THE ROSARY ITSELF, A BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT MADE OF SIMPLE BEADS WITH A CRUCIFIX AT THE BOTTOM, IS YET A WONDERFUL SYMBOL THAT WE ARE CATHOLIC. VERY OFTEN WE CATHOLICS DISPLAY THE ROSARY BELOW THE FRONT MIRROR OF OUR AUTOMOBILES AS A SIGN TO OTHERS THAT WE ARE CATHOLIC. WE ALSO HOPE THAT BY HAVING THE ROSARY CLOSE BY, OUR BLESSED MOTHER WILL PROTECT US DURING OUT TRAVELS. WELL SHE CERTAINLY WILL IF WE PUT OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN HER AND IN HER SON, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WE SHOULD ALSO PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY. AS FATHER PEYTON USED TO SAY, "THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER". I HAVE ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT BY "PRAY TOGETHER" HE MEANT "PRAY THE ROSARY TOGETHER". FOR THE ROSARY IS TRULY A WONDERFUL PRAYER THAT BRINGS THE WHOLE FAMILY TOGETHER(IT IS BEST THAT THE WHOLE FAMILY KNEEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY TOGETHER EVERY EVENING). IT ALSO UNITES US WITH THE REST OF THE CATHOLIC WORLD AND ALL THE FAMILIES THAT DEVOUTLY PRAY THE ROSARY TOGETHER EVERY DAY. IT ALSO HONOURS THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND LEADS US CLOSER TO GOD.
THE ROSARY IS A PRAYER THAT WAS HANDED DOWN TO US STRAIGHT FROM OUR BLESSED MOTHER WHEN SHE APPEARED TO SAINT DOMINIC DURING A TROUBLED PERIOD IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. SHE INSTRUCTED HIM TO PREACH THE ROSARY AS AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST HERESY AND SIN.
TRULY THE ROSARY IS A POWERFUL WEAPON AGAINST EVIL AND THE DEVIL. THE ROSARY IS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL, YET POWERFUL PRAYER.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT WHEN WE PRAY THE HAIL MARY DURING THE ROSARY, THAT IT IS VAIN REPETITION. BUT IT IS NOT VAIN REPETITION. RATHER, IT IS A CONSTANT ACCLAMATION OF MARY AS THE MOTHER OF GOD(AND OUR BLESSED MOTHER) AND OF JESUS AS THE FRUIT OF HER WOMB WHO BECAME FLESH IN ORDER TO SAVE THE WORLD.
WHEN WE PRAY THE ROSARY WE ALSO MEDITATE ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY, WHICH ENCOMPASS THE MOST MEANINGFUL AND AWESOME EVENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IN DOING SO, WE GRADUALLY COME TO MORE FULLY PLUMB THE DEPTHS OF THE MYSTERY OF THE LOVE OF GOD FOR MANKIND. ALSO WHEN WE PRAY AND MEDITATE ON THE ROSARY, WE DISCOVER GOD'S LOVE FOR US AND IT HELP US TO LIVE LIVES THAT ARE HOLY, UPRIGHT AND FILLED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD.
THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO PRAY THE ROSARY. THE ROSARY IS TRULY A GREAT TREASURE IN OUR PRAYER LIFE. WE ARE THUS OBLIGED TO PRAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY FOR IT WILL HELP US TOWARDS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF SALVATION.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES US THAT THE ROSARY IS AN EPITOME OF THE WHOLE GOSPEL. OUR BLESSED MOTHER, WHEN SHE APPEARED AT FATIMA, INSTRUCTED US TO PRAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY. SHE ALSO PROMISED US THAT IN THE END HER IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH!