A Reflection on the Month of the Rosary - STP News - Santa Teresita Parish

October is the month of the Rosary, it is the month when the Church invites us pray and to deepen our understanding of the Rosary. For many this prayer is boring because of the repetition of the Hail Mary. Few understands that when praying the Rosary, the important and meaningful moments of salvation history are re-lived and the various steps of Christ’s mission are traced. The repetition of the Mary’s salutation creates the meditative mood in reliving those significant moments.

It has been a practice in our parish of Sta. Teresita to always pray the Rosary before the mass.  As taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, Rosary is a vocal and a meditative prayer. Meditation of the different mysteries enables us to feel the presence of Mary, to be spiritually and physically ready to celebrate the Eucharist. Moreover, remembrance of the life, death and resurrection of Christ opens us to his saving grace. This prepares us to celebrate the mass that is truly a remembrance and making the saving action of Christ present in the here and now. Thus, parishioners are encouraged to come earlier and join in praying the Rosary.

History tells us that numerous battles were won in favor of Christians who sought the maternal protection of Mary through the Rosary. It was also used by great Saints to combat heresies and of course to bring sinners back to the fold. The power of the Rosary never fades as we continue to witness a lot of miracles, conversion, healing and peace for those who trust Mary and the Rosary. Why not we rediscover the power of the Rosary in our modern times?  It is a simple prayer that everyone can learn.

The word Rosary came from the word Rosarium…meaning:  garland of roses; a rose garden..and Mary is the Mystical Rose, the most beautiful flower of all creation. Yes, we are called into the Rose Garden, a place of prayer and each Rose, each Hail Mary bead is unique…it is alive.   If we pray each rose of our Psalter (Rosary) in haste, we will not see its beauty, we will not smell its fragrance.  That is why we have to say our Hail Mary meditatively, not rushing and reciting in a mechanical way.

Mary is always in her Rose Garden.  She stands behind us, embracing us, loving us, pointing us to her Son…trust her and trust the Rosary. Let us remember that though we invoke Hail Mary in the Rosary, she is not the subject but her Son, Jesus. The mantra-like succession of Hail Marys becomes itself an unceasing praise of Christ. Yes, it is a Marian prayer but its very core, the heart, is Jesus Christ. It is a Christocentric and a Gospel prayer. So who is afraid to pray the Rosary? This simple and seemingly powerless object has more power, more effect than any weapon man has or ever will create because it is created and sustained by love.  The very gates of hell tremble when the Rosary is prayed fervently as one saint told.

The month of the Rosary is passing….but the Rose Garden will remain forever.

Mary, our Mystical Rose, pray for us.

By Felisa Flores