The Excellence of the Rosary | Page 9

Mary. Sight is
restored to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, the use of
their limbs to the crippled, diseases of all kind are cured, by invoking
the intercession of the Blessed Virgin by means of the devotion of the
rosary.
The conversion of a hardened sinner is, after all, a greater miracle than

all cures of disease. And such conversions to this day are as numerous
as they were at the time the rosary was introduced. Entire nations,
provinces and cities have been converted to God through his devotion.
Blessed John, a companion of St. Dominic, wrote a book about the
miraculous power of the rosary. The blessed Alanus de la Roche tells of
a bishop, in whose diocese morality was decadent, who finally took up
the devotion to the rosary, explained it to his people, prayed it with
them, and had it introduced in all parishes. Soon the people abandoned
their evil ways.
St. Clement Hofbauer assures us: "When I am called to a sick man of
whom I know that he is averse to making his peace with God, on the
way I pray my rosary, and when I reach him I am sure to find him
desirous to receive the Sacraments."
The holy doctor Alphonsus of Liguori relates from his experience: "The
walls of Jericho did not collapse more quickly at the trumpet call of
Josue than false teachings disappear after the earnest praying of the
rosary. The swimming pool of Jerusalem was not as healing for the
bodily sick as the rosary is as remedy for the spiritually diseased."
These few examples, to which I could add hundreds of other similar
instances, prove the miraculous efficacy of the rosary. Oh, that all
Christians would grasp this weapon to attack and conquer all enemies
of Church and soul!
Great dangers threaten the spiritual weal of the individual, family and
community. Let us, then, arise and grasp the mighty sword which is
like to none, the holy rosary, and let us attack with it the Goliath of our
times, corruption and godlessness. As David courageously met the
enemy of Israel with the humble sling in his hand and conquered
because God was with him, so let us face the enemies of Christendom
and of our salvation, with the humble wreath of the rosary in our hands,
and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin will secure for us God's
grace and assistance, and with God to fight our battles, who will do us
harm? Amen!

IV. THE EXCELLENCE OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE
ROSARY
(a) The Sign of the Cross
"The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains."--Ps. lxxxvi, I.
Dear brethren, we have seen in our previous discourses upon the rosary
how for more than six centuries the rosary has proved itself a great,
indeed a marvelous, power and help in times of stress. This, of course,
was apparent from its very origin. It was a special instrument of divine
Providence in troublous times of Church and Society. The various parts
of the rosary are admirably adapted to exercise such great power and
efficacy. The Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Creed, the Glory be to the
Father, and the Sign of the Cross, which are said in reciting the rosary,
are the most beautiful, I the holiest and most excellent of prayers, and
for this reason also the most potent and efficacious. The mysteries of
our holy faith, which are at the same time meditated upon, embrace the
entire work of our redemption, in its work (joyful mysteries), its
accomplishment (sorrowful mysteries), and in its fruits (glorious
mysteries). Meditation combined with prayer as it is contained in the
rosary renders it a perfect prayer. The rosary furthermore is the best
means of honoring Mary, and therefore it is the best means for
obtaining Mary's powerful intercession.
That we may understand and perceive the whole beauty and excellence
of the rosary let us closely view its component parts, and we will begin
to-day by considering the opening of the rosary, namely the sign of the
Cross. This has a most sublime meaning, and has of itself great power
and efficacy. It is a sign of honor, of blessing and of power. In this
threefold aspect let us consider it to-day.
I. The sign of the Cross is, first of all, a mark of honor. It reminds us of
the holy Trinity and of our relation to the triune God. The Father has
created us, the Son redeemed us, and the Holy Ghost has sanctified us.
God the Father created us after His own image, and therefore we bear a
resemblance to God in our souls. Our soul is a spirit, as God is a spirit.
It has understanding and free will; it can be