Our Lady Of The Holy Rosary


St Pius V established today's feast of the Holy Rosary to mark the anniversary of the victory in the battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. The victory of the Christian naval fleet is attributed to the intercession of the Holy Mother of God.
The gift of this prayer from God through the Blessed Virgin is powerful. Through it we meditate on the life of Christ through the eyes of His Mother. Those who pray it regularly know all too well the power of this prayer and how Our Lady is pleased to hear our prayers and take them to her Son.
Venerable John Paul II dedicated the year 2002~2003 as the year of the Rosary and added the five Luminous Mysteries. Here is a brief excerpt from Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae:


The Rosary, a contemplative prayer
 The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary's own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer. Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: "Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed".14 
It is worth pausing to consider this profound insight of Paul VI, in order to bring out certain aspects of the Rosary that show that it is really a form of Christocentric contemplation.


May we always pray this prayer being mindful of the mysteries and asking Our Lady's Spouse, the Holy Spirit to guide us and draw us more deeply into contemplating and meditating upon these mysteries.


Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Novena Prayer

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena:  (Mention your request).
I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.
I offer you this spiritual “Bouquet of Roses” because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

Comments

eligelavida said…
The Rosary, though it is clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer.

It contents the Gospel message in its entirety. Many Popes have attributed great importance to this prayer.
Anne said…
What a beautiful prayer! I love this "pray that I receive what will be of greater benefit to my soul"

The lingering pace of which Paul VI speaks has become ever more apparent to me as I spend more and more time praying the rosary and contemplating the mysteries on my lunchtime walks. I pray that I may linger long on the scriptural life of Christ through His Blessed Mother.
"If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul."

This sentence alone is a greatly significant prayer. Many of us complain, often, that we do not get our way. If only we knew that God has better plans for us.

God bless.
Unknown said…
Thank you all for adding your own thoughts to this post on this beautiful feast day.
Mary N. said…
Karin,
I love this prayer. I often think of Hail Mary's as roses for Our Lady so I loved the term "Bouquet of Roses".

I enjoyed reading Rosarium Virginus Mariae, too. The entire letter was printed in the appendix of Father Groeschel's book The Rosary, Chain of Hope, which I bought recently. It was fascinating! Pope John Paul II said the Rosary was his favorite prayer. He was definitely "Mary's Pope"!
Unknown said…
I have come to notice over the years that our best and most faithful priests have deep devotion to Our Lady and the rosary. Pope John Paul II was certainly among them.
Thanks for your thoughts Mary.