The well-known, loved, and admired 50-year stigmatic, Saint Padre Pio, was known to have demanded for something that may have shocked the listener: “Give me my weapon!”
Why would such a prayerful, holy, and peaceful Franciscan Friar and priest be requesting a weapon? Just think of the Beatitudes! Is not one of them, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God” (Mt. 5:10)? The reason for this insistent request was because the modern saint had in mind a different type of weapon: the most holy Rosary.
As we read in 1 Samuel 17, the young shepherd David, taken from the fields where he was tending his flock, was to be engaged in a mortal battle. He volunteered to fight one of the most ferocious, audacious, and malicious enemies in the Philistine army: the giant Goliath. Victory for Goliath and death for the young and unexperienced shepherd were almost certain. Goliath had all to his advantage: height, a deadly crescent sword, a shield-bearer to protect him, and years of victorious battle experiences. David had nothing more than a slingshot and a few stones. Still, though, he had something, or rather someone, that Goliath did not have: God.
David ran to the line of battle, entrusting himself to the presence, power, and protection of God. He pulled out a stone, placed it in the slingshot, and hurled it with all his strength. The stone took off like a bullet and riveted itself into the forehead of the giant. Goliath fell to his knees and lost consciousness. David took the sword from the fallen giant and swiftly decapitated him. A startling, surprising, and even shocking victory.
My friends, never have we been living in more tempestuous, turbulent, and trying times as the present. There are many modern Goliaths that we must confront and conquer: materialism, consumerism, hedonism, dogmatic and practical atheism, indifferentism, New Agism, Satanism, and moral relativism—to name a few. They are insidious and fierce, ruthless and persistent, toxic and deadly.
But we have a weapon, armor, and shield more powerful than theirs.
To overcome these powerful enemies, we must wield and implement the most Holy Rosary. The great English novelist Charles Dickens inferred that the worst of times can also be the best of times. So, it is! It could well be that we are living in the worst of all times. However, these can be the best of all times if we make the firm decision to draw close to God through the most powerful intercession of Mary, under her title, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.
The following can be our battle strategy:
Pray the most Holy Rosary daily, now more than ever, all the days of your life.
If possible, pray it with your whole family. The family is indeed the domestic church, and in the words of Father Patrick Peyton, “the family that prays together stays together.”
Set aside a consistent time to do so, so that your resolution strengthens rather than weakens. Perhaps right before dinner, light some candles, get out your Rosaries, and go for it. All done in 15 minutes!
Designate a place to pray the Rosary. Establish a prayer corner at home that the family knows to be the “prayer-place.”
Involve each family member. Each person can lead a decade and offer their own individual intention. Become engaged and involved in the prayer process!
Become an Apostle of the Holy Rosary. Spread this prayer that Mary loves so much to others. Invite them to pray with you.
Have in store many Rosaries and pamphlets on how to pray it. Give these away to as many people as you meet. Many will not pray the Rosary because they do not know how. Teach them!
When someone is about to pass and go before the Judgment seat of God, let us help them. Bring a priest. Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the most Holy Rosary. What a beautiful way to pass from this world to the next.
May the words of Pope Leo XIII encourage us to pray the most Holy Rosary now and always:
The Rosary is the most excellent of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.
Now go and win battles!
Photo by Emily Abreu on Unsplash
