How do you contemplate in the Rosary?

[BintuluChuchGuy]

Hi,I’d like to ask:

How do I contemplate(or reflect or meditate or whatever they call it) on the mysteries in the Rosary.These past times,I prayed the Rosary(i dont pray verbally,if that helps) without contemplation and I felt worried when I saw this sentence in a Catholic calendar

“Whoever prays the Rosary without Contemplation is like saying an empty prayer”(or something like that)

So,the next few years,I tried to pray the Rosary with contemplation on the lives of Jesus and Mary.But its hard,
When i say the hail marys’,I would imagine the scenes from Jesus’ movies.Is that alright? Is contemplating imagining the events in Jesus life or is it something more???

God bless everyone in this community and to those who answer my question.

 

[ericka1701]

Well, my meditations on the life of Jesus and Mary sometimes plays in my mind like a scene from a movie, so I don’t see anything wrong with you picturing an actual scene from a movie. Also, this website has the four sets of mysteries (Glorious, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Joyful… at the bottom of the page) that are used frequently by many Catholics.

May God further enrich you as you contemplate on Jesus and Mary and their lives using the rosary.

Ericka

 

[Halos1n2Horns]

This is what I do. When I pray The rosary of fatima theres a booklet that says u concentrate on each mystery, for 15 minutes I find it easier to close my eyes and think of the mystery, such as today is monday the joyful mysteries are today, so the first one is the visitation I think of Mary visting Elizabeth ( John the Baptist ) mother ( btw Elizabeth was 6 months pregrant with John the Baptist) and what mary said to her . Meditate on this scripture to bring you close to the Mother of our church and etc . Same for the rest of the mysteries. If you dont have a booklet heres a website u can use also.

rosary-center.org/howto.htm

I use this one because the pictures are so awesume and big enough and with each mystery there is the meaning to it. I hope this helps .

Peace be with you my friend Halos

 

[Nita]

When I first started trying to mediate on the mysteries, I had a little book titled the “Scriptural Rosary”. It gave a line of Scripture (pertaining to the particular mystery) to be read, or recited, before each Hail Mary. I found that helpful.

There was a 5-10 year period when I found it very easy to meditate on the mysteries. Now I am having more problems with my mind wandering. But as long as the proper intention is there, and when one notices it and tries to focus again on the prayers/mysteries, there is still merit. Sometimes I think there is more merit in the difficult mind wandering times than when it’s easy.

Something else I’ve done is to insert people’s names into the Hail Mary. Eg. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for Susan, now and at the hour of her death.” Sometimes I’ll pray a whole decade for one person and sometimes I’ll pray for a different person with each Hail Mary.

Nita

 

[kage_ar]

I love the scriptural rosary .mp3 over at www.rosaryarmy.com

 

[withwind]

how about getting the book: The Secret of the Rosary - by St. Louis de Montfort? It’s a great book.

 

[rotlex]

I have been praying the rosary daily for nearly a year now. I find meditating upon the mysteries easier as each week passes.

At first, and at time still does, my mind wandered quite a bit. That was while I was sitting in my arm chair, attempting to truly focus. I have found more recently, that I pray the rosary while out on my morning walk. It may sound silly, but while walking alone in the early mornings, I find it VERY relaxing and meditative to ponder the mysteries, while saying the prayers, and taking in the beauty that is nature.

 

[augustineguy]

The scriptural rosary book posted above is excellent, as is the audio clip from roasyarmy.com. I’d suggest that you think of the place you are most comfortable think in - it could be a quiet room, out walking, wherever you find your mind most able to focus. The rosary is a tool for meditation, so anything that allows you to focus your mind can be helpful, even if that something is a distracting task to keep your body busy (hence the physical beads rather than just keeping a mental count.)

I had a lot of trouble getting to the deeper devotion in the rosary when i first started saying it, but that went away quickly. its like driving: when you first start, you are focused on the physical acts of pushing pedals, turning wheels, and just getting the car moving without crashing. The prayers will come more easily to you until they are second nature, and the meditation will be more accessible then.

Remember that no prayer is in vain, and that the Holy Mother never turns away those who ask for her intercession and aid. Next time you pray the rosary, ask for help praying the rosary!

Good luck and God Bless!