I'm not sure if I shared this about the 2008 conference in San Antonio on the old blog (I'm too tired and/or lazy to bother to dig through that dusty place again), so I'll just write about it here.
I make rosaries . . . not as often as I ought! . . . for missions (I've sent out one box with about 200 rosaries ONCE). I guess that counts for something! I've taught others how to make them, too. I only really figured out how to make them, because Dawn patiently showed me how to tie the knots (she wasn't that great at it then, but she knew how to do it!!! BTW, she makes great rope rosaries these days). I also taught myself how to make the metal and bead rosaries from Lewis & Company. The reason I started making them? I felt moved to in order to apologize to Our Lady for destroying so many of them in our household during a time of great confusion and anger in my life. Yes, I can relate very well to Scott Hahn's story when he told of busting up his grandmother's rosary. I so "get" that, and, I also "get" how he felt/feels when he thinks back on that great error!
When I was at conference (2008), during a regional meeting, one of the ladies stood up and announced her rosary had turned gold during Adoration. She also said, "This is the second time this has happened to me!"
I admit I was an Ass Giantess when I said, just loud enough for my friend beside me to hear, "Why her?!?!" Inside, I was just boiling with jealousy! I was thinking, "C'mon! I've been doing 'everything' and I want that kind of thing to happen to my rosary!" I dream about it happening, I want it so bad, yeah?
My friend sitting beside me slapped my leg and admonished me for being so uncharitable. She was right to do so! I knew that then as I know it now. It's embarrassing to admit I was so ugly about this.
That day was filled with emotional and good things. . . . the healing Mass and all . . . that evening is when the priest who did the Divine Mercy talk gave me a rosary. Well, what was so special about that rosary? It was given to him by his friend John Paul II.
Mary, in her utmost kindness, came back to me that same evening and, I think, gave me something much richer and more meaningful than my rosary turning gold. She gave me refinement through the gift of humility. Acceptance from this humble priest (who I also harshly judged in the beginning - because he was so "into" Divine Mercy" and he was the kind of person who looked at you, to the left of you, to the right of you, and right through you at the same time - eerily, I might add), and a gift, such a gift! A mission to pray! A mission to be involved in a much more personal way with Divine Mercy.
Even after ignoring or setting DM aside as, regrettably, often as I have . . . He's still calling me. He's calling all of us to be Mercy to others. Pray for one another, pray for the sick and dying, and, pray for the souls in Purgatory. If you can't do something physically merciful, or, say something merciful, take it upon yourself to PRAY something merciful.
This is my daily mission. It's such a gift!
8 comments:
God Bless You for doing the work of our Lady NOW : ) I would love to learn to make the knotted ones. Never thought of looking them up.
And WOW...a rosary from a would-be Saint...how awesome is that! Now I am jealous .
@Carmelitemom - I am still humbled by this gesture of Our Lady . . . and through a humble servant priest, from one of Her wonderful servants, JP2 . . .it's definitely full of meaning for me, that I can't even begin to fully write about it here. I definitely know Our Lady loves me - and I think that is all in a nutshell.
What a beautiful story! God Bless! Cathy
I don't believe all that rosary-turning-to-gold business. However, she said it, you reacted and look at you now! THAT is golden! Our Lady is so good - I love her SO much!
I have a rosary that has four connector metal rings that have turned gold. Don't ask me why only they have done so. I have a rosary that was blessed by Pope Benedict. You know what I have that is ever bit as special really...you...a friend, a sister in Christ, who prays the rosary daily, as I try to do and one who encourages me to keep going in Divine Mercy also! Thank you, Sarah..God bless you!
I have seen rosarys turning gold. It does happen!
Divine Mercy has touched my life in many ways.
I am working on that "mercy" part.
I have someone in my life who has hurt me really bad yet I want to kick that person out of my life, however, that is impossible to do. so complicated.
I believe that rosaries can turn to gold, but I think that when they do it is INSTANTANEOUS. Then, if this were to happen to me, I would take the rosary in to be tested to see for certain. I'm not skeptical, but I want to be sure before I start yammering on about "my rosary turned to gold" to anyone. There have been many cases where the silver paint came off and the brass metal underneath was showing through (tarnished looking, too) and, evidently the change was very slow. However, I believe anything is possible with God and some are blessed to have rosaries turn to gold.
I believe what change took place at conference regarding this particular rosary wasn't so much the rosary, but my heart. My heart was changed and that is more precious to me than anything: that, Mary stooped to earth, through a priest, to say "Sarah, you're alright; I love you." That's golden.
Your posts on the Divine Mercy are wonderful, Sarah. I pray the Chaplet everyday. I'm with you on the "It's always three o'clock somewhere" thing :)
My father's rosaries always turn to gold. Strange but true. I'm not quite sure why. I was told that rosaries turning gold is symbolic of purification. My father is always suffering and it lifts his heart when he sees these little signs of Mary's love!
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