Since May is dedicated to our heavenly Mother, Mary, I’ve been recalling that I was one of the students in our parochial school who would walk across the driveway to the church and begin each school day afternoon in May by praying the rosary. I remember saying the Mission Rosary sometimes; the beads in each decade are a different color, symbolic of praying for a different part of the world. We prayed for Africa (green), the Americas (red), Europe (white), the Pacific Islands (blue), and Asia and the Middle East (yellow).
In this second year of the Coronavirus pandemic, I thought we might ask Mary’s help as we pray the “Recovery Rosary.” For each of the five decades, no matter which traditional mysteries we use for the day, we could have a special preface prayer and special intention related to health—a topic of concern every day.
Decade 1. Dear Blessed Mother, we pray today for our spiritual health. Ask your precious son to bless us with renewed vigor in our prayer life. Teach us about your unflinching faith in our loving God who is always with us and always listens to our entreaties. Ask your Spouse, the Holy Spirit, to give us new prayerful thoughts and language to enrich and bolster our faith.
Decade 2. Holy Blessed Mother, we pray for mental and emotional health for ourselves and those we love. Pray for us that, despite anxieties and pressures in our daily lives, we will be aware of the stable, faithful, and constant strength the Lord offers us. Help us, Mary, to be patient and calm in the face of problems, and to remain hopeful day by day.
Decade 3. Beautiful Virgin Mary, we ask you to intercede for us that our physical health and the health of our loved ones may be protected. For those who are already ill or recovering, please ask your healer son to send medical aid and physical resilience.
Decade 4. Mother Mary, pray for us and our relationships with our families and acquaintances. We know the challenges of illness and recovery can put a strain on how we react to one another. Pray for patience and understanding for everyone. Pass on to us your gentleness and humility. Pray that we may find laughter and lightheartedness, even in small ways, so as to ease our interactions.
Decade 5. Heavenly Mother, we pray for wisdom for a lasting recovery. Remind us to maintain a spirit of gratitude to God. Help us to learn and profit from our demanding experiences, and to move to a new “normal” together in peace and love.
If you want to get creative, I am sure there are other special rosaries that you can pray, i.e., for five branches of the military, for five different categories of healthcare workers, for five different types of workers in the transportation, info technology, or food industries.The important thing is that we are praying!
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Photograph: Anuja Mary Tilj on Unspash
Sharon Krause is a RENEW volunteer whose writing has appeared in several resources for small-group faith sharing. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Manchester, Connecticut. Over the years, she has served in many parish ministries.