By Brea Cannon
Liturgical Rhythm of Life
In October, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Rosary and dedicate the whole month to this devotion. The feast day, originally titled Our Lady of Victory, commemorates the 1571 Battle of Lepanto, where, after praying the rosary, Catholic naval forces defeated the invading Ottoman Empire’s fleet. This victory is attributed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. There are many ways to pray the Holy Rosary, privately, with friends or family, with an app or audio recording. Regardless of how we pray the rosary, meditating on the mysteries, the events of our Lord’s life, pulls us more deeply and leads us closer to his heart.
Mary always leads us to her son, as do our friends, the saints, by their intercession and faithful witnesses. As we enter October, consider a daily rosary meditating on the mysteries and connecting to our Lord through the lives of the saints and angels.
- Oct. 1: St. Therese of Lisieux — To honor the Little Flower, gather some fresh flowers or purchase a bouquet of flowers to put on a home altar or a special place of prayer. St. Therese, a Doctor of the Church, lived her own “little way.” Take some time to observe and soak up some of the little ways God showers you with his goodness.
- Oct. 2: Guardian Angels — We all have a guardian angel, and it is our constant guide and protection. Pray to your guardian angel and start a fun tradition of enjoying an angel food cake dessert in your angel’s honor.
- Oct. 4: St. Francis — From a life of living in the world to a life centered around the love of God, St. Francis is a great intercessor for the conversion of family members and those who may have left the church. He is also known for his love of all of God’s creation, particularly animals. See if your parish priest has a day for the blessing of animals or give your pet or animal friend a special treat.
- Oct. 5: St. Faustina — The Diary of St. Faustina is a great place to get to know this saint — there she shares her encounters with Jesus, and even her spiritual struggles. Pick up a copy of her diary or look up some excerpts online. Take some time this day to pray a chaplet of Divine Mercy and try visio divina, reflecting on the Divine Mercy image.
- Oct. 7: Our Lady of the Rosary — Take a rosary walk with friends or family today. In our home, we have a special brownie with M&M’s Minis baked on top in the shape of a rosary. The dessert is enjoyed after we pray the Rosary.
- Oct. 11: St. Gomer or Gummarus — This saint is the patron of unhappy marriages. His marriage was very difficult and demanding of him; his wife was also abusive to their household help. Today, we can educate ourselves on the ministries in the Church that assist married couples and pray and fast for men and women in unhappy or difficult marriages.
- Oct. 16: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque — The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was given to St. Margaret Mary through mystical visions as a symbol of divine love. In her visions, Jesus gave her a form of devotion to him: reception of Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month, Eucharistic adoration during a “Holy hour” on Thursdays reflecting on Jesus’ agony in the garden and the celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Consider uniting to Jesus in a special way by trying to live out this devotion. Start today with a “holy hour” and consider Mass and the reception of Holy Communion on the next first Friday of a month.
- Oct. 22: St. John Paul II — In his young life and into his papacy, John Paul loved to hike and be outdoors. As a priest, he would hike and camp with young men, offering Mass and lessons in theology. Take a hike or a picnic to a park to rest and reflect on God’s natural beauty in nature.
- Oct. 28: Sts. Simon and Jude — Pray the litany of St. Jude
May we all embrace this green meadow of Ordinary Time and draw closer to the Lord through our friends, the saints, and the Blessed Mother.
Brea Cannon is a Diocese of Evansville native and member of St. Peter Parish in Montgomery with her husband, three children and extended family.