St Therese And The Rosary

October is the month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. This first day of the month is the feast day pf St Therese of Liseux. This great saint and Doctor of the Church had great devotion to Our Lady, but saying the Rosary, the prayer she knew would please our Blessed Mother so much, was not always easy for her. Here is a quote from one of her letters:

"Reciting the Rosary costs me more than using an instrument of penance," she wrote "I feel I say it so bad; in vain do I strive to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary; I am unable to fix my attention For a long time I was sad because of this lack of devotion which surprised me, for I love the Blessed Virgin so much that it should be easy for me to say in her honor prayers which please her so much. Now, it saddens me less; I think that the Queen of Heaven being my Mother, she must see my good will and be content with it."
I was very consoled reading that quote because I can relate to it. As much as I hate to admit it, I have a very difficult time saying the Rosary. Many a day passes when all I can do is carry it in my pocket. This bothered me for a very long time because I do love our Blessed Mother and like Therese, I know this prayer pleases her. I also know its power. Like Therese also, I know Our Lady sees my heart and my intentions and the other ways I pay honor to her.

During this month of October however, I am going to make a serious effort to pray this beautiful prayer more often. We are living in an age when it is needed perhaps more than ever.

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted by Pope Pius V after the victory over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. This is just one example of the power of the Rosary and Our Lady's intercession.

One way we can make a an effort to say the Rosary this month is by joining in the Lepanto Victory Mission Rosary Novena for our country. I firmly believe that it is only through our Blessed Mother that this country will return to Christ.

For those of us, who like St Therese, find saying the Rosary more of an act of penance, well I would imagine that this will please Our Lord and Our Lady even more.

Let us ask St Therese to help us by her prayers and intercession to be devoted children of our Blessed Mother.

To read about and to sign up for an hour in the Rosary Novena, go here.

*Thanks to Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii for posting about the Rosary Novena.