Friends of the Rosary,

This Fourth Sunday of Advent, so close to Christmas, the Catholic Church invites us to focus our attention on Mary. She, the Ark of the Covenant, visits St. Elizabeth (Luke 1:38-45) in the hill country of Judah, near Jerusalem.

The Church Fathers saw the parallels between the Old Testament wooden Ark containing the divine presence and the Virgin about to give birth to the God-child Jesus.

As the ark was brought to Jerusalem, King David, with awe, said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" The Ark remained in the hill country for three months, bringing great blessings to Israel.

In today's Gospel, Elizabeth asked Mary, "Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" 

She tells how her baby, John the Baptist, leaped in her womb as she became filled with the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Mary remained for three months before returning to her home.

The Holy Virgin recited the Magnificat: “All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed.”

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• December 22, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

Today’s reading (Luke 1:39-45) describes the story of the Visitation, the second Joyful mystery after the Annunciation when Mary gave her fiat.

The Blessed Mother set out to visit her cousin Elizabeth in “the hill country of Judah.” That was precisely where David found the Ark. Mary, the definitive Ark of the Covenant, came to that same hill country.

Elizabeth is the first to proclaim the fullness of the Gospel: “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

In these episodes, Mary brings God into the world.

Through the Child Jesus, God offers the fullness of his love to all who wait for light, hope, and joy.

This holy season of Christmas, we celebrate Emmanuel, God-with-us, Christ Jesus born anew in our hearts.

We pray to see the face of Christ so we can serve one another with greater love and compassion.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• December 21, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

During Advent, the example of Mary and Joseph shows us how to listen with an open heart and discern the will of God.

In the act of listening to the Angel Gabriel — as we are reading this week in the Gospel — Mary and Joseph became a model of humility and obedience to the Divinity.

Therefore, we are invited to reflect on the profound meaning of listening in a world full of noise, distraction, and confusion.

We are called to cultivate a receptive and open attitude to the Word of God through the intercession of Mary and the example of Saint Joseph.

This is the opposite of the sin of pride, characterized by self-sufficiency and not recognizing the need to learn or receive from others.

Advent is a providential time to heal this weakness of the human heart.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• ⁠December 20, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

In today’s reading (Luke 1:5-25), Luke the Evangelist tells us about the parents of John the Baptist: Zechariah was a temple priest, and her mother Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron the first priest.

John the Baptist would be the priest out in the desert, who'd be in charge of purifying the temple. The baptism of John would be a cleansing of the temple through repentance. He'd prepare the path of the Lord, "the Lamb of God."

Christ was born to die on the Cross. Jonh the Baptist announced that the one to be sacrificed had arrived.

"He is the fulfillment of priesthood, temple, and sacrifice. The priestly figure has done his work, and now he fades away," explained Bishop Barron.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• ⁠December 19, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

Today’s Gospel narrates how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. It also explains how Joseph, the husband of Mary received the visit of an angel in a dream.

He said:

"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. 
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her. 
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins." 

Matthew, the Evangelist, explains that "all this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means "God is with us." 

That’s the Good News of Christmas. The Messiah coming to will save his people from their sins, conquering the world through the power of love, the same power with which he made the universe.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

This Advent, as we await the coming of the Messiah, we reflect upon the significance of our union with God.

Regardless of how good this world is, in the end, the soul has to purify and become free from its attachments to finite things to seek communion with the Divinity.

St. John of the Cross, the Spanish mystic and Doctor of the Church whose memorial we celebrated this Saturday, explained that this purification is painful.

It involves the night of the senses and the soul, which means we must let go of the physical and sensual pleasure and replace mental images for God.

During this purification, we will experience a stage called the “dark night of the soul,” when we will feel dryness in prayer and a sense of absence and even abandonment of God.

Like all purifications, this one is painful, especially if one’s attachment to these finite things is intense. It will often manifest itself, John of the Cross said, as dryness in prayer and a keen sense of God’s absence and even abandonment.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• ⁠December 16, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

This Advent, as we await the coming of the Messiah, we reflect upon the significance of our union with God.

Regardless of how good this world is, in the end, the soul has to purify and become free from its attachments to finite things to seek communion with the Divinity.

St. John of the Cross, the Spanish mystic and Doctor of the Church whose memorial we celebrated this Saturday, explained that this purification is painful.

It involves the night of the senses and the soul, which means we must let go of the physical and sensual pleasure and replace mental images for God.

During this purification, we will experience a stage called the “dark night of the soul,” when we will feel dryness in prayer and a sense of absence and even abandonment of God.

Like all purifications, this one is painful, especially if one’s attachment to these finite things is intense. It will often manifest itself, John of the Cross said, as dryness in prayer and a keen sense of God’s absence and even abandonment.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• December 16, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday. The term Gaudete refers to "Rejoice." We also light the rose candle on our Advent wreath.

Gaudete Sunday emphasizes the joy that should be in our hearts at Christmas, as the nativity of Our Lord is near.

We also see the day when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead the faithful into His kingdom.

It's the Veni ("Come") of Advent, which is the conclusion of the Apocalypse of St. John: "Come, Lord Jesus," the last words of the New Testament.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• ⁠December 15, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, December 14, we celebrate the Memorial of St. John of the Cross (1542-1591), a Spanish priest, mystic, and Doctor of the Church.

St. John of the Cross, co-founder with Teresa of Avila of the Discalced Carmelites, is the father of mystical theology. He was a great contemplative and spiritual writer. He is the patron of contemplative life, mystical theology, mystics, and Spanish poets.

He underwent many trials, including an impoverished youth and imprisonment at the hands of his fellow friars.

His reform of the Carmelites was rejected by the elder friars, who condemned the saint as a fugitive and apostate, and cast him into prison, whence he only escaped, after nine months' suffering, at the risk of his life. Twice again, before his death, he was shamefully persecuted by his brethren and publicly disgraced. But his complete abandonment by creatures only deepened his interior peace and devout longing for heaven. He considered earthly suffering an opportunity to be purged of love of self.

Therese of Lisieux frequently quoted John of the Cross. "At the evening of our life, we will be judged on love."

He devoted greatly to Our Lord's Passion and voluntarily sought out humiliation. When Our Lord asked him what reward he would ask for his labors, John answered: "To suffer and to be despised for Thee." He died of an excruciating disease, erysipelas while embracing the crucifix.

He wrote in "Sayings of Light and Love":

"Mine are the heavens, and mine is the earth. Mine are the nations, the just are mine and mine the sinners. The angels are mine, and the Mother of God, and all things are mine, and God himself is mine and for me, because Christ is mine and all for me. What do you ask, then, and seek my soul? Yours is all of this, and all is for you. Do not engage yourself in something less or pay heed to the crumbs that fall from your Father's table. Go forth and exult in your Glory! Hide yourself in it and rejoice, and you will obtain the supplications of your heart."

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!
St. John of the Cross, Pray for Us!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• ⁠December 14, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, December 13, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Lucy (283-304), the famous Sicilian martyr venerated since ancient times.

Born and died in Syracuse, Sicily, Lucy (or Lucia) made a vow of virginity and distributed her wealth to the poor. With the help of the Holy Spirit, she stood immovable in her virginity. After torture, which included taking out her eyes, a fire was then built around her, but again, God protected her. She was finally put to death by the sword.
Today’s feast can easily be harmonized with Advent themes, as this saint is a living symbol of light amid darkness and typifies the Church and the soul now preparing their bridal robes for a Christmas marriage.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!
St. Lucy, Pray for Us!

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

To Jesus through Mary!

+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

• December 13, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET