rosary (Photo credit: rebeccaflores)
I am about to take a slightly different direction on this blog. So far I have introduced myself to many of you, and some of you now know more about my personal life than most of my family and past friends do. That of course is okay and will continue–I still plan to post some items on politics or religious “hot-buttons” such as SSA (same-sex attraction) and abortion, as well as the Church in general, especially as those topics relate to the Church and our response as Christians, particularly as Roman Catholic Christians, to issues as they face us and we them.
HOWEVER–I am at heart a student of theology primarily. I studied for 6 years formally (4 of those from a Protestant perspective and 2 as a Roman Catholic), as well as informal studies throughout the years, and served 12 years in formal ministry. While the other topics are and will remain deeply important to me, and as stated will continue to be part of the blog, I wish to expand the focus here beyond “issues” and rather to encourage, first in myself and then in others too, a deeper devotion and love for God. That alone is what will change us ultimately. The other changes, who becomes President or who is “right” about marriage issues, and even progress in abortion laws being reformed and the like, are primarily cosmetic as long as hearts are not changed. So if you see more theology and less politics do not be surprised here.
As Catholic Christians, we often are reminded that Mary, the Mother of Jesus our Lord, as well as the Church Universal, is “Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.” But above and beyond that Queenship is another who is the King of Kings and Lord of lords. His name is Jesus, and he is the Messiah, or the Christ. He is also the 2nd person in the Trinity of the Godhead, and therefore worth and deserving of all the adoration we can give to the eternal God. He is not merely a part of God–He is the one true God in His completeness and totality, co-equal with both the Father and the Holy Spirit. Yet He is unique from them in that he was born of a woman (Mary) and lived fully as a human. And He thus became through his Sacrifice on the Cross our Savior in the most direct fashion possible.
Basic stuff, right? What is less basic is how the Rosary fits into all of this. Many non-Catholic Christians think it is “just a bunch of prayers to Mary.” Well, guess what? Many Catholic Christians think that as well. And I used to believe that too for many years in fact, and even after my return to the Church for a time.
That began to change when I learned (and am certainly still a student in this) to at least begin to meditate on the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary, which take us through the entire life and ministry, passion, death and resurrection of the Christ. It was then that this amazing prayer at last became far more than drudgery to me.
So–in this series I plan to write on the various individual mysteries of the Rosary and apply each of them to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in relationship to Mary and the Church of course, but emphasizing His part in each and every prayer–for in reality He is the center of each one. And it is my prayer that each of these simple meditations will help us all to appreciate Him more, and to, as our Blessed Mother Mary told the servants at Cana, “do whatever He tells you.”
Image via Wikipedia
SO STAY TUNED…
Related articles
- Blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb…Two Rosary Meditations (catholicboyrichard.wordpress.com)
- Mysteries of the Holy Rosary (rudyelijah.wordpress.com)
- Mary’s Son, the Eucharist, and Me (catholicboyrichard.wordpress.com)
- How to Pray the Rosary (trusthismercy.wordpress.com)
