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| The Virgin of the Rosary by Murillo (photo in Public Domain). |
"Returning continually in her memory to everything that was important in her Son's life and in her own, it was as though Mary prayed her Rosary, but without moving from one bead to another"(The Gift of Faith, pg. 202).
While I have always had a love for the Rosary, I am not always successful at praying it everyday. Considering that I am awake for 16 hours a day, I have 960 minutes in my "day." The Rosary may take 17 minutes to pray, meditating on the life of Christ. If I work that out mathematically, 17 minutes would be less than 2% of my day!
If I were to tithe to God and give Him just 10% of my day, the minimum in gratitude, I should spend 96 minutes or at least an hour and a half in prayer each day ... sobering.
I do offer up my day in my morning offering prayer...
I do pray throughout the day in many ways...but I could do more.
And Our Lady is waiting, with graces...
Besides the Indulgences attached to the Rosary, Our Lady revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche additional benefits for those who devoutly pray the Rosary. Our Lady's promise is shown in darker blue text. Additional explanation on and doctrinal connections to each promise are shown following in the smaller normal text font and color. Note that the Rosary is the prayer (non-Liturgical) with the most published Magisterial / Papal documents expounding on its excellence. Vatican II's summary on Our Lady is contained in Lumen Gentium chapter VIII.
1. Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
Signal graces are those special and unique graces to help sanctify us in our state in life. See the remaining promises for an explanation of which these will consist. St. Louis de Montfort states emphatically that the best and fastest way to union with Our Lord is via Our Lady [True Devotion to Mary, chapter four].
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. Our Lady is our Advocate and the channel of all God's grace to us. Our Lady is simply highlighting that she will watch especially over us who pray the Rosary. (see Lumen Gentium chapter VIII - Our Lady #62) [a great more detail is available on this topic in True Devotion to Mary, chapter four, by St. Louis de Montfort]
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.This promise, along with the next, is simply the reminder on how fervent prayer will help us all grow in holiness by avoiding sin, especially a prayer with the excellence of the Rosary. An increase in holiness necessarily requires a reduction in sin, vice, and doctrinal errors (heresies). If only the Modernists could be convinced to pray the Rosary! (see Lumen Gentium chapter V - The Call to Holiness #42) St. Louis de Montfort states "Since Mary alone crushed all heresies, as we are told by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary)..." [True Devotion to Mary #167]
4. It will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal Things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.This promise, along with the previous, is the positive part, that being to live in virtue. Becoming holy is not only avoiding sin, but also growing in virtue. (see Lumen Gentium chapter V - The Call to Holiness #42)
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.Since Our Lady is our Mother and Advocate, she always assists those who call on her implicitly by praying the Rosary. The Church reminds us of this in the Memorare prayer, "... never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided ..."
Read 10 more reasons to pray the Rosary at Allison's blog Totus Tuus Family and Homeschool.
We are trying to say the Rosary more often as a family (my husband and I usually pray it together before bed), so this post comes just at the right time. Thanks!
ReplyDeletePeople are different and have different schedules. What works for one person may not work so well for another.
ReplyDeleteFor me, after years of struggle at developing a daily practice, I finally figured out that I just need to set my alarm earlier in the morning. You would think I would have thought of it earlier! After two weeks or so, it begins to become a habit -- and then it is so much easier.
But Ms. Rossini's approach sounds wonderful. What an amazing thing to share in a marriage!