The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events in the history of our salvation. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the Rosary, and these are divided into the five Joyful Mysteries (said on Monday and Saturday), the five Luminous Mysteries (said on Thursday), the five Sorrowful Mysteries (said on Tuesday and Friday), and the five Glorious Mysteries (said on Wednesday and Sunday). As an exception, the Joyful Mysteries may be said on Sundays during Advent and Christmas, while the Sorrowful Mysteries may be said on the Sundays of Lent.
The question is sometimes asked, why, of all the incidents in our Lord’s life, the Rosary only considers these particular twenty. The mysteries of the Rosary are based on the incidents in the life of Our Lord and His Mother that are celebrated in the Liturgy. There is a parallel between the main feasts honoring our Lord and his Mother in the liturgical year, and the twenty mysteries of the Rosary. Consequently, one who recites the twenty mysteries of the Rosary in one day reflects on the whole liturgical cycle that the Church commemorates during the course of each year. That is why some of the Popes have referred to the Rosary as a compendium of the Gospel. One cannot change the mysteries of the Rosary without losing the indulgences that the Church grants for the recitation of the Rosary.
The steps to praying the Rosary are:
- Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostles’ Creed”
- Say the “Our Father”
- Say three “Hail Marys” for Faith, Hope, and Charity
- Say the “Glory Be”
- Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”
- Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery
- Say the “Glory Be” (Optional: Say the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima)
- Announce the Next Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat these steps (6 through 8) as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.
- Say the closing prayers: the “Hail Holy Queen” and “Final Prayer”
- Make the “Sign of the Cross”
Pope Saint John Paul II suggested the recitation of the Rosary as follows: the JOYFUL mysteries Monday and Saturday, the LUMINOUS on Thursday, the SORROWFUL on Tuesday and Friday, and the GLORIOUS on Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception; Sundays of Advent and Christmas – the JOYFUL; Sundays of Lent – the SORROWFUL). Here is a chart:
There is also a manner of praying the Rosary according to the Order of Preachers. It is identical to the normal Roman Catholic manner, except the introductory prayers are based on the opening prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours.
- Make the Sign of the Cross
- V: Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee.
R: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. - V: O Lord, open my lips.
R: And my mouth shall declare Your praise.
V: O God, come to my assistance.
R: O Lord, make haste to help me. - Say the “Glory Be”. Alleluia.
- Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”
- Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery
- Say the “Glory Be” and the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima
- Announce the Second Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat steps six, seven and eight as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.
- Say the “Hail Holy Queen” and verse
- Say the “Final Prayer”
- V. May the Divine Assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
- Make the Sign of the Cross
Source- https://rosarycenter.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary
Mysteries of the Rosary
Each of the five decades of the Rosary highlights a unique moment within the Paschal Mystery. There are four sets of mysteries — Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous, and Glorious — and each contains five pivotal events from the life of Jesus. When praying the Rosary, we enter into one set of these mysteries at a time, meditating on them through the eyes of Mary, the disciple who was closest to Jesus and knew him best. The Church traditionally prays certain mysteries on specific days of the week, as follows:
- Monday: Joyful Mystery
- Tuesday: Sorrowful Mystery
- Wednesday: Glorious Mystery
- Thursday: Luminous Mystery
- Friday: Sorrowful Mystery
- Saturday: Joyful Mystery
- Sunday: Glorious Mystery
Joyful Mysteries (Monday, Saturday)
The Joyful Mysteries invite us to contemplate the Incarnation, and we enter into the wonder of Jesus coming to earth as a baby. We see the incredible story unfold through Mary’s eyes – the angel appear (The Annunciation), her cousin Elizabeth’s greeting (The Visitation), the birth of her son (The Nativity), and the significant events that point to who this child is and what he will do (The Presentation and Finding in the Temple). We are invited to do as Mary did and “reflect on them in [our] heart[s]” (Luke 2:19).
Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday, Friday)
The Sorrowful Mysteries help us relive the passion and death of Jesus. We not only remember it, but we also enter in – we keep watch with Jesus in his distress before his arrest (The Agony in the Garden). We enter into his suffering with The Scourging at the Pillar, The Crowning of Thorns, and The Carrying of the Cross … and then we stand at the foot of that cross beside Mary as we witness his Crucifixion and Death. We attempt to understand the depths of God’s love for us as we reflect on the cost of our salvation and redemption. We feel this sorrow and contrition even more deeply as we imagine it through the eyes of his mother.
Luminous Mysteries (Thursday)
Through the Luminous Mysteries, we meditate on the events of Jesus’ public ministry: his revelation as the Beloved Son of the Father at the Baptism in the Jordan, his first public miracle at the Wedding at Cana, his Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, Jesus’ Transfiguration, and the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “In the Luminous mysteries, apart from the miracle at Cana, the presence of Mary remains in the background … Yet the role she assumed at Cana accompanies Christ throughout his ministry. The revelation made directly by the Father at the Baptism in the Jordan, also echoed by John the Baptist, is placed upon Mary’s lips at Cana, and it becomes the great maternal counsel that Mary addresses to the Church of every age: ‘Do whatever he tells you.’”
Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday, Sunday)
In the Glorious Mysteries, we meditate on the awe-inspiring miracles that take place after Jesus’ death. These events show how Jesus is who he says he is – the Son of God. We experience the joy of the risen Christ and imagine ourselves as Mary or the first disciples (The Resurrection). As we pray, we see Jesus’ Ascension into heaven and the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The last two mysteries, though not explicitly mentioned in Scripture, come from hundreds of years of tradition based on passages from Revelation and the Song of Songs. We celebrate the grace and the role Jesus has bestowed upon his mother (The Assumption and Coronation of Mary), and we pray that where Mary goes, we will one day as well.
Why do we pray the Rosary?
Think of the Rosary as being like the ocean: There’s something in it for everyone, whether you consider yourself a veteran mystic longing to go deeper in prayer with our Lord, a novice struggling to learn how to pray, or someone seeking the Lord’s help, right now, with something going on in your life. The deep-sea explorer and the child making sand castles on the beach can fully enjoy the same ocean while playing at different levels. And this is true with the Rosary.
Edward Sri, “Why Pray the Rosary?”
Just as Dr. Sri explains, the Rosary is a prayer for people of all ages, undergoing different life experiences, and who might have different levels of familiarity with the devotion. The reason behind the Rosary is fairly simple — Mary was present for the joyful, sorrowful, luminous, and glorious moments of Christ’s life. So, by meditating on Jesus’ life with Mary’s help, we seek to grow closer and closer to Christ. We might pray with Mary for a special intention, or we might need a moment of solace with the Blessed Mother and her Son. Any reason to pray the Rosary is a beautiful reason.
Praying the Rosary Every Day
We can pray the Rosary at any time of the day or night. While some people prefer to pray with beads, they aren’t necessary for our time spent with Jesus and Mary. Praying the full Rosary step by step usually takes about 15 – 25 minutes, but remember, you can always simply pray one decade (an Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, a Glory Be) if that’s all the time you have.
If you’re looking to add the Rosary to your everyday prayer routine intentionally, consider the following times for prayer:
- If you take daily walks, consider adding the Rosary to your routine. You can say the prayers with Hallow, or carry your rosary beads as you walk.
- Pray the Rosary on your commute; listen and pray along as you start or end your day at work.
- Pray as you prepare dinner.
- Set aside quiet time and pray as you get ready for the day or prepare to fall asleep.
How to Pray the Rosary
- Begin with the Sign of the Cross.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
- Holding the crucifix, pray the Apostles’ Creed.I 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.
- On the first bead, pray an Our Father.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.
- On each of the next three beads, pray a Hail Mary.Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
- On the next bead, pray a Glory Be.Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
- Pray the first decade.On the large bead, announce the mystery and then say an Our Father.
On each of the 10 small beads, say a Hail Mary while continuing to meditate on the mystery.
At the end of the decade, say the Glory Be.
Then say the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy. Amen - Repeat this pattern for the remaining decades.Our Father -> 10 Hail Marys -> Glory Be -> O my Jesus (Fatima Prayer)
- After the 5 decades, conclude with the Hail Holy Queen.Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, 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 unto us 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 - Close with the concluding prayer.Let us pray:
O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by His Life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. - End with the Sign of the Cross.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Source- https://hallow.com/2019/09/23/how-to-pray-the-rosary/
Comments