family prayer | The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands
Growing up in Latin America, where there is a huge cultural devotion to Mary, you’d think that I had a devotion to the Mother of God. But I didn’t. It seemed a little superstitious to me and didn’t make much sense. I thought, "Why should I pray to Mary when I can just go straight to Jesus?"
And when it came to the Rosary, I never really had a connection to it. Plus, I found it very hard to meditate on a Mystery of the life of Christ while at the same time focusing on the words of the prayers and adding an intention for someone or something on top of that. Too much!
Then, about 10 years ago, I came across a beautiful story that forever changed my understanding of the Rosary.
A New Perspective
Apparently, during the time of the Albigensian Heresy, Saint Dominic spent a lot of time preaching against it, but he was not having much success. Then one day, so the story goes, complaining about this in prayer to Mary, she responded:
Wonder not that you have obtained so little fruit by your labors, you have spent them on barren soil, not yet watered with the dew of Divine Grace. When God willed to renew the face of the earth, He began by sending down on it the fertilizing rain of the Angelic Salutation. Therefore preach my Psalter composed of 150 Angelic Salutations and 15 Our Fathers, and you will obtain an abundant harvest. (quoted in Champions of the Rosary by Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
The Psalter of the 150 Angelic Salutations is, of course, the Rosary.
Think about that for a second: When He wanted to renew the earth, God began by sending down upon it the fertilizing rain of the Angelic Salutation. That is the Angel Gabriel’s words to Mary: “Hail Mary, full of Grace. The Lord is with you.”
Just saying those words brings down the fertilizing rain of God’s Divine Grace.
So that means that it doesn’t matter if you mutter them quickly or say them while thinking about supper; they bring down God’s Divine Grace!
A Little Discovery Made a Huge Difference
I still find the Rosary hard, but this little discovery has made a huge difference in my life. I am now constantly saying those words, in good times and in bad — sometimes absentmindedly — but with the firm conviction that there is power in just saying the words.
Why don’t you try it? Especially at times when you find that your prayer is not fruitful, try adding a few Hail Marys for the barren soil to be fertilized with some Divine Grace.
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.
About the author:
Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann is a senior producer for Salt + Light Media in Canada. He was the Artistic Director for WYD 2002, has produced dozens of documentaries, TV programs and videos and is the host of the Salt + Light Hour Catholic podcast. In 2022 he was Senior Programs Lead for Pope Francis’ visit to Canada. He is a deacon for the Archdiocese of Toronto.