Do you pray the rosary?

[Gaura Priya]

I found my old rosary that I have kept in a dusty box among my things, as well as some of the Christian paraphernalia given to me by my family. Lots of memories!

Do you pray the rosary? When I prayed it in my childhood and youth, I found strength and comfort in its repetitions, and simple beauty in its meditations. Even to this day, one of my favourite recitations is still the Salve Regina.

I still have vivid memories of my grandmother waking up early in the morning every day, lighting a votive in front of Madonna and Child while dawn was still dark, and whispering the prayers that reverberated through her own life.

 

[Vinayaka]

GP, how many beads on a rosary?

 

[Shiranui117]

GP, how many beads on a rosary?

Uhh... 5 beads outside of the loop, and then 5 sets of 10 beads for the Hail Mary's, then one bead more for each Our Father... 60 beads in all, IIRC.

To the OP's original question, I don't have my Rosary anymore (It could be just lost, but it may have actually gotten tossed out somehow) but I did like praying it, when I had the patience to do so. I should get another Rosary sometime. Until then, I have my chotki.

 

[Gaura Priya]

GP, how many beads on a rosary?

Were you quizzing me? :cover:

*looks online*

59 beads, Mr. Vinayakam! :flirt:

I do not pray the rosary any more, but I certainly respect those who do! Having found my old ones from my youth, with rose-petal beads (with that faint scent of roses!), they fill me with warm fuzzy feelings, lol. Certainly inner psychic connections still faint within my psyche.

 

[Vinayaka]

Were you quizzing me? :cover:

*looks online*

No, not a quiz. You know everything. All knowledge is inside you.
Sometimes I forget about the internet. As for other faiths, I found this:
Prayer beads - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Pegg]

no, we dont use rosary. we dont pray to mary either. And we dont have repetitive or recorded prayers.

 

[Jainarayan]

When I was Catholic I prayed the rosary, but I never really learned to do it right. There are points where one meditates on the Mysteries, which I could never remember, so I'd just say the prayers. I had a multitude of rosary beads, but I have no idea what happened to them. My partner has a few of his own. The last time I was involved in a rosary was a nine night (novena) rosary after my m-i-l's death. I just sat there quietly. Because I don't believe in the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as God, nor as Mary being the mother of God; if I said the prayers I think it would be a mockery.

 

[Gaura Priya]

No, not a quiz. You know everything. All knowledge is inside you.
Sometimes I forget about the internet. As for other faiths, I found this:
Prayer beads - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wow, thanks for the resource! I didn't know that the earliest use of prayer beads came from our very own japa-mala!

As for any innate knowledge, I'm sure all of us have that! It's the extrication of that internal wisdom that I struggle with!

 

[InChrist]

I found my old rosary that I have kept in a dusty box among my things, as well as some of the Christian paraphernalia given to me by my family. Lots of memories!

Do you pray the rosary? When I prayed it in my childhood and youth, I found strength and comfort in its repetitions, and simple beauty in its meditations. Even to this day, one of my favourite recitations is still the Salve Regina.

I still have vivid memories of my grandmother waking up early in the morning every day, lighting a votive in front of Madonna and Child while dawn was still dark, and whispering the prayers that reverberated through her own life.

I was raised Catholic and long age prayed with rosary beads as my mother and grandmother did. I don't have rosary beads any longer and wouldn't use them again. The scriptures say... And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7.

When I speak to a real person or friend I use normal conversation, I wouldn't talk to anyone by repeating words over and over again. The Lord God is my closest friend and I talk to Him as such.

 

[Shiranui117]

I was raised Catholic and long age prayed with rosary beads as my mother and grandmother did. I don't have rosary beads any longer and wouldn't use them again. The scriptures say... And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7.

Though, the Scriptures are quite clear that the "vain repetitions" are done to be seen by men.

Some of the Psalms use repetition and repeat the same phrases A LOT, for example. But no one has a problem with them...

When I speak to a real person or friend I use normal conversation, I wouldn't talk to anyone by repeating words over and over again. The Lord God is my closest friend and I talk to Him as such.

It's funny; when asking for a ride to church every weekend (which I do so by email) I get all stressed out because, as I look through my email history, I'm basically just saying the same stuff over and over again. But then again, there are only so many ways to say one thing, right? So I kinda just accept the fact that I will be having to say the same thing in the same situation.

 

[Gaura Priya]

I was raised Catholic and long age prayed with rosary beads as my mother and grandmother did. I don't have rosary beads any longer and wouldn't use them again. The scriptures say... And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7.

When I speak to a real person or friend I use normal conversation, I wouldn't talk to anyone by repeating words over and over again. The Lord God is my closest friend and I talk to Him as such.

I am wondering if other Christians would be contentious to utilise something like the Anglican prayer beads, and use Bible verses instead to help meditate and memorise Christian Scriptures?

I don't think it's a vain repetition if rote prayers are said with intention, love, and goodwill. It's like saying "I love You!" again and again! But that's what I think anyways.

 

[Jainarayan]

I was raised Catholic and long age prayed with rosary beads as my mother and grandmother did. I don't have rosary beads any longer and wouldn't use them again. The scriptures say... And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7.

When I speak to a real person or friend I use normal conversation, I wouldn't talk to anyone by repeating words over and over again. The Lord God is my closest friend and I talk to Him as such.

It was the Blessed Virgin herself that gave the rosary to St. Dominic, and told St. Bernadette to pray it. Do you know the Litany of the Faithful? Isn't that "vain repetitions"? It's used in every Mass.

 

[Jainarayan]

I don't think it's a vain repetition if rote prayers are said with intention, love, and goodwill. It's like saying "I love You!" again and again! But that's what I think anyways.

^ This.

They are meditative tools. Consider the so-called Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ Don of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" that is supposed to be said so often, with every breath and heartbeat that it becomes ajapa japa.

 

[Random]

My nanny left me her Marian Cross and Rosary Beads. She was an Old Latin Rite ultra-traditional Catholic, God bless her. I'm not so dedicated ritually, but I use them for the purposes of meditation and when I visit a Church I say the rosary. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the only part of exoteric, mainstream Catholicism I like, really.

 

[InChrist]

Though, the Scriptures are quite clear that the "vain repetitions" are done to be seen by men.

Some of the Psalms use repetition and repeat the same phrases A LOT, for example. But no one has a problem with them...
It's funny; when asking for a ride to church every weekend (which I do so by email) I get all stressed out because, as I look through my email history, I'm basically just saying the same stuff over and over again. But then again, there are only so many ways to say one thing, right? So I kinda just accept the fact that I will be having to say the same thing in the same situation.

I believe the Psalms, as all scripture was inspired by God, written by David, Solomon, and others revealing God's majesty and power and their praise and thanksgiving to the God they knew in a personal way. There is nothing wrong with the repetition of scripture, since it serves the purpose of reminding us of the truths about God, As humans we are very forgetful and as you said there are only so many ways to say things.

On the other hand, the repetitious, rote prayers of the rosary are said as a way to feel spiritual or religious or appease and gain favor with God or maybe even manipulate God. I remember being told by the priest after confession to go say ten Hail Marys and seven Our Fathers and that would take care of my sins. Besides, any physical object which is used as a means to make contact with God is forbidden by scripture because this is divination. Repeating prayers, phrases or words over and over again like a chant which may place one in a meditative or altered state is paganism and not acceptable prayer or communication with the Living God according to the Bible.

 

[Darkness]

I sometimes pray the Rosary, though my mainline daily prayers tend to be from the Liturgy of the Hours.

 

[Shiranui117]

I believe the Psalms, as all scripture was inspired by God, written by David, Solomon, and others revealing God's majesty and power and their praise and thanksgiving to the God they knew in a personal way. There is nothing wrong with the repetition of scripture, since it serves the purpose of reminding us of the truths about God, As humans we are very forgetful and as you said there are only so many ways to say things.

Glad we agree on this point.

On the other hand, the repetitious, rote prayers of the rosary are said as a way to feel spiritual or religious or appease and gain favor with God or maybe even manipulate God.

How do you know this? What makes you think that you know the minds and hearts of those who pray the Rosary?

I remember being told by the priest after confession to go say ten Hail Marys and seven Our Fathers and that would take care of my sins.

That's more a problem with the legalist emphasis in Western Christianity in general.

Besides, any physical object which is used as a means to make contact with God is forbidden by scripture because this is divination.

The Rosary isn't a "means to make contact with God." It's a tool to keep track of where you're at; I could just as easily and just as legitly pray the Rosary on my fingers if I felt like it.

Repeating prayers, phrases or words over and over again like a chant

It's not "like a chant;" it's earnest, heartfelt prayer.

which may place one in a meditative or altered state is paganism and not acceptable prayer or communication with the Living God according to the Bible.

What makes you think that it is either pagan or unacceptable to God?

 

[Gaura Priya]

On the other hand, the repetitious, rote prayers of the rosary are said as a way to feel spiritual or religious or appease and gain favor with God or maybe even manipulate God. I remember being told by the priest after confession to go say ten Hail Marys and seven Our Fathers and that would take care of my sins. Besides, any physical object which is used as a means to make contact with God is forbidden by scripture because this is divination. Repeating prayers, phrases or words over and over again like a chant which may place one in a meditative or altered state is paganism and not acceptable prayer or communication with the Living God according to the Bible.

Greetings!

"Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed."

-- Pope Paul VI

The rosary is an aid and a tool for reflection and contemplation on Christ in his life (Joyful Mysteries), his ministry (Luminous Mysteries), his passion (Sorrowful Mysteries) and resurrection (Glorious Mysteries). While people *may* use it to get things, the purpose of the Rosary is to contemplate and deepen one's relationship with Christ and the Biblical narrative.

Mind you, I am no longer Catholic, and I have my own separate reasons for being so.

The promise of the Rosary is right in the final prayer:

"...Grant, we beseech You, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord."

The rosary aids in the reciter to gaze the face of Christ himself. I certainly wouldn't think that in my Catholic past, all the rosaries I recited were in vain. I truly can say that through the prayers of the rosary I experienced peace and a greater willingness to know the Gospel's inner meanings better.

Pope John Paul II said in his Rosarium Virginis Mariae, "The Rosary is by its nature a prayer for peace, since it consists in the contemplation of Christ, the Prince of Peace, the one who is 'our peace' (Eph 2:14). Anyone who assimilates the mystery of Christ – and this is clearly the goal of the Rosary – learns the secret of peace and makes it his life's project. Moreover, by virtue of its meditative character, with the tranquil succession of Hail Marys, the Rosary has a peaceful effect on those who pray it, disposing them to receive and experience in their innermost depths, and to spread around them, that true peace which is the special gift of the Risen Lord (cf. Jn 14:27; 20.21)."

Contemplation in any given faith is being stunned with fervour and delight with the presence of God. Vain repetition is only done when it is for the sake of pride and to be a show-bottle disciple; however, unceasing prayer recited to glorify and be in remembrance of God is Biblical: "And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, 'Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.' " (Revelation 4:8).

I have no idea. I am Hindu both in religion and practice. However, even I know that for many who chose to willingly pray the Christian rosary prayers, they are definitely not saying it in vain!

God bless!

 

[Gaura Priya]

I sometimes pray the Rosary, though my mainline daily prayers tend to be from the Liturgy of the Hours.

Liturgy of the Hours? Like the Divine Office? I could never get the hang of all that! It was so difficult for me to grasp back then, since no one really knew how to do it, or had the time to do so! :flirt:

 

[Jainarayan]

I believe the Psalms, as all scripture was inspired by God, written by David, Solomon, and others revealing God's majesty and power and their praise and thanksgiving to the God they knew in a personal way. There is nothing wrong with the repetition of scripture, since it serves the purpose of reminding us of the truths about God, As humans we are very forgetful and as you said there are only so many ways to say things.

I just picked up two small books, one each of Psalms and Proverbs. I daresay all of the writings therein apply to God, whatever you call him. I also bought a small resin (made to look like marble) stele with Ps. 23. Tell me that could not be speaking of Vishnu or Shiva, or Allah?

Repeating prayers, phrases or words over and over again like a chant which may place one in a meditative or altered state is paganism and not acceptable prayer or communication with the Living God according to the Bible.

That's fundamentalist and elitist nonsense, with which the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches disagree. Why is meditating on God a bad thing? What makes it pagan? Yoga? Oh please! Pagan comes from the Latin word meaning "countrymen" (Italian "paisano"), that's all. Where does the bible say meditating on God is paganism? St. Paul? He was the worst example and representative of Christianity. Didn't the greatest saints and even specially chose people have other-worldy visions? St. Bernadette, Lúcia Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, and a thousand others because they thought of God.