"The Highest himself hath founded her."--Ps. lxxxvi.
My dear brethren, in our consideration on the rosary let us to-day
reflect upon its origin.
Its origin and age bestow on this devotion a great dignity. From the
earliest times of Christianity it has been the custom of the Christians
to observe in their prayers method and perseverance. Thus it was the
custom of the hermits of the Orient, as far back as the fourth century,
to devise a sequence of certain prayers, which they counted on pebbles.
We also know that long ago in England a so-called Paternoster-cord was
used for this purpose. St. Gregory, at the end of the fourth century,
spoke of such a method of devotion in veneration of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. This pious bishop thought a wreath of spiritual roses would be
more pleasing to the blessed Virgin than the natural roses with which
the faithful adorned her altar. He selected, therefore, a number of
prayers, in praise of the blessed Virgin, and united them into a
wreath. And this was the origin of the rosary, woven by pious hands for
the veneration of Mary, the mystical rose.
In the fifth century, St. Brigid urgently commended the devotion of the
rosary, and she chose as its prayers the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and
the Creed, and united them into a wreath of prayers. In order to count
their recital she strung little beads of stone or wood and made a
wreath of them.
This custom subsequently spread through all Christian lands, and
through the centuries, to our own days. That this devotion was always
in great favor and esteem among pious Christians may be concluded from
the fact that in the grave of St. Norbert, who died in 1134, a rosary
similar to ours was found.
We have proof, then, that the devotion of the rosary, such as we have
it, was practised already in the early days of Christianity. And it was
practised not only by monks and nuns, but found adherents among all the
faithful.
The particular manner in which we now pray the rosary was brought into
vogue by St. Dominic. This is attested by the tradition of six
centuries. Twelve Popes bear witness to this fact. We will now speak of
the introduction by St. Dominic, and will also refer to the great
efficacy of this devotion since its inception. May our reflections
contribute to the greater honor of God, and of the glorious Queen of
the rosary.
I. The devotion of the rosary in its present form dates its origin from
the thirteenth century, and St. Dominic was selected by God as the
instrument of its introduction. Spain was the home of this great saint.
In one of the valleys of Castile there is situated an humble little
village named Calarunga, where his parents possessed a small estate. He
was born there in the year 1170. While being baptized his sponsor saw,
as if in a vision, a brilliant star over the forehead of the future
saint, shedding its brilliant light through the church. As Dominic
advanced in years he increased in wisdom, virtue and piety. In due time
he devoted himself to theology, believing that in this pursuit alone he
could find the wisdom of God. Not in the pleasures of this world, but
in the knowledge of God, he sought his pastime. His favorite place was
the church and the solitude of the sanctuary. Two incidents from his
schooldays throw a light upon his character. At the time of a famine
Dominic gave all that he possessed to the poor, even all but the
necessary clothes, and when he had nothing more to give, he sold even
his beloved books and gave the proceeds to the poor. When berated by
people for his excessive generosity, he said: "How could I dare indulge
in these lifeless books, when human lives are in danger of starvation?"
At another time St. Dominic met a woman who was weeping bitterly
because she had no money with which she could release her brother, who
had been imprisoned by the Saracens. Dominic offered to sell himself
into bondage to release this brother; but since God had destined him to
release sinful mankind from the bondage of sin, of error and unbelief,
He did not permit Dominic to do as he offered.
At the age of twenty-five he was appointed upon the chapter of the
cathedral at Osma. Here he was conspicuous among his brethren on
account of his humility, holiness, and zeal for prayer. He spent nine
years in Osma, during which time divine Providence prepared him for his
important and great vocation. This vocation became plain to him when,
in the year 1204, he went to France and saw the terrible devastation
which the prevailing heresies had wrought against the Church of Christ.
The sight of this disaster nearly broke his heart. The poison of heresy
had spread among the faithful with great rapidity, and principally in
southern France. From the city of Albi the heretics had assumed the
name Albigenses. These Albigenses discarded the doctrines of
Christianity and constructed new doctrines that played havoc with
morality and social order. They were violent enemies of Church and
State, and preached disobedience and rebellion against spiritual and
temporal authority. An enemy of the Church is invariably also an enemy
of the State; history and experience prove this.
In southern France the Albigenses secured the support of Prince
Raimond, of Toulouse, a wealthy and mighty, but, at the same time, a
most godless and immoral prince of that time. He had several wives;
associated with heretics, and even gave his children to be educated by
them. This prince undertook the leadership of the heretical Albigenses,
and with them, and other rabble by which France at that time was
overrun, scoured the country, robbing and plundering wherever they
went. This lawless band, under the direction of this godless prince,
robbed churches of their treasures, murdered priests, even tore open
the tabernacles and desecrated the most holy Sacrament. A messenger of
Pope Innocent III was murdered by one of these knaves, who then found
the protection of this depraved prince. Under these conditions the Pope
finally saw the necessity of preaching a crusade against these
heretics, who surpassed even the Saracens in the outrages committed. A
terrible war then ensued, in which these enemies of Church and State
were subdued, but not converted. For this there was necessary an
extraordinary spiritual effort, and divine Providence had already
prepared the instrument. St. Dominic was the tool in the hand of God to
introduce and apply an efficacious remedy, and this remedy was the
rosary.
Dominic had for many years taught the doctrines of the Catholic Church
to the heretics, and had converted a number of them, but not enough to
satisfy his holy zeal. He often turned with humility to God and
besought Him with tears, and deeds of penance, that He might let him
know how to accomplish better results. Since childhood he had been a
faithful servant of Mary, and had often said that the devotion to her
was a powerful means of converting heretics and sinners.
Finally his prayers were heard in a miraculous way. One day, while on
his way from Toulouse, Dominic threw himself down on his knees and
resolved not to cease praying until his prayers were heard. Then, so
the legend tells us, the glorious Queen of heaven appeared to him,
spoke words of encouragement, and taught him how to pray the rosary,
assuring him that this would be the right weapon to conquer error and
sin. With joy Dominic arose and returned to Toulouse, and began to
spread the use of the rosary, as Mary had taught him and in the way we
now recite it. He preached this devotion, explained it, and taught the
people how to pray it. It proved indeed a most efficacious means for
the conversion of apostates, heretics, and sinners. Since the lack of
knowledge in matters of faith had been the real cause why heresy so
quickly spread, the principal truths of faith and morals were now
communicated to the people through the rosary, and the principles of a
Christian life were taught them in this most sublime prayer of the
Church. This was bound to bring results, and we will give now some
thought to these results.
II. According to the historians of those ages the effects of the rosary
sermons of St. Dominic were truly wonderful. In all cities where he
preached, the people gathered in great numbers to hear his heaven-
inspired words and to pray the rosary with St. Dominic. Sinners were
converted, the faithful were strengthened and fortified, and many
thousands of those who had been led into heresy opened their hearts
again to the true faith and returned to the holy Church. The inspired
words of St. Dominic met with such splendid results that, even if the
tradition did not tell us so, the miraculous effects of this devotion
would prove its heavenly inspiration, and Pius IX, Leo XIII, as many
Popes before them, have publicly avowed their belief that St. Dominic
received the rosary from our blessed Mother.
The promise which Dominic received was fulfilled. Where all other means
had failed, the humble prayer of the rosary accomplished the victory
over heresy. Thus divine wisdom and infinite power make use of humble
things to effect great achievements. Of this the great work of the
redemption gives us an example. God made the Cross the instrument of
the redemption. The despised Cross, once a shame and disgrace, was
raised on the height of Calvary and became the instrument of the
redemption for all the world, the fountain of grace, a blessing for
time and eternity, the symbol of victory and glory.
St. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, writes: "And I,
brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of
wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ. For I judge not
myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human
wisdom, but in the showing of the spirit and power. That your faith
might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. But we
preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and
unto the Gentiles foolishness: But unto them that are called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God; for the
foolishness of God is wiser than men; but the foolish things of the
world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong. That no flesh
should glory 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.