To my surprise, I found the room full of people on their knees, facing forward and reciting together the Joyful Mysteries. I found a spot in a far pew and took my place as quietly as possible. The devout group finished the rosary and proceeded to recite a number of prayers and a chaplet before adjourning.
Now, we know that scripture extols the benefits of raising our voices to God in the company of others.
So why did I feel somewhat ill at ease with these other good people moving through the rosary's prayers in unison? I thought about it.
I realized that, when I pray the rosary alone in my room, it goes slowly as I reflect on each mystery. I imagine Mary and Joseph's distress when they realized that their beloved Son was in fact not with their group journeying back to Nazareth. I ponder how Mary could have borne the sight of her completely good Jesus being driven up the hill to Calvary like a criminal, bleeding, with a rough cross on his shoulder. And I imagine how cold and uncomfortable the stable must have been on the night the Blessed Mother gave birth to her divine Son.
We each have our own way of saying our rosary, whether in company or alone. If you are fortified in the presence of others sending up prayers together, that is marvelous. If you prefer to retreat, hermit style, into a quiet place to move through the Hail Mary's and Our Father's at your own pace, so be it.
Either way, we know that Heaven hears us. As Blessed Fulton J. Sheen said, "The power of the rosary is beyond description."
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