Hi Michael,
I can see your viewpoint, but, respectfully I think you miss the point of the rosary just a bit.
Everytime we say the Hail Mary while meditating on the mysteries of the life of Christ and his beloved Mother we are reciting the very words from scripture… “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the Fruit of they womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen”
We are giving praise to the angels’ revelation that Mary was chosen by God to be the Mother of God and in her “Yes” the Holy Spirit came upon her and thus was conceived in her womb “the word Incarnate” Our Lord Jesus Christ and we have the words of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth upon hearing Mary’s greeting in arriving at her home as well.
I don’t see how in repeating the “Hail Mary” while meditating on the appropriate Mystery, which is honoring the gift of salvation to the world through “the word Incarnate” that was conceived in Mary’s womb is JUST about only wanting to please Mary.
We are giving HONOR to the “word made Flesh”… the word “Incarnate” in every Hail Mary.
I can see how many would see the rosary as a prayer of repetition, but, the rosary is layer upon layer of mystery, like a mystical fruit that you have to peel all the layers off of to get to the juicy spiritual PULP.
In the Orthodox traditions you also have repeated prayers… such as the Jesus Prayers’ “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner” on the prayer rope called a Chotki (which some Orthodox also use special prayers to the Virgin Mary as well) and the Coptic Orthodox who use the 41-bead Mequteria in remembrance of the Scourging of Our Lord, as well as a 64 bead Mequteria which is used for special prayers to the Virgin Mary for the 64 years of Mary’s life. As it is in the Coptic tradition, Mary lived to this age and the Holy Family stayed in Egypt (mainly Upper Egypt=Southern Egypt).
They have a rich tradition concerning “The Holy Family” and special places in Egypt that many Copts even today visit in honor of the Holy Family. (I will have to ask my Coptic friend for the exact prayers for Mary in the “Coptic language”)
Ok, I have written ALOT… and forgive my using a “mystical fruit” as an example… It may seem corny to some, but, makes sense in my heart.
I hope this helps you to see Michael, that Catholics are not alone in giving honor to Mary and what may seem on the surface as repetitious, has a great mystical meaning at its depths that is a treasure of unmeasurable value.
God bless all
