Welcome to our daily rosary meditation. Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen. Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

Venerable Fulton Sheen used to distinguish the three stages of prayer, vocal prayer,

meditation and contemplation in this way. He said that vocal prayer was like walking somewhere on foot.

You're in control and you're doing all the work. Then meditation is like riding on horseback. You're still in control, but the Holy Spirit and the book you're reading and your imagination and intellect, these are doing most of the work.

Now if you're riding a horse on a familiar path, with the reins held loosely,

the horse will sometimes wander off the path.

Then you'll have to pull him back,

and get him back on the path.

So too, with meditation,

when you find your mind wandering, you have to pull your mind back to sacred things.

But as long as you stay focused on sacred topics, you can let your imagination and your calculating mind go. In any case, the third

category of prayer is contemplation and this is where God takes over and where he brings you

where he wants. This is like being a passenger in an airplane.

You're not in control. You're not doing any of the work.

But you are going way higher and way faster and farther than you could ever go on your own.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallow would be your name,

Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us to stay our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil,

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women.

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