October and The Rosary

In October, the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, Catholics say this Marian prayer as a method of contemplation. The repetition of the prayers plays an important role, but the most important part of the practice is the use of the prayers as a means to the end of focusing one’s mind on the holy figures (e.g. Mary and Jesus) being considered. 

This idea of contemplative prayer calls to mind Simone Weil’s notion of attention; while there is no space to discuss her idea at any great length here, her book Waiting for God, which has a crucial essay detailing her concept of attention, is highly recommended.

The focus or attention to which the Rosary functions as a means can open one’s mind and heart to spiritual insights of a revelatory nature. Consider, as an example, the mysteries one reads in the saying of the Rosary; although the actual mysteries being discussed are considered by (at least most) Catholics to have been historical events, there is a degree of spiritual importance and meaning which is not understood merely through a reading of the biblical passage. 

For instance, although one can read the Annunciation or Visitation as a significant event that occurred and nothing more, contemplation and attention bring an insight into Mary’s readiness to serve others and think lastly of herself, her submission to the Will of God, her courage in the face of tremendous uncertainty, and much more; and they can also lead the person engaging in contemplation to strive to emulate the virtue on display. 

The repetition of prayer is a laborious and often humdrum act, but its function is to create a period of time in which one’s attention can be focused, and contemplation can have time to fully develop and fructify. This meditative attitude also enables one to listen; if one considers the human not only as an active intellect engaging in thought, but as a passive intellect receiving truth from the divine, then it is reasonable to suppose that contemplation of the divine might give one greater openness to its reception, or perhaps allow one better to recognize it.

The structure of the repetition in the Rosary is also essential to the prayer’s fulfillment of its function. The frequency of the Hail Mary performs a threefold purpose: the Hail Mary is quite easy to memorize; it is one of the most direct and clear statements of the Catholic affection for the Mother of God; and it creates a rhythm which enhances the meditative nature of the activity of saying the prayer. The Our Father, as the prayer taught by Christ, is probably the most effective guide of contemplation; and the Glory Be is short and simple while directing one’s attention explicitly toward the Trinity.

The physicality of the Rosary as a prayer also plays an important role in its effectiveness and frequent use as a form of devotion by Catholics. 

Holding rosary beads in one’s hand not only enables one to keep better track of what is admittedly a long prayer, while freeing a fraction of one’s attention to turn towards the object(s) of contemplation instead of counting prayers. Even grasping them while not actively praying can serve as a reminder of the presence of the Catholic faith in one’s life. Thus it serves to direct one’s thoughts in a more virtuous direction when one finds oneself distracted by the vicissitudes of daily living.

Thus, the Rosary is an extremely important prayer for Catholics who find themselves seeking an opportunity to directly contemplate holiness and the divine, especially during this upcoming month dedicated to it.