I have written about how I pray/contemplate the Luminous, Joyful, and Sorrowful mysteries and have debated writing how I pray with the Glorious because they are my least often prayed and the least well-prayed. The Sunday family rosary with littles is… well… not the best avenue for quiet contemplation.
When I was going through the sacraments, my mom helped teach the preparatory classes prior to receiving First Holy Communion. When our class was learning to pray the rosary, I remember her telling us that each Hail Mary prayed was a rose laid at the feet of Our Lady. When I am struggling to push aside my thoughts and enter into more contemplative prayer, I can draw back on this image. A rosary poorly prayed, or simply reciting prayers for the sake of habit building will still leave Our Lady with 53 roses at her feet. Be Mary’s florist.
- The Resurrection: I pray in thanksgiving for the joy I have in my faith in knowing the end of the story. I think about how the Place of the Skull became the new garden and how in dying we are born to Eternal life.
- The Ascension: I feel silly typing this out because it seems oddly specific and not really related to the mystery of the Ascension, but when I pray this decade I pray for Ascension and especially for Fr. Mike Schmitz and his Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts. I pray for the conversion of souls, and for those evangelizing in a big way that are likely under serious or consistent spiritual attack.
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit: I pray for all those preparing for the sacrament of confirmation and specifically for Claire, who was my confirmandee in Spring of 2025. I also will try to contemplate that after receiving this gift of the Holy Spirit, the large crowd that assembled thought that the apostles were drunk. They were witness to a miracle of these people being able to speak a multitude of languages that previously they were not able to speak! How many miracles do I witness and try to dismiss? How many times am I led by The Spirit and dismissed by others, only to second guess what I heard God ask me to do? Holy Spirit, guide me!
- The Assumption: I reflect on the beauty of Mary during this decade and how blessed I am to be under her maternal care and protection. I pray in Thanksgiving to God for Our Radiant Lady and lay roses at her feet.
- Mary is Queen of Heaven and Earth: The fruit of this mystery is Eternal Happiness. How delighted Our Lady is to bring me closer to the heart of her Son, and how delighted I am to be carried by her to Jesus! I think about the vastness of existence and how God has a specific role for me to carry out. I ask Mary to help me see Jesus in this task and to persevere in carrying it out.