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While some may find praying the Rosary to be monotonous or boring due to the repetitive nature of the prayers, this can be a misconception. The key to a meaningful Rosary prayer is meditation on the mysteries, which are key events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.
The Rosary is not just a boring prayer because it is:
A break from constant stimulation: The structured nature of the Rosary can offer a peaceful reprieve from the distractions of daily life.
Focus on the Gospel: The Rosary is deeply rooted in Scripture and provides a way to meditate on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Encourages virtue and spiritual growth: By reflecting on the examples of Jesus and Mary, you are encouraged to grow in holiness and resist temptation.
Promotes peace and reduces stress: The rhythm of the prayers and meditation on the mysteries can lead to a sense of calm and peace.
Powerful tool for intercessory prayer: The Rosary allows you to bring the needs of others before God through Mary's intercession.
There are several ways to make praying the Rosary more engaging by choosing the way more suitable to the individual;
Meditate on the mysteries: Don't just recite the prayers; reflect on the events described in each mystery. Use your imagination: Visualize the scenes of the mysteries and imagine yourself present.
Read relevant scripture: Connect the mysteries with corresponding Bible passages.
Use images: Look at pictures or paintings related to the mysteries to help focus your mind.
Some of the Divine Art discussed by Fr Mark-Mary
Pray with intention: Offer each decade for a specific person or need. Pray it out loud: This can help maintain focus.
Consider listening to a guided Rosary: Podcasts, CDs, or YouTube videos can assist with meditation.
Be patient and persistent: It takes time to develop a deeper connection with the Rosary.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer and devotional tool, designed to draw us closer to Jesus through the intercession of His mother, Mary. If you find it challenging to connect with, try implementing some of these strategies and see if it helps you to unlock the rich spiritual benefits of this prayer.
Father Mark-Mary in his Rosary in a Year Podcast has been using a number of the aforementioned techniques. The one I have ground to be more insightful, inspirational and engaging, is through the use of sacred art presented from the perspective of a sacred art critic and or historian. Episode Day 180 is a perfect example.
Art Styles
There are countless art styles and movements throughout history and across cultures.
Beyond the Baroque period and the chiaroscuro technique (which is a technique, not a style itself, according to Wikipedia),
Renaissance: Emphasized humanism, individualism, and a renewed interest in classical art and culture. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael mastered techniques like linear perspective and sfumato (subtle blending of colors and tones).
Mannerism: A transitional style that followed the High Renaissance, characterized by elongated forms, artificiality, and dramatic effects
Styles that came before Baroque:Renaissance: Emphasized humanism, individualism, and a renewed interest in classical art and culture. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael mastered techniques like linear perspective and sfumato (subtle blending of colors and tones). Mannerism: A transitional style that followed the High Renaissance, characterized by elongated forms, artificiality, and dramatic effects.
Styles that came after Baroque:Rococo: Emerged in the 18th century as a lighter, more decorative, and asymmetrical reaction to Baroque's grandeur. Rococo art focused on themes of romance, leisure, and aristocratic life. Neoclassicism: Inspired by classical antiquity, emphasizing order, balance, and reason. Romanticism: Stressed emotion, individualism, and dramatic themes, often drawing inspiration from nature and the sublime. Impressionism: Characterized by visible brushstrokes, emphasis on light, and capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life. Post-Impressionism: A diverse group of styles that built upon Impressionism, including artists like Van Gogh and Cézanne, who explored form, color, and emotional expression. Modernism: A broad movement encompassing various styles like Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism, focusing on experimentation, innovation, and breaking away from traditional artistic conventions Other Styles and Movements:Arts and Crafts: A movement that emphasized traditional craftsmanship and simple forms, reacting against industrialization. Gothic: A medieval art style characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and stained glass windows, often associated with cathedrals. Brutalist: A 20th-century architectural style known for its raw, exposed concrete structures. Naturalism: Aims to depict subjects realistically, focusing on accurate representation and detail. This is just a small sampling, and there are many more art styles and movements to explore, each with its own unique characteristics and contributions to art history.
4 Common Art Genres: Realism. Surrealism. Impressionism. Post-Impressionism.
Four Important Eras that Define Art The Artisan Era: prehistory to the 18th century. The Romantic Era: the 18th-20th centuries. The Modern Era: 1900s-1970s. The Contemporary Era: 1970s-present.
Seven Major Forms of Art Painting. Sculpture. Architecture. Literature. Cinema. Theatre. Music.
Iconography vs art
Art is the broader term encompassing all forms of creative expression, while iconography specifically focuses on the study and interpretation of symbols and images within art. Iconography helps us understand the meaning and cultural context of artworks by analyzing the specific symbols, motifs, and visual language employed by the artist.
Art: Encompasses a wide range of creative works, including painting, sculpture, music, literature, and more.
Can be created for various purposes, including aesthetic appreciation, storytelling, social commentary, or religious purposes.
The meaning of a piece of art can be subjective and open to interpretation.
Iconography: A specific field within art history that focuses on the study of symbols and their meanings in art.
Helps to identify and interpret the visual language used by artists to convey specific ideas, stories, or beliefs.
Involves analyzing the symbols, motifs, and compositional elements of an artwork to understand its cultural, historical, and religious context.
For example, in Christian art, the lamb might be an iconographic symbol of Christ, while a dove could represent the Holy
The presents just keep coming; the 13-year-old twins gifted us today, two illustrations;
1. Granny's Rose Garden including Mary Mother's Gtotto, the Living Rosary, Saint Francis Sanctuary abd the Serenity Pergola
2. The second one starts with Genesis 1:11-13 showcasing various plants in Granny's wildlife garden.
Father's Day Present
One of the twins designed and built a crown for the Blessed Virgin Mary and a beautiful bouquet of roses.
The twin's bouquet next to a fresh bouquet at church.
But this was not just any statue of Mary. This one resides at Granny's Rose Garden: Mother Mary's Grotto, which anchors a Living Rosary.
The second one wrote a number of thoughts in strips of paper and put them in a Mason Jar. These are to be read daily and or as needed. These thoughts are insightful and funny.
These are the first thoughts in Pappy's Awesome Jar I've read so far.
"If I had a dollar for every time you made me smile, I'd be richar than ........ a king"
"Thank you for all the jokes that make you so happy. Seeing your joy is contagious Even when the punch line goes over our heads sometimes."
"Your love shines so brightly I see how you sometimes dim your own sadness to keep us warm thank you."
"Your so smart I'm pretty sure your secretly Wikipedia in human form... shhh I won't tell"
"It means so much that you always show up for me no matter what."
"You are an example of true selflessness."
"Your love for coffee fuels your brilliant mind; then produces these funny jokes."
"I'm still trying to figure out if that was a joke or you just being brilliant "
"You make me feel so supported in my running, and everything else in life."
If you have never read the Bible, but want to know what is in it, take one minute and read the Our Father: it's a paraphrase
Maxims For September 2025
30. The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last.
29. Let us think, if we only got to heaven, what a sweet and easy thing it will be there to be always saying with the angels and the saints, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus.
28. We should not be quick at correcting others, but rather to think of ourselves first.
27. Men of rank ought to dress like their equals, and be accompanied by servants, as their state requires, but modesty should go along with it all.
The quote instructs people of high social standing to align their outward appearance with their status, but to do so with humility and without ostentation.
26. We must sometimes bear with little defects in others, as we have against our own will to bear with natural defects in ourselves.
This idea is also found in earlier and related texts and philosophies, including:
Thomas à Kempis: In The Imitation of Christ, Kempis writes, "bear patiently with the defects and infirmities of others... because you also have many a fault which others must endure".
Stoicism: Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius expressed similar ideas in his Meditations. He wrote that a person's faults should be tolerated, and if you are about to criticize someone, you should first ask yourself which of your own faults most resembles the one you are about to address.
Christian teachings: This concept echoes the Christian principle of removing the "log in your own eye" before pointing out the "speck in your neighbor's eye" (Matthew 7:3).
25. If we wish to keep peace with our neighbors, we should never remind any one of his natural defects.
24. Be devout to the Madonna, keep yourself from sin, and God will deliver you from your evils.
23. Not everything which is better in itself is better for each man in particular
In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle defines the highest good—the ultimate end that all human actions aim for—as eudaimonia, or human flourishing. For Aristotle, something can be good in an absolute or general sense, but it is not necessarily what is best for a specific individual at a specific moment.
22. Even in the midst of the crowd we can be going on to perfection.
21. As soon as we are stripped of the sordid garb of avarice, we shall be clothed with the royal and imperial vest of the opposite virtue, liberality.
20. Perfection cannot be attained without the greatest toil.
19. He who feels that the vice of avarice has got hold of him, should not wish to observe fasts of supererogation, but to give alms
Supererogatory fasts are those done beyond the required religious duty. While fasting is a virtuous practice, it is not the correct remedy for someone whose spiritual ailment is greed. The specific advice is based on the spiritual principle of practicing the opposing virtue to combat a particular vice.
18. In giving alms to the poor we must act as good ministers of the Providence of God.
17. He who serves God must do the best he can not to receive the reward of his labors in this world.
16. Never let a sick man set himself to reason with the devil, otherwise he will inevitably be taken in; let him appeal to his ghostly father, of whom the devil stands in mortal fear.
" The "ghostly father" is a spiritual director, priest, or confessor. This part of the maxim advises seeking help from a spiritual authority. This authority figure can offer guidance, perspective, and prayer, intervening on behalf of the distressed person. "...of whom the devil stands in mortal fear." A priest, through the sacraments and the power of the Church, represents the authority of God, which is a spiritual force that the devil cannot overcome
15. Christ died for sinners; we must take heart, therefore, and hope that Paradise will be ours, provided only we repent of our sins, and do good.
14. He who runs away from one cross, will meet a bigger one on his road.
13. Before going to confession or taking counsel with our director, it will be very useful to pray for a sincere good will to become a really holy man.
12. God takes especial delight in the humility of a man who believes that he has not yet begun to do any good.
11. The discipline and other like things ought not to be practiced without the leave of our confessor; he who does it of his own mind, will either hurt his constitution or become proud, fancying to himself that he has done some great thing.
10. To pray well requires the whole man
9. The things of this world do not remain constantly with us, for if we do not leave them before we actually die, in death at least we all infallibly depart as empty-handed as we came.
8. When we make this prayer to our Blessed Lady, we give her every possible praise in the least possible compass, because we call her by her name of MARY, and give her those two great titles of Virgin, and Mother of God, and then name JESUS, the fruit of her most pure womb.
7. To obtain the protection of our Blessed Lady in our most urgent wants, it is very useful to say sixty-three times, after the fashion of a Rosary, “Virgin Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.”
Spiritual meaning St. Philip Neri found the prayer's wording significant: • "Virgin Mary": This praises her and acknowledges her as a Virgin. • "Mother of God": This acknowledges her most important title. • "Pray to Jesus for me": This asks for her intercession with her Son. St. Philip believed this prayer gave the Blessed Mother "every possible praise in the least possible compass". This practice is meant to increase devotion to Mary and encourage trust in her care and intercession, especially for urgent needs.
6. He who continues in anger, strife, and a bitter spirit, has a taste of the air of hell
Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones ( JB 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 ). No wonder empirically, anecdotally and scientifically, we are a happy bunch! We claim a personal Guardian Angel!
5. It is easy to infuse a most fervent devotion into others, even in a short time; but the great matter is - to persevere.
4. We ought to apply ourselves to the acquisition of virtue, because in the end the whole terminates in greater sweetnesses than before, and the Lord gives us back all our favors and consolations doubled.
3. The fervour of spirituality is usually very great in the beginning, but afterwards, the Lord fingit se longius ire, makes as though He would go farther: in such a case we must stand firm and not be disturbed, because God is then withdrawing His most holy Hand of sweetnesses, to see if we are strong; and then, if we resist and overcome those tribulations and temptations, the sweetnesses and heavenly consolations return.
fingit se longius ire, is Latin for "he makes as though he would go farther". a reference to a passage in the Gospel of Luke and appears frequently in Christian spiritual writing. The phrase describes the actions of Jesus after his resurrection, when he walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Although he planned to stay with them, he "made as though he would have gone farther" to test them before revealing his identity (Luke 24:28).
2. When temptation comes, a man should remember the sweetnesses he has had in prayer at other times, and he will thus easily master the temptation.
1. Persons who live in the world should persevere in coming to church to hear sermons, and remember to read spiritual books, especially the Lives of the Saints.
31. When God intends to grant a man any particular virtue, it is His way to let him be tempted to the opposite vice.
It is a principle that reflects a key belief in Christian spirituality: that resistance to temptation is a necessary path to spiritual growth and the development of virtue.
30. There is no surer or clearer proof of the love of God than adversity.
Contrary to what the New York Times and California's Garvin Newsom might say, this is a theological concept with deep roots in Christian tradition, though it may seem paradoxical from a human perspective. The idea is not that God enjoys human suffering, but rather that he uses trials as a tool to refine believers and draw them into a closer, more mature relationship with him.
29. Nothing more glorious can happen to a Christian, than to suffer for Christ
28. It is very useful for those who minister the word of God, or give themselves up to prayer, to read the works of authors whose names begin with S, such as Saint Augustine, Saint Bernard, and so on.
27. We must not omit our ordinary devotions for every trifling occasion that may come in the way, such as going to confession on our fixed days, and particularly hearing mass on week-days: if we wish to go out walking, or anything of that sort, let us make our confession, and perform our usual exercises first, and then go.
26. A man ought to set about putting his good resolutions in practice, and not change them lightly.
25. This first step, which we ought to have taken of ourselves already, we have always in our mind, yet never put it in execution.
Refers to the difficulty of taking action on simple, obvious necessities or goals that are often put off despite being well-known and conceptually easy to understand. It highlights a common human tendency to delay action, get stuck in the planning phase due to fear of the unknown or of failure, and remain in a comfort zone rather than taking the necessary first step to execute a thought or plan
24. The skin of self-love is fastened strongly on our hearts, and it hurts us to flay it off, and the more we get down to the quick, the more keen and difficult it is.
The metaphor of peeling back layers of skin illustrates the painful and profound process of dismantling one's ego. • "The skin of self-love is fastened strongly on our hearts." This initial layer represents the deep-seated, natural human tendency toward pride, selfishness, and a concern for one's own desires and reputation above all else. This "skin" is a part of us, so much so that it can be mistaken for our true self.
23. We ought to desire the virtues of prelates, cardinals, and popes, but not their dignities.
22. A man should not so attach himself to the means as to forget the end; neither must we give ourselves so much to mortify the flesh as to forget to mortify the brain, which is the chief thing after all.
"Mortifying the brain" in this context refers to addressing intellectual vices like pride, arrogance, stubbornness in one's ideas, and a reluctance to acknowledge one's own limitations or learn from others. It's about fostering intellectual humility, which involves being open to new ideas, questioning one's own assumptions, and recognizing that true wisdom often stems from acknowledging what one doesn't know.
21. He who wishes to advance in spirituality, should never slur over his defects negligently without particular examination of conscience, even independent of the time of sacramental confession.
20. In our clothes we ought, like S. Bernard, to love poverty, but not filthiness.
19. One of the most excellent means of obtaining perseverance is discretion; we must not wish to do everything at once, or become a saint in four days.
18. When we have these extraordinary sweetnesses, we ought to ask of God fortitude to bear whatever He may please to send us, and then to stand very much upon our guard, because there is danger of sin behind.
17. When God infuses extraordinary sweetnesses into the soul, a man ought to prepare for some serious tribulation or temptation.
16. The true servant of God acknowledges no other country but heaven.
15. Let us think of Mary, for she is that unspeakable virgin, that glorious lady, who conceived and brought forth, without detriment to her virginity, Him whom the width of the heavens cannot contain within itself.
14. They who have been exercised in the service of God for a long time, may in their prayers imagine all sorts of insults offered to them, such as blows, wounds, and the like, and so in order to imitate Christ by their charity, may accustom their hearts beforehand to forgive real injuries when they come.
13. A man should not ask tribulations of God, presuming on his being able to bear them: there should be the greatest possible caution in this matter, for he who bears what God sends him daily does not do a small thing.
12. To preserve our cheerfulness amid sicknesses and troubles, is a sign of a right and good spirit.
11. There is not a finer thing on earth, than to make a virtue of necessity.
10. The true servants of God endurej life and desire death.
9. Let every one stay at home, that is, within himself, and sit in judgment on his own actions, without going abroad to investigate and criticize those of others.
8. Men should not change from a good state of life to another, although it may be better, without taking grave counsel.
7. We must have confidence in God, who is what He always has been, and we must not be disheartened because things turn out contrary to us.
6. We have no time to go to sleep here, for Paradise was not made for poltroons.
Where "poltroon" is an old-fashioned term for someone who lacks courage and fortitude.
4. To get good from reading the Lives of the Saints, and other spiritual books, we ought not to read out of curiosity, or skimmingly, but with pauses; and when we feel ourselves warmed, we ought not to pass on, but to stop and follow up the spirit which is stirring in us, and when we feel it no longer then to pursue our reading
3. In this life there is no purgatory; it is either hell or paradise; for to him who serves God truly, every trouble and infirmity turns into consolations, and through all kinds of trouble he has a paradise within himself even in this world: and he who does not serve God truly, and gives himself up to sensuality, has one hell in this world, and another in the next.
2. Nothing unites the soul to God more closely, or breeds contempt of the world sooner, than being harassed and distressed.
1. St. Peter and the other apostles and apostolical men, seeing the Son of God born in poverty, and then living so absolutely without anything, that He had not where to lay His Head, and contemplating Him dead and naked on a cross, stripped themselves also of all things, and took the road of the evangelical counsels.
Maxims For July 2025
31. We ought to hope for and love the glory of God by means of a good life.
This doesn't mean hating the physical world or other people. Instead, it signifies detaching oneself from worldly attachments, desires, and vanities. It's about prioritizing spiritual growth and virtue over material possessions and fleeting pleasures.
This refers to recognizing the inherent dignity of every human being, created in the image and likeness of God. It means not judging or looking down on others, regardless of their background, status, or flaws.
This means recognizing one's own imperfections, weaknesses, and sinful tendencies. It's not about self-loathing, but rather about acknowledging one's need for God's grace and striving for self-improvement.
This aspect encourages accepting criticism and even ridicule without resentment or anger. It means not seeking validation or approval from others, but remaining steadfast in one's pursuit of humility and virtue
26. The Lord grants in a moment what we may have been unable to obtain in dozens of years.
25. He who works purely for the love of God, desires nothing but His honor, and thus is ready in every thing either to act or not to act, and that not in indifferent matters only, but even in good ones; and he is always resigned to the Will of God
24. When vain-glory is companion, it does not take away our merit; but perfection requires that it should be servant.
23. We may distinguish three kinds of vain-glory; the first we may call mistress; that is, when vain-glory goes before our works, and we work for the sake of it: the second we may call companion; that is, when a man does not do a work for the sake of vain-glory, but feels complacency in doing it: the third we may call servant; that is, when vain-glory rises in our work, but we instantly repress it. Above all things never let vain-glory be mistress.
22. The love of God makes us do great things.
21. A man must not, however, abstain from doing a good work merely to got out of the way of a temptation to vain-glory.
20. Avoid every kind of singularity, for it is generally the hot-bed of pride, especially spiritual pride.
19. If we wish to help our neighbor, we must reserve neither place, hour, or season, for ourselves.
18. Beginners should look after their own conversion and be humble, lest they should fancy they had done some great thing, and so should fall into pride.
17. Nothing is more dangerous for beginners in the spiritual life, than to wish to play the master, and to guide and convert others.
16. He whose health will not permit him to fast in honor of Christ and our Blessed Lady, will please them much more by giving some alms more than usual
15. In order the better to gain souls, in visiting the sick, we ought to imagine that what we do for the sick man we are doing for Christ Himself; we shall thus perform this work of mercy with more love and greater spiritual profit.
14. We ought to be pleased to hear that others are advancing in the service of God, especially if they are our relations or friends; and we ought to rejoice that they share in whatever spiritual good we may have ourselves
13. When a man has fallen he ought to acknowledge it in some such way as this: “Ah, if I had been humble I should not have fallen!”
11. They who when they have got a little devotion think they are some great one, are only fit to be laughed at.
This maxim, like many others of Saint Philip Neri, emphasizes the importance of humility in the spiritual life. It critiques the tendency of individuals who, upon experiencing a small measure of religious devotion or spiritual progress, become overly proud or self-important, viewing themselves as having achieved great spiritual
10. When a man is reproved for anything, he ought not to take it too much to heart, for we commit a greater fault by our sadness than by the sin for which we are reproved.
9. The true medicine to cure us of pride, is to keep down and thwart touchiness of mind.
Emphasizes that managing one's sensitivity and defensiveness is key to overcoming pride. It suggests that by addressing the tendency to take things too personally or be easily offended, one can diminish the influence of pride in his or her life
8. In order to avoid all risk of vain-glory, we ought to make some of our particular devotions in our own rooms, and never seek for sweetnesses and sensible consolations in public places.
7. We ought not to publish or manifest to every one the inspirations which God sends us, or the favors He grants us. Secretum meum mihi! Secretum meum mihi!
Secretum meum mihi" is Latin for "my secret is mine" - the idea that some experiences, particularly those of faith or personal transformation, are deeply personal and may not be fully or easily explained to others.
6. Let us pray God, if He gives us any virtue or any gift, to keep it hidden even from ourselves, that we may preserve our humility, and not take occasion of pride because of it.
5. Whenever we do a good work, and somebody else takes the credit of it, we ought to rejoice, and acknowledge it as a gift from God. Anyhow, we ought not to be sorry, because if others diminish our glory before men, we shall recover it with all the more honor before God.
4. A man ought never to say one word in his own praise, however true it may be, no, not even in a joking way.
3. In seeking for counsel it is necessary sometimes to hear what our inferiors think, and to recommend ourselves to their prayers.
2. Our Blessed Lady is the dispenser of all the favors which the goodness of God concedes to the Sons of Adam.
July 1. We ought to make no account of abstinences and fasts, when there is self-will in the matter.
Implies that the spiritual value of fasting and abstinence is lessened or absent when performed out of self-will or a desire for personal gain, instead of genuine devotion and a desire to align with God's will.
