The Rosary: A Chain of Events

I briefly discussed the Rosary before ("Not All Repetitions Are 'Vain'"), but I want to clarify another aspect of this cherished Catholic prayer.

The first time I arrived early for Mass and witnessed a large group of parishioners reciting the prayers of the Rosary in unison, it struck me as almost haunting. Everyone was kneeling, thumbing their beads, and vocalizing ready-made prayers in a collective monotone voice that echoed throughout the church.

I wasn't used to that at all. It sounded almost pagan . . . whatever "pagan" sounds like.

But it all makes sense when you realize what's really happening. The Rosary prayers are not to be empty-headed recitals -- but quite the opposite! They are to be prayed with a full head of gospel meditations! The one who is praying should (ideally) have his mind focused on one of the "mysteries" (i.e., revealed truths) of Christianity.

Thursdays, for example -- like today -- are typically set aside to meditate on the "luminous mysteries," which are events from Jesus' earthly ministry. They include:

1. The Baptism in the Jordan
2. The Wedding at Cana
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
4. The Transfiguration
5. The Institution of the Eucharist

In other words, during the first set of the "Hail Mary" prayers, which an outside spectator may mistake as dull and vain, the pray-er in reality is heart-deep in meditation on Jesus' baptism in the Jordan.

He may be pondering the importance of baptism, and how it is the normal entry gate to salvation through Jesus Christ; he may be imagining how John the Baptizer must have felt baptizing the Lord; he may be "listening" to John's words, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world"; he could be placing himself at the scene, so to speak, to witness the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus as a dove, and listening to the words of the Father, whose words resounded from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased"; he might be piecing together this baptism, which was done as our example, with the "born again" conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus -- found just two chapters later in the Gospel of John.

With just ten "Hail Marys" per mystery, time flies by quickly. I've caught myself going much more slowly when I notice I'm near the end. Oftentimes, the only way you know it's time to go to the next set (unless you want to continue that meditation) is when your fingers and thumb encounter the larger, "separator" bead. Then it's time for the next set -- that is, if you're ready to move along.

The reason the vocalized prayers sound either hurried or "dreary" to some is that the one who's praying is focused on the meditations and not on making colorful voice inflections. With practice, the combination of vocal prayer and meditative prayer has a way of harnessing your full attention.

Imagine the benefits of daily recitation of the Rosary. It's a prayerful rehearsal of the whole gospel story. Impure thoughts of any brand are replaced by the scenes of salvation history, revealed to us by Scripture and the Tradition of the Church.

What better way to purify your mind on a daily basis?