September 8th 2019: Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today the Catholic Church honors the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many Children's Rosary groups met today. We thank all the children for making the day extra special for Our Blessed Mother. Surely seeing children meeting throughout the world to pray the Rosary, a prayer so dear to Our Blessed Mother, brings her joy. Like many groups, we had a meeting today. Our Children's Rosary met at the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in West Hartford, Connecticut USA. My children and I attended 8AM Mass and as our Children's Rosary doesn't start until 9:45 AM we usually have time to say an additional Rosary before setting up for the meeting. We are aware that another Children's Rosary group meets in that time between when our morning Mass ends and our Children's Rosary begins so we try to pray during that time to unify in prayer with the Children's Rosary in South Windsor, Connecticut.

Today at the end of the Rosary we said unified with the other Children's Rosary in South Windsor, Connecticut we saw one of the women of the parish replacing the candles on the altar with new ones. Once the candles get below a certain height they do not fit in the holder and need to be removed. Sometimes they put them out on the table free. Whenever we see them on the table we quickly bring them home. Although we have the tendency to not burn them as they seem so special and we always want to save them for a special day. Today I asked the women for the discarded two candles. She was happy to give them to us and in talking to her we were able to receive 12 more used candles. This was all very exciting. It seemed such a generous gift on the day when we are honoring Our Lady. Indeed it seems She is not outdone in generosity.

Given the large number of candles we now have the kids and I decided we would burn them during our family Rosary each day. Thus in the afternoon today, we began what we hope will be a new tradition. We lit two candles in honor of the 2 millennium since Our Lady's birth. She is over 2,000 years old but the two candles were a tiny way we could remember her many years. The candles added something special to our Rosary at home today. It helped to bring a little more awareness of the special time in prayer. We encourage others to explore what happens to the used candles at your Church. Even small candles can add something special when praying at home especially when you have the family coming together. 

Thank you all again for making today special for Our Blessed Mother by bringing children together in prayer. May God bless you.