It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.
St. John Chrysostom
There are two statues that flank the altar at my parish church of St. Ann in Charlotte, North Carolina. On the right is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, under which the following words are inscribed: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine. On the left is a statue of the Immaculate Conception, under which it says: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
When I settle into a pew at church I am instantly consoled by these holy messages. Jesus, make my heart more like yours; Mary, pray for me on the way. How perfectly these words pertain to the Rosary, as well!
It is true that when we unite the Mysteries of the Rosary with the mysteries of our own life, we will be changed. It might not be obvious at first or come with fireworks, but there will be a change.
For so many years I misunderstood the Rosary. It was simply one prayer out of many and, sadly, it wasn’t a favorite of mine. I thought of the mysteries—the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, and so on—as static events from Scripture rather than understanding their dynamic nature. When I first learned how to pray the Rosary, the woman I prayed with offered up certain mysteries for certain intentions, such as the poor souls in purgatory, etc. While I believed this added a beautiful “touch” to the Rosary, the intentions would also sometimes seem rote or “objective.”
The Rosary is an encounter with Christ
Now I see that the Rosary, like Scripture, isn’t meant to simply call to mind the events in the life of Christ but for me to “encounter” them in my own life. When we make the Rosary a habit, we can’t help but conform ourselves to Jesus Christ and to grow in grace and virtue. It can also be a beautiful bouquet of intentions to offer Our Blessed Mother. When I think of it this way, it helps me draw near to Mary and Jesus as I pray.
For me, this is the true consolation of the Rosary.
In life, I often disappoint myself. I seek affirmation in human praise. I speak too soon; I fill silence with unnecessary words. I am not as thoughtful and attentive to others as I should be. I lack humility. To be honest, even many of the prayers I say—including those I say for others—often begin and end with me.
But the Rosary is different. When I meditate on the mysteries, my thoughts turn to Christ. Perhaps this is one reason why I have struggled at times to pray the Rosary—it isn’t about me! But isn’t that its greatest feature?
The Rosary begins and ends with Christ, which is why praying it can lead to holiness. It has the power to combat my faults and transform my weaknesses. I love to think of the Blessed Mother inviting me to come alongside her as I pray, to ponder the Mysteries of the Rosary with her while I beg for her intercession.
The fragrance of the Holy Rosary in our lives
In the Good Catholic series Full of Grace, Fr. John Eckert says that “when we pray the Rosary, we weave a crown of roses as a gift for our Queen.” My family knows I love flowers. They are some of my favorite gifts. Each Valentine’s Day (which also happens to be my birthday) my husband brings me a dozen roses. Even though he does this consistently, for some reason they always surprise me. Usually, when they first arrive, the blooms are completely closed. Even when placed in a vase on the counter they remain closed for a few days. Yet the petals eventually begin to open and the sweet smell of roses fills the air.
The Rosary is like that bouquet of flowers. Even if we don’t see the fruits of prayer at first, they are there. Over time they reveal themselves; sometimes in hidden ways and other times in more obvious ways. But their fragrance eventually fills the air.
Like those statues of Jesus and Mary at my parish, the Rosary consoles me. Over the years I have discovered the Rosary as an inexhaustible source of grace and strength—not a static prayer to recite. It places within my heart a desire to be more like Christ. In the simple yet profound words of St. John Paul II: “It is not just a question of learning what He taught but of ‘learning Him.’”
I still offer up the mysteries for those in purgatory, for those I love, and for certain other intentions—but praying the Rosary changed for me when I began to think of it as a way to “learn Christ.”
A priest once told me that when we desire to grow in virtue, it is Christ Who has placed that desire within us. Mary desires this for us, too—which is why she points us to this powerful prayer: “I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day” (Fatima, October 13th, 1917).
The Rosary and the virtues
There is a long-standing tradition of pairing the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary with certain virtues. The virtues are part of the special “fragrance” of the Rosary. Not only do we ourselves encounter Christ when we pray the Rosary, we can also pass that “fragrance” on to others by the virtues they help develop within us. The following prayer helps us to remember the virtues we can attain when we ask for them.
Let us pray:
In the mystery of the Annunciation, O Mary, help us to attain your humility.
In the mystery of the Visitation, O Mary, help us to grow in charity.
In the mystery of the Nativity of Our Lord, give us your same spirit of poverty.
In the mystery of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, let us imitate your obedience.
In the mystery of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, give us the desire to know Christ and seek Him always.
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
You can use this prayer for all the mysteries of the Rosary. The following is the full list of suggested virtues to pair with each mystery:
The Joyful Mysteries are traditionally recited on Mondays and Saturdays (and can also be recited on Sundays from Advent to Lent)
- The Annunciation (Lk 1:28) – Love of Humility
- The Visitation (Lk 1:42) – Love of Neighbor
- The Nativity of Our Lord (Lk 2:7) – Spirit of Poverty
- The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Lk 2:28) – Virtue of Obedience
- The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:46) – Virtue of Piety
The Luminous Mysteries (for Thursdays)
- The Baptism of Jesus (Mt 3:13) – Openness to the Holy Spirit
- The Miracle at Cana (Jn 2:1) – To Jesus through Mary
- The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (throughout the Gospels) – Repentance and Trust in God
- The Transfiguration (Mt 17:1) – Spiritual Courage
- The Institution of the Eucharist (Mt 26:26) – Eucharistic Adoration
The Sorrowful Mysteries are for Tuesdays and Fridays (and are often prayed on Sundays, or even every day, during Lent)
- The Agony in the Garden (Mk 14:35) – True Contrition
- The Scourging at the Pillar (Mk 15:15) – Virtue of Purity
- The Crowning with Thorns (Mk 15:17) – Moral Courage
- The Carrying of the Cross (Jn 19:17) – Virtue of Patience
- The Crucifixion (Lk 13:33) – Final Perseverance
Glorious Mysteries for Wednesdays and Sundays (if you’re going by the liturgical calendar for Sunday as explained above for the Joyful/Sorrowful Mysteries, you can pray the Glorious on Sundays from Easter to Advent)
- The Resurrection (Mk 16:6) – Virtue of Faith
- The Ascension (Mk 16:19) – Virtue of Hope
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) – Love of God
- The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Devotion to Our Lady
- The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Eternal Happiness
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Let us entrust ourselves in a special way to the maternal care of Our Blessed Mother and ask her to help us grow in the virtues that please her and her Son.
Discover more about the Holy Rosary in the Good Catholic series, Full of Grace!
