffer in silence.
As I was debating whether or not to continue writing this post, I received an email from a very good friend of mine who I know has fairly recently suffered both physically as well as emotionally and I would like to dedicate this posting to her...you know who you are!

Her email says,
'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.'
When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
Concentrate on this sentence... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

I think it came just on time for me to use it as a reflection on this feast.

These are three very powerful sentences...in the first I think that it is how we act that matters, it is a call for action and how we go about it. I ask myself in what areas do I need to change if I want something different but this change needs to be done with a leap of Faith and Trust knowing that if I left it up to Him, He will show me the way but I need to be awake and aware at all times and be ready to accept, act or wait even if it means I have to suffer. It could be a change, an opportunity, a challenge.
In the second sentence we may feel that when things go wrong we are being punished, that we do not deserve this and many times we ask ourselves, 'Why me?' If we lose a job or a loved one, when our plans are changed, when it seems as if everything is going wrong, very often while thinking we know what is good for us or that our situation won't change, God may have other plans. What may feel as unfair may indeed be a blessing in disguise.
The last sentence I think is the most important and if we concentrate on it, it gives us strength.
God loves us so much, He will always help us, He gives us the strength to bear our troubles...my favourite quote is from Matthew 6:26, it has given me strength on many occasions...
Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you?
Whenever we find ourselves in difficult situations, when we feel lonely, when we seem to be at a dead end, that is when God lifts us up. That is when He is carrying us. We may not know when or how or even why but He always does.
For anyone suffering in any way, this posting may not be the answer but reading the three sentences and concentrating on how they connect with Action, Acceptance and Trust, I hope it will be uplifting.
Seeing how Our Lady suffered along with Jesus when she was there (action), how she accepted and trusted, we realise that when we suffer we gain, just as Jesus obtained eternal salvation for us when He suffered and died and then rose again. Indeed when God takes something from our grasp He is not punishing us but opening our hands to receive something better. Our suffering be it physical, spiritual or in any other way, is in preparation of a gift beyond our expections, beyond our dreams. I hope this thought is uplifting. I close with some thoughts in a poem/prayer.

To You Oh Mother

I turn my eyes

I feel your pain

In your lap He lies...

Mother most merciful

So full of love,

My pain I offer

To you above.

Bless us and as you

Take our grief,

Please give us hope

and sweet relief.

Sweet Mother Most beautiful,

Our Lady most kind,

Thank you for the comfort

That in you we find.

D. Scerri ©