First appearance to the children at Fatima. It's a great day to pray the rosary, especially since it's a Wed and therefore a Glorious Mystery day.  

If you are not familiar with the Fatima apparitions, you can read more here:  https://www.ewtn.com/fatima/our-lady.asp.

If you have not prayed the rosary in a while, this site is a great aid:  https://www.scripturalrosary.org/BeginningPrayers.html.

I used to consider Marian devotions the "weird uncle" of Catholicism, not quite idolatrous, but also not necessary. Lately, however, I have  come to appreciate Mary both as aspirational example of the Christian ideal and as a powerful intercessor.  My commitment to a daily rosary has deepened and enriched my prayer/spiritual life, increased my ability to resist temptations, and grown my ability to just "say yes" to God.

My mother always enjoyed Mary's role in kick-starting Jesus' public ministry with the Miracle at Canaa, with the unwritten subtext of Jesus eventually bowing to Mary's demand, honoring his both his Father and Mother.

She contained in her womb Him, Whom the whole universe could not contain.  The Rosary devotion to our Blessed Mother has changed my life like no other prayer.

Have you read St. Louis de Montfort's The Secret of the Rosary and True Devotion to Mary?

No, but I will add it to an ever-growing list.

ETA - both are 99 cents for Kindle. Which should I read first?

It's so funny that you posted this.  I've been praying very hard to live on "my daily bread", just say yes to God, and not worry too much about what follows.  In other words be content and satisfied with my daily bread and "living water", but there are a couple of intentions particularly important to me right now.  I include them in my prayers to God, but when I pray the Rosary, I say "Mary, I have daily bread and living water which is great, but I could really use some choice wine where this particular intention is concerned".

Also worth a watch:



Atheist, Jewish, MIT grad, Harvard professor becomes Catholic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWDevlijGUI