The Power of the Rosary

Today’s reflection is on the power of the rosary. In Lk1:26-28, angel Gabriel addresses Mary “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Br Celestine cites 2 examples illustrating the power of the rosary: 1. A group of American military men whom he met, who had been in the war in Afghanistan and Iran etc-they tell of their indebtedness to our blessed mother for saving their lives during some of the bombings. In fact, not only do they carry sophisticated weapons with them at war, they also carry a special gift-the rosary. 2. A Jesuit house surviving the Hiroshima atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. 8 Jesuits survived the bomb with no residual radiation effects or hearing loss. 1 of the survivors, Fr Hubert Schiffer attributes their survival to our lady as they prayed the rosary daily at that house. As May and October are the months of the rosary, we are invited to carry the rosary with us and to pray it in our daily lives. 1. Praying the rosary affirms our trust in God through Mary- May we take example from Mary as she trusts God even as she goes through her sorrows, her difficulties in life., watching her son die on Calvary. May we gain strength and hope from meditating on the rosary. 2. Praying the rosary builds our relationship with God-Meditating on the life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus draws us closer to God and as we pray the rosary, we can experience the power of Mary’s intercession and divine assistance. With that in mind, may we experience the power of the rosary and may we experience the beauty and wonder of God in our lives and be assured that Mary will always intercede for us and be with us. We have nothing to fear. -Novena Devotion by Br. Celestine Toh, C.Ss.R. (12 October 2024)