Beads of Joy Blog II (2025 - 2026)

October 7   Our Lady of the Rosary Blog Pics are mine - enhanced by Google AI. Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary - October 7 October 7, today the Church celebrates a feast that is part history, and part of a love letter: Our Lady of the Rosary . We will reflect on a battle, a Pope, and a prayer. But if we listen closely, it is really about a Mother who loves her children over and over again. The Power of Prayer in Lepanto Let us go back to 1571, when the Ottoman fleet dominated the Mediterranean Sea, and Christian Europe was divided, outnumbered, and afraid. Pope St. Pius V, a Dominican who trusted the Rosary, did what so many popes do in a crisis: he asked the faithful to pray. The Rosary confraternities across Europe stormed heaven while the Holy League’s ships, under Don John of Austria, sailed out to meet the enemy near Lepanto. It was on October 7, 1571, against all expectations, the battle was won. The Pope credited the victory to the prayers of the faithful and t...

October 6     Saint Bruno, Priest My picture enhanced by Google AI. Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:38-42 (Martha and Mary) “Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” Reflection: Martha is busy, and Mary is still. It's easy to read today’s gospel and think Jesus is scolding Martha, but He isn't. Jesus says her name twice, and that's tenderness. He sees how tired she is, and He invites her to sit down with Him first and let the work grow out of...

October 5     Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin My picture enhanced by Google AI. Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:25-37 (The Good Samaritan) There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” The Parable of the Good Samaritan. But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite came to the ...

October 4 Parable of the Wicked Tenants Created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43 (The Parable of the Wicked Tenants) “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again, he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered [ e ]...

October 3   1 st Saturday Devotions I invite you to participate in the devotion today. Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:17-24 (The Return of the Seventy-Two) “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except ...

October 2   Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10 (Greatness in the Kingdom) At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. Reflection: Imagine God asking Job, “Have you ever given orders to the morning?” What a glorious question! The One who tells the dawn where to stand and knows the road to where the light lives is the very same One who calls you by ...

  October 1   Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus Virgin and Doctor of the Church My photo enhanced with Google AI. Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:1-12 (The Mission of the Seventy-Two) After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place, he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.   Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what i...

  September 30     Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church Today's Gospel: Luke 9:57-62 Today’s Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5,10 (Greatest In The Kingdom) “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; "See that you do not despise one of these little ones ; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” Reflection: Today the Church remembers Saint Jerome, the irritable, brilliant, relentlessly devoted scholar who spent decades in a cave in Bethlehem translating the entire Bible into Latin, producing the Vulgate that would shape ...

  September 29 Feast of Saints Michael Gabriel, and Raphael The Archangels Today's Gospel: John 1:47-51 Today’s Gospel: John 1:47-51 (The First Disciples) “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”   And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Reflection: Today we celebrate the Archangels, Michael, who leads Heaven's armies; Gabriel, who announces the Incarnation to Mary; and Raphael, whose name means “God heals”. D...