Welcome to our daily Rosary meditation. Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen. Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

In our preparation to consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary on December 8th,

we're getting to know Jesus better by traveling through the Gospel of John.

Today, John Chapter 4.

Now I should also tell you that I'm offering this Rosary for you,

and my prayer for you is that you despair. Now there are virtues and vices and then there is

something completely different. There are feelings. Virtues and vices are choices.

feelings just spring up from our emotions. The virtue of hope is the decision to strive after Jesus and heaven

as our ultimate happiness. The vice of despair is the decision not to strive for heaven or a relationship with Jesus.

But there is also the feeling of hope and the feeling of despair.

Hope as a feeling prompts you to keep trying.

Despair as a feeling prompts you to give up.

The feeling of hope should prompt us always to keep striving for a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Jesus,

while the feeling of despair... more meaningful relationship with Jesus,

while the feeling of despair

should prompt us to give up,

to stop trying to find our identity,

self-worth, and ultimate happiness in anything other than Jesus.

That's why I want you to despair. I want both you and I to give up trying to find our ultimate satisfaction in anything

but Jesus.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallow would be your name? Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

...