At the risk of being redundant , once again the date of my “random assignment” for the reflection today has significant meaning to me.  Yesterday as the 30th anniversary of my mother’s death and tomorrow is Mother’s Day in the US. And . . . today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima.  Being of Portuguese heritage, Our Lady of Fatima was a important figure in our household.  Even as a very young child I heard of this vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three small children in Fatima, Portugal. I’ve alas thought that the statues of Mary depicting that vision were the most beautiful ones of Mary.  Maybe it was my childlike imagination that if Mary could appear to those children that perhaps she would also appear to me.  Needless to say that never happened yet praying to Mary was always so important to me and still remains that way. Since both my grandmothers were named Mary and both born in the Azores, this connection is foundational to me. As I believe most Catholics, I associate such praying to Mary with the saying of the rosary.  My understanding of one of the significance of this appearance was the message to pray the rosary.

The readings today for the Memorial emphasize the importance of Mary. 
            Blessed are you, holy  virgin Mary, deserving of all praise.
            From you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.

I would like to share a most wonderful story about the “power” of the rosary. As I have mentioned previously, I was in the Army Reserve for many years including during our various Mideast conflicts. While by the grace of God I was never deployed, many of my colleagues were.  One sergeant who had worked with me was sent over and a returned to share an incredible God-wink story. 

Before he left, a mutual friend of ours gave him a rosary to take with him.  Our mutual friend was Catholic but not the sergeant that was deployed.  Since he was not Catholic I was amazed when he shared that he decided to take it with him and carried it every day in his pocket – it was with him at all times!  One day as he walked around the compound, he reached into his pocket for something and the rosary fell out of his pocket and onto the ground.  As he bent down to retrieve it, there was an incoming attack “missile” sailing over his head. When he stooped to pick up the rosary, he was sheltered by a concrete barrier and the ordinance missed him.  Had he been upright, he most likely would have been killed. I’m pretty sure that my goosebumps had goosebumps as I heard him tell his incredible story.  The rosary given to the non-Catholic, carried by the non-Catholic everyday fell out of his pocket at the exact time needed to save his life. A coincidence??  You know I’m going to call it a God-wink – this was Divine Intervention in my mind.  As he told his story, it was clear that his life was changed forever.  I will never doubt the power of the rosary as a beautiful prayer to Mary our mother and even the very presence as a life saver!

Toby Mac: Feel I