The month of October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. On October 7th we will celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. It is this feast that commemorates victory won at the Battle of Lepanto which was attributed to the faithful praying of rosary as called upon by Pope Pius V. On October 13th we call to mind the miracle of the sun which brought about the conclusion of the apparitions at Fatima. It was here that she came to proclaim that “I am Our Lady of the Rosary. This first Sunday of the month of October is traditionally set aside to focus upon the importance of the Most Holy Rosary.
The focus of the rosary is Jesus. Through the praying of the rosary we mediate upon the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. With each “Hail Mary” that is prayed we place our attention upon Jesus for He is the fruit of her womb. It is this Name which is most powerful over all other names. From Philippians we were told “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend.” It is the Name of Jesus which serves as the hinge of this prayer and so we cannot hurry past this Name. Whenever we call upon this Name in the rosary or at other times we should keep it holy.
Throughout Scripture we are told that Mary treasured these things in her heart. We have the opportunity to do precisely this when we take up the rosary. Through this prayer we take to our heart the mysteries of our salvation by entering into those important moment’s in the life of Christ that lead towards such a reality. By entering into such devotion leads us to love Christ and to live a life which is more loving of Him. When we live such a life we turn away from a life of sin and choose to live for the Lord
As was instructed of us by the prophet Ezekiel, we must turn away from all the sins that we have committed for by doing so we will surely live and not die. Our Gospel reveals this reality to us through sinners who came to enjoy Everlasting Life because they turned away from their life of sin. So too the rosary aids us in taking on that spiritual armor that is necessary to combat temptation and to lead our heat unto the Lord. As we pray in the “Hail Mary,” “pray for us sinners now and the hour of our death.” Here we turn towards her intercession that we may turn away from our life of sin and live for her Son and thus for Everlasting Life.
If the rosary is not a devotion that you foster I encourage you to rediscover the beauty of this devotion. As was stated by Saint John Paul II, “I look to all of you, brothers and sisters of every state of life, to you, Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young people” confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the Liturgy, and in the context of your daily lives.” Let us take up this invitation thus growing in our love for the rosary and our desire to turn away from sin and to live for Christ.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
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