Challenging Myself

Good Afternoon, Friends!

I hope that this post finds you well. After the New Year, I decided that I would challenge myself more in my spiritual life. I wanted to grow deeper in my relationship with Christ.


One of the ways that I was going to do this is through praying the Rosary everyday. When Jesus was on the cross, He gave us His Mother. She is our own. 

John 19:26-27: Therefore, when Jesus had seen his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold your son." Next, he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother." And from that hour, the disciple accepted her as his own."

Knowing how obedient she was to God, and the fact that God chose to send His son to the world THROUGH Mary, says a lot about how God thinks of her. As a Catholic, I do not worship Mother Mary in any way. I simply invoke her help and ask her to pray for me, in the same way that you may ask your friend to pray for you during a time of need. 

Do you have people (artists, musicians, actors, actresses, family members, friends..etc.) whom you admire and look up to? Do you esteem certain people because of the way they live their lives? Do you aspire to be like and imitate the ways of people whom you know aid you in your walk with Christ? 

As Catholics, we call upon Mother Mary because we realize her obedient spirit to Christ and her willingness to sacrifice for Him. We admire those qualities and how much Jesus respected her. If Jesus showed His Mother the amount of respect He did, shouldn't we? 

 Many non-Catholics think the rosary denies the teaching of 1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." But in the preceding four verses (1 Tim. 2:1-4), Paul instructs Christians to pray for each other, meaning it cannot interfere with Christ’s mediatorship: "I urge that prayers, supplications, petitions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone. . . . This is good, and pleasing to God our Savior." We know this exhortation to pray for others applies to the saints in heaven who, as Revelation 5:8 reveals, intercede for us by offering our prayers to God: "The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."

After the first of the year, I made it my goal to say my rosary daily. I *try* to do this, I am not always successful, but it is my daily goal. I have already noticed an increase of faith in my life through saying the rosary more often. Mother Mary has used this tool, as she promised, to lead me closer to her Son...to a deeper relationship with Him. 

I have found myself reflecting on my life as of recently, and how I can better myself and my relationship with Christ. I am slowly changing things in my life(I filter a lot more heavily the kind of music I listen to in the car, the movies I watch; I have had an increasing amount of respect for the Mass, Eucharist, and Confession..etc) that enable me to have a more profound relationship with Jesus. I attribute these realizations and improvements in my spiritual life to Mother Mary's intercession & leading me closer to her Son. I am so grateful that Jesus gave us her as our own Mother when He was on the cross. He wants us to love her...not worship her, but seek her aid when we are trying to get closer to Him.




The whole purpose of the rosary is to get closer to God, to ask Mother Mary for help- that is it. I in know way love her more and nearly as much (though I have a great amount of respect for her because Jesus did) as Christ. I love God and I want to serve Him the way that He wants me to. He is the center of my life.

Below is a link(in green) that gives Biblical explanation as to why we pray the rosary and ask for Mother Mary's mediation:

Why Do Catholics Pray the Rosary/Pray To Mother Mary?

I challenge you to say your rosary daily. I can assure you the benefits will be plentiful..<3!

God Bless,
~Adele~

Comments

  1. Sometimes when life is crazy (which I guess is when I need to pray the most! lol) I get discouraged saying the rosary and forget… But I can also testify when
    I stick with it I notice myself doing sooo much better! Thank you for the encouragement!

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    1. I can absolutely relate to what you’re saying, Sarah! I find that the hardest part is bringing myself to pick up the rosary and actually start it... once I start it, It’s not that hard to finish (though my thoughts may get a bit distracted while saying it from time to time, but that’s part of being human ;). Sometimes, it’s just getting myself to start it that’s the hard part.. like you said though, when we do say it, it makes all the diffenrce in our lives!

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