SPIRITUAL WARFARE WITH MARY’S POWERFUL WEAPON – THE ROSARY

20261007 SPIRITUAL WARFARE WITH MARY’S POWERFUL WEAPON – THE ROSARY

 

07 October 2026, Wednesday, Our Lady of the Rosary

First reading

Acts 1:12-14

The apostles all joined in continuous prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus

After Jesus was taken up into heaven the apostles went back from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

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Responsorial Psalm

Luke 1:46-55

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

My soul glorifies the Lord,

  my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

He looks on his servant in her nothingness;

  henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.

  Holy his name!

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

His mercy is from age to age,

  on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength

  and scatters the proud-hearted.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

He casts the mighty from their thrones

  and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things,

  sends the rich away empty.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

He protects Israel, his servant,

  remembering his mercy,

the mercy promised to our fathers,

  to Abraham and his sons for ever.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

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Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk1:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

Blessed art thou among women.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

'I am the handmaid of the Lord'

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

 

SPIRITUAL WARFARE WITH MARY’S POWERFUL WEAPON – THE ROSARY

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 1:12-14; LUKE 1:26-38]

St. Paul, writing to the Ephesians, says: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Therefore, take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Eph 6:10-11, 13). Indeed, as Christians, we are called to engage in spiritual warfare–not only against falling into sin and temptation, but also recognising that we are fighting, as St. Paul wrote, “not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12). St. Peter similarly warns us: “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pt 5:8). 

Truly, we can see how the Devil is working in our world today. Often, he works subtly and covertly behind worldly powers, taking what is inherently good and using it to destroy humanity. Whether through advancements in medical science, technology, artificial intelligence, or nuclear energy, the enemy plants evil and selfish thoughts in world leaders, prompting them to use these gifts for war and self-interest rather than the common good. The wars fought today expose human evil and selfishness, claiming many innocent and vulnerable lives in the process. Beyond military conflicts, our sense of social identity and human unity is being eroded by gender ideology and distorted concepts of marriage and family life. With the growing influence of secularism, agnosticism, and secular humanism, society is becoming soulless. People no longer live with eternity in mind; instead, they focus solely on extracting what they can from this world without thought for future generations or the preservation of creation.

How, then, do we put on the armour of God as St. Paul advises? We must pray as the early Church did. St. Luke writes: “After Jesus had ascended into heaven, the apostles went back to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a Sabbath walk. When they reached the city, they went to the upper room where they were staying. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” (cf. Acts 1:12-14). Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have against the Evil One and his temptations. As the Lord reminded His disciples during His Passion: “Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41).

But how should we pray?

Effective prayer requires remaining in union with our Lord. After telling His disciples to abide in Him as branches on the vine, the Lord said: “You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” (Jn 15:16). To pray in the name of Jesus means taking on the mind of Jesus. When the Lord taught us the “Our Father,” He provided the structural framework for all prayer: seeking the glory of His name, submitting to His will, building His kingdom, living in total dependence on Him, and practising forgiveness. When our prayer is oriented toward God’s greater glory rather than our self-interest, God not only grants our requests but enriches us with His grace. Praying the Lord’s Prayer is essential to deepening this union. 

Another powerful way to enter into the mind of Christ is praying the Hail Mary. Through this prayer, we learn from Mary how to dispose ourselves to the mind and plan of God. We recall her fiat to God when asked to be the mother of the Saviour by the Angel Gabriel. We witness her humility and prompt obedience–though not without careful discernment, as she first clarified the nature of her calling. Once she understood what was asked of her, Mary gave her “Yes,” well aware of the challenges ahead, including explaining this divine mystery to those around her. It was perhaps this same spirit of prayer and discernment with which Mary guided the infant Church after the Ascension, leading them to wait together for the Holy Spirit before embarking on the mission to proclaim the Gospel. In everything she did, Mary sought the glory of God. It is fitting, then, that each decade of Hail Marys concludes with the Doxology (Glory Be). Together with the Our Father, these prayers constitute a decade of the Rosary.

Yet, the heart of the Rosary is the mental and contemplative meditation on the lives of Jesus and Mary. We do not contemplate them as isolated figures, for Mary’s life was inextricably bound to our Blessed Lord. Mary never draws attention to herself; rather, she invites us to come to her so that we may understand and appreciate our Lord more deeply through her eyes, as she was intimately united with Jesus in mind and heart. It is an invitation to contemplate the face of Christ with Mary. As our Lord Himself declared: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Lk 8:21).

No one knows the mind and heart of Jesus better than Mary, who lived entirely for Him. This is likely why St. Luke highlighted her presence alongside the apostles in the Upper Room after the departure of our Lord. In doing so, she was fulfilling our Lord’s command on the Cross, where He entrusted her to the Beloved Disciple–and by extension, to all Christians–to be our spiritual mother. A true disciple who seeks to know Jesus personally must come to Mary and learn from her example. For this reason, the Church encourages the Rosary to help us contemplate Christ through Mary’s eyes. As the traditional axiom states: “To Jesus through Mary.” Devotion to our Blessed Mother does not distract us from Christ; on the contrary, as we grow to love her and understand her devotion, we are inspired to love our Lord all the more. Authentic Marian devotion will only bring us closer to Him.

Ultimately, the Rosary is the preeminent instrument for contemplating the face of Christ through the eyes of Mary. Its power as a spiritual weapon lies in its Christocentric focus on the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord. Of the twenty mysteries, all centre on the life of Jesus and Mary–thirteen focusing primarily on our Lord, and the remainder on their intertwined lives. Far from being a mechanical or mindless repetition of words, the Rosary is a deep contemplation of the Gospel in miniature. The vocal recitation of the Hail Mary serves as a rhythmic background chant supporting our meditation on these mysteries. Its beauty lies in its accessibility: one need not even carry a Bible to be led into profound contemplation of the Word made flesh, the identity of Jesus and Mary, their ministry and role in the work of salvation.

Let us therefore turn to Mary, who throughout history–most notably in her apparitions at Lourdes and Fatima–has consistently called us to pray the Rosary for world peace. The Rosary remains a formidable spiritual weapon to pray for peace in the world, as our Lady told the three seers at Fatima. Indeed, this historical efficacy was recognised when Pope St. Pius V established the feast following the Christian victory at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571–an event attributed to Mary’s intercession rather than military might. Originally designated as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, it was later renamed Our Lady of the Rosary. Popes throughout the ages have continually advocated the Rosary as the prayer to pray for world peace, heal worldly divisions, and bring about spiritual renewal, as requested by Our Lady at Fatima.

Above all, the Rosary is a powerful prayer for family unity. Accessible to everyone regardless of age, education, or walk of life, it can be prayed anywhere–at home with the family, while traveling, or in quiet solitude.

Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections

• Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
• Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
• It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.

Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.

Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

WORK OF GOD OR WORK FOR GOD

20261006 WORK OF GOD OR WORK FOR GOD

 

06 October 2026, Tuesday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Galatians 1:13-24

God called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me

You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

  Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb,called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have just written is the literal truth. After that I went to Syria and Cilicia, and was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judaea, who had heard nothing except that their one-time persecutor was now preaching the faith he had previously tried to destroy; and they gave glory to God for me.

How to listen

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 138(139):1-3,13-15

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

O Lord, you search me and you know me,

  you know my resting and my rising,

  you discern my purpose from afar.

You mark when I walk or lie down,

  all my ways lie open to you.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

For it was you who created my being,

  knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I thank you for the wonder of my being,

  for the wonders of all your creation.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

Already you knew my soul,

  my body held no secret from you

when I was being fashioned in secret

  and moulded in the depths of the earth.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

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Gospel Acclamation

Jn15:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

I call you friends, says the Lord,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Luke 10:38-42

Martha works; Mary listens

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

 

WORK OF GOD OR WORK FOR GOD

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Galatians 1:13-24; Ps 139:1-3,13-15; Luke 10:38-42]

It is in human nature to feel good when doing something great for the people we love. This is because giving allows us to feel useful and capable, bringing a sense of well-being and self-confidence. This explains why people–especially the elderly–desire the independence to do things themselves. To rely or depend on others can make them feel unable to care for themselves. It also explains why those of us who volunteer or are able to help others feel good about ourselves. This is a natural good, for God wants us to experience His love and mercy by encouraging us to extend them to others. The truth of life and love is that we only receive them when we give them away.

However, it is not merely a matter of doing good, serving, or helping others. While an action itself may be good, its true greatness depends on our motive. There is a real danger that, consciously or unconsciously, we might use others to satisfy our own ego. In other words, our true intention may not be to help or give, but to feel good about being intelligent, capable, generous, or self-sacrificing. Service can become a way to boost low self-esteem or satisfy a need to feel needed, leading us directly or indirectly into the sin of pride. When we believe we are the ones accomplishing these good works–whether for God, the Church, or our neighbour–we tend to take credit for ourselves rather than giving it to God.

This is the greatest pitfall of working for God and our fellow human beings. It was precisely the case with St. Paul before his conversion.He wrote: “You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.” In his letter to the Philippians, he added: “If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” (Phil 3:4-6). At that time, Paul was placing his confidence in the flesh–in himself. As a faithful Jew seeking to observe every tradition of his faith and the Law of Moses, Saul was more qualified than anyone else and could easily be considered the ideal Jew.

So too was Martha in today’s Gospel story, though her motive was more ambiguous. We can be certain that her love for the Lord was no less than Mary’s. Perhaps, however, she was more insecure. She felt that the way to gain the Lord’s attention was by doing things for Him, so she busied herself attending to His physical and material needs, wanting Him to feel comfortable, loved, and cared for. Yet, because she was also motivated by a lack of self-appreciation, she grew impatient seeing Mary simply sitting at the feet of our Lord and listening to Him. This led to a tinge of jealousy and irritation in her remark to Jesus: “Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.'” Martha’s focus was not primarily on the Lord; it was on herself–her performance, her presence, and her efforts. This explains her discontent: she felt she was not receiving the attention she sought through her hard work and hospitality.

Our work for God changes when we allow God to work in us. When we let Him work within us, He becomes the One who inspires and motivates us to do good–not for our own self-worth, but purely for Him and for others. Allowing God to work in us means surrendering our minds, our hearts, our will, and the outcomes of our efforts into His hands. We begin to do everything for His greater glory and in accordance with His will, moving under obedience rather than self-direction.

This transformational surrender is seen most radically in the life of St. Paul. He wrote: “God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans.” St. Paul’s conversion story is narrated twice in the Acts of the Apostles. Throughout his ministry, he frequently contrasted his life before and after his conversion. Before encountering the Lord on the road to Damascus, he acted out of his own strength and convictions to fulfil the Law of Moses. His zealous defence of the Law led him to persecute Jews who had embraced Christianity, believing it was his duty to force them back to the faith or make an example of them for betraying the traditions of their forefathers.

However, upon encountering the Lord, his life took a radical turn. The emphasis shifted from what he had done for God to what God had done for him. As he wrote in his letter to Timothy: “I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Tim 1:12-16). 

Paul knew that his conversion was entirely due to the undeserved grace and mercy of God. Because of this divine work within him, he could later write to the Ephesians: “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (cf. Eph 2:4-10). 

In the Gospel, Mary offers us a contrasting example. She exudes a confidence rooted in humility and a selfless love for Jesus, remaining attentive to Him as a person with emotional and spiritual needs, not just physical ones. “She sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking.” That was all she did. She sensed that what Jesus needed in that moment was a listening ear. Mary empathised with our Lord in His final days on earth, sensing that He was troubled. With the religious leaders seeking to kill Him after He raised Lazarus, He knew His earthly life was in danger. Mary was simply present for Him. She had no need to prove herself; she gave Him her attention, her love, and above all, her heart.

Hence, the Lord said: “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.” This was the better part because intimacy and a personal relationship with the Lord are far more transformative than merely doing tasks for Him. When we know how deeply God loves us, we love others out of the abundance of the love we have received.

Indeed, as the Responsorial Psalm reminds us, God knows our hearts better than we know ourselves, and He reveals our true motives to us. The psalmist prays: “O Lord, you search me and you know me, you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you. For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation. Already you knew my soul, my body held no secret from you when I was being fashioned in secret and moulded in the depths of the earth.”

We must conclude, however, by noting that we should not underestimate or discount the practical work Martha did for our Lord. Service is necessary; but if Martha’s service had been prompted primarily by Christ’s love and grace at work within her, she would not have felt agitated by Mary’s posture. Let us therefore choose the better part: allowing God to work in us first, so that we may truly work for Him.

Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections

• Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
• Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
• It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.

Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.

Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.