The Rosary mysteries it makes it possible to clothe ourselves with Christ. This theme of putting on the Lord Christ Jesus-is mentioned over and over again in the New Testament. St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, for instance, tells us: “Put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Each time "put on the new self" is mentioned, the context is that of "renewal of minds" and "created after the likeness of God". Thus, the "putting on Christ" corresponds to having Christ indwell in our hearts (Jn 14:23), as Paul says: "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Eph 3:17). According the Pope benedict XVI, “With regard to what happens in Baptism, St Paul explicitly uses the image of clothing: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal 3:27). This is what is fulfilled in Baptism: we put on Christ, He gives us His garments and these are not something external. It means that we enter into an existential communion with him, that His being and our being merge, penetrate one another.” (Pope Benedict XVI, 2007) "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me", is how Paul himself describes the event of his Baptism in his Letter to the Galatians (2:20). Christ has put on our clothes: the pain and joy of being a man, hunger, thirst, weariness, our hopes and disappointments, our fear of death, all our apprehensions until death. And he has given to us his "garments."(Pope Benedict XVI, 2007)
Therefore, while you are striving to put on Christ, assimilating yourself into Him; transforming yourself into Him, participating in His life; and meditating to acquire His virtues and graces, you can effectively do so without the help of Mary, His Mother. It is God’s will that to reach the Son we must go by way of the Mother.
You may ask, why should we go to Mary to reach Jesus? It is simple! Mother Mary wants to share her memories of her Son with us. She spent her life pondering over the things she saw and heard about Her Son. As Fr. Emile eloquently puts it, “Any meditation you make on Him will be but the repetition of one that she made centuries ago. Come close to her and she will make you understand and feel what she understood and felt when she explored the deep mysteries of Jesus.” (Fr. Emile Neubert, SM, p.38)
So, before you pick up the Rosary to pray, always begin by placing yourself in Mary’s presence, then, ask her to share her memories of Jesus with you. She will teach you the perfect way to study and apply His holy virtues in your life. She will teach that to overcome sin it is necessary to practice the virtue that is directly opposed to your predominant tendency. Are you proud? Consider Jesus of her humility. Are you irritable? Contemplate Jesus’ sweetness. Are you selfish? Admire His forgetfulness of self and His readiness to sacrifice Himself for sinners. Are you sensual minded? Meditate on His passion. (Fr. Emile Neubert, SM, p.45) And do you want to be transformed into Christ, Meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary daily.
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