October is the month dedicated to the rosary. A whole month? Yes! The rosary has been touted as the most powerful prayer, especially when prayed daily. How can this prayer, that features the Blessed Virgin Mary, be so effective in our spiritual battles?

Living in a physical world, we often forget that there is also a spiritual realm active and all around us. Thankfully we each have a guardian angel to accompany us through life and assist us in our spiritual battles. The battles are not for the angel to take care of however, but rather they are ours to confront. This fight is ours alone, though we can seek our angel’s assistance. Sometimes, this means taking action to perform a corporal or spiritual work of mercy; other times, it means avoiding sinful actions.

A quick Google search on “who said the rosary is a weapon” provided quite a number of responses. The most prominent was from St. Padre Pio. “Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother,” is attributed to him. However, others who have proclaimed the power of the rosary include: Blessed Pope Pius IX, St. Josemaria Escriva, Pope Pius XI, and Pope Leo XIII.

In any war, soldiers are trained and practice handling their weapons until they are practically an extension of themselves. In our war against temptations, we train by praying the rosary, pondering deeply the mysteries within it, so that we can be strengthened for the fight. While the rosary seems to focus on the Blessed Mother because the majority of the prayers are the Hail Mary, the mysteries are about the life of Jesus. They focus on both the happy moments as well as the sad ones, allowing us to accompany Jesus throughout His whole human life. With each Hail Mary, we ponder the words of scripture. From Gabriel’s salutation at the Annunciation to Elizabeth’s greeting, when John the Baptist leapt in her womb, we are reminded that God has a plan for each of us. And by praying Mary’s prayer, we ask her to help us say yes to God like she did. 

The rosary is a vehicle for God’s graces to flow into the world. It most likely will not happen very fast, but the change is real. It starts with us, who are praying the rosary. Our attitudes, our decisions, and the way we conduct ourselves reflect the light of Christ. The effects ripple outward towards others, softly encouraging them to change their ways as well, learning to start saying no to sin and temptations. While we will continue to fall, the rosary will help lift us up to seek God’s mercy and guidance, returning us to the path that leads us to heaven. And when we’re disappointed that the intention we’ve prayed for does not come to fruition, we will be reminded that the rosary is not for our will to be done, but for God’s will to succeed, as He knows what is truly best for every one of us. 

Ultimately the spiritual warfare we are battling is for souls to get to heaven. The more we pray the rosary for our world, the more lives we can save from eternal damnation, including ourselves. That’s a powerful weapon, indeed!