Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

Lectionary: 460

Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him; For he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy."


Baruch, amanuensis to the Prophet Jeremiah, credits the above words to "Jerusalem." In today's scripture we hear her voice. 
Today we also celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. Mary is the Virgin Jerusalem, the Holy City who was always faithful to her spouse, the Lord God. We recognize Mary as the New Jerusalem in many scripture passages: 

• When the magi follow the star out of Jerusalem they are looking for the New Jerusalem; they find her and the baby in Bethlehem. The Spirit of God has left Herod's city and settled on the woman and her child.
• When the Angel Gabriel announced that Mary would be the Mother of the Messiah, he told her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you..." as the Spirit had descended upon Jerusalem and the Temple. 
• The "Mother of Jesus" appears twice in the Gospel of John. First, she describes the desolation of Jerusalem, "They have no wine." Then she receives the Beloved Disciple as her son, becoming for all beloved disciples our Mother, as Jerusalem was the Mother. As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.
• In The Book of Revelation, chapter 12, Mary appears as the Woman about to give birth. She is pursued by the dragon and finds refuge in the wilderness. In this symbolism the woman is the Holy People, the City, and the Church. 

It can be difficult for literal-minded Americans to make this connection. We recognize attitudes toward Old Glory as attitudes toward the United States, we know that mascots represent college teams and logos, corporations; but, oddly, we strip Christian religion of its symbols, which is like taking nourishment out of food. 
Much of the traditional conflict among Christians has been around Mary as symbol of the Church. An individualistic spirit prefers "Jesus" without his Church, the head without his body. This "Jesus and me" spirituality relies heavily on an idea of the Lord which is invoked without sacraments, without actual human contact. They believe one can be "saved" -- whatever that means -- without the Church which offers salvation. Somehow -- inexplicably -- knowledge of Jesus persists as a living memory in the world without the people who remember him. That "knowledge" supposedly abides not in the Church but in a book, the Bible (which the Church wrote). From there, of course, it's only a half-step to believing one is "saved" without Jesus. 
With twenty rosary mysteries we contemplate our belonging to Jesus through Mary and the Church. Readily, we wrap ourselves in her joy, wonder, sorrow and exultation. Her motherly affection does not permit us to exclude any knowledge of Jesus, neither his suffering nor his victory. Nor can we ignore any disciple of Jesus, regardless of their race, nationality or legal status. 
Even as we recite the rosary, the Lord removes those blocks from our hearts, preparing us for the indwelling of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.