Why You Must Pray The Rosary

[stefany379]

The prayers that compose The Rosary come mainly from The Bible. The Rosary is not only a “weapon” against Satan, but a devotion in honor of The Virgin Mary. It consists of a number of prayers.
One Apostles Creed (credo)
One Our Father (The pater noster or The Lord’s prayer)
Three Hail Marys (Aves)
One Glory Be (Gloria Patri)

Traditional Protestants are able to recite The Apostle’s Creed without qualms, meaning every line of it, though to some lines they must give meanings different from those given by Catholics, who composed the creed. For instance, we refer to the “Holy Catholic Church” meaning a particular, identifiable church on earth. Protestants typically re-interpret this to refer to an “invisible church” consisting of all “true believers” in Jesus.
Protestants, whenthey say the prayer, refer to the (lower case) “Holy Catholic Church” using Catholic merely in a sense of “universal”, not implying any connection with the (upper case) Catolic church, which is based in Rome. This is despite the fact that the term “Catholic” was already used to refer to a particular, visible church by the second century and had already lost its broader meaning of “universal.”
Despite the differences, Protestants embrace The Apostle’s Creed without reluctance, seeing it as embodying basic Christian truths as they understand them.
Since the Hail Mary is a prayer to Mary, many Protestants assume its inbiblical. Quite the contrary. It begins:
“Hail Mary full of grace, The Lord is with thee.” this is the greeting from the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:28.
“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.” this was exactly what Mary’s cousin Elizabeth said to her Luke 1:42.
The second part of The Hail Mary is not taken straight from scripture, but it is entirely biblical in the thoughts it expresses. It reads: "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
some Protestants object to saying “Holy Mary” because they claim Mary was a sinner like the rest of us. But Mary was a Christian (the first Christian, actually, the first to accept Jesus.)
Luke 1:45 and the Bible describes Christians in general as Holy.
Furthermore, as the mother of Jesus Christ, the incarnate second person of The Blessed Trinity, Mary was a very Holy woman. Some Protestants object to the title “Mother of God”, and what this means is not that she was an older woman, but this person was born of her a divine person.
Both Catholic and non-Catholics as they learn more about the Rosary and make more frequent use of it, comes to see how its meditations bring to mind the sweet fragrance not only of the Mother of God, but of Christ himself.

 

[rr1213]

When do you pray this one? It’s the prayer that most Protestants will have a problem with other than the Ave Maria.

*Hail, Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clememt. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.*

 

[4HisChurch]

That is usually said as a prayer after the Rosary. It is not a prayer you say while saying the Rosary itself.

 

[Stephen_C]

When do you pray this one? It’s the prayer that most Protestants will have a problem with other than the Ave Maria.

*Hail, Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clememt. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.*

RR,
So what is so wrong with this?
I don’t see Mary worship here. (not saying you are saying this is Mary worship) We are asking Mary to be our advocate and to pray for us. Do you think Protestants see this as Mary Worship? Why?

 

[stefany379]

That is usually said as a prayer after the Rosary. It is not a prayer you say while saying the Rosary itself.

I believe there is a contradiction here, we include this prayer after EVERY rosary I have ever said in the past 50 years. It is always said at the end, in fact it is the most commonly recited prayer in praise of Mary, after The Hail Mary itself and was composed at the end of the eleventh century. The Glory Be is a brief hymn of praise in which all Christians can join and was used since the fourth century.
the most problematic line for non-Catholics is usually the last of The Hail Mary which says “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” Many non-Catholics think such a request denies the teaching of 1 Timothy 2:5. We know that St. Paul instructs Christians to pray for each other nd it applies to the Saints in heaven who, as Revelation 5:8 reveals, intercede for us by offering your prayers to God.

 

[stefany379]

RR,
So what is so wrong with this?
I don’t see Mary worship here. (not saying you are saying this is Mary worship) We are asking Mary to be our advocate and to pray for us. Do you think Protestants see this as Mary Worship? Why?

There is nothing wrong with this, since The Rosary itself comes from The Bible. I hope my answer below helps you. Praying th The Blessed Mother will help you in your life and in the next.

 

[rr1213]

RR,
So what is so wrong with this?
I don’t see Mary worship here. (not saying you are saying this is Mary worship) We are asking Mary to be our advocate and to pray for us. Do you think Protestants see this as Mary Worship? Why?

Yes, I’d say that most Protestants would see *Hail Holy Queen *as Mary worship. I’m not saying that…after reading numerous Catholic protestations on the matter I’m willing to give Catholics the benefit of the doubt on that one. Otherwise, my objections would be fairly typical for a Protestant…(i) no need for intercessory prayer by the Saints in Heaven when Christ is our mediator and intercessor, (ii) we don’t believe that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, and (iii) describing Mary as “our sweetness and our hope” when our hope is Jesus Christ. Otherwise its ok.

 

[BrownR]

Encouraging Protestants to pray the Rosary is laudable and without doubt full of good intentions but it wouldn’t be my first choice of Catholic traditions to encourage them to use. They are, by far, going to feel too uncomfortable with it.

 

[4HisChurch]

I just meant that it is not a prayer said on any of the rosary beads themselves.

 

[Stephen_C]

Yes, I’d say that most Protestants would see *Hail Holy Queen *as Mary worship. I’m not saying that…after reading numerous Catholic protestations on the matter I’m willing to give Catholics the benefit of the doubt on that one. Otherwise, my objections would be fairly typical for a Protestant…(i) no need for intercessory prayer by the Saints in Heaven when Christ is our mediator and intercessor, (ii) we don’t believe that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, and (iii) describing Mary as “our sweetness and our hope” when our hope is Jesus Christ. Otherwise its ok.

Ok, That is a whole nother (slang for another I think) thread. (Communion of Saints) Thinks for your honest reply though.

 

[stefany379]

Encouraging Protestants to pray the Rosary is laudable and without doubt full of good intentions but it wouldn’t be my first choice of Catholic traditions to encourage them to use. They are, by far, going to feel too uncomfortable with it.

That is quite understandable. Perhaps there are lots of non-Catholics who are curious how to even say The Rosary, or where it comes from, but cannot ask anyone. This is where I come in. This in fact would be my first choice of “Catholic traditions” because it works. If one tries to even say it for the first time, realizing how wonderful it is and how Holy it is, one will say it often. I only will tell one who wants their prayers answered to pray The Rosary. I will tell you exactly how to pray it and I pray it every night before I go to bed. I have Tinnitus and when I pray The Rosary, I cannot hear it.

 

[rbarcia]

**

Mat 6

7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

**

 

[stefany379]

I just meant that it is not a prayer said on any of the rosary beads themselves.

Quite right, but it is said at the end of the beads on the picture of The Blessed Mother. The beads start with saying The Apostles Creed on the crucifix, then The Our Father on the one bead, then the three Hail Mary’s on the three beads together, then the one Our Father on the single bead again, then there is the image of Mary. Well at the end of reciting the Rosary, that is to be held saying “The Hail Holy Queen”.

 

[Stephen_C]

**

Mat 6

7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

**

I guess the key here is how do you define “vain repetitions” It does not say just repetitions or all repetitions…just vain repetition. So if he ment all repetition you think he would have said so…

 

[stefany379]

**

Mat 6

7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

**

What is this to do with The Rosary?? He is talking about asking for “things”, not praying to The Blessed Virgin.

 

[mommyof4]

**

Mat 6

7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

**

So is it a “vain repetition” to say the Our Father every day? Or several times a day? Or the Prayer of Jabez? Or to recite Bible passages daily?

 

[flameburns623]

Instead of the Ave Maria I pray a variant of the Jesus Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ,
Have mercy on me,
A sinner;
Holy God,
Holy mighty One
Holy Immortal One
*Have mercy on me *
And on the whole world.
Instead of the Hail Holy Queen, I substitute the Prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
*grant that I may not so much seek *
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
I also modify the Glorious Mysteries, since I reject the Assumption of Mary and her Coronation; instead, I focus on the resurrection of souls in Christ and the Second Coming of Christ for His Church. As modified, the Rosary is a wonderful meditation on the life of Jesus Christ.

 

[jmcrae]

(iii) describing Mary as “our sweetness and our hope” when our hope is Jesus Christ. Otherwise its ok.

It says that Mary is the Mother of … our life, our sweetness, and our hope - not that she is, herself.

It’s interesting that you substitute other Catholic prayers for the Rosary prayers. Why did you elect not to use any Protestant prayers?

 

[lak611]

Actually this thread’s title is somewhat confusing. There is no commandment that Catholics “must pray the rosary”. We are supposed to pray daily, but the prayers can be any that we choose.

 

[LilyM]

Instead of the Ave Maria I pray a variant of the Jesus Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ,
Have mercy on me,
A sinner;
Holy God,
Holy mighty One
Holy Immortal One
*Have mercy on me *
And on the whole world.
Instead of the Hail Holy Queen, I substitute the Prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
*grant that I may not so much seek *
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
I also modify the Glorious Mysteries, since I reject the Assumption of Mary and her Coronation; instead, I focus on the resurrection of souls in Christ and the Second Coming of Christ for His Church. As modified, the Rosary is a wonderful meditation on the life of Jesus Christ.

The structure of your prayer sounds very similar to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which you may be interested in. It is prayed using a standard set of Rosary beads. Learn how to pray it here. And you can certainly meditate on your Rosary mysteries while praying it.

It says that Mary is the Mother of … our life, our sweetness, and our hope - not that she is, herself.

This actually isn’t true - the way I was taught it goes ‘Hail Holy Queen, mother of Mercy, HAIL our life, our sweetness, and our hope.’ The Latin also repeats the word ‘Hail’ in a similar way. It wouldn’t be structured thus if the life, sweetness and hope was referring to Jesus.