The rosary probably began as a practice by the laity to imitate the monastic
Divine Office (Breviary or Liturgy of the Hours), during the course of
which the monks daily prayed the 150 Psalms. The laity, many of whom could not read, substituted 50,
or even 150, Ave Marias (Hail Marys) for the Psalms. This
prayer, at least the first half of it so directly biblically, seems to
date from as early as the 2nd century, as ancient graffiti at
Christian sites has suggested. Sometimes a cord with knots on it was used to keep an accurate
count of the Aves. The first clear historical reference to the rosary, however, is from the life of St. Dominic (died in 1221), the founder of the Order of Preachers or Dominicans. He preached a form of the rosary in France at the time that the Albigensian heresy was devastating the Faith there. Tradition has it that the Blessed Mother herself asked for the practice as an antidote for heresy and sin.
One of Dominic's future disciples, Alain de Roche, began to establish Rosary Confraternities to promote the praying of the rosary. The form of the rosary we have today is believed to date from his time. Over the centuries the saints and popes have highly recommended the rosary, the greatest prayer in the Church after the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours. Not surprisingly, it's most active promoters have been Dominicans.
Rosary means a crown of roses, a spiritual bouquet given to the Blessed Mother. It is sometimes called the Dominican Rosary, to distinguish it from other rosary-like prayers (e.g. the Franciscan Rosary of the Seven Joys or Franciscan Crown, the Servite Rosary of the Seven Sorrows). It is also, in a general sense, a form of chaplet or corona (crown), of which there are many varieties in the Church. Finally, in English it has been called "Our Lady's Psalter" or "the beads." This last derives from an Old English word for prayers (bede) and to request (biddan or bid).
The rosary has been called the
preparation for contemplation and the
prayer of saints. While the hands and lips are occupied with the prayers
(it can and should be prayed silently when necessary so as not to
disturb others), the mind meditates on the mysteries of the Incarnation
and Redemption represented by the decades. Meditation is the form of
prayer by which the one who prays uses the mind and imagination to
consider a truth and uses the will to love it and form resolutions to live
it. In this way the heart, mind, and soul of the Christian is formed according
to the Gospel examples of the Savior and His First Disciple, His Mother.
In God's own time, when this purification of the heart, mind, and soul has advanced
sufficiently the Lord may give the grace of
contemplative prayer, that special divine insight into the truth which
human effort cannot achieve on its own.
The rosary was a prayer to be said of heartfelt appreciation and meditation on all that Christ had endured. A recent book authored by Sr. Lucia undeniably identifies the doctrine of Mary Co-redemptrix as being at the very heart of the Fatima message. In her 1998 work, Calls from the Message of Fatima, she provides an inspired theological and mystical witness to Mary Co-redemptrix and the supernatural effects of the Mother's providential role for humanity. In her treatment on devotion to Mary's Immaculate Heart, Sr. Lucia acknowledges the unity of the Heart of Mary Co-redemptrix with the Heart of Christ from the Annunciation to Calvary:
ReplyDelete"God began the work of our redemption in the Heart of Mary, given that it was through her "fiat" that the redemption began to come about: "And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word..." (Lk. 1:38). "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14). Thus, in the closest union possible between two human beings, Christ began, with Mary, the work of our salvation. The Christ's heart-beats are those of the heart of Mary, the prayer of Christ is the prayer of Mary, the joys of Christ are the joys of Mary; it was from Mary that Christ received the Body and Blood that are to be poured out and offered for the salvation of the world. Hence, Mary, made one with Christ, is the Co-redemptrix of the human race. With Christ in her womb, with Jesus Christ in her arms, with Christ at Nazareth and in his public life; with Christ she climbed the hill of Calvary, she suffered and agonized with Him, receiving into her Immaculate Heart the last sufferings of Christ, his last words, his last agony and the last drops of his Blood, in order to offer them to the Father..."
As I read this I finally understood the significance of praying the Rosary and asking Mary the mother of God to be an intercessor for us. We have much more reason to ask Mary to pray for us, because her prayer will be much more pleasing to the Lord in view of her dignity as Mother of God and her closer union with Christ, true God and true Man, by reason of her mission of Co-redemptrix with Christ as well as of her great sanctity.
Thanks for the comment.
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