An excerpt from Pope John Paul II's 2002 letter on the Rosary:
"Mary lived with her eyes fixed on Christ, treasuring his every word: 'She kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Lk. 2:19). The memories of Jesus, impressed upon her heart, were always with her, leading her to reflect on the various moments of her life at her Son's side. In a way those memories were to be the 'rosary' which whe recited uniterruptedly throughout her earthll life....
The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary's own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative parayer. Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: 'Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard because of their many words' (Mt. 6:7). By its nature, the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed." (#11-12).
