Mysteries

The mysteries of the Rosary call to mind important events in salvation history. They are traditionally divided into 3 groups of 5 mysteries. The first group, known as the Joyful mysteries focuses on Jesus’ incarnation. The second group, or sorrowful mysteries focuses on the paschal mystery of Jesus’ suffering and death. The third group focuses on Jesus’ resurrection and the completion of God’s work of salvation when we join Him in heaven. Recently, Pope John Paul II added a 4th group of 5 mysteries focused on Jesus’ 3 years of public ministry.

Joyous

  • Annunciation
    This mystery is about angel Gabriel coming to tell Mary that she will be the mother of God. Mary says she wants it to be done to her according to God's will. This is no minor decision for Mary as there is a stigma in ancient Israel for having a child out of wedlock. She knows Joseph has the right to call off their engagement and she may suffer retribution from the community and still she says yes.
  • Visitation
    Mary went to visit her sister Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist. The baby leapt in Elizabeth's womb upon hearing Mary's voice. It is interesting how the bible authors knew babies could hear in the womb but our enlightened "scientists" are just beginning to figure this out today. I wonder how long it will take them to figure out that a baby in the womb is a real person? Obviously sacred scripture supports the personhood of babies in the womb very strongly in this rosary mystery.

    This mystery means a lot to me personally. I take communion to the sick about once a week. One week, I had to deliver to two mothers in the maternity ward. I had to do a double, no make that a triple-take at my list. Their names were Roe and Wade. Yes. On the anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade decision I had to take communion to two women in the maternity ward and the only two names on my list were Roe and Wade. I think about this often when I pray this mystery. I also think about ways I can help bring about an end to abortion.

    Of course this mystery is about more than merely the status of John the Baptist as a real person while he was an embryo, but this is just one aspect of my meditation on this great mystery.

  • Nativity
    Here is the central miracle of all time. God puts on flesh and comes to us as a vulnerable little baby. He is utterly dependent on Mary and Joseph for care and feeding like any human child. He is born not in a palace but in an animal feed trough.
  • Presentation in the temple
    Here Mary and Joseph obey Jewish law and have Christ circumcised at the Temple. If Jesus and his mom and dad were Jews, how can any Christian feel resentment toward any Jew?
  • Finding in the temple
    Here Jesus is beginning to get an inkling about his public ministry. The only problem is he is only 12 years old so his parents are quite worried when he remains in Jerusalem in the temple when they've already left for home. How many of us can say we are so enthusiastic about being in God's house?

Sorrowful

  • Agony in the garden
    In this mystery, Jesus is literally sweating blood. Now he knows what awaits him on Good Friday and he prays one last time that this Cup be taken away. But he ends his prayer with "Thy will be done". If only I could remember to end every one of my prayers this way!
  • Scourging at the pillar
    Jesus begins to suffer his final passion. Here he is brutally scourged within an inch of his life. Some say that this scourging was Jesus' reparation for a particular kind of sin. They say that perhaps in the scourging, Jesus was paying for our sins of the flesh.
  • Crowning with thorns
    In the crowning with thorns, the guards place a crown of thorns on Jesus' head. A few years ago, my son did a service project where we had to remove overgrown buckthorn bushes. The thorns were sharp and they were two inches long! Now I have an idea what the thorns might have been like in Jesus' crown. Here some say Jesus made reparation for the sin of pride as he was humiliated by his tormentors.
  • Carrying the cross
    Jesus had to carry the instrument of his death to the place of his execution. This is much like Abraham had Isaac carry the wood to the altar where he thought God wanted him to sacrifice his son. Happily, God sent an Angel to tell Abraham not to do it. But God didn't spare his own son and Jesus patiently toiled to carry his cross so he could pay the ultimate price for our sins. I think of this often when I'm doing something tedious. There is nothing so tedious that it compares with carrying your own cross.
  • Crucifiction
    At this point, Jesus laid down his life for us. We are saved through his sacrifice. It became clear to the guards that Jesus was the Son of God when he died. Even as he died, he prayed for our forgiveness. Often, people focus on the Romans and the Jews as executioners of Jesus. No. It's not that simple. You and I are there yelling "Crucify Him!" every time we sin.

Glorious

  • Resurrection
    This is the second most important miracle in all of human history, after Christ's birth. Here he is raised from the dead. We know that if we follow him and take up our cross, the resurrection awaits every one of us as well.
  • Ascension
    Jesus rose up to heaven in sight of the apostles. The church as we know it didn't exist yet and they were still afraid. They thought he had left them and they didn't understand his promise of an advocate which was the Holy Spirit.
  • Pentecost
    This is the third most important miracle in all of human history. Pentecost was the day our church was founded. God sent the Holy Spirit and timid frightened Apostles became fearless advocates who were able to bring many followers to Christ.
  • Assumption of Mary
    Mary went up to heaven in a way very similar to Elijah. She was taken up bodily.
  • Coronation of Mary
    Mary is our oldest sister in Christ and the first person to be crowned in heaven. She is Queen of heaven.

Luminous

  • Baptism of Jesus
    Jesus went to see his cousin, John the Baptist and asked to be baptized. When Jesus came back up out of the water, God the Father could be heard saying "This is my son in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit was seen in the form of a dove. God in three persons appeared together in one place that day.
  • Wedding at Cana
    Mary came to Jesus to tell him they had run out of wine at a wedding feast. Jesus' initial reaction was to ignore it and say "Woman, what concern is this of mine?" Rather than answer him, she said to them "Do whatever he tells you." She is saying this to us today.
  • Proclamation of the Kingdom (Sermon on the Mount)
    In this mystery, Jesus teaches what the kingdom of heaven is all about. He says, "Blessed are the peacemakers..." and he goes on to explain what makes a Christian a Christian.
  • Transfiguration
    Three Apostles were given a rare glimpse into the reality of the world to come when the went with Jesus to a high mountain. They saw Moses and Elijah with Jesus. They were so dumbfounded they didn't quite know what to say or do. Often when we encounter the reality of God, it is like the transfiguration. We are so dumbfounded we do not quite know what to say or do.
  • Institution of the Eucharist (Last Supper)
    Jesus wanted to leave us with something to nourish us. Something that would last forever. Something that would not run out like Manna and would not merely nourish our bodies but our souls. He left us himself in the appearance of bread and wine.