seasons of motherhood | pray the rosary | Behold Your Mother
The writers of Family Rosary's sister ministry, Catholic Mom, enthusiastically gathered to share meditations on each Mystery of the Rosary in a special way for pregnant mothers. We invite you to join us throughout the month of May as we pray together each day, and to share these reflections with other moms who will enjoy them. Today, Allison Gingras introduces the series.
One night as I was drifting off to sleep, I asked the Lord a simple question: “Why the Rosary?” The next morning, I woke contemplating several aspects of the Rosary I’d never considered before—for instance, if you prayed the Rosary daily—every day you would:
- Renew your Baptismal promises, bless yourself, and set up a hedge of protection against the snares of the devil— just to name a few benefits of blessing oneself. (Sign of the Cross)
- Profess your faith, reminding yourself of what you believe as a Catholic. (Apostles Creed)
- Ask for an increase in the virtues of faith, hope, and love (three introductory Hail Marys)
- Pray with the very prayer Jesus himself gave us. (Our Father)
- Invoke the assistance and intercession of the Mother of God and ours. (ten Hail Marys)
- Cumulate each decade of prayer with praise and gratitude to Blessed Trinity. (Glory Be)
- Meditate and grow in understanding of the life of Christ. (Mysteries of the Rosary)
This is just the tip of the Rosary iceberg. The founder of Family Rosary, Venerable Patrick Peyton, has an incredible quote linking the Rosary with these words of Jesus:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
“I fight for the Rosary not as a fanatic or a lunatic, but with the knowledge that if I have Mary’s hand knocking with mine, if I have her eyes searching with mine, then the door will open and we will find what we need. God cannot take that lightly. And she would not be human if she did not help us when we ask.” (Venerable Patrick Peyton)
The Rosary offers us the means to connect with Jesus through the very person who not only brought Him into this world but also knows Him better than anyone. She longs for us to bring our cares, concerns, and yes, even our joys, to her Son; and in so many apparitions have entreated us to climb this “sweet chain” to Heaven through the Rosary.
There are many times throughout a mother’s life when she needs to ask, seek, and knock for assistance when she is expecting. To that end, in the month of May, Catholic Mom will be sharing reflections on the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary. If you are not pregnant, we invite you to lift an expectant mother in your Rosary. That mother can be someone you know, or perhaps it can be someone you’ve never met, but in desperate need of prayer. Venerable Fulton J. Sheen wrote a prayer to spiritually adopt a child in danger of being aborted:
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of the unborn baby [baby’s name] that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion. Amen.
In addition to praying for the child, it is important we not forget the mother, whose heart can still be touched by the grace of God to choose life. Every expectant mother, along with her entire family, should be covered in prayer. What a joy to offer prayers for them especially during this month of May, when we honor Mary. Beginning today, Monday, May 1, with the Introductory Prayers of the Rosary, we will pray each day, Mystery by Mystery. Catholic Mom invites you to share these Rosary reflections with an expectant mother you know, and to join us in prayer for all moms in this month dedicated to the Blessed Mother.
Images: created by Ted Schluenderfritz for Holy Cross Family Ministries