Our Lady of the Rosary
Readings:
Acts 1: 12-14
Luke 1: 26-38
Reflection:
An interesting fact connected with this feast is that Lepanto, fought on 7 October 1571, marks the last sea battle fought mostly between rowing ships. The Ottoman empire was defeated by the Holy League. It was mostly to do with trade and involved the Muslim navy of the Ottoman empire and the Navy called together by the Pope to defend the Venetian colony on the island of Cyprus. Pope Pius called on Catholics to pray the rosary. The battle saw the Turks roundly defeated. The victory was seen as the result of prayer and the feast was first named the feast “Our Lady of Victory.” It was later named to the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
For all the politics involving Christians and Muslims, the feast indicates the place of Mary at the centre of the church. So from the Acts of the Apostles we see the apostles joined in continuous prayer with the mother of Jesus. They are gathered in the Upper Room where Jesus gave himself and promised his life to be shared with one another.
So in peaceful days or in times of anxiety or conflict we find Mary at the centre of the praying, hoping and loving community of the disciples of the Crucified and Risen Lord.
She is presented as the quiet presence at the heart of the community of believers. And we hear once more Mary say “I am the Lord’s servant.”
In these days as we look to another way to reach out to those who think or see life differently from us, we need to find another word to express it than “victory” We are invited to share the powerful words of the Magnificat of Mary. As we try to reach out to others, whether they be Muslims, Jews, unbelievers, or just plain different, we can celebrate this day with prayer that can unite us and show us how to look for what is best in the other.
Fr. Kevin Dance CP is the vicar of the St.Brigid’s Retreat, Marrickville. He is very actively involved in ministries locally and at Passionist International where he served as the Executive Director for many years.