Trouble praying the rosary . .

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Anima_Christi

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I have a hard time praying the rosary, particularly how to “meditate” on the mysteries. I have difficulty visualizing the mysteries, and even when I do I can’t see what the significance is or what I’m supposed to think about, much less “meditate” on them. So for me, praying the rosary often becomes “vain repetition.”
Last night, I started a rosary and couldn’t concentrate on the mysteries, I got so frustrated I just gave up halfway through. I constantly hear people recommending the rosary as the best way to draw close to Jesus and Mary, and what spiritual graces they have received from praying the rosary. My question is “how?”
Can someone who is devoted to the rosary please help me and give me advice about praying it??
My biggest problem is concentrating on the mysteries and why they’re important and what exactly does meditation mean?
 
I’ve wonder about this too.
My praying the rosary seems dry.
Why say the Hail Mary’s when that may distract one in concentrating on the mysteries. I’d think the mysteries are the most important part of the rosary. And I can’t see how this IS to bring us closer to Jesus and Mary…I thought Jesus said IF you love Me, Keep My conmandments?
 
*Sigh…I’m with you guys, only I have a different problem. I can meditate on the mysteries, but only insofar as they relate to Jesus – I seem to rarely include Mary in my meditations. Someone once said the point of the rosary is for her to bring you closer to Jesus, but she must’ve done a really good job without me asking because I seem to not think of her at all and think only of Him. As much as I’d like to have this devotion, or any devotion at all to Mary, I have great difficulty, although I “make” myself pray it several times a week.

Penitent
 
Penitent said:
*Sigh…I’m with you guys, only I have a different problem. I can meditate on the mysteries, but only insofar as they relate to Jesus – I seem to rarely include Mary in my meditations. Someone once said the point of the rosary is for her to bring you closer to Jesus, but she must’ve done a really good job without me asking because I seem to not think of her at all and think only of Him. As much as I’d like to have this devotion, or any devotion at all to Mary, I have great difficulty, although I “make” myself pray it several times a week.

Penitent
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I Know this IS a devotion and NOT something the Church forces down one’s throat, but it would be great to really become close to Our Lord through prayer.
Also, if one persists and prayers With Faith, maybe someing will happen.

Or it’s just not for everyone, I don’t lnow? :confused:
 
Penitent said:
*Sigh…I’m with you guys, only I have a different problem. I can meditate on the mysteries, but only insofar as they relate to Jesus – I seem to rarely include Mary in my meditations. Someone once said the point of the rosary is for her to bring you closer to Jesus, but she must’ve done a really good job without me asking because I seem to not think of her at all and think only of Him. As much as I’d like to have this devotion, or any devotion at all to Mary, I have great difficulty, although I “make” myself pray it several times a week.
Penitent
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Same here. I can pray the joyful mysteries,the assumption and the coronation of the B.V.M. (glorious), and the wedding feast at Cana (luminous) as they relate to Mary, but the others I can only pray as they relate to Jesus.
 
To all… I’ve been there. Some things I found helpful: the writings of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, “True Devotion to Mary” and “How to Pray a Meritorious Rosary” (I think the latter is in pamphlet form). In one of these it was suggested that we think of each Ave as flawless rose, all of which we gather and lay at the feet of our Lady.

It was difficult for me (for a while) to not distract myself with the repeated Aves, but after a while they cease to be distractions and become integral parts of the meditation upon the Mysteries. The important thing is to not give up. Pray your Rosary daily even if you struggle with it. Our Lady and her Divine Son will supply all the grace necessary as you strive to offer up your sacrifice of prayer.
 
Magnificat has a “Rosary Companion” that may help with this. I just ordered one from Aquinas and More. Haven’t received it yet so I can’t personally comment on it, but here’s what the description on the website says:
*The Magnificat Rosary Companion gives meditations for each mystery of the rosary including the Luminous Mysteries. Each mystery is accompanied with beautiful, full-color art work by Fra Angelico. Also included are meditations on the rosary as a whole by various authors.

*You can order it here.
It’s $3 plus about $3 S&H. Not bad.
 
I am really devoted to the rosary but it didn’t come easily, I say if the rosary is a difficult prayer for you, pray another way. Maybe just pray one decade a day. That would only take a couple of minutes and see what happens. If after a while you dont feel inclined to go further that’s ok. Just be sure to pray!
Mike
 
Have you guys tried a “Scriptural Rosary?”

I also recommend the Virtual Rosary for your computer. You can download it for free at www.virtualrosary.org (it might be .com). Anyway, it gives Scripture concerning the mystery for each Hail Mary of each mystery as well as a picture of the mystery. It’s pretty cool.
 
I’ve had the same problem!!! Even with “The Scriptural Rosary” (which provides a Bible verse to give a better understanding/visual for the meditation), I just don’t know. (But, TSR is a nuissense because it takes longer than just all the prayers and who wants to be in prayer that long?:rolleyes: ) Seriously, though, I honestly find it annoying because it takes longer AND because I have to keep opening my eyes to read the passage provided. I don’t know if one is supposed to meditate on the mystery once throughout the decade or once every decade beginning to end. The last few times I’ve prayed the Rosary, I’ve concentrated more on what I was specifically asking for rather than the mystery. I do know this, when I WAS praying the Rosary regularly & everytime I HAVE prayed the Rosary, it has always brought good things. I don’t think anybody should give up on it. It is a powerful weapon against the devil.
 
Does your church ever say the rosary as a group? After daily Mass, a group gets together to pray the rosary. For me, going to that once a week (I’d have gone more, but my work schedule!) kick started my ability to pray the rosary more effectively.
 
One sure way to get you to meditate on the mysteries is praying along w/ EWTN…I pray at least 4 rosaries per day…most of them are done w/ Fr. Mitch in the holyland, Mother Angelica and her nuns and we have Rosary on our local TV network Boston Catholic TV…
 
Anima Christi:
I have a hard time praying the rosary, particularly how to “meditate” on the mysteries. I have difficulty visualizing the mysteries, and even when I do I can’t see what the significance is or what I’m supposed to think about, much less “meditate” on them. So for me, praying the rosary often becomes “vain repetition.”
Last night, I started a rosary and couldn’t concentrate on the mysteries, I got so frustrated I just gave up halfway through. I constantly hear people recommending the rosary as the best way to draw close to Jesus and Mary, and what spiritual graces they have received from praying the rosary. My question is “how?”
Can someone who is devoted to the rosary please help me and give me advice about praying it??
My biggest problem is concentrating on the mysteries and why they’re important and what exactly does meditation mean?
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Anima Christi,

I can sympathize with you on this one. I have also struggled with how I’m supposed to meditate on the mysteries while saying the rosary.

Currently, I state the mystery and then try to personalize it for me life. For example, this morning for the 1st Joyful Mystery I reflected on how the Blessed Mother said “yes” to God at the Annunciation. My prayer then became, “Lord, please allow me to be as open to your Father’s will as your mother. Even though I may not fully understand the Father’s will for my life, please reveal it to me and give me the faith to follow it”. For the 2nd Joyful Mystery (the Visitation), I prayed that I may be able to share Jesus with others in the same way that Mary shared Him with her cousin Elizabeth… that I may be able to reach out and bring Jesus to people, even if it’s inconvenient for me.

After that I say the decade and upon finishing I reflect briefly on the mystery again. I’ve also heard of a technique (I’m not positive, but this may have come from Pope Paul VI) where you follow the word “Jesus” (in the Hail Mary) with a few words about the mystery. For example,

… Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus… being announced to Mary

… Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus… at the visitation

… Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus… in the manger

… Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus… being presented in the temple

… Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus… being found in the temple

This technique helps you to tie the mysteries to the prayers and you may find it helpful.

Also, Pope John Paul wrote an apostolic letter about the rosary which I found very helpful. It can be found at:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae_en.html

God Bless,
Gary
 
you might try to find a good book or website with written meditations on the mysteries of the rosary, i know there are quite a few out there. st. teresa of avila, a mystic who founded the reformed carmelite order, said that she spent fourteen years without being able to meditate without reading a book. (and she was a mystic and doctor of the church- a master at prayer!) she recommends reading, and if you find something that stirs you, stop reading and focus on that, and when it goes away, resume reading. i find that this works for me when i am having trouble at prayer. if you find you can’t pray the rosary and read at the same time, you might use tapes.
 
I am very new to praying the rosary, and perhaps it will get easier/clearer as time goes on, but I am definitely finding it difficult right now. My problem is even more basic than “how to meditate on the mysteries, etc.” It is that, while saying prayers, I find it almost impossible to think about, much less meditate on, anything else. This may get easier as the whole process gets more familiar, but I am also thinking that, in any situation, I find it almost impossible to think about two things at once. For example, I can’t have a radio/CD/tape on while I am driving because if I pay any attention at all to the radio/CD/tape, I completely forget that I am driving a car (not good, I know). Are there people here who find that they just can’t say prayers and meditate about something else, even after you’ve been doing it a long time?
 
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