THE ROSARY : A CONTEMPLATIVE AND CHRISTO-CENTRIC PRAYER! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Friday, 7^th October 2016,

Twenty Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

Gal 1: 13-24;

Ps 138: 1-3, 13-15;

Lk 1: 26-38

THE ROSARY : A CONTEMPLATIVE AND CHRISTO-CENTRIC PRAYER!

Many of us do pray the Rosary individually, in a community or in a family, but very often we do not know the meaning and significance of the Rosary. Pope John Paul II in his apostolic letter ‘The Rosary of the Virgin Mary’ states: “The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.....” The focus of the rosary is on Jesus - his birth, life, death and resurrection. The ‘Our Fathers’ remind us that Jesus’ Father is the initiator of salvation. The ‘Hail Marys’ remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The ‘Glory Be’s remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity. Thus, the purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the mysteries of our salvation.

The rosary should appeal to us. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps us to create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joyful and sorrowful mysteries of our lives. Let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us cultivate a habit of interior prayer through the daily recitation of the rosary. This is the object of all of our prayers: to arrive at the point where we can “pray without ceasing,” as Saint Paul tells us.

Prayer: O Virgin Mary, grant that the recitation of thy Rosary may be for me each day, in the midst of my manifold duties, a bond of unity in my actions, a tribute of filial piety, a sweet refreshment, an encouragement to walk joyfully along the path of duty. Amen.