For Venerable Aloysius Schwartz and the Sisters of Mary, two devotions form the heart of their spiritual life: the Eucharist and Mary, the Mother of God. Devotion to Mary naturally includes love for her prayer, the Rosary.
From the beginning of their mission, the Sisters have encouraged everyone under their care—the children, the sick, and the poor—to cherish this prayer. Time and again, they have seen its power and grace at work in their lives and communities.
Mary once told Mariette Beco in Banneux, “Believe in me and I will believe in you.” To believe in Mary is to believe in her prayer. To love Mary is to love the Rosary.
The following is a reflection adapted from a talk given by Venerable Al whose vision continues to guide the Sisters of Mary in their service to the poor.
Mary and the Rosary
Mary: The Mother Jesus Gave Us
On Calvary, Jesus gave Mary to us as our Mother. John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, stood at the foot of the cross as our representative. Jesus looked at Mary and said, “Woman, behold your son,” and then to John, “Son, behold your mother.” Mary became our Mother, and we became her children. The Gospel says that from that moment, John took Mary to his house.
This is our daily invitation. We take Mary into the house of our hearts by going to her each day and saying the Rosary with faith and love. By doing this, we open the door and ask her to be our mother, guest, friend, and protector. Mary gladly enters and shares her greatest gift: love.
The Rosary as a Prayer of the Heart
Mary doesn’t want mechanical prayer; she wants our hearts and minds. Through her appearances—at Lourdes, Fatima, and Banneux—she has emphasized the Rosary as a form of prayer close to the heart of her Son: meditation. This is the gentle effort to set aside worldly thoughts and lift our minds to God, eternal things, and what is spiritual.
Mary herself had this meditative nature, silently pondering the mysteries of her Son in her heart. She knows Jesus condemned empty repetition. Because we are weak and easily distracted, Mary devised the Rosary as a simple, humble aid to mental prayer.
The saints understood this necessity. St. Teresa of Avila stressed that without mental prayer, there is no spiritual advancement. The Rosary is Mary’s helpful tool for us to watch and pray, leading to the spiritual peace that comes from controlling our minds.
The Rosary: A Spiritual Breviary and Photo Album
In a sense, the Rosary is considered the breviary of the poor and the lowly. Just as the priest’s breviary contains 150 Psalms, the full Rosary contains 150 Hail Marys. We repeat these beautiful, holy words over and over to achieve a spiritual calm, creating a kind of quiet background of spiritual music for our minds to work.
The prayers themselves are the very essence of our faith, from the Apostles’ Creed to the Our Father taught by Jesus, and the Hail Mary, which contains the words of the Angel Gabriel, Elizabeth, and the ancient prayer devised by the Church to proclaim Mary as the Mother of God.
While reciting these simple words, we concentrate on the Mysteries of our Redemption. In our hearts, we create a spiritual television program in living color, vividly imagining the scenes of Jesus’ life:
- Jesus in Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling clothes.
- Jesus on the cross.
- The Risen Jesus.
- Jesus ascending into heaven and standing in glory at the Father’s right hand.
The Rosary creates a “spiritual breeze” with our lips, a gentle, quiet atmosphere where Mary is present to help us meditate on these transforming mysteries. By doing this repeatedly, these mysteries enter us, become a part of us, and we are transformed.
The Rosary is a Child’s Prayer
St. Louis de Montfort famously said that anyone faithful to the daily Rosary, said with childlike faith and love, is pre-destined; they will certainly obtain eternal salvation. This is because, as Jesus said, “Unless you be converted and become as a little child, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”
The Rosary is a child’s prayer: it’s simple and repetitive; it looks like a child’s toy, a little necklace of beads; to repeat the simple words, “Hail Mary, full of grace…” over and over requires basic childlike humility.
The world may call such faith foolish, but this simple, humble act of belief is the very mark of a soul chosen by God for salvation. Let us try to strengthen our faith in Mary, increase our love for her and her prayer, and teach it to others, for whoever keeps and teaches even the smallest commandments will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Listen to a piece of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz’s original talk:
