“All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus” -Acts 1: 14

Nazareth is where our Lord spent his hidden life, where “nothing” was coming forth but tables and chairs, where He lived as we must live, where the Son of God was simply the son of Mary and Joseph. The hiddeness and ordinariness of Nazareth is an icon to something beyond self. It is the accepting that people may say of us what others said of Him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Jn.1:46), i.e. can anything good come out of this life of “ordinariness” and “hiddeness”, strategically placed in areas of need, making a difference by entering into the moment? Praying this Rosary Novena for Peace is our answer “for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” (Eph. 2:14); it is our answer because He said “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn.14:27); it is our answer because we’re sent forth with peace, “Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (Jn. 20:21).

The Peace Plan for the World is Jesus, who gave us The Commandment (Mk. 12:28-31) to have a right relationship with God and Man. We can realize the Commandment when we follow Mary’s instruction relative to her Son, “Do whatever he says” (Jn.2:5). When we take up the Nazareth Bead, we are praying the life of Christ with a determination to do what he says in the Nazareth of our lives, Jesus.

The atomic bomb named “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima by the Enola Gay, a Boeing B-29 bomber at 8:15 in the morning of August 6, 1945. Immediately after the atomic bomb was dropped 70,000 Japanese were instantly killed.

As we experience this Rosary Novena for peace remember not only the destruction of that morning in 1945 but also the bombs that continue to drop. Bombs such as intolerance, hatred, pride, unforgiveness, greed and selfishness. These destructions are being dropped by the planes of commerce, enforcement, body politics and religion where there is no longer any room for He who said, “What you’ve done unto the least of these my brethren you’ve done unto me.” Mt. 25:40

May this Rosary Novena for Peace do what theology cannot: put a human face on suffering and redemption. May we find sacred space in two “conflicting” yet complementary Biblical quotations:

“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Mt. 5:4) and

“The Lord has given, the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1 :21)

Both thoughts can serve as a response to the two cities:
those who mourn will be comforted,
and all has happened as part of God’s perfect will and permissive will.

and pray it in an Incarnational manner
for the “little ones” and for peace in our world.

May priests and religious chart programs of infiltrating areas of greatest need, “broadcasting” and bearing the Mysteries to the ends of the earth (Acts 1 :8). May they introduce and re-introduce this praying of the Rosary into all areas of life: families, cities, neighborhoods, offices, riding buses, walking streets …

May we be aided in all our efforts with the grace and strength of the Lord whose life we contemplate in the Rosary, and may we be accompanied by Our Lady of the Nazareth as we continue work for an entering into all of life with the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6).

1. Relative to the orientation message of Thursday Night, (6:30 PM, Grace Church) and the deaths of Hiroshima, instead of asking why, try to focus on the kind of theology needed to explain these events.

2. Meditate on the following Scriptures: Mt. 25:31-46; Heb. 13:3; John 1:14

3. Vicki Hicks during a trip to Africa organized a team to bear witness of the slaughter of 280 young people who were caught after curfew. She went with her Rosary and prayed on the sight of the tragedy with what she called instead of “air drops”, “prayer drops.” Find a place of great need, go, take your Rosary, and pray. Such places could be among the rich poor, ie. banking, insurance, judicial, law offices, etc.

4. If you cannot come to the church to pray your Novena before the Shrine for Peace, you have been provided with a picture so you can be in solidarity with those who can be present at the 5:30 PM Rosary. Create a sacred space, enthrone your picture, kneel, say your Rosary. This can be done at home or places as suggested above.

5. Be sure to keep track of your daily chaplets with the “Beads or Bombs” folder. This has been designed to fit into your Rosary case.

Remember dear ones, sacrifice, penance and prayer. Don’t miss the great adventure and wonderment of it all.

My love-

Being absorbed Into His Mercy,
– Seraphim+
“Do penance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” Mt 4:17

For further information concerning the Novena for Peace please visit the Nazareth House Apostolate Blog at www.nazarethhouseap.blogspot.com