RBWords

     The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is very important to us Dominicans because of our very early and continual association with promoting the rosary as a devotional form of prayer.  The long history, mixed with some legend, need not detain us today.  However, I do want to take advantage of the parable of the Good Samaritan to call attention to a way of praying the rosary that can be very advantageous.

     Most Catholics are accustomed to praying the rosary using fifteen "mysteries" that were established in final form in the 16th century by the Dominican pope, St. Pius V.  Then Bl. Pope John Paul II added another five to the devotion - the Luminous mysteries.  Having some "established" mysteries - Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and, now, Luminous - makes it a bit easier but it also makes the devotion somewhat automatic because we tend simply to mention the title of the particular mystery and then move on with the prayers of the "decade."  I have challenged devout rosary fans to consider using other "mysteries" such as five parables or five miracles from a particular gospel.  Or, taking today's gospel scripture, to divide it into five parts to meditate upon while saying the rosary.  So, one could begin with the Scholar's Question, then Jesus' reply, then the story, then Jesus' question with the scholar's reply, then Jesus' final words:  Go and do likewise!  In short, I promote an "intentional rosary" in contrast to our customary rapid and non-meditative ways.  I admit it is not easy to do this at first.  When I pray the roady each day I try to remember all the wonderful people in my life for whom I consider it my sacred duty to pray.  It take awhile but the experience, as prayer, is much more satisfying. 

     On this feast of Our Lady of the Rosary we can be grateful for this particular devotion which is very likely the one most practiced in the western church.  Perhaps our gratitude can make us a bit more "intentional" the next time we pray the rosary.  AMEN