Marian feasts

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which occasion, we commemorate the moment when the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, ever-Virgin and ever full of grace, was conceived Immaculate, that means, free from any taint of original sin and defects, and kept by the singular grace of God in the fullness of grace, and therefore, became the perfect Vessel through whom the Saviour of this world, Jesus Christ, Son of God Most High, enters into our midst through His glorious Incarnation in the flesh. Today’s celebration reminds us all that Mary is truly the New Ark of the New Covenant of God, bearing within her the Salvation which God has promised all of us.

Now, all of us need to understand the significance of the celebration today, and why the Church teaches that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, has been conceived without any taint of sin, spared and protected from the corruption of evil and sin. This is because we must understand that first of all, sin did not exist in the beginning, as God created all things good and perfect, just as we heard them in the Book of Genesis during the time of Creation. Mankind were also created perfect in the very image of God, and were all meant to dwell with God forever, in a state of perfect happiness, harmony and bliss. That is because God loves each and every one of us, all those whom He has created out of His perfect and overflowing love.

God did not have need for anything or anyone, as He is all perfect and all encompassing. There is nothing and no one who can satisfy God, as in His perfection, He has no need for all those things. Yet, in the overflowing love that came forth from the perfect love and union in His Most Holy Trinity, the unity and love between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, God wants us all to share in this love. Hence, that is why God created us all so that we all may share in His generosity and compassion, His richness of love and mercy. God has never meant for us to suffer in this world, or to endure any hardships, bitterness, challenges or trials, as He wants us to be truly happy and blessed, at all times. And therefore, from the beginning of time, He has shown us His love, enduring ever always despite our many sins.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is crucial that we understand how our disobedience against God and His Law, His commandments and ways has led us into the path of sin. Sin has caused us to be corrupted and turned away into the path of wickedness and evil, and leading us down the path of rebellion against God. Through sin, we have been brought away from the righteous path of God, and we have been afflicted with this corruption of sin, which made us to be unworthy of God’s grace and love, that He has always ever generously given to us. We have rejected Him by our disobedience and preference to follow the path of Satan and sin, in turning away from His love and path. Thus, by our disobedience sin has been borne by us, and by sin thus we have entered into this state of suffering and we have to suffer death.

Yet, God’s love for each and every one of us endured, and that is why from the beginning He has already planned way ahead for our salvation and ultimate liberation from all those wicked forces and sin. He revealed to our ancestors and Satan himself, that through the Woman, the salvation of all mankind and this whole world would come, and Satan would be dealt a great defeat, and eventually he shall be thrust forever into Hell and destroyed. And this Woman is none other than Mary, the Mother of God, the one through whom the Saviour of the world, the Son of God Most High, Jesus Christ, would be born through. She is the Woman through whom God would restore all of His beloved people back to His grace and love, because by her ready acceptance of her role and part in the history of salvation, she has brought unto us the love of God made flesh, in Jesus Christ.

Then, as we have already spoken about how sin has led to the corruption and downfall of mankind, because we have been made corrupted and unworthy of God, Who is all holy and perfect, and hence, this is why this belief we have in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Bearer of the Messiah, is necessary and important. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because for Mary to bear God Himself in her, present in the flesh in Jesus Christ, thus, she has to be immaculate and holy, perfect and free from the taint of sin. That is because no sin can exist in God’s Presence, and nothing impure and imperfect can be in the Vessel of His Saviour, His own Son, Who is co-equal and consubstantial with the Father.

In the past, the Ark of the Covenant was the centre and focus of the worship and the whole community of the people of Israel, because God Himself has hallowed and blessed it, and His Holy Presence came down upon the Ark and rested on it. The Ark was made by the craftsmen from the finest worldly materials, and was made to contain the two tablets on which the Ten Commandments of God were written, as well as the heavenly bread manna, by which God had fed His people with, and also the Staff of Aaron, the staff of authority by which God had performed His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt before the Pharaoh and the Egyptians. That Ark of the Covenant was the manifestation of God’s Presence among His people, and as it has been hallowed and made holy to allow God’s Presence to rest on it, thus, it cannot be touched by anyone, and there was a case when a priest accidentally touched the Ark, and he was struck dead on the spot.

Why is that so? That is because of our sins, which will be our undoing if we come to God in a state of sin and wickedness. Thus, that is why, in the same idea and logic, therefore, is the reason why Mary, the Mother of God, who was to bear the Lord Himself in her own hallowed womb, has to be truly free from any taint of sin, and thus, she, by the singular grace of God, had been kept from the taint of original sin and any other sin throughout her whole life. She is indeed the New Ark of the New Covenant of God, which the Lord Jesus would establish with all of us. This is also what is referred to by the Archangel Gabriel when he hailed Mary as ‘Full of Grace’. One who is in the state of fullness of grace means that the person is fully attuned and aligned with God and His will, and therefore, has no sin. This is why, the Church has consistently taught that Mary was conceived without sin in the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, and then remained ever holy and pure throughout her life.

That is also why the Church teaches that Mary has also been assumed to Heaven at the end of her worldly existence, in the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the same reason that if sin has never corrupted her, then she should not suffer the consequences of sin, and thus, by the grace of God, she has been assumed and taken, body and soul into Heaven. Now, as we reflect on all these roles that Mary had played in the story of our salvation by God, let us all therefore remind ourselves to be more like her in all that she had done throughout her whole life. Mary was indeed honoured greatly and exalted, first and foremost because she is none other than the Mother of God herself, and if we truly love and honour the Lord our God, with all of our hearts and might, then we should also honour His mother in the same way.

However, we also honour Mary because of her great dedication and commitment to God, her ready and willing acceptance of God’s will and all that He had told her to do. She accepted everything humbly and lovingly, committing herself to what she had been entrusted to do. As the bearer of the Lord and His Mother, she has dedicated herself to care for her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, and she followed Him throughout His ministry faithfully, even to the foot of the Cross, where she saw with her very own eyes, the most painful suffering and death that her own Son had to suffer for the sake of our salvation, and to liberate all of us from the tyranny and dominion of sin and evil. All of these had been patiently endured by Mary, who continued to humbly and devotedly follow the Lord and fulfil her mission as intended.

Let us therefore as Christians be inspired by the examples and the faith of Mary, the Blessed ever Virgin, Mother of God, and do what we can so that our own lives may truly be worthy of the Lord, in obeying His will, Law and commandments at all times. Let us all strive to be ever more worthy of the Lord by doing what is right and just, and what He has taught and shown us all to do in our respective lives. May all of us as Christians be true and genuine disciples and followers of Christ in all things, and not merely a formality only. May all of us strive to keep ourselves away from sin and evil, as we ought to remember that we ourselves have been chosen and blessed to be God’s holy people, and hence, we should not allow ourselves to be corrupted by sin and evil, by distancing ourselves from the many temptations being present all around us.

May the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, most holy, the Immaculate Conception, be our guide and our help, in our journey of faith towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, and may He continue to bless our lives and fill us all with His ever enduring love and grace. Amen.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ephesians 1 : 3-6, 11-12

Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, Who, in Christ, has blessed us from heaven, with every spiritual blessing. God chose us, in Christ, before the creation of the world, to be holy, and without sin in His presence.

From eternity He destined us, in love, to be His adopted sons and daughters, through Christ Jesus, thus fulfilling His free and generous will. This goal suited Him : that His loving-kindness, which He granted us in His beloved might finally receive all glory and praise.

By a decree of Him, Who disposes all things, according to His own plan and decision, we, the Jews, have been chosen and called, and we were awaiting the Messiah, for the praise of His glory.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.

YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.

The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Genesis 3 : 9-15, 20

YHVH God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?”

The man answered, “The woman You put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.” God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”

YHVH God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

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Tuesday, 21 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorating the moment when Mary, the Mother of God, was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, the House of God in accordance to the rules and ways of the Law of God. She was presented and consecrated to God, as a prefigurement of the role that she would later on play in the history of our salvation. Indeed, Mary has been prepared and set aside by the Lord from the very beginning, from before she was even conceived, to be the one to bring forth the salvation into the world. She was set aside, made special, and by the singular grace of God, she was spared from the corruption of original sin and all the taints and corruptions of sin henceforth, that she was truly conceived without sin.

This is what the Church has taught and preserved from the very beginning, in the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In that Dogma, the Church teaches that Mary had been spared from the effects of sin, which had afflicted us from the very beginning of time, when our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, chose to disobey the Lord and embraced the path of sin, the path that Satan had offered and tempted them with. All mankind had been afflicted by the corruption and have to suffer the consequences of sin ever since, that is death. However, Mary was prepared special by the Lord because she has a particular destiny and purpose, that is to become the one to bear the Saviour of the whole world, as the Mother of God herself.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Zechariah in which the prophet spoke of God’s words and reassurance for all of His people that He would send them His salvation, and everyone of them would rejoice once again because He would dwell among them once again, and that they would be saved from their predicament and troubles. The Lord would once again dwell among His people, just as He had done in the days past, when the Ark of the Covenant was in the first Temple of God built by King Solomon. Ever since the people disobeyed the Lord and abandoned Him for the pagan gods and idols, they had been cast out and punished, but the Lord never did abandon or neglect them. He still continued to send out messengers, prophets and helpers in order to help and guide them in their path towards Him.

It was exactly through Mary that God and His salvation has come into this world, because as we all know and are going to prepare to celebrate later in Advent and Christmas, by the will of the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Divine Word of God Himself has become flesh, incarnate into Man, and was conceived in the hallowed womb of Mary, to become a Child and born of her. And because of this, it is essential that she is hallowed and made to be worthy of God Himself being present within her. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because linking to the Ark of the Covenant which I mentioned just earlier, which is representing God’s Holy Presence among His people, Mary is the New Ark of the New Covenant which God would make and establish with His people, through the Son to be born of Mary’s womb, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The original Ark of the Covenant contained the two stone tablets upon which the Law of God had been inscribed and written, the Ten Commandments as we are all familiar with, as well as the manna, the heavenly bread with which the Lord fed His people, the Israelites, throughout the entirety of their forty years long sojourn and travel from the land of Egypt to the Promised Land, as well as the Staff of Aaron, the staff of priestly authority and leadership, with which God had performed many of His signs and wonders through Moses and Aaron, and which represented the leadership of God’s people. And it was upon this Ark of the Covenant, crafted from the finest materials and decorated with the golden Cherubim on top, that the Lord descended upon His people, seated upon the Ark, and hence, becoming the very tangible sign of His Presence in this world.

Then, comparing this to what the Lord would bring forth through Mary, there is an even far greater Covenant and things that happened than the original Ark of the Covenant. The original Ark of the Covenant, which was made from the finest materials and wrought with human hands, was so holy that no one was allowed to directly touch it, and in one instance, when one of the priests accidentally touched it, he was immediately struck dead. Why is that so? That is because God is so Holy and perfect that no sin and imperfection, corruption and evil may exist in His Presence and remain. Hence, the same logic applies as well to Mary, who was to become the vessel of God Himself, this time truly present and tangible in the flesh, in His Holy Presence, the Almighty and all-Holy God descending into our world through Mary. That was why, she was set aside and hallowed, Immaculate, free from any taints of sin throughout her life, being full of God’s grace.

Now, on this day, as we commemorate this Feast of the Presentation of Mary, the Blessed Mother of God, let us all therefore look upon Mary, the one through whom God had done so many great and wonderful works, in bringing forth His salvation into this world. What is important is, we must also realise that Mary is not just worthy of veneration, honour and following because of her having been set aside by the Lord to be the holy vessel for Our Lord and Saviour, but she herself had lived her life worthily of the Lord, at all times throughout her life. She has shown what it means for us to live a good, holy and worthy Christian living, in all of our lives, our words, actions and deeds. And she is therefore a great inspiration and role model for all of us, just as she has also always encouraged us to remain true and faithful to the Lord as our loving Mother.

When the Lord in our Gospel passage today was talking about those who follow the Lord, obey His will and Law are those who are His mother and family members, He was not actually disrespecting His own Mother, who was there waiting on Him and following Him. Rather, on the contrary, the Lord was actually pointing to everyone who listened to Him, to follow the examples of His own loving Mother in all the things that they say and do. Therefore, all of us should also do the same in our own lives, in doing what the Lord has told and taught us to do, in living our lives, carrying out our actions and interactions, with the Lord as the focus and emphasis in them. Let our lives be the shining beacons of God’s light and truth, His love and compassion to others, that more and more may come to know Him as His love.

May the Lord, our loving God and Master continue to love us and strengthen us in faith, and may through the good examples and inspirations of His Blessed Mother, Mary, who is our mother too, we all may come ever closer to the Lord and His Holy Presence. May all of us be blessed in our every good efforts and endeavours, all for the greater glory of God, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 21 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 12 : 46-50

At that time, while Jesus was talking to the people, His mother and His brothers wanted to speak to Him, and they waited outside. So someone said to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with You.”

Jesus answered, “Who is My mother? Who are My brothers?” Then He pointed to His disciples and said, “Look! Here are My mother and My brothers. Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

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Tuesday, 21 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my Saviour!

He has looked upon His servant, in her lowliness, and people, forever, will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name!

From age to age, His mercy extends to those who live in His presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.

He held out His hand to Israel, His servant, for He remembered His mercy, even as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.

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Tuesday, 21 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Zechariah 2 : 14-17

Sing and rejoice, o daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you,” says YHVH. “On that day, many nations will join YHVH and be My people, but My dwelling is among you.”

The people of Judah will be for YHVH as His portion in His holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again. Keep still in YHVH’s presence, for He comes, having risen from His holy dwelling.

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Saturday, 7 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, in which we remember Mary, the Holy Mother of God, in her aspect of her gift to us in the rosary, the beads that we usually use in our prayers, composed usually of fifty beads that are interconnected together, and represent the chain of prayers that all of us have been given so that we may be able to find our path towards the Lord. Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary has always shown us God’s wonderful love, through her own compassionate and loving attention towards each and every one of us, God’s beloved people. God entrusted to His beloved mother, all of us to be His own children, so that we may be under her care and protection.

This event of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary had its roots in the victory of the forces of the Lord at the great Battle of Lepanto, in which the combined forces of Christendom stood its ground against the mighty forces of the Ottoman Empire, which at that time, was greatly expansionist and aggressive, in trying to subjugate Christian realms and God’s people. Hence, after having suffered from many important setbacks, the forces of the Christian rulers were gathered and assembled under the leadership of the Pope, then Pope St. Pius V, who urged Christian rulers to gather their forces and stop the forces of the Ottomans, and hence, a mighty fleet came to meet the Ottoman fleet at the bay of Lepanto in what is today part of Greece.

Pope St. Pius V commanded all of Christendom and urged all Christians everywhere to pray for the success of the forces of the Christian nations, and advised everyone to pray the rosary, asking for the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, the Angels and the saints, to help the forces of the Lord’s faithful against those of their enemies. In the end, during the great battle, which went miraculously for the forces of Christendom, ended up in a great and triumphant victory against the forces of the enemies of the people of God, their oppressors and all those who have refused to believe in the Lord. It was told according to tradition and eyewitnesses on both sides of the battle that during the battle, a heavenly vision of great army of Heaven, led by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, the Angels and saints were fighting on the side of the faithful against the Ottomans.

Thus, upon the great victory, the Pope declared a great celebration and dedicated this victory to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the title of Our Lady of Victory. However, soon after, this celebration and dedication was renamed after the title of Our Lady of the Rosary which we celebrate up to this day. This is also a reminder of the powerful nature of the rosary prayer, in invoking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, in helping us all to find our way towards the Lord and His salvation and grace. We must not underestimate the use and the power of the rosary, which had indeed helped countless souls in finding their way back towards God. The rosary has been instrumental in helping so many people to rediscover their faith and also prayer habits, and reconnecting many of them back to God, through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary.

The rosary itself, also sometimes known as the Dominican rosary, came to be in its present form from the practices of the Church fathers in praying over knotted prayer ropes, which our brethren in the Eastern Churches still used till this day. Initially, those ropes were used to say the Jesus prayer, or the entire a hundred and fifty chapters of the Book of Psalms, which then evolved into the rosary in its present form, in the prayers offered to God through His Blessed Mother, the Pater Noster or the Lord’s Prayer, the Ave Maria or Hail Mary, and the Gloria Patri or the Glory Be prayer. These were presented to St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, in a vision which the saint received from the Mother of God, who passed on to St. Dominic, the gift of the rosary.

Ever since then, the rosary has become a truly powerful spiritual weapon and sacramental, helping many of the people of God to remain firmly rooted in their faith in God. Back then, the practice of saying prayers like Ave Maria or Hail Mary had been commonplace, and the rosary helped to give this popular practice an anchor through which more and more people could practice this devotion and deepen their relationship with God through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary. Therefore, today, as we celebrate this great Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, let us all renew our devotion and commitment to God which we made through spending meaningful and good time in praying, in deepening our relationship with Him and in honouring His Blessed Mother at all times.

This is why today, we should renew our practice and make the good habit of praying to God, and especially through the use of the holy rosary. Through the rosary, each and every one of us have been led to the Lord via the patient and loving hands of our blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary. The rosary has helped us to redirect our attention and focus back towards the Lord, and away from all the distractions, evils and the temptations of the world, all of which threatened to lead us down the wrong path into our downfall and destruction. We should always strive to fulfil God’s will, as well as obeying His Law and commandments at all times. Through the faithful devotion and genuine prayer of the rosary, all of us should grow ever stronger in our faith and love for God. At the same time, we should also pray the rosary and other prayers with genuine attention and focus on the Lord, and not merely reciting the prayers without meaning or proper intention.

May Our Lady of the Rosary, the Most Holy Mother of God, our protectress, guide and inspiration continue to pray for all of us sinners, and may she, our loving Mother, continue to intercede for us, that we may be strengthened in our faith and lives by the Lord. May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us, in all of our every efforts and endeavours, and in our every actions, so that we may indeed be good role models and inspirations to one another, and to all those whom we encounter in our daily lives. May God be with us always, now and forevermore, together with His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary. Amen.