Of Prayer Beads and Rosaries
Historically, church members used rosaries to keep them deep in prayer.
But not only Catholics used them. Article was added to FaithandValues.com in July 2002.
By Gail A. Rekers, Ph.D.

During the Reformation, Protestants jettisoned everything they considered superfluous to the Gospel. But in today's hurry-up, stressed out world it may be time to revisit some of the tools the church used in the past to help the faithful enter deeply into prayer. One of those tools is a strand of prayer beads. Eastern Orthodox Christians use a strand of beads called a chotki. Roman Catholics use prayer beads called a rosary. Yet another form of prayer beads is the Anglican rosary.
Some consider the words and phrases used with prayer beads to be little more that repetitious words with no meaning. However, repeating well-learned prayers tends to take us out of our heads and into our hearts. From our hearts we pray to God with a love and adoration impossible with only our minds. The repetition helps us center inward to meet Christ in our heart.

The prayers we say on the rosary or chotki can change as our circumstances change. Eastern Orthodox Christians often say a version of the Jesus Prayer on each bead of the chotki. The Jesus Prayer is adapted from the prayer of the tax collector in Luke 18:13 (NRSV): "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." One version of the prayer is: "Lord Jesus Christ, havemercy on me." Another is: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Alternatively, we can choose a different cherished text to repeat on each bead. One of my favorite passages is Micah 6:8 "…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" A friend of mine likes this passage from the Prayer of Manasseh (v. 11-12, RSV): "And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I know my wickedness only too well."

When a seemingly impossible situation confronts us with a painful future, we might pray as Jesus did in Gethsemane: "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want." (Matthew 26:39, NRSV). Or we could repeat Mary's words when told she would bear the Son of God: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." (Luke 1:38) Another option is to repeat the Lord's Prayer on each bead.

While Roman Catholics typically begin the rosary by reciting the Apostle's Creed, we can also begin by simply holding the cross or crucifix or tassel and thinking about what we believe about God. Is God loving? Does God hear prayers? Is God interested in our world? Does God work in the world today? One young woman decided she had no idea what she believed, so she simply prayed that God would teach her about God's self. The prayer was powerful and opened a new vista of religious experience to her.
If you need help turning inward to God, I invite you to pick up a set of prayer beads. Buy a rosary or a chotki. Discover for yourself the movement of prayer from your head to your heart. Find stillness and encounter Christ within.

Dr. Gail Rekers is a psychologist in private practice in Dallas, Texas. When her clients need help calming down enough to pray, she introduces them to prayer beads. Dr. Rekers is a member of Midway Hills Christian Church
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