By J.T. Doudna, Guest Writer
What is the Rosary? On the surface, the ordinary Rosary is a collection of 59 beads, a medal, and a Crucifix. But there is a deeper reality to this small item. The Rosary is not merely some beads tied together to fidget around with or to use as fashion. The Rosary is, at its core, the Life of Our Lord.
Contrary to the claims of those that oppose the Rosary, it is not about Our Blessed Mother, although Catholics do continuously ask for her intercession and care. Even though the Rosary may be Marian in character, it is ultimately Christ-centered in nature. When beginning the Rosary, it starts with the Apostles Creed, reminding one of the Apostolic faith that has been passed down and protected by the Holy Spirit. The next few prayers are an “Our Father” which one prays “at the Savior’s command…”, 3 “Hail Mary”s in which one asks the Queen of Heaven to pray for the intentions of the increasing in the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and then concludes with the introductory prayers with a “Glory Be” to finally give all glory and praise to Almighty God.
The Rosary continues onto the first “mystery.” A mystery of the Rosary is simply an event or work done in the life of Jesus Christ. During these mysteries one prays 1 “Our Father”, 10 “Hail Marys”, 1 “Glory Be”, and 1 “Fatima Prayer” all while meditating on the life of Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to direct one’s minds and hearts to a deeper understanding and love of God. This is also known as a “decade” of the Rosary in which there are a total of 5.
The Rosary is a powerful tool against all and every evil and temptation. In the “Hail Mary”, one recalls the Incarnation and Our Blessed Mothers “yes” to God through which the possibility of salvation was made a reality. This recalling forces the slow alignment of oneself with the humility of Christ, who though being God, humbled Himself and took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:5-11.)
People become who they surround themselves with. In contemplation of the life of Our Saviour within the Rosary and empowered by the grace of the Holy Spirit, surely one will be made more like the Lord.
For those interested in praying the Rosary and want a group to pray it with, contact J.T. Doudna at doudnaj@aquinas.edu.
The Saint 