The Rosary is not what you think

In the vision of its great promoter, Santo Domingo de Guzmán, it is eminently a contemplative prayer, within the reach of every person

Fifty Hail Marys multiplied by four mysteries. Thus we could describe the Rosary and, nevertheless, we would not understand anything of this prayer.

Far from being a repetitive act of piety, the Rosary aims to provide a time of prayer with the one who knows the heart of Jesus best, Mary.

A great proposal from Santo Domingo

The great promoter of the Rosary in history has been Santo Domingo de Guzmán (1170-1221), founder of the Order of Preachersbetter known as Dominicans, whose feast is celebrated on August 8.

Santo Domingo de Guzman.

The Rosary finds its origin in Benedictine monasteries, where monks and nuns recited the 150 psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours.

It was an impossible practice for a good part of the Christians, since in the Middle Ages the majority did not know how to read. Thus arose the practice of reciting 150 Hail Marys, which the faithful knew by heart, contemplating passages from the Gospel.

As I would later admit Pope John XXIIISaint Dominic understood that the Rosary was a true “Bible of the poor”.

In this way, he dedicated a good part of his evangelizing work to promoting this spiritual practice so that the hearts of Christians would be touched by the contemplation of moments from the life of Jesus through the eyes of his Mother.

For this reason, the last popes, in particular John Paul IIhave proposed the Rosary as a response to this “new demand for spirituality” experienced by societies, “also driven by the influence of other religions.”

The five verbs of the Rosary

Through each of his twenty mysteriesthe Rosary allows the believer to contemplate Christ through five verbs.

1.- To remember to Christ with Mary: Like Mary, contemplation of God means first of all remembering: “Mary kept these things and pondered them in her heart”, says the Gospel of Luke (2, 29).

two.- Understand to Christ from Mary. No one better than his mother can help us. From the hands of Mary, in the Rosary, it is possible to understand the mysteries of Jesus. It is about applying in our lives the invitation of the Virgin at the Wedding at Cana: “Do whatever he tells you” (Gospel of Saint John 2, 5).

3.- set up to Christ with Mary: Prayer has, among other objectives, to be configured more and more fully with Jesus, “to make me like him”, as Saint Paul explains (Letter to the Philippians 3,10). It is about having the sentiments of Christ and putting on Him (Cf. Philippians 2:5).

4.- Pray to Christ with Mary: Each of the Hail Marys underlines the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (7:7): «Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it will be opened to you.” The Rosary is simultaneously meditation and supplication.

5.- Announce to Christ with Mary: The biography of Santo Domingo de Guzmán and the Dominican Order are a sample of the evangelizing capacity of the Rosary, a prayer full of didactic value, which makes the Gospel close to any person.

Here can you watch the video.

help for you

If you are unfamiliar with the Rosary, the Holy See offers you a guide here: The Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

If you want a simple and profound way to live the «Contemplative Rosary», you can download this free ebook edited by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network: Contemplative Rosary.

If you want to discover an innovative “Prayer Reading of the Rosary” in audio, proposed by the Dominican Order through the Hozana prayer platform, you can follow it here: Prayerful reading of the Rosary (in audio – Hozana).

To read more:

The 9 ways to pray with the body, according to Santo Domingo

10 phrases of Santo Domingo de Guzmán to be a good missionary

Hymns to Santo Domingo

Aleteia, a global Catholic information network, by virtue of its founding mission, contributes, in collaboration with the Closing Foundationto communicate the life, spirituality and products of contemplative monasteries.

The Rosary is not what you think