What the Rosary means to me … 12

Thinking back, I can remember saying the rosary with my family as a young boy. The attempt of my mother to get us all to settle down, concentrate and pray was heroic if not always successful. Yet the love for Our Lady and the rosary had its seeds in those early memories. The rosary, like the Eucharist, has been a constant strength in my spiritual life since I was young. Through it I have prayed at the times of my greatest need and for the needs of others. Often when I could not find the words to pray, the familiar and comforting lines of the rosary were my rock. For me the constant repetition of Hail Mary’s draws me into a relaxed state of meditation on the various mysteries of Christ’s life and ministry. It is also a way of greeting and expressing words of love an affection for a mother who has always guided me closer to her Son. I love the fact that it is such a scriptural prayer and yet so easy for all people to use and pray. Often I find it difficult to settle down and begin to say the rosary. But I can honestly say that afterwards I have always been grateful that I did. And so in whatever place you may be in life or faith, whether in family or single life, I think the rosary is a powerful help in drawing closer to the love of God through the hands of his loving Mother.