THE ROSARY

THE ROSARY

The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

The Annunciation

The Angel Gabriel said to Mary, “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favor!... you are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.” (Lk. 1:28-31)

Then Mary said, “You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.” (Lk. 1:38)

Humility:

Jesus exclaimed, “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children.” (Mt. 11:25)

The Visitation

Mary went as quickly as she could to the house of her cousin Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and giving a loud cry said, “Of all women you are the most blessed!” (Lk.1:42)

Then, Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.…for the Almighty has done great things for me.” (Lk. 1:46-49)

Service and mission:

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life. (Mt. 20:28)

The Birth of the Lord

The angel said to them, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you.” (Lk. 2:11)

So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger. (Lk. 2:16)

As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Lk. 2:19)

Love for the poor:

For He rescues the needy who calls to him, and the poor who has no one to help. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the needy from death. (Ps. 72:12-13)

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Prompted by the Spirit, Simeon came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the Child Jesus…. he took him into his arms and blessed God saying, “My eyes have seen the salvation…. a light of revelation for the people” (Lk. 2: 27-32)

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “He is destined to be a sign that is opposed - and a sword will pierce your soul too.” (Lk. 2:34-35)

Obedience:

Jesus was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. (Ph. 2:8)

The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

It happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple. His mother said to him, “My child, why have you done this to us?” Then, he replied, “ Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” He went down with them then and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. (Lk. 2: 46-49, 51)

Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Lk. 10:22)

Availability for the Kingdom:

Jesus said, “No one who prefers father or mother to me is worthy of me.” (Mt. 10:37)

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)

The Agony in the Garden

Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.” And his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

(Lk. 22:42-44).

Jesus said to his apostles, “Stay awake and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak.” (Mt. 26: 41)

Search for God’s will:

Let your will be done on earth as in heaven. (Mt. 6:10b)

The Scourging at the Pillar

After having Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. (Mt. 27:26)

Whereas he was wounded for our rebellions, crushed because of our guilt. (Is. 53:5)

Ill-treated and afflicted, he never opened his mouth, like a lamb led to the slaughterhouse. (Is. 53:7)

Purity:

Do you not realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? (1 Cor. 6:19)

God’s temple is holy and you are that temple. (1 Cor. 3:17)

The Crowning with Thorns

And having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him, they knelt to him saying, “Hail, king of the Jews.” And they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head with it. (Mt. 27:29-30)

He had no form or charm to attract us, no beauty to win our hearts; he was despised, the lowest of men, a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering, one from whom, as it were, we averted our gaze, despised, for whom we had no regard. Yet ours were the sufferings he was bearing, ours the sorrows he was carrying. (Is. 53:2b-4a)

Struggle against pride:

God opposes the proud but he accords his favor to the humble. (Jm. 4:6)

The Carrying of the Cross

They led him out to crucify him. They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, to carry his cross. (Mk. 15:20b-21)

Large numbers of people followed him, and women too, who mourned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children.” (Lk. 23:27-28)

They repay my kindness with evil, and friendship with hatred. (Ps. 109:5)

Patience in trials:

The temporary, light burden of our hardships is earning us forever an utterly incomparable, eternal weight of glory since what we aim for is not visible but invisible. Visible things are transitory, but invisible things are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:17-18)

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

When they had finished crucifying him they shared out his clothing by casting lots, and then sat down and stayed there keeping guard over him. (Mt. 27:35-36)

Jesus said, “Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:34)

Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son,” and to John, “This is your mother.” (Jn. 19:26-27)

Generous self-giving:

No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. (Jn. 15:13)

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

“He has risen, as he said he would!” (Mt. 28:6)

He said to them, “See by my hands and my feet that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.” (Lk. 24:39)

Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God.” (Jn. 20:28)

Faith:

The Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Lk. 17:6)

The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven

Jesus said to his apostles, “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” (Mt. 28:20)

Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. (Lk. 24:51)

The apostles preached everywhere with the Lord working with them. (Mk. 16:20)

Apostolic commitment:

What we are waiting for, relying on his promises, is the new heavens and the new earth, where uprightness will be at home. (2 P. 3:13)

The Descent of the Holy Spirit

“Receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come on you, and you will be my witnesses to the earth’s remotest end.” (Acts 1:8)

With one heart all of them joined constantly in prayer, together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14)

Suddenly, there came from heaven, a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house… and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2: 2-4)

Apostolic Zeal:

Jesus told them, “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation.” (Mk. 16:15)

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven

How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful you are!” (Sg 4:1)

"The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." (Pope Pius XII, Nov. 1, 1950)

“From now onwards, all generations will call me blessed.” (Lk. 1:48)

The gift of a joyful encounter with God:

Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere riddles, but then we shall be seeing face to face. Now I can know only imperfectly, but then I shall know just as I am myself known. (1 Cor. 13:12)

The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rev. 12:1)

“I shall put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; and it will bruise your head and you will strike its heel.” (Gn. 3:15)

"Oh Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.”

Perseverance:

But anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mt. 24:13)

The Mysteries of Light (Thursdays)

The Baptism of Jesus

Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John tried to dissuade him, with the words, “It is I who need baptism from you and yet you come to me!” (Mt. 3:13-14)

While Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him… and a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, today have I fathered you.” (Lk. 3:21-22)

Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favor…but suffered from a virulent skin disease. Elisha sent him a messenger to say, “Go and bathe seven times in Jordan and your flesh will become clean once more.” So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child. (2 K 5:1,10,14)

Justice:

For Yahweh is upright and loves uprightness, the honest will ever see his face. (Ps. 11:7)

The Manifestation at the Wedding at Cana

They ran out of wine, and the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said, “Woman what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn. 2: 3b-5)

This was the first of Jesus’ signs: it was in Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in Him. (Jn 2:11)

Spirit of Collaboration:

It is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will have the proper pay for the work that he has done. After all we do share in God’s work; you are God’s farm, God’s building. (1 Cor. 3:8-9)

The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

Jesus, with the power of the spirit in him returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone glorified him. (Lk 4:14-15)

“The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.” (Mk. 1:15)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; on the inhabitants of a country in shadow as dark as death light has blazed forth. You have enlarged the nation, you have increased its joy. (Is. 9:1-2)

Conversion:

Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time for comfort. Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined and that is Jesus, whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes. (Ac 3:19-21)

The Transfiguration of Jesus

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain on their own by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became brilliantly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. (Mk. 9:2-3)

Suddenly a bright cloud covered them with a shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favor. Listen to him.” (Mt. 17:5)

When we were told about the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not slavishly repeating cleverly invented myths; no, we had seen his majesty with our own eyes. (2 P. 1:16)

Simplicity:

There is one thing that we are proud of, namely our conscientious conviction that we have always behaved towards everyone, and especially towards you, with that unalloyed holiness that comes from God, relying not on human reasoning but on the grace of God. (2 Cor. 1:12)

The Institution of the Eucharist

Then he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me”. He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.” (Lk. 22:19-20)

From now on, I tell you, I shall never again drink wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father. (Mt. 26:29)

Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes. Therefore, anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. (1 Cor 11:26-27)

Charity

Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. (1 Cor. 13: 4-7)