Armed with the Rosary, the mission to save souls from the Devil
(Editor: The Month of October is dedicated to Mary and the Rosary. Today, 13 Oct, commemorates the day Mary declared she is the Lady of the Rosary at Fatima in 1917 before a huge crowd witnessed her Miracle of the Sun)
A few years ago on 2 October 2015, I was invited by a friend, Father Nguyen Huu Quang of the Don Bosco Order, to preach at a three-day retreat for the Brunswick parish, in Melbourne, Australia. This was in conjunction with the Catholic Church dedicating the month of October each year to the Most Holy Rosary.
This is linked to the annual liturgical feast Our Lady of the Rosary on 7 October that Pope St Saint Pius V established in 1573 in honour of the Blessed Virgin aiding a Catholic naval force in defeating an invading Turkish armada.
During the retreat in Melbourne, I shared with Vietnamese parishioners the meaning and origin of the Rosary, woven with the Hail Mary. When we meditate on the essential mysteries in Jesus’ life, from his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary to his birth, then into adulthood when he goes forth and preaches the Good News of salvation so that all those who hear and believe may receive salvation, we are contemplating the mysteries of the Rosary. Here is my reflection on the Holy Rosary and the power of the Hail Mary.
Jesus’ public preaching and life of ministry tragically and lamentably ended on the cross which is reflected in the Sorrowful Mysteries. At Calvary, where He was crucified, Christ was suspended between two thieves. The Most Holy One, the only begotten Son of God, was in essence counted among the thieves, reviled and mocked, despised and ridiculed.
Those who passed by derided Him saying, “If you were truly the Son of God, come down from the Cross. He saved others; raising the dead; causing the lame to walk, the dumb to speak, the blind to see… so save yourself” (Matt 27:39-44). Faced with arrogant and obscene words, utterly challenging his power, Jesus kept silent. He did not get angry and punish the blasphemer who dared to profane God. That is also a valuable lesson for us. Jesus once said, “Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Matt 11:28-30)
God’s fountain of grace flows from the Rosary mysteries
Then, in the Rosary, we too are invited to meditate on the Glorious Mysteries. This is our hope because Jesus has conquered death. Death and sin from then on will forever have no power over Him, for Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. Death has been abolished by God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The powers of the Devil will not be able to do anything to us if we know how to unite ourselves with the resurrected Jesus Christ if we know how to give up our old self to put on a new self and live according to the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Since Christ is the head of the body, the Church, He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. He is the principle of our resurrection and later raises our bodies (Col 1:18).”
“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Rom 8:11).”
Therefore, the Rosary helps us to meditate deeply on the main mysteries the Catholic faith teaches – the Incarnation (Joyful Mysteries), the Passion (Sorrowful mysteries) and finally the Resurrection (Glorious Mysteries). It is through this sincere meditation that we draw from God’s fountain of grace, reviving our religious life, and making it active and holy. I would like to quote the affirmation of the late Pope St John Paul II who said:
The Rosary has accompanied me in moments of joy and in moments of difficulty. To it, I have entrusted any number of concerns; in it I have always found comfort. Twenty-four years ago, on 29 October 1978, scarcely two weeks after my election to the See of Peter, I frankly admitted: the Rosary is my favourite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth … The simple prayer of the Rosary marks the rhythm of human life.”
Pope St John Paul II’s apostolic letter on the Rosary, Rosarium Virginis Mariae
As a child, I did not have the privilege of having knowledgeable Catholics, especially those older than me, teach me about the meaning of the graces of praying the Rosary. I remember vividly when I was about 9 years old, I accidentally picked up an old black plastic Rosary. A third of its crucifix was broken, but even though this rosary looked a little ugly and not very attractive, I liked to wear it around my neck.
I was so young then and I did not know how to pray the Rosary and meditate on the mysteries of Jesus’ life. I only knew how to say the Hail Mary. When it came to meditating on the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries, I did not learn them by heart and so did know how to recite them. But I was convinced the Rosary had some invisible power and believed the Devil fears it and will not dare to disturb me if I wore it around my neck.
As I got older, especially after I entered the seminary in Vietnam to become a priest, and when I joined the Redemptorist Congregation in Australia in 1983, I gradually developed a devotion to Mother Mary. In time I discovered my love for her and understood why she sent me a Rosary when I was nine. Although it was battered and a bit ugly, it was Our Lady’s way of expressing and making known her love for me at such a tender age to prepare me for my priestly vocation.
Subsequently, over time, I also discovered God’s love for me. Mother Mary has given many signs to tell me of my future mission and journey: That I will be a priest, even though there were times when I felt this was something unimaginable that will never happen.
Read also:
Mary: The Mother God gives the world
The Rosary: A powerful weapon against evil
Hail, Full of Grace
The Hail Mary protects us from the Devil
Later, when I was ordained to the priesthood on 16 July 1994 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at Maidstone in Melbourne, I thought of this prophecy and silently thanked God and Our Lady from the depths of my grateful heart. After many years of hardship and suffering in my vocation journey, God finally allowed me to become His priest and the beloved son of Mother Mary, since I had consecrated myself to her on 15 September 1979 at my Vietnamese parish church in Duc My.
From what I have learnt, every time we say the Hail Mary, we share the joy of Mary’s heart. The greetings are the formation of so many spiritual roses offered to the Virgin Mary as if adorning her with a magnificent tiara, a garland on her head. In return, our Mother will place on the heads of her children an invincible crown of roses, of divine grace. This is the meaning and purpose of reciting the Hail Mary.
For me, the Hail Mary is my most favourite prayer. It is always on my lips and in my very breath. A good habit of mine is to always say the Hail Mary before I start doing something, especially important things: whenever I drive, particularly on long trips, and when I travel by air.
I do this because I desire Mary’s protection and I want to thank her for keeping me safe on my journeys. There is one thing that perhaps up until now, I have not been able to fully understand: that is whenever I am in danger or under attack by the Devil.
These situations usually happen in dreams, but sometimes, I felt as if I was fully conscious and aware of what was going on. There were times when I was so frightened that I screamed for help, hoping my friend in the next room or anyone at all, would hear my cry and quickly come to my rescue. At such times I was unable to speak and only murmured some sounds.
Too frightened, all I could do was to reach over my headboard and pick up the Rosary, usually hung at the top of my bed. With Rosary in hand, I was filled with courage and prayed the Hail Mary. Sometimes I said it out loud, sometimes just silently in my head, but in either mode, the Devil gradually left, and I was saved.
I now like to share with you a dream that is quite mysterious but very special to me, which I have recorded in my diary. Honestly, I still don’t fully understand its meaning, only some of it.
One evening a long time ago, I dreamt of many demons flying in the air, trying to catch the souls of many who were also flying. Whenever a demon touched any of them, that soul belonged to the Devil. I was troubled when I saw this and told Mother Mary that I wanted to snatch back the souls from the demons and save them for God.
I suddenly found that I had a Rosary in my hand and flying easily in the air, like “Batman”. I was amazed that I could fly and did my best to fly faster than the demons so that I could touch the souls first. Those I managed to touch were saved and the demons stopped chasing them. In my quest to save many souls for God I had to fight with those demons. Then, I woke up suddenly drenched in sweat, maybe because I was too scared or tried too hard to fly!
During the course of the day, I wrote in my diary all the details and feelings I still remembered, because I knew this was no ordinary dream. This could have been a vision the Lord had revealed to me, to let me know this was my priestly mission. I need to save souls and bring many back to God. The way, therefore, I can save these souls is through the Rosary as if it were a powerful weapon to fight against the Devil and bring victory to the Lord.
The mission to save souls with the Rosary
If I ever could have a better understanding of the meaning of the dream, I will be somewhat satisfied. What I have yet to understand, I believe God will slowly reveal this to me in His own time when I am ready to receive what He wants to tell me.
Coming back to the dream after waking up, I regained peace when I raised my voice to pray the Hail Mary and it seemed to me that Mother Mary also gave me strength. It can be said this prayer is quite powerful and the sharpest of weapons.
In saying this, I am fully aware and agree that the celebration of the Eucharist and the Church’s official prayers are preferable. Since the Eucharist is the source of grace and the summit of a Christian’s life.
But the Devil is very afraid of the Hail Mary. Every time we mention the name of our Mother – Holy Mary, Mother of God, and the super important name of Jesus Christ – blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus, demons are terrified and flee in disarray.
The holy patriarchs and saints of the Middle Ages confirm this, as well as the saints and past and present Popes who have had and have a special devotion and love for Mary.
Throughout the journey of my vocation, all the hardships I have endured, from childhood and adulthood to my time in the seminary, ordination and up till now, the one thing I cannot deny is this: if not for the love and protection of Mother Mary, I would not be where I am today. Her protection and support have helped me to overcome countless difficulties.
There were challenges that sometimes I thought I would never be able to conquer. I became dispirited and fell into despair many times. In such moments, I had wanted to give up and quit. I wanted to run away and leave it all to the flow of life, but Mother Mary never abandoned me. She didn’t leave me in despair, came to my rescue and helped me solve every problem so that I could continue my journey up to this day. Because of this, I made a vow to never forget the blessings she has bestowed on me. I will be forever grateful to her and God, who is a kind and loving Father.
As I wrote previously there are two women I cherish the most in my life. The first one is Mother Mary, my spiritual and holy Mother, who with her graces shaped me in the likeness of her Son, Jesus. The second one is my biological mother, who conceived and gave birth to me, raised me and taught me to love God and my neighbours as myself.
My life is truly happy because I always have Mother Mary. She will forever be the spring of my consecrated life to God. Mother Mary is everything to me and I, therefore, invite all of you to kindly repeat the short consecration prayer Pope St John Paul II composed. Please repeat each of the following sentences after me:
O my Mother, I am all yours
Pope Saint John Paul II The Great’s Prayer to The Virgin Mary, Totus Tuus
And all I have is yours,
Please guide me in everything
I wish that you will consecrate yourselves to Mother Mary by repeating this short consecration prayer. In doing so, we will become Marian soldiers, bearing crosses and Rosaries to fight for the success of her plans, and preparing for Christ to return in glory. Amen.
Main Image: Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation
POPES ON THE ROSARY
Pope Francis: The Rosary “is the weapon against the Great Accuser who ‘goes around the world seeking to accuse.’ Only prayer can defeat him.”
Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013): The Rosary is “the prayer of the Christian who advances in the pilgrimage of faith, in the following of Jesus, preceded by Mary … it is a means given by the Virgin for contemplating Jesus and, meditating on his life, for loving and following him always more faithfully.”
Pope John Paul II (1978-2005): “The Rosary is my favourite prayer … I would therefore ask those who devote themselves to the pastoral care of families to recommend heartily the recitation of the Rosary.”
Pope John Paul I (August 26–September 28, 1978) in Homily in 7 Oct 1973 before he was elected Pope five years later: “The Rosary, a simple and easy prayer, helps me to be a child again, and I am not ashamed of it at all.”
Pope Paul VI (1963-1978): “If evils increase, the devotion of the People of God should also increase … Pray ardently to our most merciful mother Mary by saying the Rosary during the month of October. This prayer is well-suited to the devotion of the People of God, most pleasing to the Mother of God and most effective in gaining heaven’s blessings.”
Pope John XXIII (1958-1963): “The Rosary is a magnificent and universal prayer for the needs of the Church, the nations and the entire world.”
Pope Pius XII (1939-1958): “We do not hesitate to affirm publicly that We put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils of our times.”
Pope Pius XI (1922-1939): “A powerful weapon to put the demons to flight” … “Kings and princes, however burdened with most urgent occupations and affairs, made it their duty to recite the Rosary.”
Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922): “The prayer of the Rosary is perfect, because of the praises it offers, the lessons it teaches, the graces it obtains, and the victories it achieves.”
St. Pius X (1903-1914): “The Rosary is the most beautiful and the richest of all prayers to the Mediatrix of all grace; It is the prayer that touches most the heart of the Mother of God. Say it each day!”
Pope Leo XIII (1878- 1903): “The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.”
Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846): “The Rosary is a miraculous means, the most capable one amongst other means, to destroy sin and regain divine grace.”
Pope Innocent XIII (1721-1724): “The Rosary had been instituted by St. Dominic to appease the anger of God and to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
Pope Paul V (1605-1621): “The rosary is a treasure of graces”
Pope Gregory XII (1406-1415): “The Rosary is a wonderful instrument for the destruction of sin, the recovery of GOD’s grace, and the advancement of His glory”
Pope Julius III (1550-1555): The Rosary is “the Glory of the Church.”
Pope Adrian VI (1522-1523): “The rosary is the scourge of the devil.”
Pope Leo X (1513-1521): The Rosary “was instituted to oppose pernicious heresiarchs and heresies.”
Pope Sixtus XI (1471-1484): This method of prayer, the Rosary, “redounded to the honour of God and the Blessed Virgin, and was well suited to obviate impending dangers”
Pope Gregory XI (1370- 1378): “The Rosary is this wonderful means to destroy sin and recover grace.”
Pope Benedict XII (1334-1342): “The Rosary is a sovereign remedy to errors and vices.”
Pope Urban IV (1261-1264): “Every day the Rosary obtains fresh boom for Christianity … There is a pious rite which, to be protected against the dangers threatening the world, consists in reciting … the Ave Maria, as many times as the Psalms of David, while saying before each decade the dominical prayer… With our Apostolic authority, we approve this psalter of the Virgin.”
