How has saying the Rosary helped you in your life?

[Godlovesmetwo]

I haven't said it often enough, for it to be of benefit. I truly believe it has helped others though.

 

[quatona]

Just like other forms of meditation and mantra, it helps silencing your thoughts.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Just like other forms of meditation and mantra, it helps silencing your thoughts.

I would've agreed with you 9 months ago, having been into Buddhism at the time. I think Christian meditation deliberately invites God in, so that he can transform us. Not just silencing of thoughts.

 

[quatona]

I would've agreed with you 9 months ago, having been into Buddhism at the time. I think Christian meditation deliberately invites God in, so that he can transform us. Not just silencing of thoughts.

That´s probably because you are a theist and a Catholic, and I am not.

 

[Ken Behrens]

I'm not a Catholic, but I work with Catholics. I'm posting so I will get alerts and watch this thread. It is a fascinating question to see Catholics discuss.

 

[tadoflamb]

I haven't said it often enough, for it to be of benefit. I truly believe it has helped others though.

It was the rosary that brought me to the Catholic faith. A few Hail Mary's and 'BANG' it was presto-change-o.

I used to pray the rosary a lot more. We had a little group that would pray the rosary after daily mass for a while.

I think the benefit for me as a wanna-be and a new Catholic was the meditations on the Mysteries. It's a little hard to do, but if you focus on the mystery, or a passage from scripture based on the mystery, in a mysterious way, you become to know Jesus, and His Mother a little better.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

was the meditations on the Mysteries

I find that part challenging for some reason.

 

[tadoflamb]

I find that part challenging for some reason.

It is challenging.

 

[tadoflamb]

It does help to meditate on the scriptures associated with the mystery. I know there are scriptural rosaries out there. I always liked them. In those you meditate on a different passage for each Hail Mary of the decade.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

In those you meditate on a different passage for each Hail Mary of the decade.

oh ok, sounds intense

 

[Fantine]

I OD'ed on the rosary in Catholic school--it ain't my favorite prayer. But my daughter, who was 7, and I made my mom a rosary for her 80th birthday and that was really special because she cherished it so much. She gave me her rosary with little sterling silver hearts, and now that she is gone, I can hold it and feel the imprint of her years of prayers.

But other than in groups I rarely pray the rosary. I was going to Branson with a group of ladies once and my pastor and they started praying the rosary in the car and everyone led a decade and i thought, "Oh no, I don't know that oh my Jesus prayer that became am add on at some point." I thought I'd just have to mumble away softly.

I thought it was a Southern thing but they say it's an official part and I say if the Dominicans didn't say it in grade school it isn't.

All that fire of hell stuff is way too retro for me.if it's optional I'm skipping it.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

All that fire of hell stuff is way too retro for me

Cradle catholics like you and I who endured the rote catechism learning style catholic education as kids ,prefer a broader, more humanistic Catholicism now.

 

[Colin]

Now I pray a decade of the Rosary each day .

I used to pray all 15 decades daily .

To benefit I need to set time to one side in order to pray it in a gentle , slow , relaxed way .

It focuses my mind on Jesus .

For me the central part of the Rosary is the name of Jesus in the Hail Marys .

In his exhortation "Marialis Cultus" written in 1974 Pope Paul VI referred to a practice which has helped me to meditate on the mysteries . He wrote , " As is well known, at one time there was a custom, still preserved in certain places, of adding to the name of Jesus in each Hail Mary reference to the mystery being contemplated. And this was done precisely in order to help contemplation and to make the mind and the voice act in unison. "

 

[Davidnic]

It is part of our normal family devotion and personal for each of us (at least the adult members). When I sit down with my daughter I explain the mysteries to her and when we say it together I will softly describe each one outloud for now as she thinks on them and says the prayers. Eventually she will get to be able to do this internally.

Over my life the Rosary has led me to great personal insight into Christ's life. I usually try to augment the prayer with spiritual reading on the things that resonate with me. Following where the prayer has led me.

When I teach it to my students I explain to them that it is Mary's prayer and that she is taking us through the life of her Son...very much through her eyes. So the Rosary can help us deepen our relationship with Christ.

I liken it to when we are little and a relative has a baby. Sometimes they say to us..."Do you want to hold the baby." And kids and adults can be scared when holding a child for the first time. So often it is the mother who smiles and takes your arms and shows you, places the child with you while you sit down and says: "here let me show you how to hold him."

I think, when done reverently with great love...the rosary can very much be Our Lady saying: "Here, let me show you how to hold Him."

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Over my life the Rosary has led me to great personal insight into Christ's life.

I think this is inspirational for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.