Those who know me in "real life" and on a daily basis know how important the rosary is to me. It is the first thing I do in the morning, sometimes even before I step foot out of bed. It helps me to focus, to start the day off close to our Lord and our sweet Mother Mary. Typically, I pray a full rosary three times a day; the first for myself, the second for my family (and friends!) and the third for vocation. It takes about twenty minutes each time (unless I'm doing it in Latin, which is sometimes 5-10 minutes longer) and I certainly cannot claim that spending an hour a day in prayer is too much!
The benefits of praying the rosary are so great that I'll only touch on a few of them here. First -- it gives me complete peace. No matter what mood I am in when I pick up those rosary beads, my spirit is instantly lifted as I focus on the prayers. I sometimes grab the rosary beads when I'm angry or upset and just start praying and almost immediately, those bad feelings diminish. Second -- it helps me to know that our Blessed Mother hears those prayers and intercedes for me for all of my intentions if it is God's will that they be granted. Third -- it gives me comfort in times of illness or distress. When my time is spent in prayer, I have less time to spend worrying! Fourth -- it helps me to know that praying the rosary is something that Mary has asked us to do here on earth. To do what our Lord's Mother asks us to do should be an honor for all of us. After all, she was the one who submitted to God's will and gave birth to the One who would save us all -- it's the least we can do!
Of course, there are also the Fifteen Promises for Praying the Rosary (straight from Mary herself!): 1) Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces. 2) I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3) The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies. 4) It will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal Things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. 5) The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish. 6) Whosoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of Eternal Life. 7) Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church. 8) Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the Light of God and the plenitude of His Graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the Merits of the Saints in Paradise. 9) I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 10) The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of Glory in Heaven. 11) You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary. 12) All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. 13) I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death. 14) All who recite the Rosary are my Sons, and brothers of my Only Son Jesus Christ. 15) Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
How can we go wrong here? ;)
So there you have it -- a very important part of my day-- the Holy Rosary.
