"...a spiritual itinerary...an inner journey..." St. JPII

[MariaChristi]

As I continue to read and post paragraphs from St JPII’s Apostolic Letter, “On the Most Holy Rosary”, it’s been a blessing for me and hopefully for others! Today we hear his words on the opening and closing prayers:

The opening and closing

1. At present, in different parts of the Church, there are many ways to introduce the Rosary. In some places, it is customary to begin with the opening words of Psalm 70: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord, make haste to help me”, as if to nourish in those who are praying a humble awareness of their own insufficiency. In other places, the Rosary begins with the recitation of the Creed, as if to make the profession of faith the basis of the contemplative journey about to be undertaken. These and similar customs, to the extent that they prepare the mind for contemplation, are all equally legitimate. The Rosary is then ended with a prayer for the intentions of the Pope, as if to expand the vision of the one praying to embrace all the needs of the Church. It is precisely in order to encourage this ecclesial dimension of the Rosary that the Church has seen fit to grant indulgences to those who recite it with the required dispositions.

If prayed in this way, the Rosary truly becomes a spiritual itinerary in which Mary acts as Mother, Teacher and Guide, sustaining the faithful by her powerful intercession. Is it any wonder, then, that the soul feels the need, after saying this prayer and experiencing so profoundly the motherhood of Mary, to burst forth in praise of the Blessed Virgin, either in that splendid prayer the Salve Regina or in the Litany of Loreto? This is the crowning moment of an inner journey which has brought the faithful into living contact with the mystery of Christ and his Blessed Mother.

St. JPII mentions “indulgences” in this paragraph and that is a huge topic that may be explored at another time, but if anyone is unfamiliar with the indulgences or “required dispositions” for gaining them, see Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1471-1479 also 1498.

Tomorrow we, begin the Holy Season of Lent, and it is good for us to consider how the Rosary can help us and the whole Church to grow to grow in holiness, by God’s grace. I put in bold print those words that stood out for me this morning.

Mary, Mother and Model for the Church pray for us.

 

[Maximilian75]

People who call the Rosary boring probably nap on roller coasters.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for your reply, dear Maximillian,

It is a sad commentary on people who call the Rosary “boring” – but perhaps they are more to be pitied for they have missed so much!