A young lady once spoke to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen about the Rosary. She declared that she would never pray it, because anyone who says the same thing over and over can’t be sincere. If we really meant what we said in the Hail Mary, why keep repeating it? Isn’t once enough to get the message across?

Instead of answering her directly, the wise and witty Archbishop changed the subject. He asked if she was engaged. When she replied that she was, he asked further,

"Does your fiance love you?"

"Of course," she replied confidently. But he pressed the question.

"How do you know?"

"He told me so," she answered.

"Did he just tell you once?"

"Of course not."

"Did he tell you twice?"

"He’s told me a hundred times that he loves me."

With a glint in his eye, the Archbishop said, "Oh, I wouldn’t marry him. He can’t be sincere - saying the same thing over and over again."

The Rosary is a very powerful prayer, close as it is to Our Lady’s heart. We may not realize it, but when we make the effort to pray the Rosary, we are actually telling Mary that we love Her. That is why it means so much to Her.

So during this month of October, dedicated to the Holy Rosary, let us do our best to really put our hearts into our prayers, especially the Rosary. This doesn’t mean we won’t get distracted. But when we realize that we are, if we just do our best to turn our minds and hearts back to Heaven, our prayers will be all the more beautiful.