4 Exciting Ways to Pray the Rosary
Most of us are fortunate to eat three meals a day – breakfast, lunch and supper (or dinner) – but we don’t eat the same thing for each meal or each type of meal each day. Well, the same can be said about the Holy Rosary. You can make the Rosary interesting by using the different approaches to recite the Rosary that I will share with you in this blog post.
During my childhood, praying the Holy Rosary formed part of my family’s weekly prayer session every Saturday afternoon. I’ll be honest with you and tell you that, back then, I considered it a bothersome, repetitious and boring intrusion on my precious Saturday entertainment hours. You see, my siblings and I were not allowed to watch television on school days during the week, except for the nightly news. So, on Saturdays, after washing my school clothes and doing other chores, I looked forward to watching my favourite television (TV) shows and taking a break from my studies and school activities.
Since then, I have grown a lot in my spiritual journey as a Catholic Christian and I now recite the Holy Rosary every single day; not out of obligation anymore but because I have witnessed the power of this prayer. So, I use the Rosary to pray for my needs, the needs of others, my country, disturbing situations in other parts of the world, etc.
If you’re strictly looking for information on how to recite the Rosary (i.e., words, mysteries, method, sequence, etc.), then click here: How to Pray the Rosary
On the other hand, if you’re looking for ways to ‘spice up’ how you say the Rosary by taking out boredom and monotony, then I urge you to continue reading.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from any qualifying purchases that you make through this blog post. If you purchase anything, I thank you for your support.
Rosary Approach No 1: Change the Time &/or Location
First of all, you can vary the times during the day when you say the rosary to keep it from becoming a chore, obligation or duty that you dread.
I have two favourite times to pray the Rosary: (1) at 3:00 p.m. or (2) around 6:00 p.m. (i.e., sunset or twilight). When I pray the rosary at 3:00 p.m., that’s my way of telling God that he really does matter in my life and that I will take a break, despite my busyness, and put him first.
When I pray the rosary at sunset or twilight, I usually say it outside or looking outside. It is one of the most peaceful times of the day when the atmospheric temperature is cooling down and the changing colours in the sky remind me of God’s awesomeness, as day turns to night.
You too can vary the times when you say the rosary during the 24 hours in each day based on your mood, schedules, obligations, etc.
Secondly, you can change where you say the rosary to give you peace and/or improve your mood while saying it. Both neuroscientists and psychologists agree that a change in your environment can positively affect your mood.
Here are some ideas of PLACES that you can go to and SPACES you can occupy to say your Rosary:
beach; park; playground; library; your backyard or garden; your outside veranda (or verandah), porch or deck; a special prayer corner in your apartment or prayer room in your home; in transit (while driving or being driven in a bus, car, van, train, keke, tuk-tuk or rickshaw; riding a motorcycle or bicycle; flying in an airplane; sailing on a ship, boat or yacht); etc.
Rosary Approach No 2: Change the Mode
The first mode change that you can make is between saying your Rosary aloud or praying it silently in your heart. I like the following quote from Saint Padre Pio which supports both modes of prayer:
“Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God's heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips, but with your heart. In fact, on certain occasions you should only speak to Him with your heart.”
The second mode change that you can make is among saying your Rosary alone, with someone else or in community. At my church, there is a group of ladies who arrive long before Mass starts on Sunday morning to say the Rosary together. You can also partner with someone to say the Rosary face-to-face, over the phone, WhatsApp, Facebook or any other social media platform. If you decide to do it face-to-face, you can alternate between going to that person’s home and your home. You can also mix things up by saying it alone sometimes and saying it with one or more persons at other times.
The third mode change that you can make is using an accompaniment such as, an online YouTube video or an audiobook to say the rosary virtually. If you live alone and need some company to say the Rosary, here is an online or virtual channel that I like and which you can use as an accompaniment while you say the Rosary:
§ Virtual Rosary - The Glorious Mysteries (Sundays & Wednesdays)
§ Virtual Rosary - The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays & Saturdays)
§ Virtual Rosary - The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays & Fridays)
§ Virtual Rosary - The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays) [The Catholic Crusade]
Rosary Approach No 3: Change the Type
They say that “variety is the spice of life”. The Rosary offers you that “spice” you need in your prayer life. It is very versatile in that there are many types of rosaries that you can say using your one Rosary. Here are examples of just four of those various types or kinds of rosaries, with accompanying links to versions that I like and which you can use:
§ Traditional Rosary which is based on the angel Gabriels’s salutation to Mary in Luke 1:38 when he foretold the birth of Jesus Christ.
§ Divine Mercy Chaplet which Jesus asked Saint Faustina to institute during visions and conversations that she had with Him.
§ Chaplet of the Precious Blood of Jesus which venerates Jesus’ five wounds during His crucifixion.
§ Chaplet of the Immaculate Heart of Mary which implores her aid and protection.
If you’re interested in learning about all the other types or kinds of rosaries, you can click here - Chaplets: Various Kinds
Rosary Approach No 4: Link it to the Happenings in Your Family Life or the World
Our Mother Mary and Jesus Christ lived ordinary lives, like us, while on earth. Therefore, as we meditate on the various mysteries of the Holy Rosary – Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous – we can be assured that they understand whatever is happening with us in our personal or family lives.
Hereunder are some examples of family and world issues and situations that you can pray about as you say the various mysteries of the Holy Rosary:
JOYFUL Mysteries
1st Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation (Luke 1:28):
You can pray and offer up this Mystery for the following reasons or intentions:
- Give thanks to God for a pregnancy in your family or friend circles.
- Abortion issues (those who perform abortions, those who are thinking of having an abortion or those who have had abortions).
SORROWFUL Mysteries
The horrifying events of these mysteries take place over 3 days but feel like years; from Jesus' anguished cry in Gethsemane asking His Heavenly Father to keep Him from dying such an anguished death, to his Crucifixion.
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden (Luke 22:44-45)
You can pray and offer up this Mystery for the following reasons or intentions:
- Fortitude in times of sorrow, hardship, financial difficulty, relationship problems or other life challenges.
- Persons suffering from depression and mental illness; those who attempted or committed suicide; those thinking about committing suicide; those confined in mental institutions.
GLORIOUS Mysteries
These mysteries highlight Jesus’ triumph over death and sin and the glorious reunion in Heaven between mother and son. They also serve as powerful reminders to us that, one day, we too will be reunited with loved ones and live in eternal glory with God.
3rd Glorious Mystery: Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4)
You can pray and offer up this Mystery for the following reasons or intentions:
- The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit – Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord.
- The 12 Fruits of the Spirit – Love (Charity), Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control and Chastity.
LUMINOUS Mysteries
These mysteries cover a period of 3 years, from Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River to the Last Supper when He instituted the Eucharist.
1st Luminous Mystery: Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16 - 17)
You can pray and offer up this Mystery for the following reasons or intentions:
- Children and/or adults who will be baptized or confirmed in the Catholic faith.
- Catholics who have stopped going to church or left the Catholic Church.
BONUS! – Watch this really interesting video below to fully understand the Power of the Holy Rosary:
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from any qualifying purchases that you make through this blog post. If you purchase anything, I thank you for your support.
***Photo attribution: All photos are creative common. Special thank you to the talented artists – Free red clock on grass floor (rawpixel); God bless our family, family record, Chicago IL. (rawpixel); jclk8888 (pixabay); KLAU2018 (pixabay); Mystical Rose Collection (Wikimedia);
******************************************************************************************************
Share with us, in the COMMENT section below: (a) Which way you’re going to try saying the Rosary or (b) Which way you’ve NEVER tried saying the Rosary.
******************************************************************************************************
Comments
Post a Comment
What are your thoughts?