Engineer with Crown of Roses

  What Rosary? Why Rosary? How Rosary?

These are normal questions to any engineer across the world, what is it, why is it and how is it then? Lets see this phenomenon through which in October we offer a prayer for seeking intercession from our beloved Mother Mary.

The word Rosary means 

"Crown of Roses" and each prayer in the rosary is considered a flower presented to Mary. It is a humble, a practical and a powerful means of contemplation, and a great source of blessing for those who pray and for the whole world.

  It is called the “Breviary of the common people” and the “Psalms of the illiterate.” The prayers we repeat are biblical and hence “inspired” and the mysteries we meditate upon are taken from the lives of Jesus and Mary.  As we are saying the Rosary, we are, in fact, in contact with two of the most basic prayers in our Christian tradition: the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father) and the Angelic Salutation (the Hail Mary).  The first is fully rooted in the Scriptures, taught by Jesus Himself. The second is largely rooted in the Scriptures, its first half echoing the words of the Archangel Gabriel and of Elizabeth as each addressed Mary.  The third prayer — the “Glory be to the Father” — ancient in its wording — surely reflects the unceasing prayer of adoration and praise found in the Book of Revelation.

  The rosary is "a compendium of the life of Jesus and Mary and a summary of the liturgical year." The various events in the lives of Jesus and Mary which we meditate during the rosary are expressions of the one basic and foundational mystery of the Christian faith: the Paschal Mystery, that is, the death and resurrection of Jesus which Mary shared. 

Hence by praying the Rosary, we come to live out the Paschal Mystery in our lives, thereby being authentic disciples of Jesus, people who really follow in His footsteps, dying with Him so as to rise with Him.  Hence we as modern-day Catholic Christians need to pray the Rosary and live the Rosary.

 For Pope Pius VII the rosary is “an antidote against the evils of the day.”  “It is the sure means of God’s blessings to families” (Pius XII).  “Recite rosary devoutly, you will have peace in your families” (Pius X).  Pope John Paul II describes the rosary as “looking into the mysteries of Christ’s life through the eyes of Mary.” The famous proponent of the rosary, Fr. Peyton, challenges us: “set apart ten minutes for rosary at home, you will make your home a heaven of peace.” 

Yes. The Rosary brings Peace, Happiness, Contentment and all the Spiritual Blessings. It is a powerful weapon against the snares of the devil. It is a protection ensuring garland and a grace flowing fountain. We could receive anything through Mary by reciting the Rosary meaningfully. Rosary is a powerful gift of God the Father to the humankind to fight against the devil. It is powerful, graceful and divine as God the Father Himself was pleased with Mary and greeted her ‘Hail Mary’. It is the true Word of God, which is powerful, active and sharp. When we are faithful to our Mother, she will never abandon us. 

How to pray the Rosary? 

 

The ideal is to recite the rosary by the whole family daily, at least five decades and if possible, the entire fifteen.  We need to say the Rosary slowly enough to make its recitation devout and reverent.  Reflect for a minute or two on the mystery and then concentrate on the meaning of the prayers as we say them to avoid distractions. Besides saying the rosary with others in the family before bed time, let us make it a habit of reciting the rosary during our journey to the work place and during our exercises.  If we do so, we shall experience for ourselves the truth of these words: "meditating on the mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise."  Amen.

 Welcome today dear ENGINEERS and lets pray together the holy Rosary at St. Joseph University in Tanzania every Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday at 16:00 HRS.

 Fr. Ashok Cruz, MMI- SJUIT