- What in this portion of the Pope’s letter on the Rosary did you find most helpful? Why?
- How do the JOYFUL mysteries of Christ’s life, which you prayed in this lesson, relate to your own life experiences? What changed when you connected these parts of Christ’s life to yours?
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June 6th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
For some reason I have always resisted saying the Rosary. Mostly, because I did find it boring. Until now it was just a repetition of prayers without any meaning. This has changed after completing the reading for Lesson 1. Reading John Paul II’s advice regarding how to say the Rosary, has really made a difference to me. I have now learned to announce each mystery and focus my thoughts on the mystery as I pray the Hail Mary’s. I also found his advice on Listening and Meditation very helpful. I realize now that the Rosary is not to be said in a hurry, and also appreciate the advice regarding your mind wandering. Just thinking that the Holy Spirit is with me in my wanderings gives me great comfort. I now find peace in saying the Rosary.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Question 2
The Joyful mystery that I felt related to my own life experience is the Annunciation. Recently I viewed the movie “The Nativity” and it brought Mary to life as a normal, young, frightened girl but yet with courage to trust in God and say “Yes”. When I was 45 years old I found that I was pregnant. I had other children in their 20’s. I also was very frightened, but also said “Yes”. I faced judgement and criticism from many because of my age. I now have a beautiful 21 year old daughter and she has been a joy since birth.
September 9th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Not only Joyful Misteries have changed my life but all. I do not know to expalin how I am being protected by Mother Mary through Her intercession.
When I am more devoted to Rosary you should see hoe people respect me. And the spiritual bliss I esperience.
A big Circle of Protection covers me all through. It gives me an oppertunity to turn away from lustful feelings and worldly pleasures.
God Bless you all through the intercession of Mother Mary
September 9th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I would like to suggest to all of you that you intensify your praying of the Rosary, privately and in community, to obtain from the Lord those graces that the Church and humanity especially need. I invite everyone to do this: children, adults, young and old, families, parishes and religious communities.” ~ Pope John Paul II in his message for the 77th World Mission Day (12 January 2003, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord).
It is very true to my life. It is through the Rosary that i have come accross almost all rough and tough situations. even my family back in my home land are safe, I believe, it is through the intercession of Mother Mary.
November 8th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I was touched as I read the words of JPII and his personal experiences with the Rosary, and his exhortations for everyone to pray the Rosary. Edgar’s responses also touched me. I am a recent convert, and Mary for me has been much like our instructor’s. I have learned about her, but haven’t experienced her in my own life. I too have asked Jesus to help me with this, and asked Mary to reveal herself to me if she want’s a relationship with me. I would love to have the assurance that she is ever guiding me to her Son! The part of JPII’s words that helped me most was to look at the Rosary as a means of contemplative prayer. It is a meditation on the life of Christ.
November 8th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
As for the Joyful Mysteries, I have a son ( my only child) like Mary, and that whole experience of expecting, giving birth, raising him, was life changing - of course. I lost two pregnacies before that of my son, and I almost lost him too. God granted my prayer for a healthy child, and I gave him back to
God. He is almost 22 years old now, but I felt I could relate to Mary on that level - of motherhood.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Praying the Rosary has always been difficult for me for many years, I have a Fundamentalist background previous to coming to Rome. I was always taught to pray only to God, or Jesus. Praying to anyone else was Blasphamy. With the Holy Father’s document on the rosary, It helped me to dive into the Tradition and Holy Scripture behind the rosary like never before. I no longer have a problem praying to the Mother of God, or to the Saints because of it.
Second Question:The Part of the Holy Father’s words that helped me was looking at the Rosary as a means of contemplation, meditating on the life of Christ, the Sacraments, and the holy church.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
1. The most helpful part in lesson 1 is when I learned that the Rosary can be prayed in four levels or degrees. I used to pray the Rosary vocally because everybody else did it and with boredom and repetitive prayers without meaning. This has thus changed and I’m now a step ahead. As I read the Pope’s letter and the Instuctor’s comments, I compared the Rosary prayers with the steps in Lectio Divina where we have:- a prayerful reading (Lectio), Meditation (meditatio), Prayer (oratio) and contemplation (contemplatio) with an end action (atio/missio). This enlightens and proves why the Rosary should not be recited during MASS for the Mass is a banquet with its own intentions different from the Rosary’s intention.
2.Joyful Mysteries teach me to obey and do the will of God just like Mary accepted the message og God from angel Gabriel. I have learned the from Mary the virtue of humility from the Announciation, I can imitate her virtue of charity from her visitation. From the Nativity I have learned not to be eager to pocess earthly riches to a point of forgetting God. Obedient to the Laws is learned form the presantation of the child Jesus in the Temple and lastly form the finding of Jesus, I learn to avoid loosing Jesus on account of my sins.