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Enter the Mystery: Pope John Paul II's Practical Insights for Greater Devotion

  • EDWARD P. SRI

In Rosarium Virginis Mariae, the Holy Father offers several practical suggestions to help us enter more profoundly into the mysteries so that the Rosary can serve as an even greater source of guidance for our daily lives. Let's consider a few of those insights.


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From secular news reports on CNN to jubilant announcements on Catholic websites, much of the immediate reaction to Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter on the Rosary centered on the new Mysteries of Light he recommended for our reflection.

Little, however, was said about the rest of the document, which is just as fascinating. In Rosarium Virginis Mariae (RVM), Pope John Paul II shares his heart with the world and offers a powerful, personal reflection on the importance of the Rosary in his own life. He reminds us that simply reciting the Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes of the Rosary is not an end in itself but a means to a deeper purpose: the contemplation of Christ's life.

Yet for many devotees of the Rosary, meditating on the mysteries can be quite challenging. Despite our best intentions, our minds somehow end up on other random thoughts: problems at work, things people said to us throughout the day, the movie we saw last night. At the end of the Rosary we may feel as if we just rattled off a bunch of prayers while our hearts remained far from the mysteries of Christ.

This is Meaghen Gonzalez, Editor of CERC. I hope you appreciated this piece. We curate these articles especially for believers like you.

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The Author

srilprsriwijEdward Sri a professor of theology and Vice President of Mission and Outreach at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. Sri is also a founding leader with Curtis Martin of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). He resides with his wife Elizabeth and their eight children in Littleton, Colorado. Among his books are Into His Likenes Be Transformed as a Disciple of ChristPraying the Rosary Like Never Before: Encounter the Wonder of Heaven and Earth, Who Am I to Judge?: Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love,  Love Unveiled, Rediscovering the Heart of the Disciple: Pope Francis and the Joy of the GospelMen, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights from John Paul II's 'Love and Responsibility', The Bible Compass: A Catholic's Guide to Navigating the Scriptures, A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy, Mystery of the Kingdom, The New Rosary in Scripture: Biblical Insights for Praying the 20 Mysteries, and Queen Mother. Visit Edward Sri's website here.

Copyright © 1968 A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy