First of two parts
Saint Pope Pius V declared October 7 as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. He later changed it to Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary after the Holy League defeated the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto, off the coast of Greece, in a place now called Naupactos.
The pope sought the Blessed Mother’s intercession and prayed the rosary during the battle.
Like the Battle of Lepanto, the defeat of the “formidable flotilla” of Dutch Protestant ships in Manila in 1646 is attributed as “victory for the rosary” by Fr. Jean de Conca, OP, who taught the sailors to pray the rosary in chorus during the encounters.
The Blessed Mother revealed the rosary in 1214 to Saint Dominic while he was in the forest near Toulose, France, for three days of prayer and penance.
Handmaid of the Lord
From the moment of the angels’ greeting at the Anunciation to her Assumption into heaven, Mary’s life is one of loving service—a total openness to whatever God desired of her.
In the words of Saint Augustine—to conceive the Redeemer first in her heart, and then in her body, and experience, after a brief moment of messianic joy—all the sufferings undergone by her Son were in union with him to Calvary.
The title “handmaid” places Mary among the lowly, the poor and the sick. It places her at our level—indeed, at the lowest place among the ordinary people.
“Handmaid teaches that we came from God and are subject to Him: He was looked upon as the servant in her lowliness,’ He has endowed her with favors and brought her to supreme glory,” Pope Paul VI said. –Sis. Ma. Reina May G. Pelenio
Mother of the Church
Among Mary’s glorious titles, nothing can be compared to the title “mother.”
Her motherhood is above all what she has become for us. It is more than being a Queen, a Blessed Virgin, and of all the titles said of her, which made her so exemplary and most exalted above all creatures.
Mary, the mother, is the most profound dignity given her by God. Because of this, the faithful enter into such relationship that is personal—a mother-and-child relationship. They enter into such intimacy that makes two become one by the bonds of love—love that unites, that holds, and that binds beings together and makes them one.
Pope Paul VI, in his closing homily for the third session of the Second Vatican Council on November 21, 1964, proclaimed the Blessed Mother as the Mother of the Church. The pope’s justification for the title was based on the Divine Motherhood of the Blessed Mother, through whom “the Word became flesh.”
Recently, His Holiness Pope Francis officially called the Blessed Mother as the Mother of the Church. He asked that this great feast be celebrated by the universal church every year to remind the faithful that they have a mother who cares and loves unceasingly. –Sis. Ma. Helen Grace B. Anchores
Exemplar of Christians
History shows that human beings have a need for models to pattern their lives after. Most people have models handed down through epic accounts, songs, images, popular sayings or nature.
Most Christians, pattern their lives after Christ. “I have given you an example so that as I have done, you also may do” (John 13:15). “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
However, in following Christ, we need Mary as our perfect model. She is the most excellent exemplar of the church in faith, charity and perfect union with Christ. She is the “pattern” for the whole Church in her personal response to faith, hope and love to the Lord’s call.
Mary is our example and teacher in our spiritual life, meditating upon her “yes” to God: “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Like 1:38). For that “yes” is a lesson of obedience to the will of the Father, which is the way to the faithful’s sanctification.
In every situation, we can turn to Mary, our Mother. If we strive for holiness or commit to the service of others, we can draw inspiration from Mary’s total and free adherence to God. In every circumstance, we can find Mary as our help and support in her unlimited goodness. –Sis. Ma. Charlene Matalote
Queen of Families
Family is the first and vital cell of society. Thus, it is the smallest cell of the Church under the care of the King of the families, Jesus Christ, with the Queen of families, at His side.
We can never deny the great role of Mary as the Mother of the Universal Church. Hence, we can link the role of Mary to the domestic church—the Christian families.
By Mary’s perfect example, every Christian family finds a guide in fulfilling its duties. As queen of families, Mary becomes our servant, ready to comfort and help us in times of trials.
Surely, we are aware how the enemies of the church work today to destroy families. How many families have been broken? How many souls have been lost on the side of the king?
Our Mother and our Queen was sent to us to be our sure refuge. She is the protector of every family. –Sis Ma. Irish Puso
To be concluded