A Stream in the Desert:

"May Adonai bless you and protect you! May Adonai deal kindly and graciously with you! May Adonai lift up his countenance upon you and grant you peace!" (Torah, Numbers 6:24-26) And Jesus said, "Allow the little children to come unto me. Forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God. Truly, I say unto you, unless you receive the Kingdom of God as a little child does, you shall not enter therein." (New Testament, Mark 10:14-16)

Sojourning at an Oasis Paradise

My purpose for living this life, and for writing this blog, is to understand the faith that links us to God. I wish to explore and discuss the reality at the heart of all of the world's religions. This is an immense task, but I know that God also has faith in us, trusting that we do desire the truth, as well as freedom, love and wisdom. Thus, as always, He meets us halfway. Even as God has given us individual souls, so we must each of us trace out an individual pathway to God. Whether we reside in the cities of orthodox religion, or wend our solitary ways through the barren wastelands, God watches over us and offers us guidance and sustenance for the journey.


Most of what you will see here is the result of extensive personal study, combined with some careful speculation. Occasionally, I may simply offer some Scripture or an inspirational text. I am a wide reader, and the connection of some topics and ideas to matters of faith and religion may not seem immediately obvious, but perhaps I may spell it out in the end... or maybe, you will decide that it was just a tangent. Anyway, I hope that you will find my meanderings to be spiritually enlightening, intellectually stimulating, or at least somewhat entertaining.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

A Better Wildflower Rosary

It is to be hoped that these innovations won't be too much of an impediment for those already familiar with the Rosary. I did intend for there to be a degree of flexibility in the choice of prayers, so that any Catholics who want adopt this can continue to say the prayers they prefer. 

Some, who already have the habit of saying the whole Rosary every day, might complain that the extension of three more days, with new sets of mysteries to memorize, adds too much burden for us to keep up with in our busy lives. That was also my concern, so I made it easier and quicker to do each decade by suggesting the Sinner's Prayer instead of the Hail Mary. Doing one day's mysteries should be a little quicker now than it was before. And we can still say the whole series simply by breaking up our schedule to match St. Benedict's canonical hours, but without waking in the middle of the night. However, if you do wake up at 3am, you could say Sister Faustina's chaplet of the Divine Mercy. 

....
So, as we begin, let us carefully examine our conscience, and consider how much we have to repent for. How abundant God's grace is to forgive us and offer us his salvation and eternal life! Then, let us humbly address our devotions to our Lord. We should meditate a few lingering moments on each mystery before concluding with the decade of short prayers. It can be our choice either to read the short Scripture passage corresponding to the mystery, or to visualize the story in a devotional way, imagining how we might feel as a witness. This meditation is what makes the Rosary more than merely repetitive rote prayers. 

Monday: The Joyful Mysteries 
1. Annunciation of Fulfillment 
    Luke 1:26-38 
2. Visitation of Elisabeth 
    Luke 1:41-45
3. Nativity of Jesus 
    Luke 2:4-19 
4. Presentation of the First Born 
    Luke 2:22-35 
5. Adoration by the Magi 
    Matthew 2:1-12 
6. Discovery in the Temple 
    Luke 2:45-49 
Parable: The Importuning Friend at Night 
    Luke 11:5-13 

Tuesday: The Luminous Mysteries 
1. Baptism of Jesus 
    Matthew 3:13-17 
2. Wedding at Cana 
    John 2:1-11
3. Proclaiming the Kingdom 
    Mark 1:14-15 
4. Casting out Demons 
    Mark 9:17-29, Luke 11:14-23 
5. Transfiguration of his Appearance 
    Matthew 17:1-8 
6. Feeding the Multitudes 
    Luke 9:11-17 
Parable: Finding Great Treasure 
    Matthew 13:44-45

Wednesday: The Believing Mysteries 
1. Healing the Sick 
    Mark 5:21-43, Luke 7:1-10 
2. Including the Despised 
    John 4:5-26 
3. Forgiving the Broken 
    Matthew 9:2-8 
4. Relieving our Blindness 
    Mark 10:46-52 
5. Power over Nature 
    Matthew 14:22-33 
6. Promising Resurrection 
    John 11:17-27, 32-35, 38-44 
Parable: The Wheat and the Tares 
     Matthew 13:24-30 

Thursday: The Theological Mysteries 
1. Rebirth into the Kingdom 
    John 3:3-8 
2. Foundation of the Church 
    Matthew 16:13-19 
3. Words of Eternal Life 
    John 6:63-69 
4. Revealing his Identity 
    John 10:22-30, 37-38 
5. Establishing the Eucharist 
    Luke 22:14-20 
6. Abiding with Jesus 
    John 15:1-11 
Parable: The Good Shepherd 
    John 10:1-18 

Friday: The Sorrowful Mysteries 
1. Agony in the Garden 
    Matthew 26:36-45 
2. Scourging at the Pillar 
    Mark 15:15 
3. Crowned with Thorns 
    John 19:2-3 
4. Carrying the Cross 
    John 19:17 
5. Mary is our Mother 
    John 19:25-27 
6. Death by Crucifixion 
    Luke 23:32-34, 44-46 
Parable: The Vinyard Owner 
    Matthew 21:33-44 

Saturday: The Holiness Mysteries 
1. Greatest Commandments 
    Matthew 22:36-40 
2. Kosher Speech 
    Matthew 15:11,17-20 
3. Corporal Works of Mercy 
    Matthew 25:34-40 
4. Love Your Enemies 
    Matthew 5:43-48 
5. Seek First the Kingdom 
    Matthew 6:19-34 
6. Keep my Commandments 
    John 15:12-17 
Parables: The Good Neighbor 
    Luke 10:29-37 

Sunday: The Glorious Mysteries 
1. Resurrection of Jesus 
    Mark 16:1-7 
2. The Great Commission 
    Matthew 28:16-20 
3. Ascension into Heaven 
    Acts 1:9-11 
4. Descent of the Holy Spirit 
    Acts 2:1-4 
5. Coronation of the Queen 
    Revelations 12:1 
6. Return of the King
    Luke 21:25-28,31-36 
Parables: Light of the World 
    Matthew 5:14-16 
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