Getting my Attention with the Rosary

[Augustine]

It can be pretty hard for me to concentrate on the misteries of the Rosary. Over months, I’ve found some hooks in the prayers to bing my attention back to meditating on the misteries. I thought that others might find them helpful or perhaps have other tips of their own.

1. 
   *]I try to say the Pater by meaning every word I say.
   *]I try to picture Jesus in the mistery when His name is said in the Ave Maria.
   *]I try to picture all persons of the Holy Trinity in the mistery when saying the Gloria.
   *]I try to mean every word of Jesus’ prayer.
   *]I say the Salve Regina in front of a statuette of Mary’s and meaning every word of it.
   
   I’d appreciate if others could suggest similar hooks for the Credo.
   
   

 

[cardenio]

I’m going to prove myself an idiot by saying this, but I’m going to anyway.

I never learned the mysteries of the Rosary. I know them, I know what they are, I have various lists in various places in my room. But when I was little I never used them at all because I shared a room with my sister and I didn’t want to wake her up by turning on the light and pulling out my first communion book. Since then I’ve been in the habit of praying the Rosary mysteryless when I pray it by myself. But I still pray it, I think it helps. I don’t usually pray it in English. I pray it in whatever other language I can find. The repition is comforting and it’s… God knows what I need more than I do. So I send up an Ave Maria or Dios te Salve María or Zdravo Marijo saying “God, you know what I need, and I can’t put into words what I want to say to you anyway.” I say Ave Maria or Dios te Salve María or Zdravo Marijo and assume God knows what I mean, even if I don’t.

He’s a pretty smart guy, ya know.

 

[puzzleannie]

good practices, glad they help you

I long ago adopted the practice suggested by Fr Romano Guardini of a method common in Europe, to say, after the name of Jesus in the Hail Mary (the centerpiece of the prayer) an allusion to the mystery:
. … . thy womb, Jesus, who was scourged for our offenses, Holy Mary . . .
. . . thy womb, Jesus, who was born to thee, O Virgin, Holy Mary . . .

For the Credo I quite often get “hung up on” one particular phrase or statement and simply meditate upon it for a while. the first year I was responsible for the Confirmation program I meditated on the Holy Spirit for several months while saying the Creed, and the entire rosary, meditating on the action of the Holy Spirit in the mysteries etc.

If something about the mystery, the prayer etc. calls to mind something in my life that requires prayer, I often stay with that thought for the entire rosary, or for days or weeks. One summer when my daughter was going through a bad patch and seemed really “lost” I meditated on finding the Child Jesus in the temple for 3 months during my daily rosary.

 

[Zooey]

Pictures help a lot. The only mysteries I don’t use them on much, are the sorrowful ones. Since I saw “The Passion”, I see the scenes from that in my head.

 

[Della]

At the risk of shamelessly promoting my own booklets, I have two scriptural Rosary booklets for sale. One is called the Beautiful Gate Rosary and was published by Our Sunday Visitor. The rights have reverted to me, so I sell them myself now. This rosary booklet has 5 different decades with 5 different mysteries and scriptures for each Hail Mary for every day of the week. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, though.

The other is a scriptural rosary booklet called: The Luminous Rosary, which is the traditional mysteries along with the ones for Thursday instituted by John Paul II. There are scripture verses for each Hail Mary as well as meditations. In all there are 5 different ways of praying the rosary in my booklets, either one.

If you want to ask me more about the booklets or want to order any, just PM me or email me.

 

[Augustine]

puzzleannie:

I long ago adopted the practice suggested by Fr Romano Guardini of a method common in Europe, to say, after the name of Jesus in the Hail Mary (the centerpiece of the prayer) an allusion to the mystery:
. … . thy womb, Jesus, who was scourged for our offenses, Holy Mary . . .
. . . thy womb, Jesus, who was born to thee, O Virgin, Holy Mary . . .

I loved this suggestion! I’ll give it a try.

Thanks.

 

[Mamamull]

Oddly enough, as a person who is very affected by attention deficit and hyperactivty disorder, I find the Rosary helps me train my brain to slow down and focus. The meditations and the prayers have a way of helping me when little else can.

Our new son, who is five years old, has emotional problems and stresses out easily. I used to have hold him during his tantrums and I would pray the Rosary while holding him. He now has his own rosary and prays it when he is frightened. Quite the converse of him learning to hate the devotion, he took it as his means to calm himself.

 

[Ambrose]

Augustine:

It can be pretty hard for me to concentrate on the misteries of the Rosary. Over months, I’ve found some hooks in the prayers to bing my attention back to meditating on the misteries. I thought that others might find them helpful or perhaps have other tips of their own.

1. 
   *]I try to say the Pater by meaning every word I say.
   *]I try to picture Jesus in the mistery when His name is said in the Ave Maria.
   *]I try to picture all persons of the Holy Trinity in the mistery when saying the Gloria.
   *]I try to mean every word of Jesus’ prayer.
   *]I say the Salve Regina in front of a statuette of Mary’s and meaning every word of it.
   
   I’d appreciate if others could suggest similar hooks for the Credo.
   
   

1. 
   Alot of great advice here, and if I could add my two cents in here **DON’T GET DISCOURAGED !! **One of my favorite saints St. Therese of Lisieux struggeled mightily with the rosary and I do to at times. Sometimes I’m blessed with insight, sometimes not. This is from "Story of a Soul:
   
   **rosary is more difficult for me than the wearing of an instrument of penance. I feel I have said this so poorly! I force myself in vain to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary; I don’t succeed in fixing my mind on them. For a long time I was desolate about this lack of devotion which astonished me, for I love the Blessed Virgin so much that it should be easy for me to recite in her honor prayers which are so pleasing to her. Now I am less desolate; I think that the Queen of heaven, since she is my MOTHER, must see my good will and she is satisfied with it. **
   
   I persevere with it out of love for the Blessed Mother as St. Therese does with the same thing in mind. Remember I baptized you several centuries ago - **I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT !!! :yup: **

 

[Augustine]

puzzleannie:

I long ago adopted the practice suggested by Fr Romano Guardini of a method common in Europe, to say, after the name of Jesus in the Hail Mary (the centerpiece of the prayer) an allusion to the mystery:
. … . thy womb, Jesus, who was scourged for our offenses, Holy Mary . . .
. . . thy womb, Jesus, who was born to thee, O Virgin, Holy Mary . . .

I tried by myself, but stumbled at some misteries, without knowing what to say. Do you have any on-line reference to it or perhaps could you please post the additions here?

Much TIA,

 

[Augustine]

**Now I am less desolate; I think that the Queen of heaven, since she is my MOTHER, must see my good will and she is satisfied with it. **

But I don’t know what to make of this sentence…

Ambrose:

Remember I baptized you several centuries ago - **I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT !!! :yup: **

I do persevere, as best as I can. I know persistence from my mother, you know.

 

[Viki59]

Augustine:

I tried by myself, but stumbled at some misteries, without knowing what to say. Do you have any on-line reference to it or perhaps could you please post the additions here?
Much TIA,

This is what I say, though others may have other phrases:
Joyful Mysteries:
Hail Mary full of grace, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus, whose birth the angel announced. . .
Jesus, who you bore under your heart with you to visit Elizabeth,
Jesus, to whom you gave birth . . .
Jesus, who you dedicated in the temple . . .
Jesus, who you sought sorrowing for three days and found in the temple. . .

Sorrowful Mysteries:
Jesus, who sweat blood for us . . .
who was scourged for us . . .
who was crowned with thorns for us . . .
who carried the heavy cross for us . . .
who was crucified for us. . .

Luminous Mysteries:
(hope I get these right)
Jesus, who was baptized in the Jordan for us. …
who turned water into wine at Cana . . .
who preached the good news to the poor . . .
who was transfigured on the Mount . . .
who instituted the Eucharist for us . . .

Glorious Mysteries:
Jesus, who rose from the dead . . .
who ascended into heaven . . .
who sent us the Holy Spirit . . .
who will return again in glory . . .
whose kingdom will have no end. . .

I know most people end with mysteries relating to Our Lady, but I use these about Jesus. Would be interested to see what other people say.

 

[Augustine]

Thanks a bunch!

I’ve printed it out and I’ve already used it. Very helpful.