Rosary Questions

[TheInquisitor]

Is the Rosary a prayer or contemplation?

Or is it both? Am I contemplating the mysteries while God is hearing and answering my prayers?

And just for the heck of it, since this is an Apologetics forums. What about the Vain repetitions verse in Matthew 6:7? If my reasoning is right, this technically isn’t a vain repetition since I’m praying and meaning it (therefore, it’s not empty).

 

[Eileen_T]

Is the Rosary a prayer or contemplation?

Or is it both? Am I contemplating the mysteries while God is hearing and answering my prayers?

That is my understanding.

And just for the heck of it, since this is an Apologetics forums. What about the Vain repetitions verse in Matthew 6:7? If my reasoning is right, this technically isn’t a vain repetition since I’m praying and meaning it (therefore, it’s not empty).

Ditto

The way a very learned priest explained it, the pagan gods had many different titles. The gods changed the title they were using on a daily basis and when a person prayed to them for something they had to be sure to get the “name” for that day correct, so they repeated the prayers changing the “name” of the god.

Another way to consider “vain repetition” is to think of it like this. I have a little grandson who frequently tells me, “I love you, grandma”. But sometimes he has an agenda and the words are a preliminary to asking for something. In that case the words are empty of genuine meaning even though I know he does love me.

When we pray, do not lapse into praying from habit only, but concentrate on God and pray from the heart.

 

[bmullins]

It’s both. You pray while contemplating the mysteries. You are supposed to be contemplative in the respect that God can teach you what the mysteries mean to you and speak to you while you go through your repetitive prayers.

As to vain repetitions: the pagans believed if they said the prayers enough, evoked enough names, they could force their gods to do things, even if it was against their deities will. It’s about vain repetitions ‘as the pagans do.’ In other words, we shouldn’t pray thinking that if we do it enough, with the right words, with the right names we can force God to do something, we should always realize it is up to God and his gracious will if it is answered.

 

[kepha1]

Is the Rosary a prayer or contemplation?

Or is it both? Am I contemplating the mysteries while God is hearing and answering my prayers?

I’m not sure what you mean here. Of course God hears your prayers, and He hears the prayers from the mother of humanity.

.

 

[djd83]

I’m not sure what you mean here. Of course God hears your prayers, and He hears the prayers from the mother of humanity.

.

Pretty sure (s)he means what (s)he says.

Yes, I believe the Rosary is both a prayer and meditation, because while we are asking Mary to pray to God for us, we are also contemplating on an aspect of Mary’s or Jesus’ life.

As for vain repetitions, they are just that: vain. We can repeat, but as soon as we stop believing what we say, or say it solely out of habit, then it gets spiritually dangerous.

God bless!

 

[TheInquisitor]

So is the Rosary a completely a Marian Devotion? I notice there is also an Our Father in there and other prayers that aren’t to Mary.

 

[bmullins]

You are praying that God give you your daily bread and using them as a mantra. At first it seems very difficult to pray the Our Father, or a Hail Mary while thinking about the mystery for that decade. After you get used to it you will find yourself doing both. Being able to pray the prayer for the current bead, and still at the same time keep the Mystery in the forefront of your mind. This allows you to keep your mind both concentrated on what you are doing, while also listening for God’s voice to help you further understand the mystery you are contemplating, and guide you in your life.

The prayers help focus your mind further on what you are doing, and to keep your mind from wandering to other things. It’s almost a meditative practice.

*note: I also find it helpful to have a visual focus. I have a small rosary book that has each of the mysteries in it. While I am praying I have a picture of the current mystery, (i.e. the Annunciation has a picture of Gabriel talking to Mary). By getting all of your senses involved, you can ‘fully’ give yourself to prayer. It also helps me to continually dwell on the mystery while also saying the prayers.

 

[puzzleannie]

Is the Rosary a prayer or contemplation?

Or is it both? Am I contemplating the mysteries while God is hearing and answering my prayers?

And just for the heck of it, since this is an Apologetics forums. What about the Vain repetitions verse in Matthew 6:7? If my reasoning is right, this technically isn’t a vain repetition since I’m praying and meaning it (therefore, it’s not empty).

the rosary is formal prayer (scriptural words and invocations that are repeated), a meditation on the Gospel mysteries, and can lead to contemplation, the silent wordless union with God.

“Vain repetition” means useless, worthless repetition of nonsensical syllables like “ohm” or the names and titles of pagan gods (who do not exist) as the pagans did. Read the whole verse, including “as the pagans do”. the Rosary is a Catholic prayer so it is not pagan, it is scriptural, and it is not vain since the words have meaning and power in themselves because they are taken from the Word of God in scritpure, and our own invocations and intercessions are added. Since Jesus has commanded us to pray, our prayers therefore are not in vain.

 

[TheInquisitor]

Sorry I edited my post not thinking you would reply so fast Bmullins . Thanks for the reply.

One more question. Is the Rosary specifically a Marian devotion or a series of Biblical prayers with a focus on Mary?

 

[bmullins]

Sorry I edited my post not thinking you would reply so fast Bmullins . Thanks for the reply.

One more question. Is the Rosary specifically a Marian devotion or a series of Biblical prayers with a focus on Mary?

The thing to realize about Marian devotion is that Mary always points to Christ. Just like at the wedding of Cana when she asked Jesus to perform a miracle, her next words were “Do whatever he tells you”. She immediately pointed everyone to Christ and his direction.

The Rosary itself does talk about Mary quite a bit, but if we notice it always points to God, even the Hail Mary.

Hail Mary, full of grace: God made her from the very conception to be filled with Grace. She is the Ark of the New covenant, the New Eve, so designed by the savior. This is also Sacred Scripture, which is the Word of God! How much closer to Christ can we be than to quote the written Word of God?

The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women: Once again, we are quoting scripture. We are reminded of the visitation with Elizabeth in which she declared these words. We draw closer knowing that the “Lord is with thee”. This very line takes the focus off Mary and points again at the Lord.

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus: Again, the prayer points to Jesus. Everything about this very prayer points to Jesus in both the sense that it’s not about Mary alone but about Mary’s relationship with Jesus and is scripture still.

Holy Mary, Mother of God: We address her by the titles that she received for doing God’s will. It reminds us first off that we too should be doing God’s will, and secondly that Mary is so very important precisely because of her relationship with God. She is Holy because God made her Holy. She is the Mother of God, which puts her on the Queen Mothers throne. This puts her in a special position to speak directly to the King, Jesus Christ. That reminds us of her intimate presence in His presence.

pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. : Again here we ask her to pray for us, which reminds us that she in turn only does what God allows her. It once again takes the focus off Mary, and puts it on her role, which points to Jesus Christ. Any prayer that we offer up to ask Mary for help with, is answered by Christ himself.

As you can see, every Hail Mary doesn’t point to Mary, but always draws us closer to Jesus Himself.

So it is a Marian devotion, and a set of Biblical prayers that seem to have a focus on Mary, when in actuality their focus is not Mary herself, but Jesus Christ.