The Excellence of the Rosary | Page 6

in his sight" (I Cor. i and ii). And so did God choose the
rosary, this humble prayer, to work such great things, that human effort
had not been able to accomplish. What an incentive to put all our trust
in God, rather than in our own strength!
The devotion of the rosary soon spread from southern France to all
other Catholic lands, and all peoples welcomed it with joy and prayed it
with great zeal. Rosary societies were formed and approved of by the
Popes, and were richly endowed with many indulgences. Ever since
there has been no other prayer practised so diligently as the rosary. And
often there have been recorded miraculous effects of this devotion, no
less miraculous than the conversion of the heretics in the south of
France.
The devotion as now practised is therefore in use over seven hundred
years. The wonderful origin, its great age and the remarkable miracles

that were wrought by its use at all times, bestow a great dignity on this
devotion.
When we consider the conditions that prevailed at the time of the origin
of the rosary, and for the betterment of which divine Providence
provided this devotion, we can not fail to realize a similarity of
conditions in our own times. Materialism and unbelief, connected with
widespread immorality, are now prevalent as they were then. They are
causing great injury to Church, State, and homes, and will become
more destructive if not checked by the right weapon. Pope Pius IX, as
also Pope Leo XIII, have declared the rosary to be that weapon, and
have exhorted Christianity to resort to the zealous use of it. If all
Christians would follow the advice of these supreme Pontiffs, we
should soon see the Catholic faith and good morals come into their own
again, and ample blessing would, through this devotion, be bestowed
upon private and public life. All the insistent endeavors of world-wise
scholars and reformers will be of no avail if God's blessing does not
rest upon their work. Only then, when the true faith and a life of faith
are made the standard of public and private merit and ethics, will the
temporal, no less than the eternal, welfare of nations and of individuals
be assured.
Let us, through the rosary, call to Mary for her powerful intercession in
the battle of the Church against the enemies of faith and morals, and
with her intercession we shall be sure of victory. Amen.

III. THE POWER OF THE ROSARY
"Lo, here is the sword of Goliath. . . . There is none like that, give it to
me."--I Kings xxi, 9.
SYNOPSIS.--_David, with God's assistance, his only weapon a pebble,
slew the giant. God gives us, as our weapon, the rosary. This has
proven efficacious in the battles of the Church against heretics and
heathen armies. Examples: Albigenses; Turks at Lepanto and Belgrade;
many epidemics abated or averted by the power of the rosary. This

devotion is just as powerful for the individual and for the family.
God has shown us that He wishes many to co-operate with the Church
and with the Christian in their fight for faith and salvation. Let all use
this weapon._
My dear brethren, in the first book of Kings we read how the Philistines
went forth to battle against the Israelites. The Philistines arrayed their
forces on a mountain, and the Israelites occupied a mountain on the
opposite side, so that the valley was between them. Then there went out
from the hordes of the Philistines a man named Goliath, a giant of
enormous strength, who challenged the Israelites to let one of their men
fight him hand to hand, the result of this contest to decide the victory or
defeat of either army. A youth named David, inspired and urged by the
spirit of God, went forth with a few smooth stones and a sling to meet
this Philistine, and as Goliath rushed toward him David cast the stones
with the sling and struck the Philistine in the forehead, and he fell upon
his face to the earth. David then ran and stood over the Philistine and
took his sword and slew him. Israel thus gained the victory over the
Philistines. But when for this victory exceeding praise was given to
David, King Saul became angry and sought the life of the youthful hero.
In his flight David came to Nobe. Not having any weapon, he said to
the high priest Achimelech: "Hast thou here at hand a spear or a
sword?" The high priest answered: "Lo, here is the sword of Goliath,
whom thou slewest in the valley of Terebinth, if thou wilt take this, for
there is no other but this." And David said, "There is none like that,
give it me."