Praying the Rosary

[anamchara]

jmm, you bring up a very good point. I remember someone telling me this same thing. Just pray the rosary and don’t worry about the mysteries, there was so much to learn. There is some merit to this.

I know how you feel, I still don’t have Hail Holy Queen down or the Apostles creed, I can only say the AC if I’m in Church reciting it with everyone else I get lost on my own.

A friend bought me a lovely CD that lead you through the rosary, I still use it at times. I would highly recomend for anyone to go to your local Catholic store and picking one up.

 

[TOP]

I use a little booklet that has the mysteries with a picture on it. I’ve learned to read and look at the pictures while I recite the Hail Mary’s. The booklet is titled “The Rosary with the Luminous Mysteries- My Daily Devotion to Mary, the Mother of God”. I got it at church. Tim

 

[Jay3gsm]

I’ve also experienced the same problems as you all. I still can’t recite the Creed by heart, nor the Hail Holy Queen despite reciting them daily. I’ve fallen asleep praying the Rosary last thing at night on a few occasions, too.

To help me concentrate on the mysteries I have downloaded some Rosary files from the EWTN website. The scriptual Rosary is my favourite so far. Whilst a voice talks about the mysteries the prayers are said in the background. I find it easier to recite along with the prayers and concentrate on the mysteries at the same time. I converted the files to MP3 and put them on my phone. This way I have them with me wherever I go; I can listen in anytime I want to.

 

[Kanda]

I use a little booklet that has the mysteries with a picture on it. I’ve learned to read and look at the pictures while I recite the Hail Mary’s. The booklet is titled “The Rosary with the Luminous Mysteries- My Daily Devotion to Mary, the Mother of God”. I got it at church. Tim

I also have this booklet. I got it at my church and it is really helpful. I keep it near me because I don’t know by heart yet the Hail Holy Queen or the AC.

I experimented a few different ways with meditating on the mysteries. What works for me is to close my eyes and envision what was happening. Each time the story plays in my mind from a different point of view.

The most memorable time for me praying the rosary was once when I was meditating on the Joyful Mysteries. I was praying on the Annunciation. I had this lovely vision of young Mary sweeping her kitchen and sunlight streaming in through the window. I imagined her, just another young woman getting on with her day (before the angel came, of course). It was such a lovely vision. I have never forgotton it. This happened when I was pregnant with my son and had spent the whole day cleaning (ah, that nesting feeling…) and I was wiped out. I know the Lord showed me Mary like that for a reason. It really helped me relate to Our Lady.

 

[jmm08]

I’ve fallen asleep praying the Rosary last thing at night on a few occasions, too.

That is the best way to fall asleep. I’ve done it a few times.

To me, just holding the Rosary makes me feel closer to Mary and I think of Mary more that way. I’ve developed a nasty habit of holding the Rosary in my hand whenever I sleep. Anymore, I can hardly sleep peacefully unless it is in my hand.

Quite likely how I may have gotten started is that when I pray the Rosary, it is not easy to think of other things. Having to pray the prayers and also try to think of the mysteries – this becomes a momentary, necessary and refreshing break from other concerns of life. And it also becomes a temporary vacation away from sinful thoughts and life patterns.

As I suppose any other sinner on this forum will agree – it is such a drag to be trapped in various situations, thought patterns or sins. So it is that a 15-to-20 minute break is like a mini-holiday. When people first start thinking about praying the Rosary it seems to be a time wasted. But if you experience it enough and realize that it is a different time than if you weren’t praying the Rosary, then you will know it is very precious and golden.

Many people hardly think praying the Rosary could possibly be beneficial. And many people either have no feeling of devotion towards Mary or have at best the smallest thoughts of Mary. We must never be proud that we pray the Rosary. Rather, if we have a gift of grace to pray and if we have a gift of grace to have some devotion to Mary we must be thankful and grateful for such grace. Because it does seem to be rare.

One of the most incredible things is that Praying the Rosary is not something we do alone. Although I do not see, my faith tells me that there are angels present collecting my prayers and quickly leaving for their destination. My faith tells me that Mary herself is aware of my prayers and she is very close. My faith tells me that if we did see – even for a brief moment – all that was going on it might startle us completely. And if you are praying with others (being present with others in prayer or praying with others group such as the Rosary Confraternity) then we also share our prayers with others and they with us.

Some saint revealed that the value of a single Hail Mary devoutly prayed is very great. So if it seems difficult to get started in regularly praying, be sure that the enemy is doing whatever is possible to prevent your prayers.

How is it that I might share in some of these graces? I must remember where I came from and how unlikely this all is. And be very thankful.