Nosegay -for practical living : avoid harsh words .
Why pray the Rosary?
When I was a boy I used to watch my father stooped across a chair as we all knelt saying the family rosary, my mother beside him. Somehow, you expect your mother to be a person of prayer, but there is something powerfully impressive about watching your father at prayer. It is an image that has stayed with me all my life and, to this day, it had been the best sermon I have ever “heard” on prayer.
The greatness of the rosary lies in its power to help us walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It draws us into those eternal moments in the life of Christ. In each mystery we gaze, as through a window, to contemplate with Mary the life and mysteries of hers son. As at all her great shrines, Mary is never concerned to draw her children to herself but to her son, we recite the hail Marys and gaze on Jesus who allows us to be with him at each moment from the Annunciation to the crowing of his mother as Queen.
The rosary, like the cycle of the liturgical year, follows Jesus from the events of his young life – the joyful mysteries; through his Passion and death – the sorrowful mysteries culminating in his glorious Resurrection, Pentecost, and the final glorification of Mary, “a woman clothed with the sun” (Rev 12:1) and recently, luminous mysteries has been added which deals with the public ministry of Jesus. For simplicity and depth it would be hard to imagine a more perfect prayer. As we finger the beads and recite the Hail Marys the words of Scriptures pass before our mind and we drink from “ a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn 4:14) and “our hearts burning within us” (Lk 24:32).
Some years ago I called on a friend of mine. His wife told me that he was in the room. What she didn’t tell me was that he was with his 10 year old son teaching him how to pray the rosary. I would be willing to be that little boy will never forget how to pray the rosary as long as he lives. Sadly, there are so many today who do not know how to say this wonderful prayer. Dare we hope that families might begin to pray the rosary once more?
The rosary is everyone’s prayer. Princes and presidents, rich and poor, young and old, saints and sinners, all find in it a way of praying that is simple and yet profound. Our Blessed Mother loves this prayer. Padre Pio said that “the rosary is like a great sword that Mary puts into the hands of her children to defend themselves against the evil one”. Very many people, including myself, have found this to be true. Our Blessed Mother does help us in moments of spiritual combat. The powers of darkness fear her and flee from her presence.
Everyone has a personal approach to this prayer. I like to say it in a quite place on my own. I keep a rosary in my right hand pocket and I pray it as I stand in line or wait for planes or trains or whatever it may be. Families should pray it in the home with an image of Mary, a lighted candle, and with each member being asked to do his or her part.
German speaking peoples have the custom of adding a phrase after the name of “Jesus” in the first half of the Hail Mary. This phrase helps them to keep in mind the theme of each decade; for example “…thy womb, Jesus, to whom you, gave birth”, “…..thy womb, Jesus, who was crucified for us” or “…thy womb, Jesus, who crowned you, Virgin Mary, in heaven.” Personally, I have found this an extremely helpful way of keeping my mind at rest while mediating on each mystery.
And, of course, the rosary had a definite therapeutic effect. When you find prayer difficult, the rosary will help you; it will pray for you; it will quieten your distracted mind or calm your troubled soul and bring you to calmness and serenity. In fact, according to a study in the British Medical Journal, reciting the rosary could improve your cardiovascular well-being. Seemingly it has the effect of synchronizing respiratory and cardiac rhythms which, as everyone knows, could only be good for you.
- By Kevin Scallon
