I remember watching the tulle veil swaying softly over the crib as the crisp North Carolina air sneaked into the house through the open window. I had just woken up from a nap, not knowing the time or the day. Sleepless nights with a colicky newborn and low milk supply had taken a toll on this new mom. A familiar sound beckoned me outside my bedroom door… the melodic, rhythmic squeak from a rocking chair and the soft, comforting hum of a lullaby I had heard before. I walked out of my room in a haze. Squinting, I looked up to find where the song was coming from. My eyes opened, and I finally saw… There was my mother holding my son.
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My first Fall as a mother… memories etched in my soul. Having lived all my life on a tropical island, my senses were enthralled by the changes this new season brought. The changing color of the leaves echoed the changes going on inside me. The young, carefree girl falling away, making room for the mother… making room for another. I was blessed to have there with me my own mother. As she rocked my baby to sleep, she was indirectly nursing me. Her love for me overflowed into my son, her grandson. As she cared for one, she cared for both… in fact, she cared for all of us. Like the training wheels on a toddler’s bicycle, she kept our new little family from falling as we learned to walk this new road of parenthood, this new road of love.

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, the prayer that keeps us steady as we hold on to our Mother, Mary. She helps us when we fall. She is always there to guide us, to hold us, to teach us the way to her Son. As we walk in our fallen nature, our fallen world, our change of seasons, through our own falls… God is always with us. Mary is always with us. We are never alone.

A few years ago, after I finished writing my book, The Rosary: Eucharistic Meditations, I was struck by how the Table of Contents, listing the titles of each reflection, became, for me, its own prayer, a simple path Home. These words all come from Scripture, most verbatim, some reinterpreted. In honor of the month of the Rosary, I want to share the list here and invite you to listen, pray, and then “do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). May we allow Mary to hold us, to nurture us, to mother us… and through us, to mother those we love. May we grow as disciples of Jesus; may we grow strong in God’s love.

Our Lord sent his beloved disciples to the world always in the company of others. From the very beginning, mission work was to be done communally and never alone. Can you imagine how much more difficult the call to service would be if we were sent to faraway places as a lone stranger in a foreign land? This is not really the most compatible with the concept of Church. 

Our Lord knew the disciples needed support, companionship, and friendship to help them persist in the mission of love and mercy, and that has continued through the ages. 

This support of each other in the spiritual life, in friendship and love, is what we call spiritual friendship. It is a friendship based upon faith in God that fosters trust and understanding. It provides support and encouragement and helps to guide the deepening of our faith, hope, and love. It helps keep us accountable in our commitments toward God and each other and fosters our growth toward the goal of becoming God's holy people. Friendship like this helps develop saints. The development of these spiritual friendships (which started at the feet of Christ with his disciples) can still be seen throughout history, even in contemporary times, in the stories of the lives of the Saints. There are so many examples.

We can read of the great friendship of Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose. Ambrose's preaching and guidance played a significant role in Augustine's conversion to Christianity. From this great friendship, we were gifted two of the greatest theologians of the Church. Can you imagine not having the "Augustine's Confessions"?
 
We know of the origins of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare of Assisi, who were contemporaries in the 13th century and shared a profound spiritual friendship. Both were founders of extant religious orders with deeply rich traditions and humble charisms. Francis founded the Franciscan Order, and Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares). Franciscan spirituality still permeates the world today.
 
We can read of the lives of two great Spaniard Saints, Saint Teresa of Ávila and Saint John of the Cross. They shared a deep friendship as they collaborated on the reform of the Carmelite order and shared their mystical, spiritual experiences with the world. John of the Cross wrote extensively on the mystical journey, while Teresa of Avila left behind beautiful writings and poems still cherished today.
 
We know of the great friendship of Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, co-founders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They were roommates during their studies in Paris and formed a deep spiritual friendship. Through his spiritual exercises, Ignatius influenced Francis Xavier's decision to become a Jesuit and later a famous and well-regarded missionary. Xavier became one of the most famous Jesuit missionaries, traveling to Asia to spread Christianity, always together with a group of companions, some of the greatest missionaries in history.
 
Probably the most well-known deep spiritual friendship of modern times is that of Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) and Pope Saint John Paul II. Their joyous collaboration on various humanitarian and charitable endeavors was inspiring. They shared a deep commitment to social justice and the sanctity of life and were both faithful Eucharistic people. A Pope and a Mother Superior, faithful spiritual friends and spiritual parents in a world that really needs their guidance and example.
 
And there are so many more holy people that walked together... Spiritual friendship produces saints. 

True spiritual friendship is built on both being Jesus to our friends and receiving Jesus in our friends, in acknowledging and recognizing that we gift our hearts in Christ to each other. Yes, we are sent to support and love one another in our mission to propagate the good news everywhere, and it does not matter where we go if we are following Christ. In the lives of the Saints, there are many good examples, so together with Christ in this Eucharistic and apostolic life, which friends are we taking with us to shine the light of God in the world?
 
Let us pray: Lord, send us this day the companions needed for our journey home to You. May we grow holy together in your Real Presence. Amen.
 

Dearest Eucharistic Family,
 
Finding God’s love brings purpose to our lives. Jesus’ love teaches us the value of sacrificing for the sake of others. Responsibly stewarding begins in our families, is offered to our loved ones, and then extended to our communities; love grows.
 
“Referring to the love of the heavenly Father for us, St. John says that this love was so great that he gave his only Son for our salvation. (cf. 1 Jn 4:10) How did our Lord prove his love? He loved us through the sufferings and humility of his life.” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard)
 
We know we are loving when we choose the heavier Cross and offer our days in service, whether it be tending to children’s needs, cooking, cleaning, working in an office, or as a craftsman, layperson, or religious, our days may be offered in sacrifice to all who call upon us.
 
“Given by the Father, he went even to Calvary; God the Father gave him to us because he loved us. Our Lord says: Love me as I have loved you. [Jn 13:34] The mere sight of him reveals his love for us: I took on human flesh; see the humility of my incarnation, the poverty of my life, all the different sacrifices I accepted out of love for you.” (Saint Peter Julian)
 
This past week, I had the blessing of talking with someone incarcerated for three years at the expense of selling drugs. This person is working now, not married, and trying to care for children. The description of going to bed hungry while in prison, fighting for one’s food, and looking over your shoulder every second to be ready to defend yourself sounded like hell to me. I listened and listened, then offered some guidance. I recommended to continue working and aided further to bring this soul to the Sacraments of our Catholic Church with the assurance God is with us in the mystery of our lives. It was an anointed conversation that I will be praying for. Providential! We need one another to love as Jesus has loved us, catching the tears of our brethren.
 
The one thing that keeps rising in my prayer is our time here on earth and the opportunity we have to choose the greater, the divine life. We will be accountable for our actions on that special day when we meet the mercy of God. This earthly pilgrimage is our “doing time”.
 
It’s real to the fact we will be meeting our Savior, and when we have that moment to look into Jesus’ face, what will we see? Will we see our Fear of the Lord in God’s gift of the Holy Spirit? A fear of not loving enough?
 
Jesus often went to a deserted place to pray. He glorified Our Father in Heaven by offering his life, his will. Our prayer, taking us to the quiet of our hearts, will keep us in the unfolding of our own death and rising through the days of our lie.
 
“When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.” (Matthew 14:13)
 
We follow!
 
Mary suffered beyond our human comprehension could ever imagine, yet her prayer allows her to continue to serve us as the Mother of God and our mother. Mary’s love for us consoles her pain for the sins that Crucify her Son. Our Lady, Mother of Sorrows and of the Blessed Sacrament, is our guide to loving as we have been loved. Mary takes us into her home where we are beloved, beheld, and taught how to endure the Cross.
 
“Nobody can have greater love. I want to give my life for you. Calvary, Nazareth, Bethlehem are all sacrifices.” (Saint Peter Julian)
 
We will see the glory of God’s love through our lives. This world is passing away; what will remain is the love we share, the time we offer to one another, listening, and loving. The compassion of Christ has been given to us in his life-giving sacrifice of the Cross. May we do the same for all whom we meet; may they see CHRIST IN US, loving and forgiving.  
 
 “When St. Paul wants to give a proof of our Lord’s love, he says: he died for me, therefore he loved me. (cf. Ga 2:20) That was the proof. My good Daughters, we cannot consider the incarnation without saying: God was so good, how he loved me!” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard September 17, 1862)
 
“The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover…” (CCC, 677)