All these suggestions are good and I second to just relax, as Christiano said, remembering that with practice you will get better.
I’ll tell you what’s very most helpful to me in making rosary mediatation rich, although I hesitate, knowing some people here will complain. It is writings of Maria Valtorta’s Poem of the Man-God that have now made the meditations rich for me, so much so that I can think tirelessly and deeply about the mysteries, even in anticipation of and after I pray my rosary!
It is necessary for me to make some statements about Poem of the Man-God before I explain why they are helpful to me, out of respect to the sincere and thoughtful, faithful Catholic detractors of the writings.
I totally respect the opinions of the Valtorta-detractors! I just have a different opinion, myself! Yes, it was once on the banned list, but its not now, and it has many steller, faithful, learned truly-Catholic advocates as well as the detractors. (You can search this forum for an exhaustively-thorough debate-thread on the books).
The following website tells about the writings, the author, those who advocate these writings:
bardstown.com/~brchrys/ (And also you can do a google search and find plenty of detractor-links).
I personally believe the writings are real and inspired – although *if *the Church were to plainly rule they are not (a big part of the debate is the Church has presently ruled against the writings, but I’m with the also-plentiful credible experts that say the Church has not), then I would go with the Church’s ruling, always.
That said, even if you take them as a “novel”, there is a lot to be benefited from it as “fiction” as Valtorta had theologically (and even archeologically) correct “imagination”.
If anyone were to point out an un-theologically correct point about the books I would welcome indepth discussion, but exhaustive searching on the net revealed no such debate --definately including all the links mentioned and re-mentioned in this forum’s long thread re: The Poem!
But its unlikely to find something that could be discounted altogether, as Mariologists who make a lifetime study of Mary and Scripture and Tradition and even teach at the Pontfical University in Rome as well as known faithful beleivers like John Haffert (Blue Army) say that the books are completely theologically correct. So, therefore, there is certainly something to be gained, even if you think they are but a novel.
I have the five volumes of the main work, and I l
ove them. I
never tire of re-reading them. I can pick up any book, and read anywhere, and I am inspired, and thinking of Our Lord all day. And I do! Therefore the books are always scattered around the house, whereever I last left it when I had a moment to pick it up and read last. When they catch my eye as I go through a room, I look at them fondly, like precious, loved objects. The way I look at my rosaries fondly. Rosaries are another something I find helpful to have a lot of around so I can pick them up anywhere!
Not counting the The Bible - as
that is not really a “book” but Holy Scripture, God’s inerrant Word - Valtorta’s Poem of the Man-God is the best book I have ever read. It (they) are my favorite book(s) of *all-*time - and I mean
far and above the whole rest of the pack! And I like to read!
If you are disinterested in reading the huge work but just want some interesting meditations for rosary, you will find, through the link given, and on net search (try
half.com), that there is also available a book with just the Valtorta excerpts pertaining to rosary meditations. And it also appears that the rosary excerpts are available on tape.
That said, I respect everyone who disagrees with me, including those many who have read a few pages (frequently racey-sounding excerpts, completely out-of-context, usually not from the book itself but from something thye found on the net) and who think everyone should stay away from the books.
I respect the detractors because truly there is no one who *needs *Poem of the Man-God to be a good Christian, or to grow in holiness. For that one *needs *God’s grace – that is ordinarily and most fully given us in the Holy Roman Catholic Church - and through Her, the Sacraments, the Scripture, the Magisterium. And the rosary and sacramentals!
I only bring it up the book, in spite of the controversy, because I want to witness that the work is responsible for making my rosary meditations a rich, rich time, that I look forward to.
