(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Joseph Strickland gave a speech this week at St. John Bosco Academy’s third annual rosary rally in Cumming, Georgia. Strickland delved deeply into the mysteries of the rosary and reflected upon how the rosary is a “way of life” for all Christians that helps us humble ourselves and is especially necessary in our dark times. The bishop also emphasized how a deeper understanding of Christ’s passion can help bolster our appreciation of the devotion.
Our Lord’s Passion and the Holy Rosary
The bishop began his talk on the rosary by highlighting a different devotion: the Stations of the Cross, which he noted should be prayed throughout the year, not just during Lent. His Excellency reflected on a phrase that is prayed as part of that devotion, “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you because, by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.” “I believe that fits perfectly with the rosary,” Bishop Strickland said. The bishop noted that what we pray in the Stations of the Cross is really the same truth that we pray in Our Blessed Mother’s Holy Rosary. “So, when we pray the Stations, let’s remember, we are adoring the Christ who was conceived in the womb of Mary, the Christ who instituted the Eucharist, the Christ who was agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Christ who died on the cross.”
Praying the rosary is a ‘Way of life’ for all baptized Christians
Bishop Strickland then highlighted that all Catholic prayers, but especially the rosary, remind us of the redeeming act of Christ, making it a powerful devotion because it takes us through Christ’s life and allows us to journey with Him. “I’ve learned to make the rosary not just a prayer that I offer every day, hopefully, more than once, but it’s a way of life. It’s a way of journeying with Christ,” the bishop said. He then reminded the rally attendees that just because they’re not bishops or even priests, we, as baptized Christians, are all called to live that life of grace. One way to live that life of grace is by praying the Holy Rosary.
The rosary is a pillar anchoring the Church through turbulent times
Underscoring that the rosary is a journey through the life of Christ, His Excellency reflected on the first mystery of the rosary, the Annunciation, which shows the beginning of Our Lord’s life. “When the angel Gabriel comes to announce to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she has been chosen by God to bear Jesus, the Son of God in her womb, Mary says ‘Yes.’ And the scriptures tell us, and we sing at Christmas, ‘Joy to the World,’ that the song of God is conceived in the womb of Mary.” Bishop Strickland then noted that this is where the story of Jesus begins and likewise where our journey praying the rosary begins.
The bishop then stressed that the pillars of the Catholic faith are the Eucharist and the rosary, referencing a vision of St. John Bosco in which the Church is a ship in a terrible storm, anchored to the pillar of Mary and Our Eucharistic Lord. “We need those pillars in this time of challenge and foolishness when too many are saying, ‘We don’t need God; we can fix this world ourselves.’ We’re doing a great job of that, aren’t we?’”
The rosary helps humble us and reminds us of the sanctity of life
Bishop Strickland then highlighted how praying the rosary teaches us to be humble and appreciate all life, in contrast to our world that sees no issue with aborting unborn children. “Like all of us, God’s own Son humbled Himself to conceived in the womb of His mother, Mary. There is no more fragile life than a newly conceived human child.” Noting again that God’s own Son humbled Himself to be conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and died in humility by sacrificing Himself on the cross, the bishop said that the rosary reminds us that our lives are sacred. “So, entering into His life, in the rosary, can help to teach us that our lives are sacred, and the life of every child conceived in the womb is sacred, the life of every woman carrying that child is sacred, the life of every man involved in that pregnancy is sacred, the rosary teaches us this if we will only listen,” Bishop Strickland said.
Watch or listen to the full speech to hear more insight into the importance and power of the Holy Rosary from Bishop Strickland.