Experiencing the Rosary

Inspired by her mother's devotion to praying a daily Rosary, Belinda Terro Mooney adopted the practice with her own family.

I have sweet memories of the Rosary from an early age. I grew up watching my mother pray the Rosary every night as she went to bed. I myself did not have a devotion to the Rosary as I grew up, but I was very inspired by watching her faithfulness.  

Some years later, I began to homeschool my children. We became consecrated to Jesus through Mary after our 33 days of preparation in the way of Saint Louis De Montfort. It was then that I followed my mom’s great example and began to pray the Rosary daily and by the grace of God have been faithful to this for the last 28 years.  

Making a connection with the Mysteries 

Praying my daily Rosary has really been a rock for me and a tremendous help in my meditation time. I love to meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary and see how things connect between all the five decades of the day’s Rosary. God has given me insights into things when I put myself in the scene; I can see the people and the situation involved. Praying a Scriptural Rosary is like praying Lectio Divina with the Scriptures.  

Meditating on the Luminous Mysteries 

I was very excited when Saint John Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, and have used this to put short scriptural pictures in my mind. For instance, in the first Luminous mystery, the Baptism of the Jordan, I hear in my mind, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” I  meditate on that through the ten Hail Marys while picturing the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending upon Him.  

In the next decade, I meditate on “Do whatever He tells you,” which is the last part of what Mother Mary said in her interaction with the servants at Cana. When I put these two decades together in my mind, I hear, “This is my beloved Son in whom I well pleased, listen to Him. (Hear Him). Do whatever He tells you.”  

Then in the third Luminous Mystery, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, I see the disciples — and now us — going out and proclaiming to people who have not heard the Good News. This is what we've heard Him tell us to do, and now we are doing what He has told us. That will lead us to the mountaintop experience of Tabor in the next decade and back to the Eucharist for the strength to listen, hear, and do, whatever He tells us.  

I've had much reflection in these 28 years and many aha moments as I piece together the life of Jesus while honoring His mother. It has become so important to me that no matter what is happening or how late it is, I will pray my Rosary every day. I am faithful to it because I know there are so many graces, and I want to please Jesus and honor our Mother Mary. 

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Copyright 2024 Belinda Terro Mooney
Images: Canva