The Rosary

"Great is the Lord and worthy of high praise; God's grandeur is beyond understanding. One generation praises your deeds to the next and proclaims your mighty works. They speak of the splendor of your majestic glory, tell of your wonderful deeds." Psalm 145:3-5

    The Rosary is a meditative expression of prayer that calls us to praise God with our lips and draw near to him with our hearts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ."

    There are three sets of mysteries; the joyful, the sorrowful and the glorious. Each set of mysteries contains five separate mysteries. One set of mysteries (joyful, sorrowful or glorious) will take you once around the rosary beads. Before you begin each mystery, say one Our Father and think about the setting of the mystery, the sights, sounds and smells. As you pray through the ten Hail Mary’s let the story unfold before you, knowing that Christ is acting on your behalf. If you read the passages referred to in each mystery, the story will be fresh in your mind, allowing you to focus on important details and gain new insights. Finish each mystery with one Glory Be, an expression of thankfulness to God.

Introductory Prayers

A.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Sign of the cross.)

B.  I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the commun-ion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

C.  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

D.  Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

E.  Glory be to 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.

The Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation

Luke 1,26-38. Verse 35: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

2. The Visitation

Luke 1,39-56. Verses 41-43: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Eliza-beth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

3. The Nativity

Luke 2,1-20. Verse 7: [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

4. The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple

Luke 2,21-38. Verses 28-32: [Simeon] took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."

5. Finding Jesus in the Temple

Luke 2,41-52. Verses 45-47:. . . not finding [Jesus], [his parents] returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

(Turn to the Concluding Prayers)

The Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden

Luke 22,39-46. Verses 41-42,44: After withdrawing about a stone's throw away from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done." . . . He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.

2. The Scourging at the Pillar

Matthew 27,15-26. Verse 26: Then [Pilate] released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

3. The Crowning with Thorns

Matthew 27,27-31. Verses 29-30: Weaving a crown out of thorns, [the soldiers] placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.

4. The Carrying of the Cross

John 19,16-17: So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.

5. The Crucifixion

Luke 23,33-49. Verses 44-46: It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

(Turn to the Concluding Prayers)

The Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection

Luke 24:1-12. Verses 5-6: [Two men] said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day."

2. The Ascension

Acts 1,6-12. Verse 9-11: . . . as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2,1-13. Verses 2-4: And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

4. The Assumption of Mary

Universal Catechism, par. 974: The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.

5. The Coronation of Mary

Revelation 12,1: A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

Concluding Prayers

F.  Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweet-ness, and our hope! To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile, show us to the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

G.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Sign of the cross.)