Our Lady of the Rosary
Memorial
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
The opening words of the Hail Mary, which are taken from the words of the angel and of Elizabeth to Mary, point out the place of Mary in the history of salvation: she is chosen by God to give Christ to the world. This is why in the rosary we meditate on the mysteries of Christ, in which Mary was his associate. With her, we too have to let God’s word become flesh and blood in us and in others.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God
you let Jesus your Word, become one of us
and gave him to the world
through the Blessed Virgin Mary.
With her, may we give shape
to the living word of Jesus
by making him come to life
in our words and deeds
and bringing his hope and peace,
his forgiveness and joy to the world,
for he is our Lord for ever.
[Below are the readings suggested for today’s Memorial. However, readings may also be taken from the Liturgy of Ordinary Time]
Responsorial Psalm
Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55
R. (49) The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
or:
R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
R. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
or:
R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.
"For he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name."
R. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
or:
R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.
"He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit."
R. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
or:
R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.
"He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty."
R. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
or:
R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.
"He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever."
R. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
or:
R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent
to a virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
The angel came to her and said:
“Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”
Mary was confused by these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.
But the angel said:
“Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you.
You will conceive and give birth to a son; and you shall call him Jesus.
He will be great, and he will rightly be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever;
and his reign will have no end.”
Then Mary asked the angel:
“How can this be since I am a virgin?”
And the angel said to her:
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you will be called Son of God.
Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, though she was unable to have children, and she is now in her sixth month.
With God, nothing is impossible.”
Then Mary said:
“I am the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me as you have said.”
And the angel left her.
Prayers of the Faithful
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
Mary, the Mother of Jesus,
placed herself with all she was and had
in the service of your Son.
Through this bread and wine
we commit ourselves
to your Son and his work.
Accept our offering
and confirm us in our purpose
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
your Word became flesh in Mary;
your Word became flesh among us
here in this eucharist.
With the help of the prayers
of the woman full of grace,
let us become a free gift of grace
to all whom we encounter,
that Jesus Christ may live among us,
now and for ever.
REFLECTIONS
Mysterium Fidei.
On October 7, the Catholic Church commemorates the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This feast day is also known as "Our Lady of Victory" and is observed to pay tribute to the Blessed Mother, who guided Christian forces to triumph over Ottoman troops in Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Before the battle, Pope Pius V urged European Christians to recite the Rosary. The Pope credited the victory to the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast was established to honour her maternal protection through the devotion of the Rosary.
October has become the month of the Rosary for many communities as a result of today’s celebration of our Lady of the Rosary. In parishes and Christian groups, this devotion is promoted through a variety of activities. This will enable us to gain a deeper understanding of joy, sorrow, glory, and brightness from a Christian perspective as we contemplate the mystery of Christ step by step.
Mary is portrayed as a caring mother in both Catholic and Orthodox traditions, as the mother of Jesus and all who follow him, as the mother of God's only son and as the mother of the Church. Mary's presence is evident throughout Jesus' life, though it is a very subtle one because she is aware that the focus of the Gospels is neither her nor even her son, but rather the proclamation of the Kingdom.