Praying the Rosary is kind of like...

Grinding out a level in World of Warcraft.

I have a problem. I have an addictive personality disorder, and I get addicted to video games. Not as bad as some, but worse than most. Fortunately, I haven't come under the power of World of Warcraft in a year and a half. I still daydream about it sometimes though.

Like while I was saying the rosary the other day. I was reminded of "grinding," which for you non-WoWers means just killing a lot of bad guys without doing a quest. It's really repetitive and kind of boring, but you do it because you want to get to a new level. The rewards are worth the boringness.

The rosary is similar. Saying a three-sentence prayer ten times in a row and 53 times in one sitting can get a little mind-numbing (and that may be part of the point), but the boringness is worth it.

While saying the rosary, I'm plowing my soul. It constantly changes my opinion of my identity. "Pray for us sinners." I cannot escape it. I cannot pretend I am holy and perfect and whole. You say it 53 times.

Sinner
Sinner
Sinner
Sinner

Sinner


Sinner

No escape. No avoidance. No hiding.

"Glory be the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen"

But there is an escape. There is freedom from my identity, but it is only by submitting that identity to the story of God. As it was in the beginning, when I was sinless, when I was free. That reality is now. That reality is forever. If I accept it.