One important ritual that is only done by the Catholics, Orthodox or Roman, is the recitation of the Holy Rosary. While there are different variations in the recitation of this prayer, the elements are all the same – meditation on the life of Jesus and Mary, the invocation of God’s grace to self or to others, and the exaltation of the salvation history through the recitation of the Gospel in every rosary beads.
This devotion has become the stronghold of the faithful that kept them abreast to the theological virtues of the Church. The Rosary beads provide exemplary glimpses of the lives of Jesus and Mary. The flow of the devotion gives us a glimpse of the triumph we can all share as Christians in life, as much as it is after. Thus, the doctrines and authorities of the Church continuously promote this devotion to humankind, more so with the baptized faithful endowed to receive this unique grace from God through His beloved servant, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The History of the Devotion of the Rosary
It was during the Middle Ages when the devotion was propagated by the Order of the Preachers, spearheaded by Saint Dominic de Guzman. As a missionary of the faith to the heretic south of France, Saint Dominic found himself restless on figuring out his next steps to combat the growing heresy of the Albigenses. Distressed, he retreated to the woods and prayed to God for help.
One day, he saw a vision of Our Lady holding a chain of beads in her hand. She introduced the beaded chain as the Rosary and, that, it is the ultimate weapon God has provided him to combat the heretics, protecting the remaining faithful of the region, and upholding the Faith in his mission.
From then on, Saint Dominic did his very best to spread word about the devotion. While the Rosary was more enclosed with the religious communities, it was through the efforts of Blessed Alan de la Roche that the devotion be introduced to every household in Europe. Thus, the Rosary was deemed as the “poor man’s Bible” because of its accessibility to the lay faithful to experience the same prayers and rituals as those of the religious communities.
The devotion become incredibly acclaimed by the Vatican when, in 1571 during the Battle of Lepanto, the Holy Father Pope Pius V issued a decree consecrating the date of the battle as the memorial to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in honor of the victory of the crusades against the Muslims. While the consecration wasn’t directed towards the devotion, the Rosary was undeniably recognized by the Holy Church as a weapon against all evil.
Through the years, the devotion to the Most Holy Rosary is always associated with miracles and divine assistance. While the Catholic Church has always cautioned the faithful on pseudo-miracles concerning the devotion, the recitation and practice has always made everyone feel closer to God. The Blessed Mother always take on the rosary as her ultimate sacramental to make everyone feel more aware of the love of Jesus.
So, why should we continue to pray the Rosary?
There’s just too many reasons why the Catholic faithful must continue to recite the Rosary. Whether they are working on household chores or traveling on a public vehicle, being able to recite the Rosary at your pace gives you a sense of calm that resonates to the presence of the Almighty God, who is pleased with every prayer recited in every bead. The Rosary is more than just a repetition of prayers. It is a resonation of the Gospel that affects our will, our being, and our intuitions to become like those of Jesus and Mary.
The Rosary, being a devotion, holds a lot of promises for those who recite it as devoutly as they can. For those who do, they will receive the following:
- Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
- I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
- The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
- It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
- The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
- Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered and never overwhelmed by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death (unprepared for heaven). The sinner shall convert. The just shall grow in grace and become worthy of eternal life.
- Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
- 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.
- I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
- The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
- You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
- All those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
- 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.
- All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only son Jesus Christ.
- Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
More than the promises, the Rosary is a complete school of thought for every soul to seek love and mercy through connecting oneself to the Divine. The Rosary is an opportunity for Faith to grow, Hope to dwell, and Love to enshrine the Holy Spirit in our hearts. While praying of the Rosary in vain wouldn’t suffice, it is not discouraged because it will still envelope the devotee to the graces of Our Lady and will inculcate in the person a deep longing that will compound inside the heart and make one recite the prayer even more seriously and sufficiently.
So, today, let us recite the Holy Rosary, be inspired by the lives of Jesus and Mary, and become more closer to God through the discipline of prayer that is done with all our heart, our mind, our soul, and our strength.
Needing help with reciting the Rosary? You can use a Rosary guide to help you meditate through every beads of this wonderful devotion. Also, a personal rosary of your choice will help you become more connected to the prayers and inculcate a personalized space of the devotion. It’s also best to recite the Rosary infront of a blessed image of Jesus, Mary, and the saints to help you meditate further on their lives and the help of the Rosary in their path to holiness.
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