October 9
“The Rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the Rosary is beyond description.”
-Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
October 7
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
“Say the Rosary every day…Pray, pray a lot and offer sacrifices for sinners…I’m Our Lady of the Rosary. Only I will be able to help you…. In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”
-Our Lady of Fatima
October 6
“Airplanes must have runways before they can fly. What the runway is to the airplane, the Rosary beads are to prayer – the physical start to gain spiritual altitude.”
-Fulton J. Sheen
October 4
“The second fault commonly committed in saying the Rosary is to have no intention other than that of getting it over with as quickly as possible.”
-St. Louis de Montfort
October 3
“Take great care to avoid the two pitfalls that most people fall into during the Rosary. The first is the danger of not asking for any graces at all. So, whenever you say your Rosary, be sure to ask for some special grace or virtue, or strength to overcome some sin.” (See tomorrow’s Graceline for the second pitfall).
-St. Louis de Montfort
Today's Reflection:
What special grace or virtue will I ask to obtain when I say my Rosary today? Is there a sin I need the strength to overcome? What is it? I will tuck this intention into my prayer as well.
October 2
“From my youthful years this prayer has held an important place in my spiritual life. The Rosary has accompanied me in moments of joy and in moments of difficulty. To it I have entrusted any number of concerns: in it I have always found comfort.”
-St. John Paul the Great
October 1
Queen of the Holy Rosary
Queen of the Holy Rosary! Thee as our Queen we greet, And lay our lowly, loving prayers Like roses at thy feet. Would that these blossoms of our souls Were far more fair and sweet.
Queen of the Joyful Mysteries! Glad news God's envoy bore. The Baptist's mother thou didst tend; Angels thy Babe adore, Whom with two doves thou ransomest; Lost, He is found once more.
Queen of the Dolorous Mysteries! Christ 'mid the olives bled, Scourged at the pillar, crowned with thorns, Beneath His Cross He sped Up the steep hill; and there once more Thine arms embraced Him--dead!
Queen of the Glorious Mysteries! Christ from the tomb has flown, Has mounted to the highest heaven And sent His Spirit down And soon He raises thee on high To wear thy heavenly crown.
Queen of the Holy Rosary! We, too, have joys and woes. May they, like thine, to triumph lead! May labor earn repose, And may life's sorrows and life's joys In heavenly glory close.
-Cyril Robert
September 29
Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael
“The angels have five duties. The first is to continually sing hymns and praises to their Creator (Is. 6: 1-3). The second duty is to present the prayers of mortals to God and commend them with their petitions (Tb. 12:12). The third duty consists in their being sent as messengers to declare what God wants to declare (Gn. 18:2 Dn. 9:21; Lk. 1:11, 26 Lk. 2:9; Mt. 1:20, 2:13, 19; Mt. 28:2). The fourth duty is protecting men whether as individuals or groups (Ps. 91:11; Mt. 18:10; Dt. 10:5 ff; Rev. 2 and 3). The last duty is to serve as soldiers and armed leaders (Ps. 149:7; Gn. 19: 13; Ex. 12:12 ff; 2 Kgs 19:35; Mt. 13:49, 50). Let good men love their fellow citizens, the angels.”
-St. Robert Bellarmine
September 28
“God does not despise these hidden struggles with ourselves, so much richer in merit because they are unseen. By our little acts of charity practiced in the shade we convert souls far away, we help missionaries, we win for them abundant alms, and by that means, build actual dwellings both spiritual and material for our Eucharistic Lord.”
-St. Therese of Lisieux
September 27
Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (1581 – 1660)
“When we are discussing things which it is good and proper to talk about, we should hold back any details which would not be for God’s glory, or which could harm some other person, or which would make us foolishly smug. In actual practice, this virtue is about choosing the right way to do things.”
-St. Vincent de Paul
