"Jesus always leads us to the Father" - St. JPII

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

So sorry, somehow I forgot to post this yesterday. It actually comes before the excerpt I posted today on the “Ten Hail Mary’s” in each decade of the Rosary, in which St. JPII explains how the Marian character of of the Rosary is not opposed to the Christological. The Our Father precedes each decade of ten Hail Mary’s. Thanks for you patience!

In St. JPII’s Letter “On the Most Holy Rosary”, he shares his thoughts on the most perfect prayer taught to us by Jesus:

The “Our Father”

1. After listening to the word and focusing on the mystery, it is natural for the mind to be lifted up towards the Father. In each of His mysteries, Jesus always leads us to the Father, for as He rests in the Father’s bosom (cf. Jn 1:18) He is continually turned towards Him. He wants us to share in His intimacy with the Father, so that we can say with Him: “Abba, Father” (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). By virtue of His relationship to the Father He makes us brothers and sisters of Himself and of one another, communicating to us the Spirit which is both His and the Father’s. Acting as a kind of foundation for the Christological and Marian meditation which unfolds in the repetition of the Hail Mary, the Our Father makes meditation upon the mystery, even when carried out in solitude, an ecclesial experience.

There is much to be pondered in this short paragraph. Hopefully we can take time with these words of St. JPII, as I hope we have pondered and acted upon other parts of this beautiful letter, to honor Jesus through Mary, and as St. JPII reminds us :

…In each of His mysteries, Jesus always leads us to the Father, for as He rests in the Father’s bosom (cf. Jn 1:18) He is continually turned towards Him…