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komeeks18
Guest
And also, how do you pray it? Are you praying to Mary when praying?
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TimothyH
Guest
The best guide I know of on the mechanics of the Rosary is at newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf.
Yes, some of the prayers in the rosary are addressed directly to Mary while others are addressed specifically to Jesus as the Second Person of the Trinity incarnate, and others to God. At least one prayer is a praise of all three members of the Trinity. The rosary also contains the Lord’s Prayer.
The rosary is, at its heart, a meditation on events in the life and ministry of Jesus. We mediate on the “Sorrowful” events, the “Glorious” events, the “Luminous” events and the “Joyful” events as a means to bring ourselves closer to Christ. Each of these events teaches us of one of Christ’s virtues which we try to learn, interiorize and imitate in our own lives. We mediate on these events, or “Mysteries” as we repeat the prayers and keep track using the beads. One can almost get into a trance sometimes.
The “Hail Mary” is the primary prayer used in the rosary.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The first line contains the words spoken to Mary by God through is messenger, the angel Gabriel, when Gabriel announced to Mary that she would concieve the Christ
And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28)
The first line is, therefor, God’s own words to Mary. The second line contains the words spoken to Mary by her cousin Elizabeth.
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" (Luke 1:41.42)
Both are first and second lines are direct quotations from scripture.
The third line is a petition addressed directly to Mary asking her to pray to God for us, both at the present time and at the time of our death. The third line addresses Mary using one of the titles given to her by the earliest Christians, that of “Mother of God”, and in so doing stresses her special relationship to God as the mother of the incarnate Second Person of the Trinity.
I see you are in Georgia. I’m in Northwest Atlanta, Cobb County, in the Marietta/Kennesaw area. Feel free to reach out to me by private message and I’ll send you my email address if you want.
-Tim-
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Layman_F
Guest
Don’t be spooked by the term “trance”. By using a rosary during prayer, you can be more attentive to the mysteries. Almost like a way to get yourself to shut up. My mind is always churning, and I’ve found it helpful because i have trouble “being still” mentally. To me the Hail Marys come out on autopilot almost, allowing me to focus more on the mystery, because a part of my brain is already doing something. (if that makes sense)
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DJK100
Guest
Also, please keep in mind when Catholics use the term “to pray” we usually mean “to ask,” as in “I pray that you will listen to what I have to say.” It is not usually used to denote worhsip.
Just so there is no confusion.
The rosary is used to meditate on the life of Christ and to become closer to Him through it by contemplating on all that He did for us.
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Nimzovik
Guest
This makes a lot of sense to me.
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komeeks18
Guest
Thank you for your explanation! I understand the Rosary now! I assume you memorize it? (With help with the rosary beads?) Do you have to have rosary beads to pray the rosary? Do you have to be Catholic to pray the rosary? Also, I don’t really understand what you mean by “mysteries”.
So the rosary basically makes you more peaceful?
Yes, I understand that when Catholics are praying to Mary, that they are supposed to be asking her to pray for them, not worshiping her.
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nightranger
Guest
It is really a meditation on the life of Christ.
Just like the prayer says, “Holy Mary… pray for us sinners,” you are asking for Her intecession.
The entire rorary is asking The Blessed Mother to pray for you.
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Dejagirl
Guest
Others here have explained well how to say the Rosary and what it means. I just wanted to add that it’s the most powerful prayer we have against evil. For me personally, my faith and my relationship with our blessed mother and our Lord have grown tremendously since I began saying my rosary. It’s a wonderful devotion. God bless.
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Rich_C
Guest
There are only five* essential prayers of the Rosary, and you can memorize them:
Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
Haily Mary
Glory Be
Hail, Holy Queen
*there are three others that have been added but you can learn them later
Anyone can pray the Rosary. Our Lady is the Mother of all Christians, even though many dishonor her because they don’t understand her role in Salvation history. In fact, Our Lady has shown special care for missions through her apparitions; she seems to consider herself to be everyone’s spiritual mother, pointing them to Christ.
The 15 “Mysteries” are events in the lives of Jesus and Mary (13 are from the Gospels, 2 from Tradition). They have associated themes and virtues that we can meditate on while praying the Rosary. They are divided into three sets of five, and it’s normal to pray a set of five, not the whole fifteen on a given day.
The Rosary has a lot of benefits, that’s one.
Exactly. Since the first generation, Christians have believed that very holy Christians who died would continue to pray for them from Heaven and they would ask the Saints for prayers just like we do now.Yes, I understand that when Catholics are praying to Mary, that they are supposed to be asking her to pray for them, not worshiping her.
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komeeks18
Guest
So after you memorize the prayers, when reciting them you can really reflect on the “Mysteries”? Do you have to memorize the “Mysteries”, so once you go to pray and reflect on them, you know what you’re reflecting on? (I hope that wasn’t too confusing!)
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HelenRose
Guest
For me as a woman, praying the Rosary is being with another woman who understands me. She listens and understands.
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DJK100
Guest
You don’t have to memoize the mysteries. At each decade you announce the next mystery and you can read them off your paper if you want. However, there are no really hard and fast rules. I suppose you could memorize them if you wanted to. What I like to do is read the corresponding bible verses to the mysteries before I pray that decade. It helps me focus my thoughts on that particlar mystery more fully – but again you don’t have to do it that way.
You don’t even have to memroize the prayers if you don’t want to you can read them over and over again however you will find that the repetition will lend itself to memorization.
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komeeks18
Guest
Okay, thank you for your advice. I may do that. I have prayed the rosary once, but I just recited the prayers, I did not reflect on the mysteries–I did not even understand what they were, but I’m glad I understand now, so when I pray the rosary again, I can get more out of it. But even just reciting those prayers, I realized how Mary really does care for God’s children. They’re her children, too. I never really understood that until after praying the rosary. I felt at peace, and so loved. It was amazing. Because I was raised Baptist, I had some hesitation on praying the rosary, I didn’t know if I should or not, but I realize it is such an amazing thing. I cannot wait to pray the rosary and reflect; to truly pray the rosary and understand it–not like before. Can you–or anyone–explain exactly how the rosary beads help you when praying?
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TimothyH
Guest
A mystery is something revealed to us by God which we would not have been able to figure out ourselves. It is something which doesn’t make sense to us using our own reason or logic or senses of smell, sight, taste, touch, etc. Christ’s ressurection is a mystery. We would never believe it or understand it unless God had revealed it to us as a divnine truth. A virgin birth is a mystery - how it happened and even that it could happen is beyond us. To me, a rose bush or a tulip coming out of the ground every spring is a mystery. How God can love me is a mystery.Thank you for your explanation! I understand the Rosary now! I assume you memorize it? (With help with the rosary beads?) Do you have to have rosary beads to pray the rosary? Do you have to be Catholic to pray the rosary? Also, I don’t really understand what you mean by “mysteries”.
So the rosary basically makes you more peaceful?
Yes, I understand that when Catholics are praying to Mary, that they are supposed to be asking her to pray for them, not worshiping her.
Anyone can pray the rosary. The rosary is from God and is available to anyone. I have prayed it using the knuckles on my left hand to keep count.
My kids kept count once using M&M’s or skittles or something.I’ve been praying it regularly for years and still carry the PDF printout with me. I always forget part of the creed, usually that Jesus descended into hell. I always forget that part. After a while you just start remembering it.
My suggestion would be to find a group and just sit in to get the hang of it. The first time I ever prayed it in a group, they were praying it in Spanish which I don’t speak a word of. I followed along well enough using the PDF and got the hang of how it was done.
Just print out the page, find a quiet place and start praying it is the best way to learn. Think about the event’s in Christ’s life as you say the prayers. Look up and read the passage in the Bible if you think it will help. That’s all. Just do it.
-Tim-
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komeeks18
Guest
Do you meditate on the mysteries while reciting the prayers? Like, at the same time? Because when I tried praying the rosary last night, I could not recite the prayers and think of the mysteries at the same, because if I did try to reflect on the mysteries I couldn’t focus on saying the prayers…Advice?A mystery is something revealed to us by God which we would not have been able to figure out ourselves. It is something which doesn’t make sense to us using our own reason or logic or senses of smell, sight, taste, touch, etc. Christ’s ressurection is a mystery. We would never believe it or understand it unless God had revealed it to us as a divnine truth. A virgin birth is a mystery - how it happened and even that it could happen is beyond us. To me, a rose bush or a tulip coming out of the ground every spring is a mystery. How God can love me is a mystery.
Anyone can pray the rosary. The rosary is from God and is available to anyone. I have prayed it using the knuckles on my left hand to keep count.
I’ve been praying it regularly for years and still carry the PDF printout with me. I always forget part of the creed, usually that Jesus descended into hell. I always forget that part. After a while you just start remembering it.
My suggestion would be to find a group and just sit in to get the hang of it. The first time I ever prayed it in a group, they were praying it in Spanish which I don’t speak a word of. I followed along well enough using the PDF and got the hang of how it was done.
Just print out the page, find a quiet place and start praying it is the best way to learn. Think about the event’s in Christ’s life as you say the prayers. Look up and read the passage in the Bible if you think it will help. That’s all. Just do it.
-Tim-
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johndoe100
Guest
I follow the new changes to the Rosary introduced in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. It just seem logical to me. I use a small pamphlet that I purchase at the Catholic Book Store titled, “How to Pray the Rosary” by Hirten
According to Hirten The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in mind certain principle events in the history of our salvation. However, unofficially I personally pray the Rosary for just about anything.
According to Hirten The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in mind certain principle events in the history of our salvation. However, unofficially I personally pray the Rosary for just about anything.
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komeeks18
Guest
How do you reflect on the mysteries and recite the prayers at the same time? My brain cannot do both…
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mariyka
Guest
Find a picture illustrating each of them, and concentrate by looking at it while praying. That’s why there are so many statues and icons in Catholic churches. It works.How do you reflect on the mysteries and recite the prayers at the same time? My brain cannot do both…
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TimothyH
Guest
Yes, say the prayers and meditate at the same time.
But you are new at it so don’t force it and don’t expect to hear choirs of angels and see visions of Heaven on day one. Prayer is conversation with God and it is something we should do for our entire life. It’s like exercising or investing in our 401k. We are in it for the long haul.
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
Try to have patience. Paul’s advice to the Romans to have perseverance is good advice. Prayer takes perseverance.
Don’t try to force it. It can be frustrating for those who are not used to sitting in silence and stillness, those who are not used to extended periods of inner silence and coversation with God. Modern life is just the opposite. We stimulate our children from the moment they are born - we even have TV’s in the minivan now. Teenagers can’t sit still for five seconds and start to freak out if they can’t fill every second with some kind of stimulation from a computer or iPhone.
It takes time to learn to be still, and still more time to enjoy it. One day when you least expect it, God will lift you up and surround you with his presence, and you will be at complete rest and complete stillness. You will not say a word, nor will God. You will just be with God and will have an incredible feeling of his presence and of his power. Then God will gently set you back down, you will open your eyes, and you will have no idea how long you were like that. You will realize that you were just in the presence of God and that it was a small taste of heaven, a wonderful gift.
Here is what I do. I relax. Take a few minutes to just breathe deeply. Try to sense where you are tense. I always seem to clench my shoulder muscles. Shake out your hands if you need to and feel where there tension in your body. Relax that tension and breathe deeply. You might even yawn - that’s good, that means you are starting to relax. Go with it.
Then when you feel you are relaxed enough, begin breathing the prayers…
Exhale: Our Father…
**Inhale: **Who art in heaven…
**Exhale: **Hallowed be thy name…
Say them slowly. That’s one thing I learned from the monks. They don’t try to rush through prayers. They would rather say fewer prayers slowly than rush through a whole bunch of prayers.
Sometimes I read one of the lines on the sheet, close my eyes and breathe it, then open my eyes to read the next line, close my eyes and breathe it, and so forth. A good technique is to breathe the words Abba… Father… Abba… Father… as you inhale and exhale. That is prayer! I did that a lot when I first started.
It will come to you. You will find yourself saying the prayers and witnessing the events in your mind wiithout trying. You will find yourself watching Jesus being scourged at the pillar as if you are right there, hearing the whips and seeing the blood. It can be very powerful.
But it takes time and patience. You have to persevere. It does not happen overnight.
-Tim-
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komeeks18
Guest
Thank you. I will continue praying and trying to pray the rosary and have patience. I will make sure to say the prayers slowly, and since I am just beginning to pray the rosary, I will pause in reciting the prayers to reflect on the mysteries. I hope God will show me incredible things. You’re been so helpful! God bless!
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