For the past few years my dad prayed the rosary daily during Lent and saw it as a time to not give up something, but to give more of ourselves. It is a time to be more aware and intentional with our actions and our prayer. In honor of my dad this Lenten season, I’ll be praying the rosary daily, give more of myself, and strive to emulate the kindness and selflessness of Jesus. One of the last days with my dad before he died was spent praying the rosary together side by side. I take comfort in this tradition we shared. A Catholic and a Baptist sharing our unwavering faith in meditation on the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am not a Catholic but was raised in the Catholic Church. The tradition of saying the rosary is life giving for me right now. It is like comfort food for my soul.
And, yes, today on this second day of Lent I prayed the rosary in the parking lot of the dentist’s office as my oldest was at an appointment. Call it strange, but I could almost feel Dad sitting right there next to me today.
A little more about the rosary:
In the first centuries of Christianity there were many people who could not read the psalms in the psalter. So they substitute one Our Father and one Hail Mary for each psalm. To note the number, they made use of stones, or seeds strung on a cord. The word Rosary means a garland or wreath of roses. Each prayer said in the Rosary is a spiritual rose offered to Mary. This time of prayer is used to meditate on the life of Jesus and to pay respect to Mary His mother for her sacrifice.
I have been using the Hallow App (I highly suggest this app, it is well worth the price) on my phone, even though I don’t really need prompts or leading for the rosary any longer, it is just nice to hear another voice along with my own while praying. Strength in numbers and all…
You can find more information on praying the rosary (and the Hallow app) here: https://hallow.com/2019/09/23/how-to-pray-the-rosary