Three Ways the Rosary Teaches You About Jesus

The rosary is arguably the most popular prayer in the Catholic tradition. Generations of saints have been devoted to it and recommended it for everyone. And with good reason: it teaches you all about Jesus! Read on to learn how three components built right into the rosary will help you grow in knowledge (and love) of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. The Our Father

The Our Father prayer is totally unique, because it’s a prayer that Jesus Himself taught us to say. Therefore, when you pray the Our Father you not only pray to God the Father but also become especially connected to Jesus, the Son of God. Whenever you pray the rosary, you say the Our Father a total of six times. Each Our Father is a sign of your discipleship with Jesus and prepares you to get to know Him better as you meditate on the mysteries of the rosary.

2. The mysteries

For each decade of the rosary, you reflect on a particular event in the life of Jesus. Each of these events is called a “mystery.” That doesn’t mean it’s a secret you can’t figure out; rather, it means there is ALWAYS something to think about! You can reflect on these events in the life of Jesus over and over, and always learn something new.

Praying the rosary is like looking through a photo album with your family. You look back on events that connect you together, and reflect on their meaning and significance. When you pray the rosary, you reflect on the life of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, together with Mary. Just as your life as a Christian is inseparably linked to Jesus, so too is Mary’s life inseparably linked to Jesus. Praying the rosary is like sitting with Mary as Jesus’ life unfolds before you in prayer.

3. The Hail Mary

The name of Jesus is at the very heart of the Hail Mary prayer. And no wonder! Praying with Mary is the surest way to get to know Jesus better.

Nobody spent more time with Jesus during His life than Mary — not even the apostles. That means no human person was better at contemplating the life of Christ than Mary. This makes her a great role model of contemplation, a teacher who can help us pray. If the disciples on the road to Emmaus felt their hearts burning after a few hours with Jesus, imagine what Mary’s heart was like after spending 30 years with Jesus! There’s nothing she loves better than helping you get to know Him. What better way to do that than to repeat the Hail Mary as you pray the rosary and reflect on the life of Christ?

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Now that you know how praying the rosary will help you get to know Jesus better, here is a special prayer you can say to conclude your rosary:

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life: grant, we beseech you, that, while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.