Sometimes I receive a note from a group sharing that they had very few children attending. It gives me so much joy to say that there were others praying at the same time unifying with their prayers and efforts.
Last month we took a trip to Florida to visit my husband's family. We were flying on the first Saturday of the month when many Children's Rosary groups are meeting. As we were in flight, I suggested to the children that they start their daily Rosaries and noted that it was 10AM ET and several Children's Rosary groups were meeting. As we were 30,000 feet in the air flying over the eastern portion of the United States the children were saying the Rosary. They were quietly saying their prayers, loud enought so that each could hear the other but in a confined plane sound travels. The women sitting in front of the children noticably seemed surpised at hearing children praying. She sat straight up not wanting to put her back to the seat and several times turned around to look behind her. Yet no one said anything to the children. The children continued with their 15 decades without noticing anything unusual. Later my husband confirmed that he also felt the mother of several children in front of us seemed affected by the prayers. We both talked about the children praying and wondered if we had done anything wrong. One is always reflecting on our actions and trying to be respectful of others. My husband pointed out that the gentlemen sitting next to him had been playing a loud movie on his phone without ear phones. He concluded that the children's prayers were no more disruptive than a loud movie. Indeed there was somthing beautiful about the children quietly praying the Rosary. One never knows how such a gentle thing can re-awaken a memory for others of a time maybe when they themselves were young and they prayed the Rosary. We would find out later that there was more beauty in store.
Upon returning from our trip I happened to see one of the Children's Rosary group leaders after daily Mass. Cheryl leads a Children's Rosary group at Sacred Heart Parish in East Berlin, Connecticut USA. Her group meets the first Saturday of the month. She shared with me that the prior Saturday the regular family that always comes had not been able to attend. She along with several adults said the Rosary in place of the children as none were present. I immediately remembered our plane flight and that the children had unified prayers with her group when they were meeting at 10AM. Indeed there were children praying and they were flying over her head. A wonder image to contemplate. It is a beautiful thing to be connected to so many in prayer.
As this year comes to a close there is a feeling of thanksgiving that comes in prayer. Last night walking through our neighborhood alone I began listing all the things I am grateful for this year. I found myself spending a great deal of time thanking Our Lord for the special gifts of people he sent into my life and that of the Children's Rosary. The list went on and on and I began to feel very small at the length of the list of all that had been given. Why so many gifts for such a year? Why so many dear people brought to the Children's Rosary? Do we deserve so much? No we do not. Yet Our Lord has a tenderness to those who love Him and want to share that love with others. If we are trying to share that love with children there is a feeling His generosity is endless. As I found myself back at my house and really only scratching the tip of the iceberg with all the wonderful people who the Lord has sent, I realized that these days leading up to New Years must be ones full of Thanksgiving.
Thank you all for having enriched this year and been a part of the Children's Rosary. May Our Lord pour His graces upon you and your family. Amen.
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