For "Star Wars" fans, eager anticipation preceded the seventh film which continues the sci-fi epic of good versus evil, "The Force Awakens." Unfortunately, we see this real battle on the world stage daily, and it is no Hollywood fantasy. Unlike the Jedis, we have no ethereal "force" to tap into for extra support. Or do we?
Throughout the centuries we have been given many devotional prayers, such as the rosary, revealed to St. Dominic by the Virgin Mary in 1208. On Sept. 12, 1213, after reciting the rosary, massively outmatched Christian knights won a spectacular victory against the Cathars in the Battle of Muret in southern France. They attributed the miraculous outcome to the intercessory power of the rosary. Again centuries later, on Oct. 7, 1571, vastly outnumbered Christians defeated the impressive Ottoman navy at Lepanto, off Greece. Again, the rosary was credited as instrumental. Many historians agree this outcome preserved European civilization and was perhaps the greatest naval battle ever fought, and the Church still celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on Oct. 7 in memory of this victory.
I became more interested in devotional prayer after I survived a plane crash on the Hudson River in 2009, on U.S. Airways Flight 1549. When the captain told us to "brace for impact," I said mental goodbyes to my family and then my only solace became contemplating the Divine Mercy image. I had rekindled this devotion to the Divine Mercy, along with the rosary, in my New Year's resolutions that year. My faith became paramount before we hit the icy waters, and it gave me peace amid dread and fear. We were very fortunate to have no fatalities, and the crash was dubbed the "Miracle on the Hudson."
One of the aspects of devotional prayer that I have found intriguing are the extraordinary promises attached for those who pray with heartfelt dedication, such as the 15 promises of the rosary, including one against misfortune; the 12 promises of the Sacred Heart as revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, including peace in the home, and those of forgiveness of the Divine Mercy given to St. Faustina. There are others even less well known, such as the promises of the Way of the Cross revealed to Brother Estanislao, in which Jesus promised to be "a protective shield"; those of the Holy Face of Jesus given to Sister Mary of St. Peter, for preservation of the faith, and the Green Scapular promises revealed to Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, for health and conversion. Information about these and others can be found easily on the internet.
Jesus said: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you." If we take our faith seriously, we know we have a small, but critical, part to play in our salvation. We are called to a loving, trusting relationship with God, and devotional prayers offer an easy way to foster these sentiments. It takes a degree of humility to realize our need for mercy. To believe in the power of prayer and, further, to believe in the promises attached to certain devotional prayers, requires a bit more: a simple, childlike faith. In Scripture, Jesus said there is something key about being childlike, as did great saints like St. Therese of Lisieux.
Beyond gifts of grace and blessings, we engage in something profound through prayer: we oppose evil directly. It was the "secret" of the saints. Padre Pio even called the rosary "the weapon." Lest we get discouraged and wonder what we can do to counter great evils in the world, we can take up devotional prayer with faith, humility and courage. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers...against spiritual wickedness..." (Eph 6:12). Long ago, no doubt the armies of Jericho thought absurd the methodical marching of the Israelites around the walls of their city, but amid blasting horns on the seventh day the walls indeed fell. A biblical foreshadowing of modern day devotional prayer? May this Jubilee Year of Mercy inspire us to seek out the mercy and power of these treasured devotions, and may the force (of prayer) be with you, always.
Fred Berretta is a member of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte.