3 Reasons Praying the Rosary is NOT Boring
As you are likely aware, praying the Rosary requires reciting the Hail Mary 53 times, the Our Father 6 times, and various other prayers a number of times as well.
On paper, the Rosary can seem…boring. Tedious.
Perhaps you feel that way about the Rosary. But then why were so many very holy men and women, most of whom were quite well-educated and living exciting, full lives, so devoted to their daily habit of praying the Rosary?
Because, quite simply, the rosary is NOT boring.
In fact, it is FAR FROM BORING. Erase that idea from your head because it is dead wrong, and here’s why.
#1 We NEED a break from the constant stimulation we live with.
You know it’s true.
Our minds and eyes and ears are ACHING for a break from all the noise and glowing screens and status updates we fill them with.
Often, we think we are taking a break when we jump on Facebook or Instagram for a few minutes.
But after a few minutes of scrolling, do we feel refreshed?
Well, I don’t.
Often I feel more frantic and frazzled than before, as well as a bit disoriented.
The Rosary stands as an antithesis to the life of constant stimulation that we lead.
This simple string of beads and prayers allows us to escape the noise for 15-20 minutes.
During that time, the simple act of repeating the simple prayers and reflecting on the words of St. Elizabeth, the Angel Gabriel, and Jesus Christ Himself help us find true peace and get a real “break” from it all.
The set structure of the Rosary allows faithful to pray with no stress of wondering what to say or how to say it.
Simply recite the prayers and cast your eyes on Jesus and the mysteries of His life.
And so, turn off the noise and distractions for just 15-20 minutes each day.
Take up your Rosary and rest on the lap of Our Blessed Mother.
Once you have recited your Rosary you will feel refreshed and rested, and there is nothing boring about that.
#2 The Rosary asks us to meditate on the remarkable life of Jesus Christ
It is only a truly callous heart that can look at the mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ and feel bored.
We are not a forsaken people.
Our God took on human flesh and came to Earth.
He humbled Himself to be born in a barn and was crucified for our sins. Do not allow yourself to be numbed to this wonder!
But we can become numbed and complacent.
Or more often, we can KNOW all of these things, but never really take the time to meditate upon them.
We never pause to wonder, to rejoice, to consecrate ourselves to this mighty God.
And I get it. Meditation is hard.
We think about these profound moments in the life of Jesus Christ for a second…and then our mind wanders and we are on to the next thing.
This is the very reason that we need the Rosary.
The Rosary offers a rhythmic prayer we can recite while our mind explores the mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ.
We don’t have to worry about what to say as we pray.
Instead, the prayers of the Rosary and the beads that pass through our fingers serve as an anchor, pulling us back to the life of Jesus and inviting us to explore those mysteries more and more completely.
If you struggle to be amazed at the life of Jesus, you can cure this by taking the time to educate yourself. Read the scripture corresponding to each mystery of it.
Read reflections on each mystery and allow that to guide your meditations. I also loved THIS BOOK on Jesus Christ and reading it has given me endless things to meditate on while praying it.
#3 The Rosary has real power.
It is tremendously powerful.
In warding off temptation, in converting souls, in changing the world, in complying with the will of God, there is nothing more powerful than it.
It is not just a string of beads that old ladies carry around.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer given to us by Mary herself.
In her many Earthly appearances, Mary often urged the faithful to pray it more.
And really, what other motivation do we need than that?
St. Lucia, one of the children Mary appeared to at Fatima, said, “There is no problem I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”
Many, many other great saints have declared the power of it.
St. Josemaria Escriva said quite plainly, “The Holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results”.
Pope St. John Paul II said that the Rosary was his favorite prayer and St. Francis de Sales said, “The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary”.
Pretty strong endorsements, wouldn’t you say?
Disguised as a simple string of beads and a seemingly monotonous litany of prayers, is a powerful tool for the spiritual battles we are all fighting. Don’t be fooled!
And so, my friends, take up your Rosaries and pray.
Because it is such a powerful prayer, I really encourage you to enrich the way you pray the Rosary.
The more we know about Jesus and His Mother, the more we read about the different mysteries of the Rosary, the better our meditation can be while we pray the Holy Rosary.
To help you do this, I have put together a little book of Rosary Prayers and Reflections.
The book is designed to help the faithful meditate even more deeply on the beautiful mysteries of the Rosary.
If you are just beginning to fall in love with the Rosary this book includes general instructions for praying it, the text of all the prayers of the Rosary, as well as an overview of Contemplation.
From there, the Rosary Book offers lots of beautiful materials for each decade of the Rosary to help you dive deeper into prayer.
The Book includes original art for each Mystery (created by Annie of Paper Monastery), Bible verses, a virtue, prayer, and beautiful reflection for each of the 20 decades of the Rosary.
And this beautiful little book is on sale now for just $8. Yup, just $8 because, more than anything else, I want you to be able to purchase one of these books and through its use, fall deeply in love with the Holy Rosary.
For more details on the Rosary Book, head HERE.
Our Lady of the Rosary, Pray for Us!
Your sister in Christ,
Nancy