The rosary is a powerful weapon. Praying the rosary can defeat evil, obtain miracles, bring peace, calm fears -
and put grown men to sleep instantly.
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Who hasn't experienced these powerful effects of the rosary. Usually by the third or forth decade, my husband is snoring peacefully - head bob and all.
Besides that, though, praying the rosary will bring you peace. You may not feel it right away, but it is there and you will notice that maybe you are more peaceful when the next stressful situation comes along. If you can't sleep at night because you are anxious, grab your rosary and begin to pray and you'll probably be asleep before you finish.
If you like more of a challenge, pray the rosary with small children; or any children for that matter. Praying the rosary with small children is like herding cats and will take a lot of time off of your stay in Purgatory!
I will say that praying with big kids isn't that much better. They might not move around as much, but they can still be just as annoying to their siblings and parents!
No matter how you pray it - by yourself, in a group, sitting, standing, lying down, walking around, in the car, while you're sick, healthy, out loud, silently, with your dog, for yourself or for others - the important part is to pray it every day.
Every day, you might be thinking? Yes, every day. The Blessed Mother asked at Fatima that we pray the rosary every day, and with Lent coming, now is the time to make your battle plan and include this weapon in your Lenten arsenal.
Ways to pray the rosary
There are so many ways to pray that make it easier for you to join in. If you tend to get distracted and lose your place, go to Spotify or itunes and look up "The Rosary is a Place" by my friend Simonetta. It's a beautiful way to pray along with her and Fr. Benedict Groeschel.
If you're on Instagram, check out Many Hail Marys at a Time . Kristin prays the rosary live every morning at 6:45 am CST and you can sign up for Lent to receive encouraging emails and help if you've never prayed daily before.
When the Blessed Mother asks us to do something, we should probably pay attention to her. She thought that this was so important, that she attached 15 promises for those that pray. You can also find instructions on how to pray the rosary at that same site.
Lent and the rosary
Take some time right now to make your Lenten battle plan and figure out how you're going to incorporate this prayer into your daily life. Will it be in the morning with others online? How about in the afternoon during nap time? Maybe as a family before bedtime? Don't discount praying in the car, it's a great way to have everyone's undivided attention. Just make sure the driver doesn't meditate too heavily!
It doesn't matter when, it doesn't matter how, the important thing is that you enter into the sacred mysteries and pray along daily with your brothers and sisters in Christ.