David’s Sling

 

New Year’s resolution of praying the daily rosary

01/02/2026

Luke 2:16-21 The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Last Saturday I was driving to visit some friends and channel surfing, hoping to find some classic rock music: Led Zeplin or ZZ Top. Instead, I stumbled upon a old broadcast of Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis praying the rosary with the seminarians in Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. And I thought: “Well, I guess the rosary is better than rock-n-roll, so I prayed with the good archbishop and his faithful seminarians. But before Archbishop Carlson began to recite the rosary, he gave a little intro that touched me deeply.

He quoted an encyclical by Pope Pius XII on the rosary called “Ingruentium Malorum” (meaning “in the face of approaching evils”). Pope Pius compared Mary’s rosary to King David’s diminutive sling with which, you will recall, he laid low the towering Goliath. In other words, Mary’s rosary, like David’s sling, may look unimpressive on the outside, but it is filled with divine power and can defeat our enemies, especially the devil.

In the gospel of Luke today we hear how Mary herself in effect prayed the first rosary. How so? Well, Luke chapters 1 and 2 recount the five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. Then the third Evangelist adds: “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” That is, even though Mary did not hold rosary beads in her hand, she was spiritually clutching David’s sling, in her meditations.

Her contemplative prayers gave her peace and strength against all the Goliath’s that she and her Son had already faced in the first two chapters, and would still have to face in the rest of the gospel. That is what we meditated on in each mystery: the power of God keeping us safe from our enemies, just like he did with David.

Folks, we have arrived at the end of the road of 2025, and now we stare down the barrel of the New Year, 2026. As we look back, we too can probably remember some Goliath’s of 2025 that we had to face both individually and collectively. Personally, I faced the Goliath of losing my dog, Apollo back in September. I never imagined how hard that would be.

And Catholics collectively grieved the death of a good pope, Pope Francis, a loss for the Church and the world. Nonetheless, Catholics who prayed the rosary this past year imitated Mary in the gospel, that is, we “kept all these things and reflecting on them in our hearts.” And clutching David’s sling, we found peace and strength to face down those Goliaths of 2025.

The same can happen as we look forward to 2026, and ask God to bless the coming 365 days. I see my parents on most Fridays and I always leave them with a blessing. I say: “May God bless you with health, happiness, and holiness.” That is my prayer for each of you this New Year’s Day: “May God bless you and your loved ones with health, happiness, and holiness.” But besides those blessings, I suspect God will also send us some Goliaths, like doubts, disease, and death.

Why is every year a mixed bag of blessings and burdens? Well, I saw a meme recently picturing a tall and terrifying Goliath looking menacingly down on a small and innocent David. The caption read: “when God wanted to make a king out of David, He did not give him a crown. He gave him Goliath.” Then the caption continued: “Your challenges prepare you for your purpose.” Every year God wants to make us kings and queens, not by sending us crowns but sending us crosses.

And this is why we begin each new year by turning our eyes to Mary, our Mother. Why? Well, we follow her example in the gospel of meditating on the mysteries of both the blessings and burdens in Jesus and Mary’s life so we can understand the purpose of the blessings and burdens in our own lives. In other words, when we pick up the rosary we arm ourselves with David’s sling to deal with the Goliaths of 2026.

So, if you need a New Year’s Resolution for 2026, don’t just commit yourself to diets and exercise plans and gym memberships. Those resolutions are good, obviously. But in addition, and more so, resolve to pray the rosary every day. Like Mary, take time to “keep these things (both blessings and burdens of 2026), reflecting on them in your heart.” Only by carrying the cross can you wear the crown.

Let me leave you with the inspiring words of Pope Pius XII: “Not with force, not with arms, not with human power, but with Divine help obtained through the means of [the rosary], strong like David’s with his sling, the Church undaunted shall be able to confront the infernal enemy, repeating to him the words of the young shepherd:

“Thou comest to me with a sword and a spear, and with shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of armies…and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for this is his battle, and he will deliver you into our hands” (1 Sm 17: 45-47). And that's why we should pray the rosary before listening to rock-n-roll.

Praised be Jesus Christ!