Gospel Delights!

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

Bar 4:5-12,27-29; Lk 10:17-24

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is a very special feast for Catholics because it celebrates Our Lady through a very personal prayer form – the Rosary. The feast owes its origin to an important historical event. 

On this day in history in 1571, the Holy League (the Catholic coalition) won over the Ottoman Empire due to the intercession of Mary and the prayer of the Most Holy Rosary. 

In a way, this victory arrested the spread of the Islamic empire that set its eyes on and beyond Southeast Europe. Hence, it was not just a military victory but a victory of our faith that was accomplished through the intercession of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. 

The Rosary remains the most potent weapon in the Catholic arsenal. By helping us overcome our daily spiritual battles, it is the go-to prayer for every Catholic. However, it is very unfortunate that it is no longer a prominent form of spiritual activity for many of us. The feast reminds us of the need to reclaim our tradition of praying the Rosary to heal ourselves individually and socially.

More than being a private form of prayer, the Holy Rosary is a wonderful opportunity to journey with our Lord through the momentous occasions of His life. Being the Lord’s most faithful and exemplary disciple, Mother Mary teaches us the importance of walking with the Lord as she herself did. 

I always fondly remember the days in which we prayed the Rosary as one family. After all, the famous saying was: ‘The family that prays together stays together.’ What was our family prayer? It is the Rosary! Growing up, that was what we did every day at 7.30 PM. After that, we departed for our dinner. 

Even today, when I feel overwhelmed for any reason, praying the Rosary has always had a calming and reassuring effect on me. It is like I am momentarily forgetful of the Divine Providence and Our Lady reminding me that ‘I should do whatever He tells me to do’ (Jn 2:5). 

Pope Saint John Paul II who was fond of praying the Rosary said, ‘To pray the Rosary is to hand over our burdens to the merciful hearts of Christ and his mother.’

When I pray the Rosary, my worry becomes hers! She will uphold my cause, intercede for it, and win it for me! So easy is the transfer of responsibility! After all, why would I suffer what I need not? 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar