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JillD
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Visalia, California USA |
| Posts: | 857 |
| First Name: | Jill | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | heathen, EvFree, Messianic, LC-MS, Catholic 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 02:40 pm |
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| I'm not yet Catholic, but am just starting an RCIA class. Praying the rosary appeals to me, but I'm not sure how to get the most out of it. Maybe it's just because it's new to me, but how do you get your mind to focus on the mysteries while speaking words? Maybe it's like walking and chewing gum and it gets easier with time? I've heard others say that they prayed a decade of the Rosary. I guess that would be the first 10 Hail Mary's only. If that's all one has time for, would you try to meditate on all 5 mysteries or just one?
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"I praise you, for I am wondrously made. Wonderful are our works! My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret." Ps 139
"Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men." Ps 140
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5457 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 03:16 pm |
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Praying the rosary appeals to me, but I'm not sure how to get the most out of it. Maybe it's just because it's new to me, but how do you get your mind to focus on the mysteries while speaking words? Maybe it's like walking and chewing gum and it gets easier with time?
It does get easier with time. After you've learned the words, the prayers become second nature and your mind sort of goes on auto-pilot The "Hail Mary" becomes like a repetitive mantra and helps to focus your mind on the mysteries. Meanwhile, until you get familiar with the prayers, why not focus on the words of the prayers themselves?
I've heard others say that they prayed a decade of the Rosary. I guess that would be the first 10 Hail Mary's only. If that's all one has time for, would you try to meditate on all 5 mysteries or just one?
A "decade" of the Rosary consists of an Our Father, 10 Hail Mary's, and a Glory Be, with or without the Fatima Prayer. If you are doing it as part of an overall Rosary (5 or 20 decades) then you take the mysteries in order, depending on which set you would recite. In other words, you could say the opening prayers (Apostles' Creed, Our Father, three Hail Mary's, Glory Be) when you wake up in the morning, a decade over breakfast, at lunch, mid-afternoon, during supper, and at bedtime, including the closing prayers and an Act of Contrition. That way, over the course of a day, you have recited an entire five decade Rosary.
The full Rosary consists of all 20 mysteries. Some people recite the full Rosary every day. It can be done all at one sitting, or 10 decades in the morning and 10 in the evening, or 5 each at 9, 12, 6, and 9, or any other way you find convenient.
As a sacramental, the Rosary is an optional part of our faith that many of us find a tremendous help in leading us to Jesus. Use it any way it helps you.
New Advent has designed a concise, one-page description of how to pray the Rosary, including the prayers and mysteries. You'll find it here.
I have compiled a list of the scripture passages on which the mysteries are based, which you'll find here.
The Rosary is a tool, like all of the sacramentals. Use it in whatever way it enhances your faith.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Talithacumi
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| Joined: | Sat Sep 30th, 2006 |
| Location: | Eastern Ohio, USA |
| Posts: | 282 |
| First Name: | Cheri | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic - Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 09:02 pm |
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JillD wrote: I'm not yet Catholic, but am just starting an RCIA class. Praying the rosary appeals to me, but I'm not sure how to get the most out of it. Maybe it's just because it's new to me, but how do you get your mind to focus on the mysteries while speaking words? Maybe it's like walking and chewing gum and it gets easier with time? I've heard others say that they prayed a decade of the Rosary. I guess that would be the first 10 Hail Mary's only. If that's all one has time for, would you try to meditate on all 5 mysteries or just one?
Jill,
This topic comes up a lot. I know I've probably written along these lines several times before, but I like to think of the Rosary as a song in which the "repetitious prayers" of the Rosary are the background music that enhance and add to the message of the song, which is the Mysteries. In other words, it's not necessary to sit there and concentrate on the Hail Mary's and the Our Fathers the whole time while you are trying to focus on the Mysteries, too.
When you listen to a song, you don't usually sit there and focus on the background music too much, though sometimes something in the background might jump out at you. But without the background music, the song seems to be missing something. It's good to have it there as something to draw on and carry the song through in moments when there's a lapse in the main melody. I think the prayers of the Rosary are almost a subconscious leading of one to focus their mind on the Spiritual, lending the proper atmosphere and tone to one's meditation of the Mysteries. [In my opinion] if you try to concentrate too much on both, it can become too difficult; you're trying too hard. The prayer should flow forth from your heart. If you try too hard to concentrate on the prayers it can bog you down and discourage you in your meditation of the Mysteries - and that works vice versa, too. If something in the Hail Mary just hits you, for instance, don't feel guilty about not giving the Mystery enough attention because the Spirit may be moving you in a certain direction. As Rick suggested, let the Rosary help you in whatever way is best for you. Don't get too legalistic about it; it's just supposed to be a help and a support and a way to draw one closer to God. If it doesn't do that, there's no point in it, is there?
JMJ
- Cheri
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“We do not want a Church that will move with the world; we want a Church that will move the world.”
- G.K. Chesterton
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5457 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 11:31 pm |
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Talithacumi wrote:
If you try too hard to concentrate on the prayers it can bog you down and discourage you in your meditation of the Mysteries - and that works vice versa, too. If something in the Hail Mary just hits you, for instance, don't feel guilty about not giving the Mystery enough attention because the Spirit may be moving you in a certain direction.
I agree. I have a tendency to get distracted during prayer, so when I'm praying the Rosary, I concentrate on the prayers until my mind is in the right place, then meditate on the mysteries. When I lose my concentration I focus again on the prayers, and let them lead me back to the mysteries. I usually pray the Rosary at night accompanied by a CD that is a guided meditation featuring the scripture behind the mysteries, so sometimes I lose my place and just focus on the prayers until I'm back on track.
There is no wrong way to pray the Rosary. As Mary shows us the way to Jesus, use the Rosary as a spiritual boquet to help you to see Jesus through Mary. Let her be the lens that "magnifies the Lord." That is her role in the economy of salvation. Don't focus on her, but focus on Jesus through her.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BettyBoopToo
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Oct 12th, 2006 03:56 am |
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JillD wrote: I'm not yet Catholic, but am just starting an RCIA class. Praying the rosary appeals to me, but I'm not sure how to get the most out of it. Maybe it's just because it's new to me, but how do you get your mind to focus on the mysteries while speaking words? Maybe it's like walking and chewing gum and it gets easier with time? I've heard others say that they prayed a decade of the Rosary. I guess that would be the first 10 Hail Mary's only. If that's all one has time for, would you try to meditate on all 5 mysteries or just one?
Hi Jill! So nice to meet you & welcome home to the Catholic Church.
Its only been about 4 years since I first began praying the Rosary. I had a hard time starting too, My bible knowlege was not as good as it should be so I struggled with the mysteries too. (I'm sure your knowledge is far greater than mine) I also did not have all the prayers memorized either.
I started with a tape that a friend gave me from http://www.catholicity.com/maryfoundation/rosarycd.html
You can order one for free at their site. If you have EWTN on television you can pray along with the sister's. They have the Rosary on AM Noon & PM maybe one of their times would fit into your schedule.
Also, Many Catholic book stores have CD's & DVD's you can buy.
I love our Lady so and am so thankful that I am free to have a relationship with her.
She led me so much closer to Jesus and the Rosary is helpful in many ways.
Never leave home without my rosary!
God Bless & see you around here
BBT
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Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
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Br_Carlo
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Tyler, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 150 |
| First Name: | Br_Carlo (Vince Brach) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Presbyterian, Episcopalian, CATHOLIC |
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Posted: Fri Oct 13th, 2006 08:36 am |
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God's peace. Praying the Holy Rosary is something that develops as a mental and spiritual discipline, so don't expect to be an expert overnight! When I first began, I had to move my lips and speak it--however softly--or I would get off track. I can now pray it in the complete silence of my mind and heart, which is convenient when I am in a mixed crowd. My next goal is to be able to pray the Rosary without interruption in distracting circumstances or physical discomfort--after all, isn't that when we need it most?
Incidentally, I have found that the shape of the rosary beads makes a difference. Elliptical beads seem to move through my fingers most easily and promote the smoothness and rhythmicity of the prayers. The faceted beads that I see on a lot of rosaries I find to be jarring and hard to manipulate with one hand. If the beads are too close together--as on some pocket rosaries--my fat fingers have trouble staying on track. But use whatever works for you.
Blessings, ~Br. Carlo~
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