It’s time to give the rosary a second chance by pondering why we decide not to pray it, and then reconsider the place of it in our spiritual lives.
Why don’t I pray the rosary?
For us to give the rosary a second chance in our spiritual life, we must first identify the reasons why we don’t pray it.
Maybe you don’t pray the rosary because you have never learned how to pray it. What do I do on what bead? What about these mysteries? There are a lot of guides available on how to pray the rosary. One I would recommend is by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC, aptly titled How to Pray the Rosary (Marian Press, 2016).
Another common objection might be the repetitive nature of the rosary. The repetitive aspect of the rosary is meant to lead us into meditation and contemplation. As we pray the Hail Mary repeatedly, it permits us to get lost in the prayer, and it permits the mystery to captivate our minds. A final reason might be that we don’t have enough time or are intimidated by such a prolonged period of silence. Compared to how we spend most of our day, the rosary only takes 15 to 20 minutes, and the value of each rosary prayed is eternal!
Why should I pray the rosary?
One of the ways to win why we might not pray the rosary and to give it a second chance is by understanding why we ought to pray it in the first place.
The words Mary spoke each month at Fatima are reason enough. She told the three shepherd children (Servant of God Lucia, St. Francisco, and St. Jacinta) to pray the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world. In the six Fatima apparitions, there was not a month that went by that Mary didn’t request the daily rosary. The Mother of God herself has asked us to pray it.
Dissatisfied with war and violence? Pray the rosary. Mary says it is the way to gain peace for our troubled world.
Secondly, it is the simplest way for us to reflect on the life of Jesus. St. Louis de Montfort asked his readers if they didn’t pray the rosary, would they open the Gospels and meditate on Christ’s life? The rosary allows us to get to know Jesus better by reflecting on his early years, his passion and resurrection, and with the addition of the luminous mysteries in 2002, the public ministry of Christ.
Thirdly, many holy people, saints, popes, and laypeople have suggested the rosary devotion but also saw it as a means for their own sanctity. Take it from Thomas Merton, who said, “I would never do without the rosary.” If the rosary has been a means of sanctity for the saints, then hopefully it will suffice for us.
Lastly, through the rosary, we ask Mary to pray for us now and at the hour of our death. As we ask her to pray for us at this moment, her maternal intercession can bring for us graces and assist us to advance in virtue. Understanding that she prays for us as we ask her to do so is a powerful reason to pray the rosary.
How can I give the rosary a second chance?
If it has been awhile since you prayed the rosary or your rosary devotion has become stagnant, here are a few recommendations to assist you to give the rosary a second chance.
Use an app. There’s an app for everything, and yes, there is one for praying the rosary. There are a lot of rosary and prayer apps available. I often use an audio version of the rosary either from the Laudate app or the Relevant Radio app. If I’ve been reciting the rosary on my own for a while, I sometimes switch things up by listening and praying the rosary. It gives me a change of pace, and sometimes the audio might include meditations.
Pray while in the car. If you commute to work or are taking your children to school, consider praying the rosary during the drive. If you are with a group, let someone else lead. If you are by yourself, try using an audio version.
Go for a rosary walk. I love summer and autumn because it means I can get out, walk, and pray the rosary. If you are like me, you are committing with ensuring that you get at least 10,000 steps a day. Walking and praying the rosary assists me to fulfill that goal.
There is a greater spirituality behind rosary walks. The rosary is Mary helping us reflect on the life of Christ. We could say that Mary walks with us as we reflect on the life of Jesus; she holds our hands and leads us through the mysteries of her son’s life. Mary also was a person who was constantly on the move — going from Nazareth to Ein Karem, from Ein Karem to Nazareth, from Nazareth to Bethlehem to Jerusalem to Egypt, and back to Nazareth. When we walk and pray the rosary, there is a sense of solidarity with Mary.
Pray with someone else. There is an efficacy when we join our voices and intentions with others. St. Louis de Montfort recommends in The Secret of the Rosary that when we pray the rosary by ourselves, we receive the graces for one rosary, but when we pray the rosary with others, we receive the graces of two rosaries or five rosaries and so forth.
Offer each decade for a specific intention. We can try to make the rosary more meaningful by focusing on its intercessory nature — our intercession for someone and Mary’s intercession for our petitions.
At end of The Secret of the Rosary, St. Louis de Montfort proposed a method of praying the rosary to curb distraction and contemplate the mystery being prayed. De Montfort suggested one phrase to insert in the Hail Mary after the name of Jesus for each decade. For instance, the first joyful mystery would be: thy womb Jesus, incarnate, Holy Mary, Mother of God; the second joyful mystery: thy womb Jesus, sanctifying. De Montfort recommended only one phrase.
Use a rosary devotional. Many Catholic authors have written rosary devotional books with the aim of assisting people to pray the rosary better. Most times these devotional books contain meditations to be read before each mystery, giving material for us to think about and ponder while praying that mystery. Visit any Catholic bookstore, and I’m clear you will find a plethora of options.
Participate in a 30-day challenge. People love to challenge themselves with particular goals. Just as we might have physical fitness goals, why not take up a spiritual goal of giving the rosary a second chance? Pray the rosary every day for one month and see if it makes a difference in your life. I’m willing to bet you will experience greater peace of mind and heart, and you might even notice your habits starting to change.
I pray the Rosary daily, and have for many years. Started in my teens, stopped for a while but missed it so I started praying it again. The Rosary was there for me to hold physically and spiritually as my Mom’s health worsened. I felt Mother Mary with me, especially when I prayed at Mom’s bedside. Mom loved the Rosary, and she prayed it as much as possible, along with her other prayers. My sweet Mom died 12/13/18. She held the holy Rosary in one hand and had the holy Scapular around her neck. My Mom suffered so much. She was the one who taught me as a child how to pray the Rosary. I miss Mom and pray for her soul, especially in the prayers of the Rosary.
We’re sorry for your loss.
May God give you the grace to continue reciting this beautiful prayer and may the soul of your Mother rest in the bossom of our Lord.
Amen.