Transcription
Building the Domestic Church SeriesA Scriptural Rosaryfor the Family
Building theDomestic ChurchWhile Strengthening Our Parish“The family as domestic church is central to the work of the newevangelization and to the future sustainability of our parishes.”– Past Supreme Knight Carl Anderson
The Knights of Columbus presentsThe Building the Domestic Church SeriesA Scriptural Rosaryfor the FamilyThe Joyful, Luminous,Sorrowful and Glorious MysteriesCompiled byFather Bernard Mulcahy, O.P.General EditorFather Juan-Diego Brunetta, O.P.Catholic Information ServiceKnights of Columbus Supreme Council
Copyright 2007-2021 by Knights of Columbus Supreme Council.All rights reserved.Scriptural quotations are taken from The New Oxford Annotated Bible With theApocrypha (Expanded Edition), Revised Standard Version copyright 1973, 1977,Oxford University Press.Citations marked with an asterisk (*) have been adapted according to liturgical orother alternative readings.Cover: The Annunciation, Redemptor Hominis Church,Saint John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, D.C.Artist: Fr. Marko Rupnik, S.J. and the artists of Centro Aletti.Photo: Peter Škrlep/Tamino Petelinsek Knights of ColumbusNo part of this booklet may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or byinformation storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from thepublisher. Write to:Catholic Information ServiceKnights of Columbus Supreme CouncilPO Box 1971New Haven, CT 800-735-4605 FaxPrinted in the United States of America
CONTENTSINTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7ROSARY PRAYERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
IntroductionThe Rosary is a school, that is, a method of prayer for all timesand seasons. For many centuries, Catholics have turned to theRosary to learn the Gospel, to contemplate the face of Christ intheir ordinary lives, but also during times of conflict and danger.As Pope Benedict XVI said in his address to the priests, deaconsand seminarians of Brazil, in the Rosary we find “ the divineComforter seeks to initiate us in the knowledge of Christ thatissues forth from the clear source of the Gospel text. For her part,the Church of the third millennium proposes to offer Christians thecapacity for ‘knowledge—according to the words of Saint Paul—ofGod’s mystery, of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:2-3). Mary, Most Holy, thepure and immaculate Virgin, is for us a school of faith destined toguide us and give us strength on the path that leads us to theCreator of Heaven and Earth.” How important, then, it is to be inthe School of Mary!In his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae (2002), PopeJohn Paul II exhorted us to pray the Rosary for peace and for thefamily. His words are significant for us to reflect upon here:A number of historical circumstances also make arevival of the Rosary quite timely. First of all, the needto implore from God the gift of peace. The Rosary hasmany times been proposed by my predecessors andmyself as a prayer for peace. At the start of amillennium which began with the terrifying attacks of11 September 2001, a millennium which witnessesevery day innumerous parts of the world fresh scenesof bloodshed and violence, to rediscover the Rosarymeans to immerse oneself in contemplation of the-4-
mystery of Christ who “is our peace”, since he made“the two of us one, and broke down the dividing wallof hostility” (Ephesians 2:14). Consequently, one cannotrecite the Rosary without feeling caught up in a clearcommitment to advancing peace, especially in the landof Jesus, still so sorely afflicted and so close to theheart of every Christian.A similar need for commitment and prayer arises inrelation to another critical contemporary issue: thefamily, the primary cell of society, increasinglymenaced by forces of disintegration on both theideological and practical planes, so as to make us fearfor the future of this fundamental and indispensableinstitution and, with it, for the future of society as awhole. The revival of the Rosary in Christian families,within the context of a broader pastoral ministry to thefamily, will be an effective aid to countering thedevastating effects of this crisis typical of our age (6).A custom for those praying the Rosary is to meditate on eachof the Mysteries in silence, either before or while they recite theprayers of each decade. The following pages contain collectionsof verses from the sacred Scriptures, with ten verses given foreach decade of the Rosary. It is suggested that these verses berecited aloud, one before each “Hail Mary.” The verses given foreach decade correspond to the Mystery being recalled, andstress the fidelity and strength of Christ, the Prince of Peace.-5-
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How to pray the RosaryTHE JOYFUL MYSTERIESTHE LUMINOUS MYSTERIESTHE SORROWFUL MYSTERIESTHE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES(Monday and Saturday)(Thursday)(Tuesday and Friday)(Wednesday and Sunday)INTRODUCTORY PRAYERS:1. The Apostles’ Creed2. Our Father3. Three Hail Marys, followed by a Glory beROSARY PROPER:4. Recall the First Mystery and pray the Our Father5. Pray ten Hail Marys6. The decade is concluded by praying the Glory be. In someplaces the Fatima Prayer is said. It reads: O my Jesus, forgiveus our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all soulsto heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.7. Announce the Second Mystery and repeat steps 4-6 aboveuntil all five decades are prayed.AFTER THE ROSARY:8. Pray the Hail, Holy Queen-7-
Rosary PrayersSIGN OF THE CROSSIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.THE APOSTLES’ CREEDI believe in God,the Father almighty,Creator of heaven and earth,and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the Virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried;he descended into hell;on the third day he rose again from the dead;he ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic Church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and life everlasting. Amen.OUR FATHEROur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thykingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespassesas we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us notinto temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.-8-
HAIL MARYHail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thouamong women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at thehour of our death. Amen.DOXOLOGYGlory 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, worldwithout end. Amen.HAIL, HOLY QUEENHail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness andour hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. Tothee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in thisvalley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyesof mercy toward us and after this our exile, show unto us theblessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweetVirgin Mary.V. Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.Let us pray.O God, whose only-begotten Son by His life, death andresurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life:grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating on these mysteries inthe most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitatewhat they contain and obtain what they promise. Through thesame Christ our Lord. Amen.-9-
The Five Joyful MysteriesTHE FIRST JOYFUL MYSTERYTHE ANNUNCIATION1. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; thosewho dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.(Is 9:2)2. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virginshall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.(Is 7:14)3. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peacewill kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring from the earth, andrighteousness look down from heaven.(Ps 85:10-11*)4. There is a river whose streams gladden the City of God, the holyhabitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, and she shallnot be moved; God will help her right early.(Ps 46:4-5)5. I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily, he shallstrike root as the poplar, his shoots shall spread out; his beautyshall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon.(Hos 14:5-6)6. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city ofGalilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose namewas Joseph, of the House of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.(Lk 1:26-27)7. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is withyou!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and consideredin her mind what sort of greeting this might be.(Lk 1:28-29)- 10 -
8. And the angel said to her, “Do not fear, Mary, for you have foundfavor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb andbear a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”(Lk 1:30-31)9. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the MostHigh will overshadow you; therefore the Child to be born will becalled holy, the Son of God.”(Lk 1:35)10. And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it bedone to me according to your word.”(Lk 1:38)THE SECOND JOYFUL MYSTERYTHE VISITATION1. In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country,to a city of Judah; and she entered the house of Zechariah andgreeted Elizabeth.(Lk 1:39)2. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leapedin her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.(Lk 1:41)3. Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains,into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people, and will havecompassion on His afflicted.(Is 49:13)4. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come and I will dwellin the midst of you, says the Lord.(Zec 2:10)- 11 -
5. A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”(Is 40:3)6. They shall come and sing aloud on the heights of Zion, and theyshall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord . I will comfortthem, and give them gladness for sorrow.(Jer 31:13)7. My deliverance draws near speedily, my salvation has gone forth,and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, andfor my arm they hope.(Is 51:5)8. Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy;for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.(Is 52:8)9. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem;for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemedJerusalem.(Is 52:9)10. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations;and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.(Is 52:10)THE THIRD JOYFUL MYSTERYTHE NATIVITY1. A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us, and the governmentis upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,Counselor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, thePrince of Peace.(Is 9:6)- 12 -
2. For while all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in themidst of her course, thy almighty Word leapt down from heavenfrom thy royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed.(Wis 18:14-15)3. Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came uponher, she was delivered of a Son.(Is 66:7)4. Comfort, comfort my people says your God. Speak tenderly toJerusalem, and cry to her, that her warfare is ended, that heriniquity is pardoned.(Is 40:1-2)5. Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations,I am exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us, the God ofJacob is our stronghold.(Ps 46:10-11)6. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heavenfrom God.; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying,“Behold, the dwelling of God is with men.”(Rv 21:2-3)7. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up forDavid a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and dealwisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.(Jer 23:5)8. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.And she gave birth to her first-born Son and wrapped him inswaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was noplace for them in the inn.(Lk 2:6-7)- 13 -
9. And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keepingwatch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appearedto them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and theywere filled with fear.(Lk 2:8-9)10. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bringyou good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.For to you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who isChrist the Lord.”(Lk 2:10-11)THE FOURTH JOYFUL MYSTERYTHE PRESENTATION1. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law ofMoses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.(Lk 2:22)2. “Behold, now I bring the first fruit of the ground, which Thou, O Lord,hast given me.”(Dt 26:10)3. The desired of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house withglory, says the Lord of Hosts.(Hg 2:8)4. Thou wilt bring them in, and plant them on thy own mountain; theplace, O Lord, which thou hast made for thy abode; the sanctuary,O Lord, which thy hands have established.(Ex 15:17)5. “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up thetribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will giveyou as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to theend of the earth.”(Is 49:6)- 14 -
6. Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild theHouse of the Lord.(Ezra 1:3)7. Arise, O Lord, and go to thy resting place, thou and the Ark of thymight. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thysaints shout for joy.(Ps 131:8-0)8. Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, thatthe King of Glory may come in!(Ps 24:7)9. And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Sonof Man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presentedbefore him.(Dan 7:13)10. So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of hisgarments, and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son isas the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed!”(Gn 27:27)THE FIFTH JOYFUL MYSTERYTHE FINDING OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE1. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according tocustom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning,the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did notknow it.(Lk 2:42-43)2. After three days they found him in the Temple, sitting among theteachers, listening to them and asking them questions.(Lk 2:46)- 15 -
3. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his Mothersaid to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your fatherand I have been looking for you anxiously.”(Lk 2:48)4. And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did younot know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did notunderstand the saying which he spoke to them.(Lk 2:49-50)5. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I maydwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold thebeauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple.(Ps 27:4)6. And the Temple, which a little while before was full of fear anddisturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the AlmightyLord had appeared.(2 Mc 3:30)7. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are theeverlasting arms.(Dt 33:27)8. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! Within her citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.(Ps 48:1, 3)9. On the holy mountain stands the city he founded; the Lord lovesthe gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.(Ps 87:1-2)10. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for theglory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.(Rv 21:23)- 16 -
The Five Luminous MysteriesTHE FIRST LUMINOUS MYSTERYTHE BAPTISM IN THE JORDAN1. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is topass over before you into the Jordan.(Jos 3:11)2. When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water,and behold, the heavens were opened, and [John] saw the Spiritof God descending like a dove and alighting on him.(Mt 3:16)3. On that day, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and thewindows of the heavens were opened.(Gn 7:11)4. And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, withwhom I am well pleased.”(Mt 3:17)5. “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”(Jn 1:34)6. On that day, the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; andthey stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses.(Jos 4:14)7. May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to theends of the earth.(Ps 72:8)8. I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and allflesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroyall flesh.(Gn 9:15)- 17 -
9. Stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the peopleof Israel may go on dry ground through the sea.(Ex 14:16)10. Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord which hewill work for you today; for the Egyptians, whom you see today,you shall never see again.(Ex 14:13)THE SECOND LUMINOUS MYSTERYTHE MANIFESTATION AT THE WEDDING OF CANA1. “A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,and the two shall become one.” This is a great mystery, and itrefers to Christ and the Church.(Eph 5:31-32*)2. When the wine failed, the Mother of Jesus said to him, “They haveno wine.”(Jn 2:3)3. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Every jar shall be filled withwine.”(Jer 13:12)4. And the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.(Est 1:7)5. The steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him,“Every man serves the good wine first ; but you have kept thegood wine until now.”(Jn 2:9-10)6. This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, andmanifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.(Jn 2:11)- 18 -
7. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet tomy taste. He brought me in to the wine cellar, and his banner overme was love.(Song 2:3-4)8. The Lord of Hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, afeast of wine on the lees, well refined.(Is 25:6)9. The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sendingyou grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied.”(Jl 2:18)10. For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit,and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall givetheir dew.(Zec 8:12)THE THIRD LUMINOUS MYSTERYTHE PREACHING OF THE KINGDOM AND OF CONVERSION1. The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding tothe simple.(Ps 119:130)2. Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may behold wonderful things out ofThy law.(Ps 119:18*)3. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bringsgood tidings, who publishes peace, who says to Zion, “Your Godreigns.”(Is 52:7)- 19 -
4. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sinsare like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they arered like crimson, they shall become like wool.(Is 1:18)5. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country and yourkindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”(Gen 12:1)6. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, “Blessed arethe poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”(Mt 5:2-3)7. Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God and saying,“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent,and believe in the gospel.”(Mk 1:14)8. Zeal for thy house has consumed me.(Ps 69:9)9. The Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the poor.(Is 61:1)10. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty tothe captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.(Is 61:2)THE FOURTH LUMINOUS MYSTERYTHE TRANSFIGURATION1. And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people ofIsrael, they looked towards the wilderness and behold, the gloryof the Lord appeared in the cloud.(Ex 16:10)- 20 -
2. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of theLord filled the tabernacle.(Ex 40:34)3. Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them upa high mountain apart by themselves.(Mk 9:2)4. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like thesun, and his garments became white as light.(Mt 17:2)5. Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, “We have found him ofwhom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus ofNazareth, the son of Joseph.”(Jn 1:45)6. And behold two men spoke with him, Moses and Elijah, whoappeared in glory and spoke of his exodus, which he was aboutto accomplish in Jerusalem.(Lk 9:30-31*)7. He was still speaking when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them,and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, withwhom I am well pleased; listen to him.”(Mt 17:5)8. When the disciples heard this they fell on their faces, and werefilled with awe.(Mt 17:6)9. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”(Mt 17:7)10. Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, thou art very great!Thou art clothed with honor and majesty, who coverest thyselfwith light as with a garment.(Ps 104:1-2)- 21 -
THE FIFTH LUMINOUS MYSTERYTHE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST1. When your children say to you, “What do you mean by thisservice?” you shall say, “It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover.”(Ex 12:26-27)2. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is greatamong the nations, and in every place incense is offered to myname, and a pure offering.(Mal 1:11)3. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the People ofIsrael; they beheld God, and ate and drank.(Ex 24:11)4. And he rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them thegrain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of angels.(Ps 78:24-25)5. When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples.(Mt 26:20)6. And he said, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover withyou before I suffer.”(Lk 22:15)7. And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it andgave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you.Do this in remembrance of me.”(Lk 22:19)8. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it tothem, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my Blood of the newcovenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”(Mt 26:27-28*)- 22 -
9. “For my Flesh is food indeed, and my Blood is drink indeed. Hewho eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood abides in me, and I in him.”(Jn 6:55-56)10. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching andfellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.(Acts 2:42)The Five Sorrowful MysteriesTHE FIRST SORROWFUL MYSTERYTHE AGONY IN THE GARDEN1. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death;remain here, and watch with me.”(Mt 26:38)2. My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare yourselffor temptation.(Sir 2:1)3. My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death have fallenupon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horroroverwhelms me.(Ps 55:4-5)4. My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the walls of my heart!My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent; for I hear thesound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.(Jer 4:19)5. Give heed to me, O Lord, and hearken to my plea. Is evil arecompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life.Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, toturn away thy wrath from them.(Jer 18:19)- 23 -
6. I hear many whispering. Terror on every side! “Denounce him! Letus denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall.(Jer 20:10)7. He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes;my soul is bereft of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is.(Lam 3:16-17)8. My heart is broken within me, all my bones shake. The anger ofthe Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplishedthe intents of his mind.(Jer 23:9, 20)9. Then I said, “Lo, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me;I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy Law is within my heart.”(Ps 40:7-8)10. Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, asin obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better thansacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.(1 Sm 15:22)THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERYTHE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR1. They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barrabbas!” NowBarrabbas was a robber. Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.(Jn 18:40, 19:1)2. Let us test him with insult and torture, that we may find out howgentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance.(Wis 2:19)3. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; and the very sight ofhim is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike thatof others, and his ways are strange.(Wis 2:14-15)- 24 -
4. Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there isany sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me, sorrowwhich the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger?(Lam 1:12)5. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised forour iniquities: upon him was the chastisement that made uswhole, and with his stripes we were healed.(Is 53:5)6. The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.(Ps 129:3)7. I am a man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; hehas driven and brought me into darkness without any light; surelyagainst me he turns his hand again and again all the day long.(Lam 3:1-3)8. Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes thathumble you be patient.(Sir 2:5)9. But I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised bythe people.(Ps 22:6)10. Nevertheless in thy great mercies thou didst not make an end ofthem or forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.(Neh 9:31)THE THIRD SORROWFUL MYSTERYTHE CROWNING WITH THORNS1. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and plaitinga crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and put a reed in hisright hand.(Mt 27:28-29a)- 25 -
2. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King ofthe Jews!”(Mt 27:29b)3. And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on thehead.(Mt 27:30)4. For gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace ofhumiliation.(Sir 2:5)5. The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself, so thatyou will find favor in the sight of the Lord.(Sir 3:19)6. Do not boast about wearing fine clothes, nor exalt yourself on theday that you are honored; for the works of the Lord are wonderful,and his works are concealed from men.(Sir 11:4)7. Many were astonished at him, his appearance was so marredbeyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sonsof men.(Is 52:14)8. He had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and nobeauty that we should desire him.(Is 53:2)9. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows andacquainted with grief.(Is 53:3a)10. And, as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised,and we esteemed him not.(Is 53:3b)- 26 -
THE FOURTH SORROWFUL MYSTERYTHE CARRYING OF THE CROSS1. And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and laid itupon his son.(Gn 22:6)2. With a yoke on our necks we are hard driven; we are weary, weare given no rest. Young men are compelled to grind at the mill;and boys stagger under loads of wood.(Lam 5:5, 13)3. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not hismouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheepthat before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.(Is 53:7)4. Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows.(Is 53:4)5. The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, howthey are reckoned as earthen pots, the work of a potter’s hands.(Lam 4:2)6. Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodieswere more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was likesapphire. Now their visage is blacker than soot, they are notrecognized in the streets.(Lam 4:7, 8)7. He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has put heavychains on me; though I call and cry for help, he shuts out myprayer; he has blocked my way with fitted stones.”(Lam 3:7-9)- 27 -
8. They wander, blind, through the streets, so defiled with blood thatnone could touch their garments. “Away! Unclean!” men cried atthem; “Away! Away! Touch not!”(Lam 4:14, 15)9. Sorely have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have notprevailed against me.(Ps 129:2)10. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross to theplace called the place of the skull, which is called in HebrewGolgotha.(Jn 19:17)THE FIFTH SORROWFUL MYSTERYTHE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF THE LORD1. And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, therethey crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one onthe left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know notwhat they do
us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. 7. Announce the Second Mystery and repeat steps 4-6 above until all five decades are prayed. AFTER THE ROSARY: 8. Pray the Hail, Holy Queen
