October is the month dedicated to the Rosary. As I watched a recent video from Fr. Mike Schmitz on its biblical roots, he pointed out a common message in the Marian apparitions included the actions of repentance and of praying the rosary. 

I don’t think I ever considered the rosary as a tool towards repentance. I’ve always thought of it as a way to walk with Jesus and Mary through their life on earth. But as I began to ponder, even just the first set of joyful mysteries, there is so much in them that can both help us to identify how we can improve as a disciple of Jesus as well as accompany Him through the major events of His life. 

The joyful mysteries are all about the beginning of the Holy Family. They include both the joys of becoming a family with the nativity of Jesus, as well as the challenges of finding their Son in the Temple. With Jesus being a child, one might use it solely to instruct children about being mindful of their parents, however, I think the same can go for adults as well! As an adult, do we care for the elders in our family, be it a grandparent, parent, aunt/uncle, or even an older sibling? How can we bring the light of Christ to these relationships? The fourth commandment to honor your father and mother is one of the moral directives God gave the Israelites through Moses. Many of the other commandments that follow the fourth could also be used for reflection in terms of how they affect family life and our participation in it. 

The sorrowful mysteries may be easier to correlate with repentance due to the suffering that Jesus endured. Walking through these events of Jesus’ life brings to mind the cost of our sins. Yet the secular world around us constantly expects us to always seek comfort and ease. While we don’t need to chase after suffering, do we allow it in our lives when it does come? Do we see it as a way to grow closer to God? God is generous in both His blessings and the challenges He allows, but neither should be handled just on our own. Do we look to share our blessings with others and seek support from God and neighbor when troubles arise? There are numerous accounts of saints who had some sort of medical issue, but yet had joyful exuberance. Do we seek their intercession when our tempers are short due to pain or misfortune?

The luminous mysteries, or more specifically, the third mystery is paired with repentance. Reflecting on the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, it includes the call to conversion. In the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15) These mysteries underscore a life of faith. They remind us of the sacraments we’ve received and that we are to live our lives according to the grace given to us in these sacraments. How much do we look to our faith to guide us in making decisions? Do we practice our faith regularly and make time to pray and deepen our relationship with God?

The glorious mysteries seem to be farthest from repentance, yet it is these mysteries that give us a reason to repent. We are not stuck in our sins! Jesus has redeemed us and repaired our ability to have a relationship with God. He has given us a model of His life to follow. These mysteries are the hope we have that we can improve. The first step we must take is to acknowledge our sins. We take ownership of the wrongs we have committed, and with full sorrow, ask for God’s mercy and do our best to avoid these. It may take a lifetime of practice, but Jesus’ resurrection, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and even the assumption of Mary, focuses our attention on a world beyond what we see. If we want to participate fully in that world, we need to seek a relationship with God now. 

The rosary is a powerful weapon. Let us use this month to practice wielding the rosary to illuminate what separates us from God, to give us the grace to seek His mercy, and gratitude for all the blessings it brings.