Since I didn’t grow up Catholic, I never learned how to pray The Rosary. When I was asked to become a fourth grade catechist, I thought it might be a good idea to tackle this great prayer. After all, I couldn’t have the students out-praying me. I’ve never been a fan of repetitive prayer, but I forced myself to memorize the whole dang thing using a print-out from this link:

http://www.newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf.

Now, it is still something of a chore for me to pray this prayer, but I still do for a number of reasons.

1. Because it is a chore, I can “offer it up” for the suffering of others or myself.
2. Being a meditative prayer, it is good way to clear my thoughts and focus, instead, on the life of Christ.
3. After reading the book, “Nine Minutes and Twenty Seconds,” a true story about a plane crash in which half the people die, I was impressed with how a woman was able to comfort a dying man by praying The Rosary out loud next to him.  While I hope I am never in that situation, I like knowing that I could do the same for someone who needs comforting words.
4. A friend of mine, who is a religious sister, taught me that it is a good prayer for those times when you are in so much pain or experiencing so much turmoil that you can’t even think.  Again, I hope I don’t need it that way, but I am prepared if I do.
5. It can be used to pass the time when I take long walks or jog. Praying it keeps me alert during my long commute to work.  I rarely ever use the beads, I just use my ten fingers.  Also, if heaven forbid, I get into an accident, the fact that I had just been praying The Rosary can’t be a bad thing.
6. There are supposedly a whole slew of benefits that you can reap by praying The Rosary.  I don’t really count on them being true and therefore, don’t know what they are.
7. One of the best reasons I pray it, is to unite my puny sufferings with those of Jesus.  The Sorrowful Mysteries are my favorite for this reason.
8. Meditating on the mysteries makes you intimately familiar with the path of Christ.  I like having Him not far from my mind.

What bothers me the most about the rosary, is the superstition around it.  I have been around grown women who beat themselves up because they “forgot to pray the rosary that day.”  To me, this is sad.  I don’t pray it every day.  I go through periods when I pray it a lot.  Other times, I pray different prayers.  Just “talking to God” is my favorite way to pray. In addition to that, some of the “prescribed” Mysteries of The Rosary aren’t my favorites.  Therefore, I have decided to come up with my own mysteries.

Here are my “Hopeful Mysteries”:

1. Jesus Gives us Rest: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30

2. Jesus Will Never Reject Us: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” John 6:11

3. The Comfort of Heaven: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many mansions. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1-2

4. The Promise of Eternity: “…I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even though he dies, will live: and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die…” John 11:25-26
   

5. You Are Never Alone: “…And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Coming soon: “Prayerful Mysteries,” and “Evangelical Mysteries”…