15 Reasons to Pray the Rosary Today (and Everyday)
“Think of the Rosary as being like the ocean: There’s something in it for everyone, whether you consider yourself a veteran mystic longing to go deeper in prayer with our Lord, a novice struggling to learn how to pray, or someone seeking the Lord’s help, right now, with something going on in your life. The deep-sea explorer and the child making sand castles on the beach can fully enjoy the same ocean while playing at different levels. And this is true of the Rosary.”
–Edward Sri, “Why Pray the Rosary?”
When my oldest, now fifteen (yikes) was an infant and toddler he wasn’t exactly my mother-in-law’s biggest fan. Now, let be clear—she had done nothing wrong to warrant his tears or reluctance to be held or hugged by her. For reasons of his own, and ones we will never know, he just wasn’t into her.
My husband, the peacemaker, tried his best to encourage our son to show any sign of affection. “It’s her birthday, give Grandma a birthday hug.” Sometimes he did, mostly he did not.
But then one Christmas day, as the entire extended family sat around the tree exchanging gifts, my son, then about three, got up from his pile of toys, walked to where Grandma sat watching her (then) seventeen grandchildren open gifts—and he gave her a hug. One of my nieces was able to capture the moment in a picture that my mother-in-law cherishes to this day.
Because this simple hug, this one little show of affection, was the first one he’d given without being asked, cajoled, or prompted. This one little hug amidst the dozens of holiday hugs exchanged that day had been the most meaningful because it had not been a required act, but it had been given freely.
It is with the same joy and love that Grandma hugged her grandson, that the Blessed Mother receives our prayers when we say the rosary. It is because she knows it is done not out of requirement, but out of love and devotion. And it’s because of this, that our good and Blessed Mother revealed to St. Dominic fifteen promises that have been handed down through tradition to those who pray her rosary, as a sign of her returned love and devotion to us.
1. Those who faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces. (Signal graces are little signs from God that you are heading in the right direction.)
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. The recitation of the Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish. It will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God. It will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh,
that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
6. Those who recite my Rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. In His justice, God will not chastise them; nor shall they perish by an unprovided death, i.e., be unprepared for
heaven. Sinners shall convert. The just shall persevere in grace and become
worthy of eternal life.
7. Those who have a true devotion to the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who faithfully recite the Rosary shall have, during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plenitude of His graces. At the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
11. By the recitation of the Rosary you shall obtain all that you ask of me.
12. Those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of their death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my beloved children and the brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion for my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
Do we need any more reasons than these to start including the rosary into our daily life? Our
Mother promises us love, protection, guidance, help against sin, and as the Hail, Mary says, her prayers for us now and at our death.
I know there are some of you still looking at this with that squinty-eyed skepticism. And that’s okay. Remember, our Mother will wait for you, because when you do come to her, she will know it’s from your heart, and that will make it so much sweeter.
