Today we celebrate the feast of our Lady of the Rosary. It's an opportunity for me to reflect on the beginning of my christian life, the life I began to live when I made my choice of God. After realizing that only the Gospel could help me live my life as truly myself, I began to ponder and wonder how I could deepen my own prayer life. For some "coincidences" I was introduced to the Rosary. I found it fascinating. I enjoyed the feeling of the beads passing through my fingers, and I certainly found it quite useful to memorize the "Mysteries," as they were like the major plot of the life of Jesus. I became so fond of the Rosary that, although I started by saying only one decade a day, I reached the highest peak when I said the "whole" thing.
It certainly helped the fact that my high school was in Pompei (Italy). Every day I passed by the wonderful Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary. Once, I learned that if I took the train prior to the one I was used to take, I could partecipate to the Rosary and the Daily Mass. Awesome... another big step ahead.I still remember when I shared these "accomplishments" to someone who, although impressed, asked me: "That's wonderful but how do you live the Rosary; do you just say the Mysteries or do you contemplate THE Mystery?" Live it? What could that even mean? Wasn't the rosary something you just... say? And, mind you, I would say even quite devoutly. And what was "THE" Mystery?
Apparently all these accomplishments weren't enough. Saying the Rosary was not enough. I was missing something! Later I understood that to be really devoted to Mary did not mean simply and solely to say prayers to her. It meant to become "another Mary;" to become the one who, like her, said Yes to God's Love and, by trusting in His will, allowed Jesus to be born in one self. My goodness! That was something a bit too much. I could not possibly take on all that. I understood that "THE" Mystery was that wonderful life that God, in His Grace, was sharing with me in Christ.
I understood that to be a true disciple of Jesus, I had to be like Mary - focused entirely on God and His "Mystery." With much difficulties, after a long hiatus, I took back my beads and I started again. But this time, I wasn't only saying the Rosary, I wanted to live those Mysteries with Mary, as together we journeyed towards the Cross.
Slowly (read: very slowly) each Mystery of the Rosary took its own life in me. It began to shed light on the Gospel, and each word of the Gospel enkindled my prayer. The Mystery of God living in us became always more real to me.
Today I recommit myself to "take Mary into my house" and, with her humility and availably, I start again saying Yes to the Mystery of God's Love that in Christ reaches out to all people. I want to say Yes to God's Will so that each prayer I utter with Mary at my side, is another way for me to move closer to God.
