A dear friend and I went to the Rosary Service for a mutual friend's father last night. Neither of us were able to attend the funeral, so this was an opportunity to show our love and support for these friends who have meant so much to us.
The service was at the oldest Catholic Church in Lincoln, a church that is everything one could possibly want it to be. High pitched ceilings gleaming white, large pillars reaching from Heaven to earth, beautiful stained glass windows, confessionals that look like they have been well used by sinners and saints, a statue of Mary that brings comfort and solace, a crucifix that sends chills down your spine...well, you get the picture.
The Rosary has held a special place in my spirituality for more years than I can count, even though I am not Catholic. In fact, when I first discovered how attracted I was to the recitation of this simple prayer, I was more than a little concerned that I didn't have the right to connect with it because I wasn't Catholic. But as fierce as that argument was, I could never shake my devotion.
The first rosary I had was made by a woman who used beads of Job's tears. It was beautiful, simple, and heartfelt in its creation. I kept it in an intricately crocheted bag that my grandmother had made just for me. Unfortunately, it eventually came to be lost, and I have forever regretted my clumsiness in losing such a precious part of me.
My current rosary was purchased on retreat to Conception Abbey in Missouri. It has deep, rich-colored beads of jade green and magenta, a lovely image of the Madonna and Child, and a substantial crucifix with Jesus on a metal cross that looks like it came from a real tree.
Yet, for all the time the Rosary had held special meaning for me, I had never had the opportunity to pray with others in public. Praying in private is one thing, but praying in community is quite another. As the priest led the prayers, and we concentrated on the Glorious Mysteries, there was a sense that we were actually praying the dearly departed's soul into the Kingdom.
It was a tremendous honor to partake in this simple act of faith, and I will always be grateful that the Rosary found its way into my heart.
