A “Novel” Idea for Lent: The Rosary

Hopefully my cheesy joke didn’t make you have second thoughts of reading this article. Obviously, saying the Rosary, particularly during Lent, is not a novel idea whatsoever. But it is one that I think many of us shy away from. It is a beautiful prayer, but it is LONG!!! And when we have a hard enough time trying to focus our minds and hearts on the Lord in personal prayer, it can be even trickier in a recited prayer, where we can get lost in the rhythm and forgot what and to Whom we are praying. It is wise to remember though, especially in times of spiritual dryness, that showing up is showing up, right? I mean, our heart and soul aren’t always 100% into our jobs or other important things, but we still show up. Perseverance is proven when we show up, even when it’s not easy. And graces can be found, even if the emotional or “feel good” connection of prayer isn’t quite there.

Looking for tips to make praying the rosary a bit more engaging? Start with these:

·         Remember the power of the Rosary. Even when it feels drab, it makes the Devil cringe, and that should be knowledge enough to fuel our prayers!

·         Meditate on the actual mysteries. Place yourself in one of the characters in that mystery; Jesus himself, someone standing by, a disciple, Our Blessed Mother, etc…

·         Dedicate each decade to a person in need of prayers; for example, a sick relative, a friend struggling with a serious sin or addiction, peace in Ukraine and Russia, for an increase in our intimate love of Jesus, etc…

·         Remember how many Saints prayed the rosary numerous times each day! In the words of St. JoseMaria Escriva, “Say the Holy Rosary. Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary’s which purifies the monotony of your sins!”

I had always been looking for a really special way to pray, specifically the rosary, during Lent. A few years ago, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to go on a silent retreat. It was only a weekend, but for a woman who loves to talk, that was a tough one! But also full of tons of graces! While on that retreat, in the adoration chapel, the Lord spoke to me through my pencil and gave me a reflection on the sorrowful mysteries that really helps me pray like I mean it! I will share it with you too, and I hope it helps in your prayer journey this Lent!

A Reflection on the Sorrowful Mysteries

The First Sorrowful Mystery:

The Agony in the Garden

        Oh Lord! What a battle You fought in the garden! The temptation to prevent all the pain and agony You would suffer was so strong! The devil himself lurked behind every tree and shadow, tempting You to put an end to the pain You would endure. You prayed and prayed for strength, but it seemed fruitless. You begged Your friends to stay awake with You, to pray for You, but they couldn’t even keep their eyes open. You asked that this cup of sorrow be taken away from You, but in Your great love for me and all the other sinners of this world, You insisted that the Father’s will be done. You anguished, cried, lost Your breath from fear of the suffering to come. You sweat from the anxiety and nervousness, to the point of sweating blood, a foreshadowing of what was to come. Lord, the mental and emotional pain, not to mention the physical pain, You suffered for me and my sins was so great. And Lord, there are times I hardly pay attention to You. How many times have I been like Your disciples and let You down when You needed me most? How many times have I had the opportunity to console You, in adoration or in the needs of those around me, and I selfishly skipped over that great opportunity? Lord, my sin is unbearable, and Your sacrifice is breathtaking and nothing less than a miracle. Thank You! Please help me to be more like You.

The Second Sorrowful Mystery:

 The Scourging at the Pillar

        Dear Jesus, this is unbearable to witness. Lord, for all my sins, You take an agonizing beating. For each time I was selfish, You take a blow. Lord, my sin has brought You to this post. My sin has bound Your callused but gentle hands. My sin has brought the blood out of Your back. The sting, the shock, the unbelievable pain You experienced with each lashing was from my sin. My greed, selfishness, lack of compassion, gluttony, sloth, uncontrolled anger, bitterness, unwillingness to forgive, and judgmental attitude makes the beating hurt more. My sins are like salt in an open wound. And maybe, just maybe Lord, I finally feel the guilt and my eyes are opened to this amazing sacrifice You have made for me. And so I run into the scene, I step in front of You, I scream, “Jesus! This is not right! Why must You take this beating? These are my sins! My sins, not Yours! This is not fair! Lord, let me take the rest of the lashes. Please, let me at least take one! You have not sinned, You have done nothing wrong! Please, please Lord, I want this! I more than deserve this.” I start to kneel down next to Jesus, to expose my back and hunch over in anticipation of the pain. But Jesus, although He is weak from the lashings and can hardly bear to hold up His head, takes my hand and helps me to stand. He looks me deep in the eyes, deeper than anyone has ever looked. Amidst this treacherous suffering, He seems to have a certain joy and compassion in His eyes. He continues to look tenderly into my eyes and says, “Dear child, I do not desire that you suffer. Please, stay here with Me, hold my hand. I desire that you do not suffer, but that you remain close to Me.” And so, as Jesus asks, I kneel down near Him, holding His hands. I squeeze them tighter with each lashing. I cry for Him. I hold up His face when He has lost the strength. I embrace His sweet face, holding His cheeks gently, and wipe the sweat, blood, and tears from His face between lashings. Lord, You have done the unthinkable: You have taken on my sins, which are of no fault of Yours. Lord, please give me the strength and courage to be with You in this great suffering. Help me to see the weight of my sins and learn to overcome them.

The Third Sorrowful Mystery:

 The Crowning with Thorns

        Lord, this was a very saddening experience for You. After an agonizing, brutal beating, You are lead before the angry crowd to be mocked and utterly humiliated. The people laughed, scoffed, shouted, threw their fists in the air, and spit on You. They mocked You and cursed You. The soldiers made it even more degrading. They clothed You in a purple cloak, pretending to worship You as the King of the Jews. They jammed a crown with long, sharp thorns onto You head, causing streams of blood to run down Your face. They mocked that You are holy and honorable, even though You are the most holy and honorable thing this world has ever seen. The soldiers then stripped You of all Your clothing, in front of the hostile crowd, struck you, and cast lots for Your royal cloak, again mocking how truly amazing and holy You really are. And where was I in this mockery? I was standing in the crowd, mocking and throwing my fists just as much as the others. I am just as guilty. Lord, how many times have I denied You? We all wonder at how Peter could have denied You three times, but how many more times have I denied You? Too many to count. How many times have I failed to stick up for You, to stand tall for my faith? How many times have I shamefully hid from the opportunity to defend You, Lord? Instead, I stand silently in the angry crowd, or I yell and spit along with them! How many times have I failed to stand up for one of Your beloved children? Or how many times have I added to the gossip and humiliation? Lord, I beg You, give me the courage to stand up for You, for others, for my Faith, for the Truth, and for Love.

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery:

The Carrying of the Cross

        This is such horrible suffering to watch and bear, for I can literally see my sins weighing down on Christ, the weight of that heavy cross of my sins resting on His tired and beaten shoulders. The sharp, angry angles of the wood cut into His back. Christ begins His long walk, His long journey up a winding cobblestone road, which will end in His death. Why would Christ do this? Why would He continue on this journey, which seems like complete insanity to me? Because He loves me, and His mercy has no limits, no end. Each time He falls, He falls because of my sins. He thinks of the times I have hurt others with my words or actions, or that I have utterly deserted Him, and He falls to the ground, His knees and elbows taking the blunt of His fall. He remembers the ties I have had impure thoughts or have sought revenge, and He can do nothing but fall to His knees. He remembers how I put my desires, my fears, my selfish indulgences before Him, and He is brought down yet again. And amidst all this suffering, amidst all this pain, He still finds within Himself the strength to console others. He reaches out to the women weeping. He saves a strong, loving gaze for His mother. He never once lashes out at the soldiers kicking at Him and yelling to keep moving, or at the angry crowds who throw rocks and shout mockery at Him. Our eyes lock as He passes by me. I am angrily shouting at Him in the crowd, even though He is carrying my sins and will be dying the death I deserve. Hopefully, in that moment, I stop and realize the miracle of my salvation happening before my eyes. Lord, I beg that I can be Simon to You, that I can help try to bear some of the weight of my sins. That I can reach out and help You Lord. Or I beg that I can be Veronica to You. I beg that I can have the courage to walk through that angry crowd, straight to You. That I can embrace Your sweet face, a face covered in dirt and my shame and guilt. That I can wipe Your beautiful face Lord, and offer You a tiny act of mercy, to give You strength for the rest of Your long journey ahead. Lord, I absolutely could not ever thank You enough for Your amazing sacrifice. Please help me to live a life that magnifies the amazing gift of salvation You have earned for me.

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery:

The Crucifixion

        Here we are Lord, at the end of Your long and arduous agony. Your ugly and horrible journey. Your painful and strenuous passion. Calvary. Oh Lord, what a journey it has been. You have suffered unbelievably, unfathomably. Your suffering externally was horrible and unbearable, but it compares nothing to the internal suffering with which you suffered, and still do. For even after this long journey, this ultimate sacrifice, I still turn away from You. I still distance myself from You. I still sin. It is hard to watch Your face Lord, as they hammer the large nails into Your hands and feet, cutting through Your flesh and tendons. It is difficult to watch You try to catch your breath from the unbelievable pain. It is challenging to stomach the blood rushing from the nail sites. If this were not enough, they then raise You up on the cross. The nails tear even more at Your flesh, as You work to breathe. The only way You can breathe Lord, is if you push and raise Yourself up enough to open Your rib cage. But this pushing Yourself up increases the pain and uses a lot of energy. Lord, this truly defines torture. To top it all off, the soldiers and the crowd continue to mock You. They utter evil out upon You. The devil himself is overjoyed at what Your own people have don to You. Yet again, amidst the pain, suffering, and dying, You still cannot contain Your compassion and mercy. It is as though it truly cannot remain inside of You. You forgive and promise eternal salvation to a sinful criminal dying next to You. You lovingly gaze upon Your mother and Your most beloved disciple. You speak with that disciple, making sure Your dear mother will be cared for when You are gone. Wait… Isn’t the gospel of John written so that we can place ourselves in the position of the beloved disciple? Are You speaking to me Lord? Are You asking me to care for Your Blessed Mother, and that I look to her as my spiritual mother, to draw me closer to You? Yes Lord, yes. I will do it. Thank You, Lord, for Your great mercy and love which You continuously pour out on us, even while You are dying on the cross. And now, it is time. Lord, You cry out to Your Father, bow Your head, and one last time, take one last breath, and it is finished. And when Your side is pierced by a soldier, Your blood and water gushed forth as a fount of Your love and mercy for us, to cleanse us from the sins that hung You on the cross. It is hard to bear that all this horrid suffering which lead to Your death was because of me. It is difficult to not hide from You or want to keep my gaze away from You Lord. But Your mercy, Your love, and Your forgiveness are infinitely stronger than my guilt, shame, doubt, and fear. Lord, I continue to come to You, exactly as we are, and You will heal us. Lord, please. Through the help of Your Blessed Mother, help me to grow closer to You every day. Help me to see how much I need Your mercy, and to accept it. Help me to give mercy back to You and to Your beautiful creation. Help me, in my guilt, to always remember Your resurrection and Your gift of eternal salvation. Lord, You are amazing! Help me to love You with all my being and to give my entire self to You.