ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF THE POPE ON THE ROSARY OF MART.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 30, 23 November 1894, Page 20

ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF THE POPE ON THE ROSARY OF MART.

(Continued.)

Thb vocal prayer appropriately fitted with the mysteries haß the same tendency. First come?, a« is iis»ht, the Lord's Prayer, addressed to Oar Heavenly Father : and, after He has bean invoked in becoming words of appeal, the voice of the suppliant ia turned from the throne of His Majesty to Mary by th<3 law of interceding and propitiating of wbich we speak, and which is exp'ained by St Bernard of Bn>na in this sentence :—": — " Erery grace communicated to the world has a threefold course. For it is imparted on a perfectly regular system (ordinatissbne) by God to Christ ; by Christ to the Virein ; and by the Virgin to us (Serm VI, in Festis B M.V. de Annunc, a 1, c 2). These, stagea, as we may call them, though they differ indeed in kind from one another, being laid down, we dwell longer, and in a certain sense more pleasingly, upon the last, from the design of the Rosary, the Angelic Salutation being continued in decades as if in order that we may ascend the more confidently to the other stages, that is through Christ to God the Father. The same salntation we pour forth to Mary so many times in order tbat our weak and defective prayer may be sustained by the necessary confidence, beseeching her to pray to God for us and as if in our name. Our voices, ia fact, are far more acceptable and powerful with Him if they are recommended by the prayers of the Virgin, whom He Himself, .urge" to intercession with the gentle invitation : — " Let thy voice sound in My ears for thy voice is sweet " (CantHl 14). For tbis very reason are repeated by us so often the glorious names she'possessesjfor obtaining favours. We salute her who " finds favour with G >d," being singularly "full of grace" from Him, so that it might flow in abundance to all persons ; her in whom God inheres by the closest possible union ; her " blessed amongst women," who " alone took away the curse and brought the blessing " (St Thomas op viii, svper salut. angel, n 8), the blessed fruit of her womb, in whom " all nations are blest " ; finally we invoke her as the " Mother of God," from which lofty dignity, what is there that she does not certainly and earnestly ask " for us sinners," what may we not hope for throughout all our life and at the last agony of our spirit 1

It is assuredly impossible that anyone who has devoted himself with faith and earnestness, to such prayers and mysteries, should not be seized by admiration at the Divine counsels respecting the Virgin for the common sal ration of the nations ; and with lively confidence he will long to commit himself to her care and protection according to the declaration of St Barnard : 'JRsmenaber, O most pious Virgin Mary, that it was never heard of in any age that any one who had resource to thy protection, implored thy aid, or sought thy intercession was abandoned."

The power of the Roairy in inspiring those who pray with confidence as to the isßue of their appeals is equally effective in moving the heart cf the Virgin in compassion for us. It is clear that it mast be exceedingly grateful to her to see and hear us whilst we solemnly weave into a crown sincere petitions and beautiful words of praise. For, that in thus praying together we pay and wish iGod the glory which is His due ; that we are anxious that His pleasure and His will should alone be fulfilled ; that wa extol His goodness and munificence, calling Him Father, and, unworthy as we are, begging for very high favours — all this is a source of exquisite joy to Mary, and in our devotion she really " magnifies the Lord," And in truth we address God in a prayer worthy of Him when we recite the Lord's Prayer. Moreover, to the requests we make in tbis prayer, so just and fitting m themselves and so conformable toChristUn faith hope, and charity, a certain charm most agreeable to the Virgin adds a special weight. For with our voice appears to ba unitel that of the Son Jesus, Who gave us the same formula of prayer in fixed terms and commanded that it should be employed :—": — " Thus, taerefore, shall you pray " (Matt vi 9). Let us not doubt, then, that ehe will discharge towards us her office, full of eager love, when with a ready disposition we c*rry out this injunction by renting the Rosary; gracefully receiving this chaplet, she will grant us in return a rich reward of favours. The character of the Bosary, in itself well calculated to help ns to pray with the proper spirit, aff jrds no small ground for feeling assured of her liberal bounty. Such is man's weakness tbat when he is engaged in prayer his attention is easily and frequently withdrawn from God, and he is divested from the object he has resolutely set before himself. Now, whoever properly considers the nature of the Kosary will at once see how efficicijuß it ia for keeping the mind alert, for removing torpor, for exciting a Balutary Borrow on account of sins that have been committed, and for leading the thoughts to subject of heavenly contemplation. As is well known the Rosary consists of two parts which are distinct and yet connected together — the meditation on the mysteries and the vocal prayer. Tbis kind of prayer then requires particular attention on the part of those who use it — that is, not only in directing the mind in a certain way towards God, but in contemplating and meditating in such a manner that examples of the higher life are taken to heart, and food found for every species of piety. Indeed, there is nothing greater or more admirable than those same things in which

the perfection of the Christian faith appears, and by the light and power of which truth, justice, and peace have advanced on earth upon a new scale and with most beneficent results. Consonant with this is the mode in which these truths are set before the cultivators of tbef Rosary ; that is to s^y, in a manner adapted to tht intelligence even of the unlearned. For the Rosary is arranged not for the consideration uf dogmata ul faith and questions o£ doctrine, but rather for putting forward facts to be Djrceived by the. eyes and treasured up ia the memory — facts which make all the greater impression on the mind and affect it more beneficially in as much as they are presented as they occurred, the identity of time, place, and person being preserved, Woeo, before everybody, these considerations are marked and strongly impressed upon the mmd from early year?, on the mention of the mystery whoever is rea[ly inclined to prayer takes them in without any effort whatever, and by a sort of natural movement of the mind anl heart he receives abundantly the dew of heavenly grace which Mary plentifully bestows. There il another commendation which renders these chaplets more acceptable to her and more worthy of recompense. For when we piously repeat third series of mysteries we express in a more lively manner our grateful feelings towards the Blessed Virgin, declaring aa we do that we can never be sufficiently mindful of the blessings which she ensured with ineffable charity in contributing to our ealva'ion. These noble mementoes, recalled again and again in her presence, must bring to her soul new and inexpressible pleasure and excite in her sentiments of solicitude and miternal beneficence. And from these recollections our prayer becomes more ardent anl assumes ths force of an entreaty. So that as the mysteries are severally gone through we feel that we have put forward co many appeals which will prove influential with the Virgin. For it is to thee we fly, Holy Mother of God ; do not despise the wretched children of Eve. To thes do we address ourselves, O procurer of our salvation, equally powerful and merciful. By the sweetness of the joys which Jems your Son provided for you, by your paricipation in His indescribable sorrows, by the splendour of His glory, in which you art enveloped, we urgently beseech you to graciously hear us, though unworthy, and grant our prayer.