ROSARY ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
Before beginning we want to meditate on the cross itself,
together with Saint Robert Bellarmine, S.J.¹:
“It seems appropriate that I should say something about the Cross in itself that
was the Preacher’s Pulpit, the Priest Victim altar, battlefield of the soldier,
and the workshop of whom does great marvels. The ancient agreed when they said
that the Cross was made from three pieces of wood: one vertical, which on the
length of it the crucified was laid down, one horizontal, to which the hands
were tied; and the third one was united to the lower part of the cross, over
which the feet of the accused rested, but held by nails to prevent movement.
The old Fathers of the Church agree in this opinion, like Saint Justin and Saint
Irenaeus of Lyon. These authors, more so, clearly indicated that each foot
rested on the board, and not that one foot was on top of the other.
Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory of Nice said that the vertical board of the Cross protrudedhigher than the horizontal board. It seems that the Apostle hints the same thing, because in his Letter to the Ephesians, Saint Paul writes: “together with God’s all people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep…”² This is clearly a description of the figure of the Cross, which had four extremes: width in the horizontal part, longitude in the vertical part, height in the part of the Cross that protruded and projected from the horizontal part, and depth in the part that was buried in the earth. Our Lord did not suffer the torments of the Cross by chance, or against His will, because He had chosen this form of death since all eternity, like Saint Augustine teaches in the testimony of the Apostle: “Jesus of Nazareth, who was delivered according to the designated plan and previous knowledge of God, you killed him nailing Him in the Cross by hands of the wicked.” And in this way Christ, since the beginning of his preaching, told Nicodemus: “As Moses lifted up the bronze snake in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so everyone who believes in him may have eternal life”.³ Many times He spoke about his Cross, urging them to imitate Him: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”(Mark 8:34).
Only Our Lord knows the reason that made Him choose this type of death. The holy
Fathers, nevertheless, have thought in some mystical reasons, and have left them
for us in their writings. Saint Irenaeus says that the words “Jesus of Nazareth,
“King of the Jews”were written in that part of the Cross where both arms meet,
to make us understand that the two nations, the Jews and the Gentiles, that
until that time had rejected each other, were united in one body under on head:
Jesus.
Saint Gregory of Nice, in his homily on the Resurrection, says that the part of
the Cross that looked towards Heaven manifests that Heaven is going to be opened
by the Cross like if with a key; that the part that is buried in the earth
manifests that hell was cleared by Christ when He descended and went there; and
that the two arms of the Cross stretched towards the East and West manifesting
the regeneration of the whole world by the Blood of Christ.
Saint Jerome, in the
Epistle to the Ephesians, Saint Augustine (18) in his Epistle to Honorato, Saint
Bernard, in the fifth book of his work “Regarding Consideration”, teach that the
principal mystery of the Cross was touched lightly by the Apostle in the words
“how broad and long, how high and deep…” The primary meaning of these words
points to God’s attributes, the height means his power, the depth his wisdom,
the width his goodness, and the longitude his eternity.
They also make reference to Christ’s virtues in his Passion: the width his
charity, the longitude his perseverance. From this we learn that only charity,
the queen of virtues, finds a place anywhere, in God, in Christ, and in us. Of
the other virtues, some are specific to God, others to Christ, and others to us.
ROSARY
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Act of Contrition
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart, in choosing to do wrong, and
failing to do good. I have sinned against you whom I should love above all
things. I firmly intend with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to
avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In his name, My God, have mercy.
FIRST MYSTERY
1. The prayer and agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Luke 22: 39-44)
“And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the
disciples followed him. And when he came to the place he said to them, "Pray
that you may not enter into temptation." And he withdrew from them about a
stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if thou art willing,
removethis cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." And there
appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony
he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling
down upon the ground.”
The Lord knows that his time has come. That is why he goes away farther on to
pray, to address his prayer to the Father. Amidst his pain, of the suffering
facing death, the Lord is conscious he is responding to the Plan of the Father.
The Bible reading that we have heard and which narrates this moment, talks to us
about an angel from Heaven that comforted him amidst his pain. God the Father
never abandons Him.
One Our Father
Hail Mary (10x)
One Gloria
SECOND MYSTERY
2.The Scourging or the coward lashing that Our Lord Jesus Christ received on our
part.
(John 19:1)
“Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.”
The Lord is scourged by Pilate’s soldiers. He is innocent, but nevertheless He
is handed over to be scourged. He assumes the pain and teaches us to face the
pains and sufferings with supernatural vision. This way the pain turns into an
occasion for us to conform with the Suffering Servant.
One Our Father
Hail Mary (10x)
One Gloria
THIRD MYSTERY
3. The Crowns of Thorns
(John 19:2)
“And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed
him in a purple robe”
The Lord Jesus was crowned with thorns. The Lord suffers with patience the
insults and jeers of the soldiers. For his loving obedience to the Father, He
suffers in his body the wounds of sin to reconcile us.
One Our Father
Hail Mary (10x)
One Gloria
FOURTH MYSTERY
4. The way to Calvary carrying the Cross.
(John 19:16-18)
“Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he
went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which
is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, and Jesus between them. “
Jesus carries his Cross to Calvary, to the place where He was going to be
crucified. On the way he finds a man that is obliged to also carry the cross, to
help him. How much do we carry our cross, following the steps of the Lord? Do we
live each day“taking up his cross and following Him”?
One Our Father
Hail Mary (10x)
One Gloria
FIFTH MYSTERY
5. The crucifixion and death of Jesus.
(John 19:25-27)
“So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother,
and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag'dalene. When
Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to
his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold,
your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”
The Lord Jesus is obedient up to the death, and a death in a Cross. At the foot
of the Cross, is his Mother. Amidst the pain, the happiness of meeting with the
Mother.
One Our Father
Hail Mary (10x)
One Gloria
Hail Holy Queen
Look at me, My
children, look at Me Crucified.See what I resemble, look and see if you see in
Me a man or an unrecognizable being. Look at me, My children, look at Me
Crucified. I am Jesus, Your Lord and Your Redeemer. Few thank Me for opening the
doors of Heaven for them. With how much love I redeemed you! With how much love!
My Mother united Her love with Mine and both of us Redeemed you with immense
love; She was united to Me and My Divinity. Look at me, My children, look at Me
Crucified.
FINAL ACT OF CONTRITION
My Lord Jesus Christ, that with your divine and healthy contact sanctified the
wood of the Holy cross, to wash with it and with your precious blood, the stains
of our sins; I am sorry with all my heart all which I have committed against You
in my life, I firmly intend one and a thousand times to amend and wait of your
infinite mercy that you will forgive me. Amen.
¹Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.
²Ephesians 3:18
³John 3:14
Translation by Carmen Morell
This page belongs to Catholic Prayers and Devotions website.
Always visit the Cover page, there is always something new.