The best weapon

For St Pio of Pietrelcina, the Holy Rosary is the best weapon that Christians have to overcome temptations. But why is the Rosary so powerful in defeating the evil powers of darkness and restoring in God's grace Christ's faithful?

Pope John Paul II gives the answer in his apostolic letter on the Holy Rosary Rosarium Virginis Mariae. According to the Pope, "the most important reason for strongly encouraging the practice of the Rosary is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery".

The Rosary is an ongoing reliving with Mary of the great events of humanity's redemption.

Mary gives us the right attitude of how to contemplate God's saving actions in one's life story. In front of the mysterious happening of God's will in her life, she chose to hold them in her heart so as to contemplate them within the aromatic presence of her Lord. No wonder St Luke repeats the phrase "kept all these things ... in her heart" (Luke 2:19, 51) twice. How could Mary see God's loving hand guiding her had she not treasured the great things the Lord has done for her? (Luke 1:49).

The Trinitarian doxology of the Gloria, which concludes every contemplated mystery, proclaims a saving Trinitarian God, who is the Lord of human destiny.

By trusting him one, like Mary, can rest assured that salvation has already taken place in one's life.

Thus, the Rosary becomes a prayer of thanksgiving and gratitude for a God who does great things, is merciful to every generation, scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts, puts down the mighty and exalts those of low degree and always imparts with abundance his infinite mercy (Luke 1:49-52, 54).

The Rosary renders it possible to contemplate the remembrance of God's salvific presence and intervention within this present saving phase of human history.

Christian witness has been continuously showing that the Rosary is one of the best weapons to combat the forces of disintegration that want to destroy our families at all costs.

May the Rosary unite and strengthen our families in their joyful, enlightening, sorrowful and glorious moments, especially by the powerful accompanying presence and intercession of Mary, the Mother of God and Queen of Peace.