It is a prayer of repetition that is also meditative. By repeating the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer. We open our minds to the Mysteries and our hearts to devotion. The Rosary is a perfect prayer as it tells the story of our salvation within the mysteries.
Praying the Rosary
We start with the Sign of the Cross, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Next is the Apostle's Creed (which summarizes the mysteries of our Catholic faith.)
Then the Lord's Prayer:
"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."
After each Our Father, we concentrate on a mystery. There are four sets of Mysteries and within each Mystery are five mysteries. These are centered on the events of Jesus, our Savior's life. As we think of each Mystery, we pray the
Hail Mary
The Hail Mary is composed of two parts.
The first part, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou, among women and blessed is thy fruit of thy womb Jesus." - the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. The second part was added by St. Pius V, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."
The Glory Be
"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."
Next:
The Mysteries - only one set of mysteries is said in a rosary.
Joyful Mysteries
1. Annunciation- humility
2. Visitation- love thy neighbors
3. Nativity- poverty for the poor in spirit; detachment from the things of this world and contempt of riches; love of the poor (homeless)
4. Presentation of Jesus in the Temple - purity and obedience
5. Finding of Jesus in the Temple - time for wisdom/conversion; piety; finding Christ in our own lives
Luminous Mysteries
1. Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan - openness to the Holy Spirit, the healer
2. Wedding Feast of Cana - through Jesus to Mary, the understanding of the ability to manifest through faith
3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God - Trust in God
4. Transfiguration - Desire for Holiness
5. Institution of the Eucharist - Adoration
Sorrowful Mysteries
1. Agony in the Garden - Sorrow for sin; Uniformity with the Will of God
2. Scurging at the Pillar - Mortification; Purity
3. Crowning with Thorns - Contempt of the world; Courage
4. Carrying of the Cross - Patience
5. Crucifixion and Death - Salvation; Forgiveness
Glorious Mysteries
1. Resurrection - Mystery; Faith
2. Ascension - Hope and Desire for Accensiion into Heaven
3. Descent of the Holy Spirit - Holy Wisdom to know the truth and share with everyone; Divine Charity; Worship of the Holy Spirit
4. Assumption - Grace of a happy death and True Devotion to Mary
5. Coronation of Mary - Perseverance and Crown of Glory; Trust in Mary's Intercession
Salve Regina (AKA: Hail, Holy Queen
There is an additional prayer:
"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. "
A Spiritual Bouquet
When we pray the Rosary - each Ave Maria is like giving a rose to our Mother Mary. When we complete the Rosary - She has enough roses to make a crown. This is why the Rosary is known as the 'Crown of Roses.'
Rosary in Latin is rosarium, which means rose garland or rose tree; which loosely translates into a crown of roses.
Why is the rose the chosen flower? The rose is the queen of all flowers, and Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
The rose with its five petals, symbolizes the five wounds of Christ.
According to angels.about.com - the intricate and elegant rose offers a glimpse of a masterful Creator's active presence in creation. As the rosebud blooms, it gradually opens to reveal its blossoms with lovely layers. This is an illustration of how spiritual wisdom unfolds in people's lives. The strong, sweet fragrance of a rose brings to mind the powerful sweetness of love that is the essence of God.
According to swide.com - the rose symbolizes the birth and rebirth; whereas the speed in which the rose withers is likened to death of mankind and the fragility of our existence.
Rose Colors
White - purity and holiness
Red - passion and sacrifice
Yellow - wisdom and joy
Purple or Lavender - wonder, awe and change
Pink - gratitude and peace
This is the rose of Sharon:
which is often used to represent the Madonna. You can see the five petals in this rose clearly.
The 15 Promises of the Rosary by our Blessed Mother
1. To all those who shall pray my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and great graces.
2. Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some special grace.
3. The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.
4. The Rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies. It will draw the hearts 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. Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly reflecting on the mysteries shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. He will not experience the anger of God nor will he perish by an u provided death. The sinner will be converted; the just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life.
7. Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite my Rosary shall have during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plenitude of His graces and will share in the merits of the blessed.
9. I will deliver promptly from purgatory, souls devoted to my Rosary.
10. True children of my Rosary will enjoy the great glory in heaven.
11. What you shall ask through my Rosary, you shall obtain.
12. To those who propagate my Rosary, I promise to aid in all their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity shall have as their intercessors, in life and design, the entire celestial court.
14. Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote
Eve was a thorn, wounding, bringing death to all.
In Mary we see a rose, soothing everybody's hurts, giving the destiny of salvation back to all.
Mary was a rose, white for maidenhoid, red for love:
White in body, red in soul;
White in her seeking after virtue, red in treading down vice;
White in cleansing her affections, red in mortifying her flesh;
White in her love of God, red in compassion for her neighbor.
There is some talk that because the Rosary is not mentioned in the Bible - it is meaningless. The word, Rosary, is not in the Bible because It came after the Bible was written. However, every prayer and mystery are in the Bible. Therefore the Rosary is the REAL thing!
Next up: the Miraculous Medal
Sources: images are from the web, Wikipedia, swide.com, Angels.about.com, catholic.org, the holy rosary.com, catholic.com & misc. websires
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