I grew up around Catholics, but I was never side-by-side with them day in and day out. But my sophomore year of college, my roommate was experiencing a serious revival of her Catholic faith. She would grab me by the arm and tug me into her room so we could listen to NFP recordings. She would print off beautiful prayers and leave them for me on my bed. She even bought me a journal with our Blessed Mother on it, but it was in the style of stained glass so I felt like it wasn’t *too* far. After all, it was at least Christian art. (In case you’re wondering, my Methodist contributions included copies of My Utmost for His Highest devotional readings and a shower curtain I painted with the kokopelli 🤦♀️)
But one evening, she came into my room and asked me if I’d like to pray a rosary with her. I’d seen rosaries dangling from rearview mirrors and in Christian bookshops. But I had always believed they were just some stylistic beaded cross necklaces to break away from the style of a simple chain. I had never known there was a reason for different beads on those necklaces!
I wasn’t necessarily dying to do it-I knew it was a “Catholic” thing-but she had the words printed off for me and she promised it wouldn’t take long. As we sat on the edge of my bed, she led me through my first rosary. Over and over, I chanted the prayer, “Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee…holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”.
When we finished, I felt like I was wrapped in a blanket of peace. At the time, I would have described it as a taste of the eastern gurus’ meditations. But I understand now that Mary was wrapping me in her mantle, knowing that it would be a long time before I sought the comfort of her motherly embrace again.
On this day of Our Lady of the Rosary, I am grateful to seek our blessed mother in the rosary (almost) each day. I can hardly believe that after 15 years, Mary called me back to her as I floundered in spiritual hard-heartedness and intellectual snobbery. When my husband, in an act of desperation, asked what could soften the stone casing over my heart-one feeling came to my mind. The feeling of peace after praying a rosary.
As the prodigal son came back to his loving father, I was beckoned deep inside to return home to the love of my mother.
Happy feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. ❤️