A Deeper Look Into the Rosary

Window at Sacred Heart Parish in Miles City

The word, “rosary” comes from the Latin word rosarium, which means, “rose garden”. The word “chaplet” is from the Old French word chapel ‘hat’ from the Latin cappa ‘cap’. It is a garland or wreath for a person’s head.* The rosary came about as a means of honoring the Mother of God by weaving a wreath of spiritual roses for her head. A chaplet is often used to refer to the rosary in its different forms (as discussed in my previous post). To clarify, we know that Mary is NOT God. So why do we honor her with a garland of spiritual roses? Let’s dive into the Scriptures and find out.

O What Love God Has For Us!

My dad often speaks of a time when he was bringing flowers to Mary’s alcove in our church. He heard Mary saying to him, “my little boy loves to bring flowers to his Mother.” These words still bring tears to his eyes. St. John in his first epistle states, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God and obey his commandments.” (1 John 5:1-2)** So many times our vision of Christ becomes myopic. We think we see and feel what Jesus does. Jesus could have come to us on a cloud or in a fiery chariot with angels guarding his way. Couldn’t Jesus just forgive all of our sins without having to suffer anything?

The answer to this question is: God loved us so much that through His life, death and resurrection, we are not just forgiven, we are redeemed and purified. Our Creator loves us so much that he humbled himself to be born of a woman, flesh and blood. He participated in our humanity so that we could participate in His life. Our Creator gave himself into the hands of a poor family and this family participated in God's plan of salvation.

Something about Mary

Catholics are often accused of putting too much emphasis on Mary at the expense of Jesus. My thought is that God put far more emphasis on Mary than the most devout Catholic ever could.

1)   God said from the time of the original sin in the Garden of Eden, “I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman and between your seed and her seed.” (Gen.3:15) This is a prophecy of the Messiah and the "woman" the devil hates. Ave Maria!

2)   God preserved the line of Abraham and King David through slavery, division, invasion and persecution. (See Matthew 1) Ave Maria!

3)   God sent the archangel Gabriel, who stands before the very Throne of God, to the home of a humble virgin in Nazareth (Luke 1). Ave Maria!

4)   The Spirit of God hovered over the waters at Creation and filled the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of Solomon. This same Spirit that brought all things into being overshadowed Mary. (Luke 1:35) Ave Maria!

5)   One of the greatest acts of praise by any of God’s creation is the Magnificat. “My soul magnifies the Lord . . .” Read it for yourself in Luke 1:46-55. Ave Maria!

6)   An angel from heaven appeared to the lowly shepherds declaring the birth of the Messiah. A host of angels praised God. “Glory to God in the highest!” The shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the babe in a manger. (Luke 2:8-18) Ave Maria!

7)   Creation declared the coming of the Lord. The wise men were led by a star. Coming into the house, the wise men saw the Child with Mary his mother. (Matt. 2:11) What a beautiful sight! Our Savior in the arms of His mother. Ave Maria!

8)   God the Father announced His Son from heaven at the Jordan River. (Luke 3:21-22) At the wedding feast at Cana, Mary requested Jesus perform his first miracle. (John 2) This event began His way to Cross. Ave Maria!

9)   Mary beheld her Son on the cross. From the Cross Jesus gave Mary into the care of the beloved disciple. (John 19:26-27) Ave Maria!

10) The enmity declared in Genesis is revealed in the book of Revelation. "Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring (who are they?), on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” Rev. 12:17. Ave Maria!

Can you see that especially in these last two Bible references that Mary is and should be a part of our lives? Even though God is outside time and space, He sent His Son into the world through a woman. I can see now why the Rosary emphasizes the early years of Jesus in the Joyful Mysteries. These reflections show us that Jesus is fully God and fully human. The Glorious Mysteries reveal how Jesus honored His Mother by her Assumption into Heaven and Crowning as Queen. When we understand this, the rest of the gospel message shines even brighter. We have our physical parents in this world. If Jesus is our Brother, God is our Father and Mary is our Mother!

In honoring our Parents we weave a spiritual garland of roses. Pray the Rosary.

Ave Maria!

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Jesus, Protect and Save the Unborn!

* Definitions from the New Oxford American Dictionary

**Bible quotes are from the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition as in previous posts.