Homily for the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Rosary calls us to reflect on the great mysteries of the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. 

Scripture depicts Mary as a deeply reflective person. In the second chapter of Luke’s Gospel, in response to the words of the shepherds, it is said that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) Again, in response to the words of the child Jesus to her in the temple, Luke says that Mary “kept all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

Luke depicts Mary as a meditative person, reflecting deeply on all that was happening in the life of her Son. So, Mary exemplifies the manner of mind and heart that we are invited to bring to the praying of the Rosary.

In praying the Rosary, we treasure and contemplate the key moments in the life of Jesus in this world and His going from this world to God the Father. Mary not only contemplated on what God was doing in the words and deeds of Jesus, but she surrendered herself to what God was doing, as shown by her response to the visit of the angel Gabriel when she says, “May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Like Mary, may we, too, reflect upon all that God is doing in the words and actions of Jesus; and also like Mary, may we, too, surrender ourselves more fully to God’s will in our lives, thus becoming more fully the people God made us to be. +