The rosary is one of the most well-known Catholic devotions, but also one of the most misunderstood. Many people think it is just the mindless repetition of prayers, a boring prayer marathon that you have to get through to be holy.

But, in fact, the rosary is a beautiful, dynamic meditation on the life of Jesus and Mary. In a recent article at Catholic News Agency, Monsignor Florian Kolfhaus illustrated how the rosary is more like a song – complex and beautiful, yet accessible to all. He wrote:

We can compare the Rosary to playing the guitar. The vocal prayers – the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be – are the central prayers of Christianity, rooted in Scripture. These are like the rhythm in a song.

But simply strumming a guitar is not a song. And mindless repetition of words is not interior prayer. In addition to rhythm, keys are needed. The Mysteries of the Rosary are like the chords on the guitar. The vocal prayers form the framework for meditation on the Mysteries.

There are always these five chords to the rhythm of the repetition of the prayers, which make the lives of Jesus and Mary pass before our eyes. … And so, our prayer begins to change into music. That is to say, it is no longer monotonous and boring, but now it is full of images and thoughts. And when the grace of God permits, it is also filled with supernatural illuminations and inspirations.

There is one more thing needed to have really great music, or to have a prayer that is even more profound and intimate: the melody that the heart sings. When playing the guitar, a voice is needed to interpret the song. When praying the Rosary, it is the song of our heart, as we place our own life before God, to the tempo of the prayers and meditations.

Monsignor Kolfhaus also offered seven tips to help you move from rote recitation to contemplative prayer when praying the rosary. Read the list at Catholic News Agency.

And if you need a guide to remember the Mysteries and prayers of the rosary, check out out our Rosary Page. It also features audio files of the rosary so that you can pray along with us!