Rosary Story #2

In her book With Joy and Gladness, Sr. Maryanna, O.P. tells the story of a young priest who was visiting patients in a hospital and came upon an older man slipping the beads of a rosary through his fingers.

"I see you're a Catholic," the priest said, smiling.

"No, Father, I'm not," the old man replied, "but someone give me these here beads and I'm tryin' to say 'em."

"Do you know the prayers?"

"Well, I know the Our Father, but on these here Hail Mary beads, I just been makin' it up."

"Oh? What have you been saying?" the young priest asked curiously.

The old man looked embarrassed. "If it ain't right, maybe you could tell me the words, Father. I just been sayin', 'Hail, Mary, you was so sweet.'"

"Keep on saying it that way," the priest said gently. "She likes it."

"And who is to say she doesn't," Sr. Maryanna wisely concludes, "this Lady who is our sweetness and our hope?"

Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

You whose branches are so bright and graceful ... who bud forth delights like the vine ... whose blossoms have become fruit fair and rich for us, your hungry children in exile ... Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

You who give forth perfume and sweet spices, like the odor of incense in the holy place .. Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

You who are sweeter than honey, better to have than honeycomb ... Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

In this valley of tears, we who eat of you hunger still, we who drink of you thirst for more ... Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

You turn your eyes of mercy toward us and give us Your Beloved Son Jesus to be our food and our drink, our strength and our glory, our way, our truth and our life ... Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

May we who yearn for you come to you and be filled with the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus ... Hail Mary, dearest Mother, thank you for always being our life, our sweetness and our hope!

Hail Mary, you was so sweet!

(cf. Sirach 24)