The Intentional Rosary

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. In fact, October is the month of the Rosary. Rather than reflect on the Scriptures today, I want to share with you my story about the rosary.

You see, I was never a big rosary guy. It just wasn’t a devotion I felt drawn to. I would pray the rosary daily sometimes for Lent, but it was always more of a chore than a joy. Then I discovered what I call the Intentional Rosary. For each Hail, Mary that I pray with the mysteries (50 in all), I offer up a specific intention.

When I first started this, I thought, “I can’t think of 50 intentions! This will never work!” Boy, was I wrong. Every time I do this, I run out of beads before I run out of prayers. I want to encourage you to try it. Here are some hints for you. First, pray for each member of your family – parents (even if deceased), siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, even cousins. Then, pray for your friends, co-workers, people you serve in ministry with, even casual acquaintances. Then pray for the clergy – your priest, bishop, deacons, sisters and brothers and, of course, the Holy Father. If you still have beads, go back and recall friends from your past, even if you haven’t seen them in years. At this point, you’ll run out of beads. If needed, write down your intentions before you start praying your Intentional Rosary. As you practice this devotion, you’ll find that the Holy Spirit will call to mind people to pray for. Enjoy!

Father, we thank you for the gift of the rosary. May this beautiful prayer draw us ever closer to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s Readings