How to pray the Rosary & make it worthwhile

[Penelope]

Inspired by my other thread about the Rosary, here's a question for the forum. When you pray the Rosary, how do you do it? Aside from just reciting the prayers, of course. How do you meditate upon the mysteries? Lately, I've found that praying the Rosary has become so rote and so routine that my mind wanders so much--the prayers don't quite seem fruitful. Do you have any methods that you use so that praying the Rosary daily doesn't become a distraction-filled routine?

[Bonaventure]

I recently had this drilled into me. The answer is contemplation.

One reflects on each mystery whilst praying the Aves.

As for how to contemplate, first use your memory to make the mystery present. So, for the Resurrection, actively imagine it. Think that you are there. Once this is done, use your intellect. Try to understand what the Resurrection means (that Christ conquers all, including sin and death. That, by His passion and death, He has takes away the sins of the world, this is what opened Heaven, and that this is true love. Our Lord suffered a humiliating, excruciatingly painful death for us who are sinners.)

Then, use your will to love our Lord and choose to do His will. For this is true love. Not feelings, not emotions, but willing to do something.

Be forewarned that this is not easy to learn, and not easy to master. God knows how long monks or sisters work at contemplation. However, Penelope, don't be discouraged if you find it difficult or if your prayers are dry. This is the best way to pray.

[Penelope]

I recently had this drilled into me. The answer is contemplation.

One reflects on each mystery whilst praying the Aves.

As for how to contemplate, first use your memory to make the mystery present. So, for the Resurrection, actively imagine it. Think that you are there. Once this is done, use your intellect. Try to understand what the Resurrection means (that Christ conquers all, including sin and death. That, by His passion and death, He has takes away the sins of the world, this is what opened Heaven, and that this is true love. Our Lord suffered a humiliating, excruciatingly painful death for us who are sinners.)

Then, use your will to love our Lord and choose to do His will. For this is true love. Not feelings, not emotions, but willing to do something.

Be forewarned that this is not easy to learn, and not easy to master. God knows how long monks or sisters work at contemplation. However, Penelope, don't be discouraged if you find it difficult or if your prayers are dry. This is the best way to pray.

Thanks, Bonaventure. This matches up pretty well with things I've read before, but I suppose part of my question is about how to avoid the distraction. As I'm trying to picture the Resurrection, how do I prevent "Oh, crap, I still have to grade all those outlines" or "Hey, the March for Life is coming up soon; that'll be really fun" from creeping into my thoughts? Try as I may to refocus, I'll be five Aves in before I realize, "Uh, hey, you're supposed to be thinking about the Resurrection here."

[Bonaventure]

Yeah, it's too bad our imagination runs wild. Look at our dreams.

We can thank Adam and Eve for that.

In any case, just do your best to focus on the mystery. Shoo the distractions out. Don't be discouraged, and don't worry. In time, you'll do better.

[Kaesekopf]

I suck at this.

So, I just pray the Aves and such while trying to just imagine a picture of what was going on in the mystery.  So, if it's the Visitation, I imagine Mary hanging out with Elizabeth. 

[Der Kaiser]

Another good way is one that St Louis De Montfort wrote about: For example if you are praying the last sorrowful mystery you say...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus CRUCIFIED...etc

The First glorious mystery ...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus raised from the dead...etc

This method helps me a lot.

[Bonaventure]

Another good way is one that St Louis De Montfort wrote about: For example if you are praying the last sorrowful mystery you say...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus CRUCIFIED...etc

The First glorious mystery ...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus raised from the dead...etc

This method helps me a lot.

A good priest recommended this method to me too.

[Penelope]

Good suggestions, guys, thanks.

So, I just pray the Aves and such while trying to just imagine a picture of what was going on in the mystery.  So, if it's the Visitation, I imagine Mary hanging out with Elizabeth.

As for this, any time I try that, I usually end up thinking, "Okay, but what was the point of the Visitation?? What am I supposed to learn from this?" and as I puzzle it out, I usually end up engaging in a series of thoughts that ends with thinking about something funny that happened at work or what my plans are for the weekend. For some mysteries, the "point" is obvious (the Crucifixion or the Resurrection, for example). But for other, (Finding in the Temple, anyone?) I'm often left wondering, "How am I supposed to apply this to my life?"

Anyone got a good recommendation for something I can read on this matter?

[Kaesekopf]

The Germans do that.


It's kinda awesome.  I'll brb with the text.


KK.

So, the Germans pray the Ave like this:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus, who is risen from the dead.  Holy Mary, ....


Pretty cool beans. 


Also makes the rosary hard to figure out when you didn't learn the Hail Mary in German.

[Jayne]

But for other, (Finding in the Temple, anyone?) I'm often left wondering, "How am I supposed to apply this to my life?"

One thing that I think about during this mystery is that Our Lord understands the tension I experience between spending time with my family and discussing theology.

I think about the verse about after they found Him, "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them."  I think about whom I ought to be subject to and about the importance of doing the duties of one's state of life.

Since it was the Feast of the Holy Family on Sunday, the homily was about this.  Father said that this story showed how misunderstanding and miscommunication can take place in a family even without any sin being involved.  Our tendency when we have problems is to assign fault and blame others, but this is not a good thing to do.It would be good to think about that.

Maybe you could start threads for the Mysteries that you find difficult to meditate on and ask what other people think about.

[dymphna17]

One thing that helps me is to decide what I'm going to try to get out of the mystery before I begin it.  God may inspire you with something different during the prayer, but it at least gives you something to concentrate on.  Also, Bonaventure is on target with contemplation.  It takes time to get used to but works very well.  Sometimes saying the prayers in latin help as well.

[voxxpopulisuxx]

I recently had this drilled into me. The answer is contemplation.

One reflects on each mystery whilst praying the Aves.

As for how to contemplate, first use your memory to make the mystery present. So, for the Resurrection, actively imagine it. Think that you are there. Once this is done, use your intellect. Try to understand what the Resurrection means (that Christ conquers all, including sin and death. That, by His passion and death, He has takes away the sins of the world, this is what opened Heaven, and that this is true love. Our Lord suffered a humiliating, excruciatingly painful death for us who are sinners.)

Then, use your will to love our Lord and choose to do His will. For this is true love. Not feelings, not emotions, but willing to do something.

Be forewarned that this is not easy to learn, and not easy to master. God knows how long monks or sisters work at contemplation. However, Penelope, don't be discouraged if you find it difficult or if your prayers are dry. This is the best way to pray.

Thanks, Bonaventure. This matches up pretty well with things I've read before, but I suppose part of my question is about how to avoid the distraction. As I'm trying to picture the Resurrection, how do I prevent "Oh, crap, I still have to grade all those outlines" or "Hey, the March for Life is coming up soon; that'll be really fun" from creeping into my thoughts? Try as I may to refocus, I'll be five Aves in before I realize, "Uh, hey, you're supposed to be thinking about the Resurrection here."

Thats what supposed to happen...the fact that you are objective enough to see that "thoughts" are intruding...shows that you are doing it right. Most folks are so lost in their thoughts they just float off...read the parable of the sower again. The benefit of meditation is to seperate you from your thoughts so that you become their master...and not the other way around. I reference the eastern rite  Philokalia and desert fathers teachings

[Bonaventure]

But for other, (Finding in the Temple, anyone?) I'm often left wondering, "How am I supposed to apply this to my life?"

One thing that I think about during this mystery is that Our Lord understands the tension I experience between spending time with my family and discussing theology.

I think about the verse about after they found Him, "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them."  I think about whom I ought to be subject to and about the importance of doing the duties of one's state of life.

This is true. Imagine Our Lord's perfect humility in being subject to two creatures. St. Joseph and Our Lady are the two most holy people to ever live, and we need their intercession, but Our Lord willfully obeyed them.

If only we could be so humble.

Just take an aspect from the mystery. For the Annunciation, think about how Our Lord became man for us. Think about how Our Lady, who was the perfect human being and had no attachment to sin whatsoever, when told about God's will, she did not brag, or think how good she was, or how close she was to God, but simply "be it done to me according to thy word." She called herself the handmaid, the slave of God.

[Bonaventure]

I recently had this drilled into me. The answer is contemplation.

One reflects on each mystery whilst praying the Aves.

As for how to contemplate, first use your memory to make the mystery present. So, for the Resurrection, actively imagine it. Think that you are there. Once this is done, use your intellect. Try to understand what the Resurrection means (that Christ conquers all, including sin and death. That, by His passion and death, He has takes away the sins of the world, this is what opened Heaven, and that this is true love. Our Lord suffered a humiliating, excruciatingly painful death for us who are sinners.)

Then, use your will to love our Lord and choose to do His will. For this is true love. Not feelings, not emotions, but willing to do something.

Be forewarned that this is not easy to learn, and not easy to master. God knows how long monks or sisters work at contemplation. However, Penelope, don't be discouraged if you find it difficult or if your prayers are dry. This is the best way to pray.

Thanks, Bonaventure. This matches up pretty well with things I've read before, but I suppose part of my question is about how to avoid the distraction. As I'm trying to picture the Resurrection, how do I prevent "Oh, crap, I still have to grade all those outlines" or "Hey, the March for Life is coming up soon; that'll be really fun" from creeping into my thoughts? Try as I may to refocus, I'll be five Aves in before I realize, "Uh, hey, you're supposed to be thinking about the Resurrection here."

Thats what supposed to happen...the fact that you are objective enough to see that "thoughts" are intruding...shows that you are doing it right. Most folks are so lost in their thoughts they just float off...read the parable of the sower again. The benefit of meditation is to seperate you from your thoughts so that you become their master...and not the other way around. I reference the eastern rite  Philokalia and desert fathers teachings

Yeah.

When we get up in the morning to fulfill our daily obligations, when we have to deal with people we find annoying, and so on, it's not going to be 100% pleasant interiorly. The same goes with prayer.

[INPEFESS]

I will try to reply tonight with a method that I use.

Great thread idea!