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Difficulty with the rosary

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Difficulty with the rosary
Evangelium Offline
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#1
03-06-2021, 03:13 PM (This post was last modified: 03-06-2021, 03:22 PM by Evangelium.)
I experience a strong resistance to praying the rosary.  It takes a pure act of the will to sit down and pray it in the evening.  With God's grace, I manage to pray it every evening.  Does anyone else deal with this?

I have read that St. Therese of Lisieux had an aversion to the rosary.  So I am not in bad company.

I realize that the rosary is not obligatory, but I want to comply with Our Lady's requests and I want the graces that come from praying the rosary.

St. Therese and Bl. Bartolo Longo, pray for us.
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J Michael Offline
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#2
03-06-2021, 03:35 PM
(03-06-2021, 03:13 PM)Evangelium Wrote: I experience a strong resistance to praying the rosary.  It takes a pure act of the will to sit down and pray it in the evening.  With God's grace, I manage to pray it every evening.  Does anyone else deal with this?

I have read that St. Therese of Lisieux had an aversion to the rosary.  So I am not in bad company.

I realize that the rosary is not obligatory, but I want to comply with Our Lady's requests and I want the graces that come from praying the rosary.

St. Therese and Bl. Bartolo Longo, pray for us.
Yes...I've always struggled with the Rosary.  So...I don't even attempt to pray it.  For lack of a better way of saying it, that particular method of prayer doesn't speak to me, if that makes any sense.  But then, I am a Byzantine Catholic, and praying the Rosary isn't really a part of our tradition as I was taught it.  On the other hand, the Jesus Prayer is, and I pray it every evening and on and off throughout the day.
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jack89 Offline
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#3
03-06-2021, 03:51 PM
Sometimes it seem like a chore to me, but I still pray it every day. I personally like to pray the rosary while walking, either on a local trail or just around the neighborhood.

I have a problem with my mind wandering while praying and find that the walking helps. Still, the prayers are so automatic that I can pray a Hail Mary or Our Father while thinking about what I need to get at the grocery store. I often have to pull myself out of the daydreaming to better focus on the Mysteries.

Every once in a while I really get into it and I think it helps reinforce my faith. The discipline of praying it every day and the repetition of prayers also play a part.
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Zedta Offline
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#4
03-06-2021, 03:58 PM
Had to break my 'fast' to jump in on this thread.

I too had much difficulty with saying the Rosary at home, but have found a great alternative that has been most successful. I pray the Rosary while driving.

I live in a rural area, so my trips are about one rosary long. I find I can get in The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows and the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries and even a Divine Mercy Chaplet as I drive. My radio is so unused, that the volume knob was slipping badly when I fired it up once, on a very long trip, due to sitting unused for so long. It does, also, make for a very serine and I think, more safe trip as well.

Just a suggestion.

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ChairmanJoeAintMyPresident Offline
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#5
03-06-2021, 04:34 PM
The harder it is, the more meritorious it is (all else being equal). Keep at it.
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TruthWhichIsChrist Offline

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#6
03-06-2021, 04:46 PM
An idea I have heard is that when we don't want to pray, that's when it's especially beneficial, because then it's more of a gift from us to God.
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MacPasquale Offline

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#7
03-06-2021, 05:00 PM
I find that praying the Rosary while walking or driving helps.  

When time permits doing some spiritual reading beforehand seems to consistently keep the meditations focused.
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MacPasquale Offline

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#8
03-06-2021, 05:13 PM
Oh! Also, have you ever tried praying the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary?  While the Rosary is wonderful for meditating on the Mysteries of the Faith, perhaps it's not the Marian devotion best suited for you.
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Evangelium Offline
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#9
03-06-2021, 05:38 PM
Yes, I have the Baronius Press edition of the Little Office.  I have prayed it in the past but not recently.  As I said, I want the graces that come from praying the rosary, so I do not see the Little Office as a viable substitute.
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CatholicMamato5 Offline
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#10
03-06-2021, 05:51 PM
I go in and out of seasons with the rosary.  I have seen first hand the fruits it bears in my life, but I go through periods of it being very difficult for me.  There are many times I force it because I don't want to.... but I offer that up as well.  Years ago when my husband was traveling and I was living In survival mode and being very short tempered with my children, my then 13 year old asked me "Mom, have you prayed your rosary today?  You are really cranky."  It made me take a step back.  Then we all prayed together and it did bring some peace.

Prayers said for your difficulties.
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