Every year, the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is a special day to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in the month of October. To grow in our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary on this memorial, we can learn about the implications of the title, “Our lady of the Rosary.”
Literally, the word “Rosary” comes from the Latin word which means a garland of roses. As the rose has been praised by Greek poets as the “queen of flowers,” naming the Blessed Virgin as “Our Lady of the Rosary” alludes to certain themes: Mary is the queen of Heaven and Earth, and of our hearts. How fitting it is to name Mary as such because God had intended from the beginning of time that Mother Mary was a perfect rose that He planted in His garden on earth. To further find connection between Mary’s title and the rose, one can find value in how the rose has been a recurring sign that Mary uses herself and how it has become a symbol of devotion to her from her children on earth.
Roses are the Blessed Virgin Mary’s favorite flowers. She chose the rose as a visible sign to prove her apparitions to Juan Diego at Guadalupe in Mexico in the year of 1534. There are many pilgrims from all over the world that come to offer thousands of roses to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary at the site where she appeared. Not surprisingly, it is characteristic that roses are used in May crowning rituals as a universal expression of devotion to Mary. Moreover, roses have inspired many poets and musicians to compose Marian poems and hymns to enhance our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The rose is used as a symbol, metaphor, or simile to express varied themes of love, friendship, grace, joy, sorrow, grieving and mourning. As the beauty and sweet fragrance of roses enrich our lives, so our offerings of love and devotion to Mary as our Mother become a fragrant delight to God.
As recurring use of the rose as Mary’s sign between herself and her children draws a link to the title “Our Lady of the Rosary,” the varied colors in which roses exist have implications about Mary’s countless virtues.
Red roses are used to represent love, longing, admiration, and courage. The Blessed Virgin Mary is a lovable, admirable and heroic woman. She teaches one how to handle trials wisely and bravely. Mary was confused and bewildered by Archangel Gabriel’s words: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:31-33). She wondered how this could happen, yet bravely, she questioned the Archangel Gabriel “How can this be, since I have no relation with a man?” (Luke 1:34). She was heroic and at the same time, humbly trusted the Angel’s words: “Nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37). We can imitate Mary’s example of patience, courage, and trust in God’s loving care, when we face unknown challenges or hardships in our lives.
The white rose signifies innocence, virginity, purity, peace and love. Therefore, roses colored white symbolizes Mary’s purity, chastity, and innocence. Mary always respected her virginity before and after giving birth to Jesus. She believed that her Son was not conceived through natural means, but through the Holy Spirit who came upon her and overshadowed her (Luke 1:35).
Reflecting on the virtue of purity reminds one to respect our sexuality and respect our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. The more we contemplate the beauty of purity, the more Blessed Mary would intercede for us to practice this virtue.
The yellow rose represents friendship, affection, loving care, and service. The Blessed Virgin Mary demonstrated her loving care and joyful spirit by visiting her cousin Elizabeth. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth,” was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). Mary lent helping hands to Elizabeth during her cousin's last days of pregnancy. She had performed a perfect act of human solidarity, demonstrating that we can learn how to serve, to share joy, and to build our relationships with others.
At the wedding at Cana, Blessed Virgin Mary had shown her compassion and care. She was sensitive to the needs of others. She became the advocate to save the newlyweds and their guests from embarrassment “when the wine ran short” (John 2:3). She noticed their crisis, and moved with compassion, interceded to prompt her Son, Jesus, to help solve the problem. She instructed the servants: “Do whatever he tells you “(John 2:5). His first miracle was performed by changing water to wine at Cana. May Mary help us to be sensitive to the needs of others.
Dark pink or purple roses can symbolize peace and appreciation, grace and elegance, sympathy and humility. Particularly, this color speaks of Mary’s virtues of humility, secrecy, and silence. Humility was expressed in her Fiat: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord”(Luke 1:38). She was troubled when Archangel Gabriel greeted her, saying, “Hail Favored one, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28-29). She preferred that God be praised alone.
Humility is key to the holiness of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The more we practice humility, the more we become like Mary.
Finally, black roses are used to symbolize sorrow and mourning. It is rare to find black roses, but, nonetheless, are used as to express farewell or mourning at funerals. In reality, death, suffering and pain are part of our lives. No one can escape suffering. The Blessed Mary suffered immensely as she stood at the foot of Cross to watch her son Jesus die a horrible and brutal death. Her heart was pained as she raised Jesus from birth to death, experiencing anxiety and loss. It was as if she experienced a sword piercing her heart in times of suffering. Despite all of her trials, she was not hopeless, but trusted in God. Let us look at her as a perfect role model to follow in times of our afflictions.
If “there is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens,” (Ecclesiastes 3:1), then every color in which roses exist can reflect a virtue of Mary and thus, the holiness of God.
As a bit of water would help moisten your sewing thread to get it through the eye of a needle with greater ease, so our needs through Our Lady’s intercession can be met with greater certainty. May our devotion and petitions through Mother Mary be heard in heaven. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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