Among the numerous modern methods of meditation, the Rosary remains an effective tool to achieve inner peace and union with God.
The classic prayer has been popular among Catholics for centuries and when used properly, can lead to a profound experience of meditation.
First of all, the Rosary is centered on a rotating meditation on particular mysteries in the life of Christ. These meditations begin in his infancy, and go all the way through his Passion, death and resurrection.
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As Fr. John Procter writes in his early 20th-century book, The Rosary Guide for Priests and People, “In our meditations on the Rosary mysteries, these are the lessons we learn, these are the truths that are brought home vividly to our minds, these the acts of faith, and consequently of confidence and love, which are evoked from the Christian soul.”
The Rosary immerses the Christian soul into the life of Christ, as they go from bead to bead meditating on episodes from the Bible.
Secondly, the act of using a string of beads during prayer has been proven to be a powerful form of meditation. It can help focus a person’s attention on the prayer itself and naturally lead to a state of meditative prayer. Using prayer beads is widely accepted by various religions and spiritualities, both Christian and non-Christian alike.
Proctor explains that the Rosary is a perfect introduction to meditation, fanning the flames of God’s love in a person’s soul.
Let no one say, “I cannot meditate.” As well might he say, “I cannot think and I cannot love”; for meditation is simply thinking and loving. First comes the thought, and from the thought the fire. Meditation enlightens the mind, and the spark from the enlightened mind sets the heart on fire. It was so in St. Dominic’s days; as St. Pius V., a son of St. Dominic, expresses it : “Christian people inflamed by these meditations and prayers became changed into other men, the darkness of heresy disappeared, and the light of the Catholic faith was revealed” (Consueverunt, Sept. 17th, 1569). So may it be in our day and in our land, if only we meditate and pray. We can all meditate; we all do meditate every day and almost all the day. Only we do not concentrate our thoughts; we let them “go astray after divers things”; and when we do concentrate our thoughts, our eyes are not lifted up to God.
If you are looking to deepen your spiritual life, try the Rosary!
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