ALiFe

The Rose Bowl in Pasandena is famous for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game every year on Jan 1. Today, everyone is gathered for a different reason - the Rosary Bowl. It's been 50 years since an event like this has been held in L.A.!

I assisted in the ushering for the day. Met Chris who provided the piano sounds for the choir. How blessed to be able to serve!!
How do I know we're blessed? Just above the Rose Bowl hovers an inverted rainbow. Is that a big enough sign or what?
The evening was filled with praise and worship, choral music, reflections, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, proclamation of the Word and the Glorious Mysteries recited in 59 languages! Each of the decades were broken down into a scriptural verse, a reflection by a lay person, followed by the Our Father and Hail Marys (which were simultaneously recited in Spanish and English.)

On the third reflection, a speaker came up to share about how just one visit to the sacrament of reconciliation changed his life entirely. He also mentioned how no oscar award would replace the honour that heaven promises. The stadium cheered. He paused for a moment, then continued to say that even if he received an Oscar Award, it would have been forgotten after awhile. But reminded us how God never forgets his children. His sincere and honest words left the crowd applauding in praise... longer than the other lay persons who shared. I hope it wasn't the fact that he is Jim Caviezel.
And so Cardinal Roger Mahony challenged us to live the day's gospel message: to go out and proclaim God's word. He was encouraging us to be public Catholics, and continue to pray as family. A bold and difficult statement. But we were all filled with the love of God from the evening's session, and I think the City of the Angels can be that beacon of peace.

Un mundo en oración es un mundo en paz.
A world at prayer is a world at peace.

P.S. - If there are terms in this post or concepts that you do not understand, google it or ask me!