The Mystery of the Rosary

Word Rosary comes from Latin word “rosaria” which means a crown of roses in anthology, a prayer or verse. In the fifth century the Angelic Salutation from the greatest moment of the beginning of salvation when God humbled himself and became man (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary (Lk 1:42) have been joined together and followed by invocation to Mary.

Rosary is a pattern of prayer and its constant repetition like breathing that is strictly linked to the Liturgy of the hours and daily prayer of 150 psalms. Those who were illiterate or did not have access to books, quickly adapted the Lord’s Prayer as devotion to Jesus and created The Marian/ Angelic Psalter, which was a prayer of repetition of 150 Aves.

In 1214 Mother Mary appeared to St Dominic and explained how The Angelic Psalter was to be developed into The Rosary and how it was to be prayed “providing a compendium of the entire Gospel” (Pope Pius XII). It became a real exercise of powerful meditation bringing us closer to God.

By praying The Rosary our Mother Mary takes us into contemplation on life of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The mysteries marked by the beads, summaries the stories of how God reviled himself, his love and his will to mankind. In each of the mysteries we meditate on a different event from the life of Jesus and at the same time the Gospel, life, death, the resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus.

Sr Lucia of Fatima, whom Our Lady of Fatima continuously asked to pray the Rosary daily, said, “there’s no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary”

The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the rosary.
3. The rosary shall be a powerful armour against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. The soul which recommend itself to me by the recitation of the rosary, shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the rosary.
10. The faithful children of the rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.
12. All those who propagate the holy rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the rosary are my son, and brothers of my only son Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion of my rosary is a great sign of predestination.

The Mysteries of the Rosary in Holy Scripture

(The references to the Psalms are aids to meditation)

The Joyful Mysteries (Mon, Sat):

1. The Annunciation Luke 1:26-38; Psalm 44:11-12
2. The Visitation Luke 1:39-56; Psalm 138:17
3. The Nativity Luke 2:1-20; Psalm 95:11-13
4. The Presentation in the Temple Luke 2:21-39; Psalm 47:10-11
5. The Finding in the Temple Luke 2:42-52; Psalm 26:4-5

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tue, Fri):

1. The Agony in the Garden Matt. 26:36-46; Psalm 114:3-4; Luke 22:39-48
2. The Scourging at the Pillar Mark 15:15; Psalm 37:13-18
3. The Crowning with Thorns Matt. 27:27-31; Psalm 31:4
4. The Carrying of the Cross Luke 23:25-31; Psalm 30:11-15
5. The Crucifixion John 19:17-30; Psalm 21:17-19

The Glorious Mysteries (Wed, Sun):

1. The Resurrection Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 138:5,6,18
2. The Ascension Acts 1:1-20; Psalm 46; 67:33-36
3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost Acts 2:1-41; Psalm 103:30
4. The Assumption Apoc. 12:1; Psalm 15:9-11
5. The Coronation Apoc. 12:1; 3 Kings 2:19 (Prot: 1 Kings)

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday):

1. The Baptism of Jesus Mark 1:10; Psalm 28:3
2. The Miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana John 2:2; Psalm 144:18-19
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God Mark 1:15; Psalm 24:5,18
4. The Transfiguration Mat 17:2; Psalm 103:16-2a
5. The Institution the Eucharist Lk 22:19; Psalm 110:4-5

By Jolanta Mokrzycka