As the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is fast approaching, I thought I’d write about one of my favourite things.
It’s the rosary. I’ve got a thing about the rosary.
I know that for some it’s not their devotion of choice, and they might find it a bit quaint, so I thought I’d very briefly tell you why it’s very much mine.
I started saying the rosary a long while ago and was at the time, how can I put this delicately? *Ahem*, at the time I was Unschooled in the Old Ways of Tradition. Nonetheless, I'd been drawn instinctively to this prayer, and begun saying it, (although I didn't find it at all easy and often wondered if I was even doing it right, but anyway). From there, I started to wonder what else had been missing from my Catholic life, and after a bit found out. But that's another can of worms entirely.
For me, there is no other prayer that offers such freedom within its seemingly rigid structure of repetitions.
The meditations on each mystery are only limited by my imagination. Sometimes I might not be able, for whatever reason, to meditate on anything at all, then I simply try to concentrate on the words.
When prayer is difficult, the rosary is the best way of getting me back on track. Now I’m not saying I’m very good at saying the rosary. I can have a fearful time keeping focused, but whatever my mood, I always know it’s done me good.In a nutshell, it’s the only prayer for me (outside of the Mass) that’s got it all.
2 comments:
Good to read that. I feel the same - it's a kind of structure round life.Very powerful when prayed with other people too.
Yes Annie, the Rosary is the greatest prayer after the Mass.
In my case a lot of things got intermingled about 40 years ago! It probably started when I joined the Blue Army which was a commitment to say the Rosary. I went to Corpus Christi Church in Maiden Lane to pick up literature where, unexpectedly, I encountered and rediscovered the Tridentine Mass. Still a very special church for me. Then came the Brown Scapular from the Carmelites in Kensington Church Street. And Lourdes and Fatima …..
In my Parish, we started praying the Rosary weekly after Wednesday morning Mass over 4 years ago. Probably about 12 of us on average. My great hope is that one day a Priest will actually join us! Or just encourage us! It was easy to start – all it needs is one person with the time and desire and a bit of advertising! We follow it with the Litany of Loreto.
The Rosary, said in this way in Church, carries with it the ultimate potential reward of a plenary indulgence (yes, they are still around though when were the Faithful last reminded?).
So we must keep going even when the spiritual vineyard is arid, as sometimes it will be – perhaps that’s the time of the best fruit.
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