The Sorrowful Mysteries

My wife’s brother had a birthday party for his two-year-old son Friday evening. He and his family live in Troy, and it typically takes us about 40 minutes to drive there. Since it was the first Friday of Lent, and I had a captive audience, I decided that we would take advantage of the opportunity to pray the rosary en route.

I know that there are some families that pray the rosary together frequently. I have a high degree of certainty that those families are exceptional. As it is, I increasingly risk a mini-revolt just praying the Angelus before dinner in the evening. Prudence being the better part of valor, I typically try to entice my children to eat their spiritual vegetables rather than force-feed them. That being said, there are some non-negotiables (e.g., mass on Sundays and holy days).

I didn’t want to just say a standard rosary, so before heading out the door, I printed off the Sorrowful Mysteries of the scriptural rosary, and I let Amy drive (she said she liked it better that way anyway—something about getting there the same day) so that I could lead the rosary. I encouraged the kids to grab their beads, but, like typical teens, they deferred (“We’ll just use our fingers, Dad”).

All that I can say is that it was incredible. I haven't prayed the other mysteries using the meditations from the scriptural rosary, but the sorrowful mysteries are excellent, especially for a Lenten Friday. I hope the kids were paying enough attention to have gotten something out of it.