Above is the catalogue picture of the Rosary. I chose the light one from www.latinworksco.com. Jeanene Atkinson at www.RealLivePreacher.com has some beautiful pieces, but I’m not ready to commit when I may burn out in a few days. So I found the least expensive item and one that honors my Mexican grandmother and her ancestors.
This morning I tipped my hat to my Baptist DNA and prayed the alternative Rosary-like prayer using
- the Shema in place of the initial three Hail Marys,
- John 3.16-17 KJV in place of the 10 Hail Marys in each decade,
- verses from Romans 8 in place of Hail Holy Queen,
- the Aaronic blessing, and
- a Pauline doxology to close.
I followed the Sorrowful Mysteries as described on the Dominican website. (See Praying the Rosary 2.)
There’s nothing here to offend Protestants or Radical Reform descendants. And it passed by so fast, I couldn’t believe I was done.
The biggest problem was that my paper clips separate, so I twisted them with plyers.
John 3.16-17 KJV is as close to the Hal Mary as you can get, in terms of its emotional punch. And it’s virtually a prayer for the salvation of the world. I know grammatically, it’s not supplication but it doesn’t take much of a leap of faith to get from “that the world through him might be saved” to a plea for everyone’s salvation.
I also like sticking with scripture, although I list the Prayer of St. Francis as an alternative, and retained the Apostle’s Creed. OK classic Baptists say, “No creed but Christ,” but in these days of anything goes, I doubt if a good simple creed hurts anybody—as long as there’s no inquisitor around stabbing us with each jot or tittle.
Why not change elements from time to time? Micah 6.8 is such a powerful text. And I haven’t read the psalms closely for appropriate supplications, of which there must be many.
I’m going to keep saying the Catholic version as well. I’m finding that it’s getting under my skin. I can’t keep from thinking about it. This is beginner’s infatuation, I guess. But I remain convinced there’s no reason why Catholics have to be the only ones saying the Rosary.
Your thoughts are welcome.
Photo by Mary Fran
I have made up my own set of prayers — they are almost always scripture, but the one that is almost always constant is the “Prayer of Humble Access” –
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
My most peaceful and meaningful times of prayers with my rosary have been just the Jesus prayer over and over again. Breathing in and out with the prayer. Thinking of the breath of God.
I pray that you can be blessed from this the way that I have.
Peace!
Thanks so much. I love the Jesus prayer. The prayer of humble access reminds of what a privilege (not a right) it is to pray.
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