The Catholic Defender: The 15 Promises Our Lady gave for the Rosary. The Eleventh Promise
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. So far, of these Promises of Our Lady to those who recite the Rosary, this one seems difficult to understand. This promise has a good biblical foundation. Consider 1 John 5:14-15, "And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours." Our Lady seems to have this scripture in mind with the Rosary.
This promise is very similar to the 4th promise Our Lady gives in her promises to St. Bridget of her greatest graces for meditating on her "Tears and Sorrows". (4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the Adorable Will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.) Our focus on this promise is given on our confidence in prayer because of the Lord's desired intimacy with His people and the needs most important getting us to Heaven. We can storm Heaven with all kinds of requests for the many wants we have, but if it is not in accordance to His Will, His response probably would be no. St. John spends time writing about our confidence in eternal life, we have that confidence that our prayers are heard.
This is the basis that Jesus relates in Matthew 18:18-20, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, [amen,] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” That is the real point of all this, the Lord is in our midst and He does hear us. We do not always understand His Divine plan, why does it seem that our pleadings go unanswered? A loved one who dies despite all the prayers offered to include the Rosary. If we take a step back for a second, that person the Lord might take would not want to come back because of the great joy they are in. It might simply be their time and we have the great hope we will see them again.
Ephesians 1:11-14 states in general, "In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory."
Jesus has an intimate relationship with the Father, He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He gives this understanding that we can give reflection, “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?" Luke 9-12
Notice that Jesus knocking at the door, there is no door handle? You have to let Him in.
Because of freewill and the consequences due to sin, nature is a reality and things happen. We must come to the acceptance of God's will and prayer assists us in this. I've heard the question, "Why does bad things happen to good people"? This points to the importance that the faithful need be spiritually ready, daily. We are in a battle for souls and there are those who have chosen to do evil. Our faith is so important, there are many times in my life that I am so thankful because I do not know what I would have done without it. Matthew 6:5-8 states, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Pray, pray, pray as a child depending on their loving Father's protection. The Rosary offers such devotion. My greatest request is the ultimate Salvation of all my family and friends. 100 years from now the most important thing is our Salvation.
Act of Hope
O My God, relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
