I have been praying my Rosary, whilst out walking in the countryside, early in the mornings in July - I am trying to get fitter spiritually and physically and have had a few deep moments of contemplation that I would like to share that I feel might be helpful. 1. There are many beautiful houses even some mansions on the road that I walk, stunning places and I was thinking of the effort, money, sweat and tears people put into material possessions when I received an interior grace of God's close presence, a tiny moment of heaven let's say - in that instance of joy I felt that I would not swap that moment of prayer for all the houses, possessions, treasures in the world that I am rich because Jesus told us 'Do not store up treasures on earth but store up 'treasures in heaven'. In that brief moment I was given the grace to see that Jesus meant this - He is our treasure and our joy and we will be rewarded for seeking first the kingdom of God. 2. One morning whilst walking in a narrow lane praying the rosary I had an interior illumination again that the prayers of the rosary are incredibly powerful battlefield weapons, and I sensed the Lord saying 'the rosary has much greater power than you could ever imagine'. In other words do not underestimate the impact of your rosary - it is a mighty sword in the spiritual battlefield that hurts and disorients the enemies of Christ. 3. Another morning whilst praying the first sorrowful mystery, I said to the Lord let me keep you company during your agony, let me stay close to you, let me put my arms around you and give you consolation in the garden so I imagined myself in the Garden and I saw Jesus kneeling on the ground at a rock hands in head but I could not get near him because he was being comforted by so many great saints - the one closest to him was Padre Pio who had his arms around him - I actually laughed out loud at myself for asking to be so close to Christ in the garden but realised that so many others love him so much more than I do and that I am well down the pecking order - our Lord has a great sense of humour and I still laugh at that little insight.
Being happy and at peace with ourselves is such a huge blessing People try a million materialistic ways to get there but they all fail. This is why I am trying to constantly think of God and the things of God, they bring such joy
Beautiful insights! I too walk and pray the rosary down my lovely country road. Mine is actually my inlaws mile long driveway so is woods and meadows along the way so don't see houses. Just clouds and critters and trees. In the last week I've seen a coyote puppy about 5 months old and a Fisher/Martin! I always think "My Lord owns all of this! All of the world!" so I never feel afraid. But I too always want to comfort the Lord in the sorrowful or walk with Mary to see Elizabeth. I can almost feel Mary's joy and wonder and how the miles fly beneath her feet! Usually I'm hanging out with her and Mary Magdalene at the crucifixion or during the other scenes of the rosary. I figure if the Lord and Mary didn't mind Mary Magdalene around, great a sinner as she had been, then they won't mind me either....
On Wednesday on a farm I saw a very young fox with a bird in its mouth being chased into the wheat by the farm cat . It's like an adventure movie all around us But we have to have eyes and take rime to see Orayer us great for this, making us see, to sit up and take notice. To the sounds roo. The sing of life
You are right about the pecking order of the love of the Saints! Lately I feel like I am so unworthy I want to run away from the Lord it seems. Not that I am actively sinning....goodness knows since my conversion over 20 years ago I think I am probably well progressed in my salvation, but the farther I get the less worthy I feel it seems. Anyway while I was praying before Mass the other day I asked Jesus to help me in my struggles in this, and He said very distinctly in my soul " Be more holy in your person as My Mother is always with you" I cannot believe that this is true though! I mean I know I always talk to Mary and pray the rosary and such, but I know what Jesus meant about being more holy in my person. I am retired and getting very slovenly in my person on days I don't see anyone or go to Mass or the store. Because of my daily chores outside I tend to wear clothes more than one day and well, you probably understand what I mean. The old Saturday morning gross.... But I have hope that what He said was true! What if Mary truly IS my companion? I must step it up not only on my outer person but in my thoughts too.
Yes that feeling of wonder that I had as a child is definitely part of my daily life with the Lord, and makes life so amazing!
It seems to me the closer we get to the Lord the microscope focuses more directly on the little imperfections within ourselves and forces us to see ourselves mirrored in the reflective light of His perfect holiness.
These insights are wonderful Bobby. So helpful. Especially inspiring to stick with the Rosary. So often as I pray it it seems so dry. I must try early morning prayer times walking and meditating.
I think the key is to meditate on the mysteries and use the imagination to picture the scenes - I also suggest reading and learning the scriptures that go with each mystery. There are days when the prayers are dry - we are like passers by rather than spectators at the crucifixion. I set myself a goal of getting two complete rosaries said every day and have made this a priority in my spiritual life - I can say a decade doing the dishes, cutting the lawn or driving the car - I try to use this 'spare time' as well as I can. And of course getting up early for a walk can eat into the Rosary I often do one complete one on my walk using a wee rosary ring on my finger to ease the burden of counting the Hail Mary's.
A snippet from my wee book for you to contemplate - Prayer is an intensely personal affair. The dialogue of intimacy between the soul and God goes beyond human words and description. Ultimately prayer is to commune with love, which know no bounds. Prayer is a mystery, a secret garden – ‘when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret’ (Matt 6v6). There is much to ponder as Christ ‘often withdrew to the wilderness to pray’ (Luke 5v16). For many solitude is an enemy but Christ reveals that this is where we truly encounter God. In this dichotomy we realise that prayer is a struggle because we confront the reality of who we are. It is in the dry desert of our hearts that we are confronted by our own imperfections and encounter the holiness of God, who is the fulfilment of all desire. According to the Book of Genesis, the patriarch Jacob was given the name Israel because he wrestled with God and his hip was dislocated. This is an analogy for prayer. Likewise, through prayer we see the dislocation in our own spiritual lives. We see the chasm between our sinfulness and the holiness of God, for ‘who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire’ (Zechariah 13). In prayer we are always refined and tested by the cleansing fire of Divine Love. Prayer is not an easy path, for in prayer we confront the echo chamber of our own thoughts. We learn to quieten the storm in our lives, ‘Be still and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46v10). It is in the inner silence of the heart where dialogue between the soul and God begins.
Part of the disgrace brought about by the protestant reform lies in the fact that many denominations eliminated the calendar of the celebration of saints and failed to see a point of reference for us to bend our hearts in humility before so many examples of faith and courage greater than ours.
