Our Lady of the Rosary by Dawn Sanders

Our Lady of the Rosary

Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. — Micah 5:1, Haydock Catholic Bible

This passage, sometimes used to refer to Our Lady, calls to mind Mary’s battle—as queen—against the powers of darkness arrayed against her Son, herself and the Church. And whereas the old Eve failed in her battle with Satan, the new Eve was victorious.

The feast we celebrate today was originally titled Our Lady of Victory. In 1571, Europe was in danger of being invaded and conquered by troops from the Ottoman Empire. The Holy Father, Pope St. Pius V, called for the faithful to pray the rosary for success against the enemy. Thanks to Mary’s intercession, the superior Muslim naval force was defeated by the much smaller Catholic fleet in the Battle of Lepanto on October 7. In thanksgiving, the pope established the Feast of Our Lady of Victory.

In 1716, Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary, in honor of two more battles in which her intercession had helped the Christian forces win.

These successes make it easy to understand why St. Padre Pio considered the rosary to be a powerful weapon. It is also clear that, although we may be fighting physical battles, the spiritual realm is still much involved. And our success is influenced by the intercession of Blessed Mary and all the saints and angels. We need this heavenly army beside us in the conflicts of this life.

We have seen some success in the repeal of Roe vs. Wade and the increased involvement of parents in their children’s education. We need to continue to intercede for our families and country and not allow ourselves to be intimidated. God is more powerful than any adversary arrayed against us.

During these times of social, moral, financial and political upheaval, we hurt ourselves by engaging the demonic forces behind these troubles without spiritual aid from heaven. As St. Paul said, we battle not with flesh and blood “but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness” (Eph. 6:12 NABRE). Christians may not be heard by the earthly powers that be but we are definitely heard by the High King of Heaven and His Queen!

God is good and He desires to bless us because He loves us. And, for our good, He wants us to choose good. One of the best choices would be to pray the rosary. Our Lord has shown again and again that He heeds the prayers of those who seek His mother’s intercession. She will not fail to present our needs and desires to Him.

Pray! Pray for a better world for your children and grandchildren. Teach them to pray. Be an example of faith. Go to church on Sundays and holy days and even daily Mass, if possible.

Listen to Christian music, watch inspirational movies and podcasts, read the Scriptures and lives of the saints to them and yourself.

The culture says, Let them make their own choice to believe or not. Really? Would you agree to not teach them about obeying the law or doing their schoolwork or feeding the dog or not hitting their siblings? We are supposed to teach them what’s right; then, if they want to abandon it when they’re older, that’s their choice. Then they can starve the dog and get all the speeding tickets they want. When they’re young, rules are not an option—they’re a necessity for their survival into responsible adulthood. God has called you to help them become adults spiritually, not just physically. Give them something to make a choice for or against.

Pray. And teach them to pray. Learning to love God, His saints and His people are the greatest gifts you can ever give.

— Dawn Sanders