Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is also known by the name Our Lady of Victory. This feast is a commemoration of the naval victory at the Battle of Lepanto of Catholic forces against Muslim forces on October 7, 1576. The Pope at the time, Pius V, had asked all Catholics to pray the Rosary for success in battle and therefore instituted the feast in honor of the victory.

The victory of this battle was decisive and halted the further expansion of Islamic Turks into the European side of the Mediterranean Sea. However, this battle has been over for a very long time. But there is another battle being waged right now in which we still need Mary’s prayers, and that is the battle for each of our souls.

In this battle for our soul from where does our ultimate victory come? It is from Christ because He is the one who has definitively defeated Satan. And those of us who have been baptized into Christ’s death and Resurrection can share with Him in His voctory, if we allow Him to work through us. And how do we cooperate with Him in this way? By saying, in union with our Blessed Mother, “let it be to me according to your word.”