Meditating on mysteries

We usually end our recitation of the Holy Rosary, after the Litany, if there is, with the following prayer: “O God, whose only Begotten Son, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech You, that, “meditating on the mysteries of the most holy rosary of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, we may “imitate” what they contained and obtain what they promised through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.”

Two important words need to be taken seriously are Meditating and Imitate. Doing them sincerely and well will hopefully obtain for us the promises contained in the mysteries popularly described as Joyful, Light, Sorrowful, Glorious. These promises are gifts or blessings resulting from our efforts at imitating or following the exemplary life and virtues of Our Lord and His Mother, all of which assure us of eternal rewards in heaven

So the key words are imitation which is effected by serious meditation. The vocal repetitions of many Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glory Bes are, according to Fr. Edward Schillebeeckx, OP, like a musical background that keeps us focused on Jesus and Mary. But why meditate?

As a mental process it helps us to know and understand the meaning of the mysteries – or episodes and events – experienced by Jesus and Mary as narrated in the Holy Bible and recorded in authentic Church Traditions. And faith in what it means to follow and imitate Jesus and Mary freely and closely is essential in the process of change and transformation of attitude, outlook and behavior.