Mary – Queen of the Rosary
The month of October is a powerful time to draw close to Our Blessed Mother by praying the Rosary. She loves it when we draw near to her in trust. Praying the Rosary is like small children reaching up to hold the hand of their mother in complete trust.
This is not how I felt for a long time. I have said the Rosary for years but never really felt close to Mary. I did not see her as my mother or even think of putting my hand out for her to hold it. It has only been in the last 3 years that things have changed.
A friend of mine went to Medjugorje and came back full of it. I asked her if I could go with her the following year. “Yes”, she replied, “then I won’t have to pay the single supplement for the room.” I laughed to myself and thought is that the only reason you want me to come!! I did go (and a few more times since) and that is when Our Lady began to mean something to me. I could not tell you when the change happened but just being in such a place devoted to her affected me. I now feel like her mantle is around me and she is close to me.
Mary/Our Lady/Mary Queen of the Rosary – call her what you want is now a Mother to me. I continue to say the Rosary but now it means do much more. I feel I am praying to someone who cares and is close to me. Mary’s job is to lead us to her Son and in meditating on the different mysteries we contemplate all the different aspects of His life – from the Angel asking Mary if she will be His mother (Annunciation) to His death on the cross on Calvary.
Lots of miracles have been attributed to the praying of the Rosary –
The Battle of Lepanto (1571): Outnumbered Christian naval forces defeated the Ottoman fleet after Pope St. Pius V called upon all of Europe to pray the Rosary for protection.
The Miracle of the Sun at Fatima (1917): In Fatima, Portugal, tens of thousands witnessed the sun "dance" in the sky after the Virgin Mary repeatedly asked the shepherd children for daily Rosary recitation for world peace. [1]
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survival (1945): Eight Jesuit priests survived the atomic blast within a one-mile radius of ground zero with no long-term radiation sickness, a survival they attributed to living the message of Fatima and praying the daily Rosary together.
As well as many thousands personal miracles that have happened to ordinary people who not everyone gets to know of.
Did you know that Elvis Presley even wrote a song called the Miracle of the Rosary which was released on February 20, 1972 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSd7VgYdGos
Let us hear what some of the saints say about the Rosary:-
During her lifetime, Mother Teresa always carried a rosary in her hand. In this way, she said, she was holding Mary’s hand.
Saint Louis de Montfort said, “Mary is the safest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect way of approaching Jesus.” May she draw us ever nearer to her Immaculate Heart and to that of her beloved Son.
“The rosary is the weapon for these times.” These words spoken by Saint Padre Pio ring true in every age. The Rosary is a powerful weapon in our times just as it was in his. The simplicity and repetitiveness of the Rosary do not take away the power it contains.
Our Lady of the Rosary – Pray for us!
Ursula Walker
SpiritualityRep@lrcd.org.uk