This is an audio file with the prayers, and a song and two meditations for each mystery, along with the scripture reference. It’s 45 minuters long. But, hey, praying for 45 minutes in a row can be fun.

We’ve been screaming in newspapers worldwide that the rosary is not a Catholic prayer. It’s a Christian prayer, and we explain it on our website, www/rosarytapes.com.

cross – 3 little beads – big bead – ten little beads – big bead.

See how it works? You go straight up to the big bead, then back down to the big bead, bouncing back and forth until you do five decades. Then go back to the 3 little and out.

first 3 beads are the three parts of my life. Family, pastor, writer.

big beads are all “Whoever would follow me must take up his cross and….”
Decades are prayers for family, whoever’s face comes to mind, and some lectio divina style slow repeating of various scriptures.

3 beads on the way out are one each for my girls. I end at the cross with prayers for my wife.

I’m rather ADD, so anything that keeps me focused is nice.

Right on!!! It would be the job of poets, I think. (ha ha!, but also quite serious about that.)

I think a good comparison can be made in trying to explain contemplative prayer with trying to explain a kiss. Difficult if not impossible. And another point of common metaphor… the character of a kiss with your loved one changes over time. And that’s to be expected. Sometimes, when you have a caring, deep, long-term relationship, even though you still love them as much as ever, you feel like you’re just going through the motions. The beads help me to do that.. keep going through the motions. And then when you least expect it the “feeling” can get kindled again. However that feeling feels or works for the pray-er, the feelings fade in time, just as all love relationship do. Enough for tonight!

My practice? Well, I bought a Catholic rosary at the local Catholic bookstore, because I was too cheap to buy the more expensive Anglican rosaries I’ve been able to find online. I usually say Jesus prayers on the Hail Mary beads, and do intercessory prayers on the mystery beads, or freely composed prayers of thanksgiving or confession…depends. And I go in streaks using them – they’re especially nice when the tactile feel of having them “move” along and through my fingers encourages a faltering prayer discipline, like when things feel dry.

I made my own rosary years ago — I used plain beads for a while, but then did an Anglican rosary — I used 5 gold and silver “rose” beads, 4 freshwater pearls and then 24 beads; each one different. I used the 12 gems listed in Exodus 28 for the Breastplate of Judgement and the 12 gemstones listed in Revelation 21 for the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. (or approximations of these stones.) This makes 33 stones that represent the 33 years of Christ’s life. I put a rose bead, three gemstones, a pearl, three gemstones, a rose bead, three gemstones, a pearl and so forth. There is a rose bead at the beginning and the end. The gold and silver remind me of the song, “Lord, you are more precious than silver… more costly than gold” among other things. The pearls remind me of the “pearl of great price” in the discourse about the kingdom in Matthew (13?).

Since I have a tool that allows me to place a knot between each bead, I made a large “bracelet” out of the beads. I hung three things between the beginning and ending rose beads — a Roman Coin from around the time of Constantine, a crucifix and a Dove (Holy Spirit) medal.

I think I’ll post a picture….