Praying the Rosary in October

 

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PRAYING THE ROSARY IN OCTOBER.

 

Yesterday I joined an online Rosary for the commencement of the 5^th Plenary Council in Australia and for the end to the pandemic.  They prayed in one hour the whole rosary- 20 decades, that is Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious.

I have to say that as I was praying the Rosary for these intentions that I realised that I had not prayed the whole Rosary in the one session for a long time. It was indeed an hour well spent.

 

October is the month of the Rosary since the Feast of the Holy Rosary falls on 7^th October.  It is a month to honour Mary. 

Notice I use the honour.  Many people mistakenly think that Catholics worship Mary. No, we worship God and God alone but  we honour Mary since although she was without sin from her conception, she was a member of the human race.

 

I have to say from the outset that although I was brought up saying the Rosary, I did not say it regularly myself alone but of course said joined in reciting it before or after Mass over the years. However, during the pandemic and the extended lockdown that Melbourne has had, I started reciting the Rosary most days.

As I had not recited it on my own, I chose to start with a decade a day for a week, then 2 the following week and so on.   What I found though is that once I got into the habit of stopping what I was doing and setting aside some time daily, that it became easier to get into the rhythm of it.

Many people dislike the repetitiveness of the Rosary.  It is in the repetitiveness of the vocal prayers that there is the opportunity to meditate upon the mystery being recited.  I found that having a short scripture quote for each of the mysteries was very helpful not only at the beginning of each mystery but also for times when my mind started to wander.  I would stop and read aloud the scripture quote again to help me refocus.

 

When we pray, it is of course our intention that is vital.  We may feel tired or stressed or have physical ailments that nag us.  However, if our intention is to meditate on the life of Christ through the lens of Mary, then whatever shortcomings may beset us, we may be sure that God will be pleased with our effort.

 

What difference can you make during October by saying the Rosary?

1f you have not said a decade of the Rosary or a set of mysteries or the whole Rosary for ages, then start small and warm into it at your pace.

Perhaps 10 Hail Mary’s may seem too much especially if you have the view that the Rosary is too repetitive.  Then start with 2 Hail Mary’s the first day for 2 days, then 4 for the next 2 days and so on.  Obviously change it up to suit your needs.  The advantage of 2 could be that you say 2 Hail Mary’s in the morning and 2 in the evening.

This could be a way of introducing it and praying the Rosary with your family. Dont hit them with the 20 Decades first day.!!!  However there may be a time that you organise with your family for these 2 Hail Marys.  You could also ask your family to name the intention for these 2 Hail Mary’s. You could start this process with them during October and then continue on throughout the year, gradually increasing it as is appropriate or keeping it at the 2 Hail Marys.

My experience of appreciating the Rosary more is being consistent in reciting it and using the Scripture to remind me and to help me focus when my mind wanders.  It happens when I am tired or stressed. I have been known to fall asleep half way through the decade.  Obviously, this is less likely to happen when the Rosary is being recited with other people. Still, I take comfort in the thought that God knows I am trying and that Heaven is praying with me too.  When I wake up, I am refreshed and I continue on where I left off.

 

So this is one way you could start your own tradition and/or the tradition of your family during October and beyond. Choose your pace, your needs and what you can consistently manage for yourself and/or your family and start today.

Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians

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Today is the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.   Mary is the patroness of Australia under this title. If you would like to know the origin of this feast of Our Lady Help of Christians click here.

The Collect  for the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians reads as follows:

Lord, 

You place deep in our hearts the love of Mary, Help of Christians,

through her prayers,

grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens.

Under her protection, may Australia be granted harmony, justice and peace. 

SUGGESTED ACTION.

1. may all Australians pray for our country.

2.  Say this prayer each day/week for this coming year. Then through our prayers of intercession, our country may indeed be granted wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens.
Let us start praying for our country today on our feast day.

3.Use this prayer to pray for your own country since Mary is indeed help of all Christians.

4. Say one decade of the Rosary for your country. 

Praying Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

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Do you ever feel dry in prayer, stopped praying, would like to explore a different way to pray?

Throughout this series I would like to present some different ways to pray.  Many of them you will have heard of before, some of them you have already tried but might like to revisit and others may provide a different way into prayer.

 

In today’s post, I bring to you for your consideration the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

A litany is a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the priest/leader with alternate responses by the congregation (e.g., the Litany of the Saints).  It is most often used as communal prayer in the church but it can also be used for personal use in the family or individually.

The word comes through Latin litania from Ancient Greek λιτανεία, which in turn comes from λιτή, meaning "supplication".

The Litanies are independent acts of worship. They are important acts of homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or as processional elements, or form part of a celebration of the Word of God or of other acts of worship.

Litanies usually have a structure.  The first and fourth stanzas contain six lines, the second: seven, and the third: five. These lines are written in free verse, meaning they are unrhymed and do not conform to a specific metrical pattern.

The litany has been in existence for many years, as it has been mentioned in writings as early as the fifth century.  The litany only gained popularity from then onward, as a council later on in 529 remarked on the beautiful custom of repeating the Kyrie, and encouraged Catholics to practice the devotion not only in the Mass but also while praying the Divine Office.  As years went on and Catholicism spread and developed, more and more forms of the litany came into existence, and many appeared that we now recognize and pray today, like the Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, the Litany of the Immaculate Conception and the Litany of St. Joseph.   

Praying the litany thus becomes a beautiful way in which we can unite ourselves closer to God and His Church, and allow the Catholic faith to more fully permeate our lives.

 

LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary ,pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Saviour, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honour, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the Covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles, pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors, pray for us.
Queen of virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy Servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enjoy eternal happiness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587

SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN FOR THIS WEEK.

1. Pray the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary each day during this week.
2. Select a title of Mary from the Litany that you do not understand or would like to know more.  Do some research on that title from a reputable catholic website.
3. Select a title for the morning/ afternoon and evening and on the hour pray that title to Mary.
4. Gather the family together and recite the Litany of Blessed Virgin Mary during May.
5. Have a family discussion regarding some of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary used in the Litany.

 

May is the month of Mary.

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MAY IS THE MONTH OF MARY.

 

In the Catholic Church the month of May is Mary’s month. It’s the month we honour Blessed Mary as the Mother of Jesus and our Heavenly Mother.  It was  a common practice in Catholic Schools to take part in the “May crowning” in the beginning of May–where a wreath of flowers was placed on the head of the statue of Mary as prayers were said. This ritual was a way of demonstrating our love for Mary.

 Although historians are unclear as to why May was chosen to honour Mary, many believe that May being the month when spring is in full bloom has a lot to do with it. May is the height of spring–gardens everywhere are alive with blooming flowers and trees are filling their branches with leaves. This new beginning and new birth in nature reminds us of the life Mary gave to Jesus. Without Mary giving birth to Jesus, all the events that followed: Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection wouldn’t have happened. So, it’s believed that May (when nature is showing signs of life) is the ideal month to honour the woman who gave life to our Saviour.

This reason of course is suitable for the northern hemisphere and although it is good to remember and honour Mary with this connection in mind, it does not suit the Southern Hemisphere or does it?   In May, the southern Hemisphere is in the middle of autumn- a time when the leaves of the trees change colour.  It shows a different sign of life for nature. It can still remind us of Mary giving birth to Jesus- a pregnant young woman becoming a mother. Not just any mother but the mother of God and remaining always a virgin.

Another belief as to why May was chosen to honour Mary dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the ancient Greek world, May was dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of fertility and life. Roman culture linked the month of May to Flora, the goddess of bloom and blossoms. The Romans celebrated ludi florales (floral games) as a preparation for entering into the month of May and to celebrate the beginning of spring. (The month of May was the official beginning of spring in the Roman culture). Over time, the ancient tradition of celebrating life and fertility in the May led Christians to adopt May as the month to honour the Mother of Jesus.

The custom of dedicating the month of May to Mary dates back to the 13th century. But it might come as a surprise to know that it wasn’t until the 18th century when this practice became popular. The practice became common among the members of the Jesuit Order in Rome. Because of the far reach of the order’s schools, the devotion took hold, and by the 1700’s it began to spread worldwide.

Purpose of Crowning Mary

Mary mother of God
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It’s a Catholic tradition to honour Mary during the month of May by crowning her statue with flowers. The reason why we crown Mary is best summed up by Pope Paul VI who wrote in 1965 that May is an occasion for a “moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world pay to the Queen of Heaven.” The crown symbol is attributed to Mary because she is the Mother of the Son of God, who is our Heavenly King.

Suggested Ways of Honoring Mary during May.

1.    Say the Rosary each day during May personally and/or in your parish.  If you have not said the Rosary in a while and you feel it is not your type of prayer or you have negative associations with it from the past, then why not commit to one decade each day for the month.  Then you could say 2 decades next month and so on.  In other words, warm yourself up to it. 
I have found this method to be effective myself.  I had not said the Rosary on a consistent basis for some time but I started again last year during the pandemic and started with one decade said slowly and with a scripture quote for that mystery. I added another decade when I felt I was ready and within a short amount of time, I was saying the 5 decades of the Rosary regularly. 
I have found this method to be effective myself.  I had not said the Rosary on a consistent basis for some time but I started again last year during the pandemic and started with one decade said slowly and with a scripture quote for that mystery. I added another decade when I felt I was ready and within a short amount of time, I was saying the 5 decades of the Rosary regularly. 

2.    Honour Mary with a crowning ceremony in the parish:
This is a great way of getting children involved and helping them appreciate Mary as their heavenly mother from an early age.

3.    Honour Mary with some flowers:  We may not be able to crown Mary by a crowning ritual as was held in the past but placing some flowers in front of Our Lady either in our parish church (if your parish allows fresh flowers) and/or at home in front of the statue of Mary.

4.    Honour Mary by attending Mass in May daily/as often as possible.  When attending Mass, you could pray for pregnant women, those women who struggle with their sexuality, those women who had an abortion, and of course for all mothers.

5.    Honour Mary by Singing hymns.   There are many hymns to Mary.  Some of the lyrics of past hymns may seem unusual for our present day but why not research some hymns to Mary and gain an appreciation of some of the church repertoire.

My goal this month is to compose a hymn to Mary. When I have done it, I will include the link for you. I will make a start today.

Honour Mary by getting to know Mary and what the Church teaches:  You may wish to test your knowledge with the  'Mary quiz' and/or take up the study recommended The Bible and the Virgin Mary.

Honour Mary during May in whatever way you can sometime each day.  Mary is our heavenly mother.  We owe part of our salvation to Mary as she said Yes to God to be the mother of Jesus. Jesus whilst He was dying also gave us Mary to be our mother too.  

Praying with Art Part 2

 

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PRAYING WITH ART PART 2

Do you ever feel dry in prayer, stopped praying, would like to explore a different way to pray?

Throughout this series I would like to present some different ways to pray.  Many of them you will have heard of before, some of them you have already tried but might like to revisit and others may provide a different way into prayer.

In a previous part Praying with Art part 1 I introduced you to this type of prayer based on my own experience.   I would recommend that you read this post before reading this post.

In today’s post I would like to share with you further   I was introduced to this type of prayer last year, so I want to say that I am no expert.  I am sharing my own experience from this type of prayer from the course.  It is definitely worth exploring as another tool in the prayer tool box.

FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH PRAYING WITH ART.

Process:

1.    Relaxing of body, mind and spirit.  A guided relaxation of body, mind and spirit is important as it invites us to prepare for communion with God.  It helps let go of stress and tension and sets a relaxed slowing down of body mind and spirit. We can do this ourselves and/or use a guided relaxation already recorded of approximately 5-10 minutes.  This relaxation process should be in proportion to the time allocated.  For example, if you have set aside 15 minutes then a 10-minute relaxation exercise is too long, whereas a 5 minute one would be better.    If however you set aside 30 minutes for Praying with Art, then a 10 minute relaxation exercise as preparation would be great balance. In the end, it depends solely on you and your needs.

2.    Praying with Art using guided reflection questions.

Questions that you may wish to consider include:

1. Where does your eye first focus when you look at the picture? Then where does it travel to take in the whole painting?
2. How many colours do you see? Is there a particular colour which attracts your attention?
3.  Would you consider this a bright or a dark picture? • Are there any figures in the picture? Are you drawn to one in particular?
4.  Is there movement in the painting, or is it static?
5. Imagine yourself in the picture – become different figures or parts of it and see where you feel most comfortable.
6. You may want to compose a story around it – what has happened? What is happening? What do you imagine may happen? • Give the picture a different title or a ‘feeling’ name (such as ‘joy’, ‘anger’, ‘peace’, ‘hurt’)
7.  Does a piece of Scripture or a poem come to mind?
8. Stay with the painting and speak to the Lord about how it affects you and its significance for your life.
9. Feel free to allow the Holy Spirit to communicate other reflection questions and allow yourself to go where the Holy Spirit take you.  It is your time with God and the art is a medium in which to pray.

 

 

SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN FOR THIS WEEK.

 

1.      Choose an image/photo or art work either religious and secular.  Some people who use this process of praying using Art,  use the same image for a few days/week whilst others prefer to use a different image each time.  It is a personal choice.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you on the choice of religious or secular painting and whether you use it for a length of time on an ongoing basis or change.. 
2. .  . Take 5-10 minutes to relax your body and release stress from body/mind and spirit to prepare for your time with Jesus.
3.     Then spend time with the image and allow Jesus to speak to you through it.   

 

From my own experience, it is worth exploring this type of prayer as another means of praying.  If you are not used to this type of prayer or being quiet in His presence, many distractions can enter our mind even when some of them are valid and important. If you are able to let them pass in your mind without giving them due attention, then these distractions become less.  I find if I thank the distraction and let it know the matter will be attended to at a certain time, it goes away quickly.  It may sound strange but it works for me.

Another ideal way of dealing with distractions during prayer is to have a pen/paper handy coming into your praying with art time.  Should distractions/reminders arise in your mind, make a short note and bring yourself back to the art and more importantly to communing with Jesus. I like to thank the Holy Spirit for this reminder and by doing this, it becomes part of the prayer time too. 

The key to Praying with Art is to remember to pray and being in God’s presence for the time allocated.  The art is there as a medium to commune with God.  It is not meant to be a analysis of the art work itself as an art student or art critic may employ. Obviously, we will notice colour, texture, movement, subject but these are a means to allowing our thoughts to connect with God and what these thoughts mean for us in that time of Prayer. Praying with Art is entering into God's presence and allowing God to speak to us on a very personal level.

 

 

Praying with Art Part 1

 

PRAYER SERIES.

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Holy Spirit: Prayer series Icon.

 

PRAYING WITH ART 

Do you ever feel dry in prayer, stopped praying, would like to explore a different way to pray?

Throughout this series I would like to present some different ways to pray.  Many of them you will have heard of before, some of them you have already tried but might like to revisit and others may provide a different way into prayer.

 In today’s post I would like to share with you a type of prayer which you may not have considered before, that is praying with art.   I was introduced to this type of prayer last year, so I want to say that I am no expert.  I am sharing my own experience from this type of prayer from the course.  It is definitely worth exploring as another tool in the prayer tool box.

WHAT IS PRAYING WITH ART?

Religious art has long been an inspiration for prayer. The Catechism says that ‘Christian iconography expresses in images the same gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.’1 Images can be an aid to prayer, the image adding another dimension to the words of Scripture we may be pondering. For example, lectio divina – that slow, meditative pondering of the Word of God – can use images to invite us into the Scripture in what can be referred to as ‘visio divina’, or ‘godly seeing’. Gazing at the image can help to immerse ourselves in the words we are pondering. Icons can be particularly helpful here. Henri Nouwen described them as ‘created for the sole purpose of offering access, through the gate of the visible, to the mystery of the invisible. Icons are painted to lead us into the inner room of prayer and bring us close to the heart of God.’

 

So, for example, this icon of Christ the Vine  can aid our pondering on those beautiful verses in John 15: 1 Catechism of the Catholic Church (1983) n.1160 The beauty of…. images moves me to contemplation, as a meadow delights the eyes and subtly infuses the soul with the glory of God – St John Damascene Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. I am the vine, you are the branches. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. I call you friends. You did not choose me, no, I chose you. John: 15: 4,5,9,15,16

Similarly, in imaginative contemplation, sacred art can add another dimension to our understanding of a gospel story and enrich our capacity to be present to the scene. In Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus.

Can  we might imagine ourselves as one of these two disciples at this moment of recognition – as they leap up from the table, the bowl of fruit at the front falls off the table (and into our space) and the risen Jesus vanishes from their sight. Or we could be an onlooker, perhaps pondering with the inn-keeper (not mentioned in Luke’s account) as he watches the scene unfold: what might he be thinking and feeling?

Or take this well-known image in St Paul’s Cathedral, Holman Hunt’s Light of theWorld.  Can we imagine ourselves hearing Jesus standing at the door of our heart knocking – ‘If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him’ (Rev 3:20). You may notice there is no door handle on the outside – it is up to us whether we open or not. Jesus is gentle and never forces anything. Maybe that speaks to us? Do either of these images add anything to your understanding of and encounter with Jesus in prayer?

 

SECULAR ART

Secular art, too, can be a source of inspiration for prayer. All art can speak to our deepest feelings, calling forth our own creative response to the creativity of the artist. Just as we can be moved by a beautiful sunset, or seeing the smile of a child, or hearing a wonderful musical symphony, often without knowing why, so a painting or sculpture can move us beyond words to some deep feeling, some movement of the heart towards God – a feeling of ‘I know not what’ as CS Lewis put it or, in another of his phrases, being ‘surprised by joy.’

Or, as St Ignatius would say, allowing us to experience ‘inner feeling and relish.’ We do not need to like or admire the art. We can simply notice our ‘inner feelings’. Even responses of unease or discomfort are telling us something – and we can bring this movement to God in prayer. This capacity to be moved is perhaps one reason Jesus used parables – because a parable or a poem, like a piece of music or work of art, can move us beyond the immediate meaning of the spoken word. They engage our feelings, our emotions, our imaginations and touch our hearts as well as our heads.

 

Just as we can use our imagination to enter a gospel scene in prayer, so we can use our imagination when standing before a painting – we can place ourselves somewhere in the scene, feel the fresh air, hear the people talk, taste the food we see on the table, walk through the landscape, and so on. If it is a scene of people, we might want to imagine being there with them or as one of them, engaging in dialogue, or play, or work, whatever it is. We can share the scene with God. God can speak to us through anything and everything, through our own feelings, desires and responses.

FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH PRAYING WITH ART.

In the course on types of prayer I attended last year that each session began with a short time of relaxing body and mind and spirit.  The participants were doing the course online in the evening so the focus was on relieving the stress from the body built up over the day. The leader took us through a guided relaxation allowing us to feel where the stress in the body was and then not dwelling on it but gently letting it go. 
I was attending the course from the opposite hemisphere so I was on an early zoom call.  However, at that time for the 4-6 weeks, I was particularly stressed with what was going on in my life.  I found this guided relaxation vital part of the process.
It is a very important part of praying as it invites to prepare body,mind and spirit for communion with God. 

We were invited to bring our own photo/paining to reflect upon. It did not have to be religious but could be secular.  However I chose this image as I was using it for my upcoming Christmas CD. 

Then we were invited to pray with the art that we had chosen.  There were some guided reflection questions too which we will discuss next week.

 

From my time with this session and subsequent occasions praying with this same image during Advent season,  I came to appreciate on a different level the mystery of the Incarnation.  I believe that through this process, Jesus gave me insights which I probably would not have received in another prayer form.  I have experienced similar insights when I have prayed with art subsequently.  

This prayer form is not necessarily for every body and may not be something I would use every day. Yet, from my experience I would not discount it either. It is worth exploring in my view especially if your prayer life is becoming dull or stifled.  It is becoming a more valuable tool in my prayer box. The key as I see it is to  spend that time relaxing the body first and then spending time with Jesus as you allow the mind to travel where it wants to go and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts. 

SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN  FOR THIS WEEK.

 1. Choose an image/photo or art work either religious and secular.

2. Spend 10 minutes or so to relax your body and release stress from body/mind and spirit to prepare for your time with Jesus.

3. Spend time with the image and allow Jesus to speak to you through it.

4. Make a note of the questions that arose for you from your prayer time.

5. Finish your prayer time with gratitude thanking God for your time together and for whatever insights you gained about you, your life and your relationship with God.

Next Week: Reflection Questions for Praying with Art.