October 7—Our Lady of the Rosary

The entire month of October is dedicated to Our Lady and also to the rosary.  On this feast day we celebrate both together!  This memorial was originally founded in 1573 to commemorate a victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, which was credited to praying the rosary.  The rosary itself is an ancient custom in which 150 Hail Marys were substituted for praying the 150 psalms, which the monks and nuns sang weekly in the monasteries.

The use of the rosary as a means of prayer is an excellent devotion.  There are 20 mysteries focusing on the childhood, ministry, passion, and exultation of Jesus.  Pope John Paul the Great added the five Luminous Mysteries in 2002 dedicated to the ministry of Jesus including:  The Baptism of Christ; The Wedding Feast at Cana; The Proclamation of the Gospel; The Transfiguration; and The Institution of the Eucharist.  

The rosary contains the essential elements of the Gospel message of Good News.  By meditating on the mysteries and praying the Hail Mary, the Our Father, and the Glory Be we are uniting ourselves to God’s will.  We are praying for the intercession of Mary in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.  We are also giving praise to God, the Trinity.  The prayers are scriptural; the first part of the Hail Mary comes from the Gospel of Luke and the Our Father is from the Gospel of Matthew.  The repetition of the prayers helps focus our entire being on Jesus.  It is a Marian prayer in that we go to Jesus through Mary, Our Mother.  What better prayer to share with our children than the prayer that unites our hearts to Mary’s Immaculate Heart to Jesus’ Sacred Heart!