family prayer | The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands
I went to St. Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans where every nun had a Rosary hanging from her habit. There were several beautiful Rosaries in my home, including the sparkly crystal one I received for my First Holy Communion, but it honestly was more of a prop for my picture than a tool for spiritual battle.
There Had to Be More to This Beautiful Prayer
As an adult, I slowly adopted the discipline of praying a Rosary thanks to friends and family who invited me to pray it with them, and I noticed a pattern. The more I prayed the Rosary, the more things fell into place. However, despite my efforts, I could not get to the point of looking forward to it. It seemed like a necessary chore like exercise or cooking dinner. I knew there had to be more to this beautiful prayer, and I felt guilty for my lack of enthusiasm.
The Mysteries of the Rosary Became the Focus
Then one day, when I was in my forties, I had a revelation about our Blessed Mother that changed my outlook on praying the Rosary. I had always thought of her as a young teenage mother of the infant baby Jesus, but that day, I began to see her as a woman in her forties like me … with a son, like me! (I have four sons.) I started to see the Mysteries of the Rosary as relatable to my own struggles. I was getting to know Our Lady as someone who gets me! I started to empathize with her suffering as a mother. I began to feel her sorrow, joy, and glory of motherhood because of mine, and my struggles appeared so insignificant.
Praying the Rosary started to mean more to me because the Mysteries of the Rosary became the focus, not the rote prayer. The Rosary came to life because my relationship with her was growing.
Yes, it’s still a discipline, and I don’t always have the mental capacity to meditate on the Mysteries as I should, but as I learned in my early adulthood, it has power. So, I will continue to make this a part of my prayer life and trust in her intercession.
Venerable Patrick Peyton, known as "The Rosary Priest," devoted his priestly life to encouraging family prayer, especially the Rosary. This October, for the Month of the Holy Rosary, Family Rosary (an apostolate founded by Father Peyton) and Catholic Mom have teamed up for this daily series dedicated to the Rosary.
