I wanted to share with you one of the most beautiful gifts of my life -- one of my dearest devotions. It is the Rosary – it is a simple prayer of Our Fathers and Hail Marys and Glory Bes that we pray as we think about the life of Jesus. Intermixed and despite times of dryness, I experience the presence of Jesus and Mary with me, especially when I turn to them in prayer.
Just as Mary comforted Jesus as a child, she seeks to comfort us and
wrap her arms around us, especially when we feel alone or are struggling. The Rosary is a way we can draw close to Jesus
and Mary and feel their presence. As we
pray and consider the events in the life of Jesus and Mary, we get to know them
better and draw closer to them. And of
course, the more we spend time with someone, the closer we feel to them and the
more we become like them.
Praying the Rosary is like being intimately united with our
Heavenly Mother and our Savior Jesus. It
is like being wrapped in their embrace and being given a taste a heaven,
pondering the Lord of Heaven becoming a man.
Mary tells us she longs to wrap us in her mantle of grace – not only to
wrap us in her motherly protection, but also to clothe us in this grace, beauty
and mercy that her Son gave to us.
Sometimes it’s far from easy to pray, but if I only begin – and
if I continue regardless of whether I feel like it … it becomes easier. The
best part is when we forget all about ourselves because our thoughts are centered
on an event in Christ’s life, such as imagining his coming into this
world. Just imagine! The God of all
creation, who made the moon and the stars and all the planets … the One who
created all men and women, every bird, tree, animal and plant … this God who
created life out of nothing, asked a young virgin girl (through an angel) to be
his mother. When she said yes, the whole world changed forever!!!
This God who created the light in the darkness, became a child in the womb of his own creation. And he grew inside of her as a normal child would –He brought His light into the darkness of Mary’s womb, but was already shedding His light on the whole world – on every child ever born – by incorporating our human nature into His divine life!
This God who created the light in the darkness, became a child in the womb of his own creation. And he grew inside of her as a normal child would –He brought His light into the darkness of Mary’s womb, but was already shedding His light on the whole world – on every child ever born – by incorporating our human nature into His divine life!
Such an incredible
mystery to ponder!
All the mysteries are the same in this way … even if we
pondered them our whole lives, we would still know only a glimpse of their
greatness and the graces that they hold.
They are simple and shallow enough to splash in the waves coming to the shores; and yet, far deeper than our minds can ever fathom.
O Mary, be with us and lead us into the mysteries of our salvation.
This
site enables you to pray with people all over the world – while seeing the
holy land!
Beautifully written Janet!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful testimony on the Holy Rosary, thanks, Janet!
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