The Holy Rosary

Where did the Rosary Come From? Church tradition says that a thousand years ago a missionary named Dominic was trying to teach people about God and was having a difficult time with the people he was trying to teach. Dominic was praying for guidance on what to do. And then he received a visit from the Virgin Mary. She gave him a wreath of roses which represented the rosary. Rosary means “wreath of roses”. The Virgin Mary taught him about the Rosary and the how to pray the Rosary. She told him to "Pray my Rosary and teach it to your people. That prayer will never fail". So he taught the people how to pray the rosary and taught them the mysteries of the rosary as the Virgin Mary taught him, about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. St. Dominic found great success in this new devotion, and he brought many thousands of non believers to believe in God. And so St. Dominic is usually given credit for the origin of praying the rosary very much as we know it today. And there have been over a dozen other times that Our Blessed Mother came down from heaven to let the world know that we should pray the rosary. Why We Pray The Rosary

We pray the rosary to remind us that God loved us so much that He selected the Blessed Virgin Mary to become the mother of Jesus and that Jesus would sacrifice His life for us on the cross.

A few good reasons for you to pray the rosary:

- The rosary is another spiritual weapon that we have to fight against Satan.

- We pray the rosary because we want peace in the world. Our Blessed Mother told to the children of Fatima; pray the rosary for peace in the world,

-We pray for sinners that they will turn to God and seek his mercy.

- We have been given a very special gift in the rosary. Each time we pray the rosary we should focus on Jesus and also pray for a special intention that we want to pray for. You can ask God to grant you a favor, heal a sick person, or convert a sinner or for other intentions you may have.

- Our Blessed Mother asks God to answer difficult and even intentions that seem impossible. This is her way of drawing you closer to Her and to Jesus.

The Blessed Mother wants us to pray the rosary often and wants to help us. That is why we ask Her to pray for us. 1

How do we pray the Rosary?

We pray the rosary by saying certain prayers in a certain order and by meditating on the Sacred Mysteries. Certain Prayers - The prayers we use when praying the Rosary are: 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. The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. From thence he shall 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 the life everlasting. Amen." The 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.” The Hail Mary - "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." The Glory Be To The Father - "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." The Fatima Prayer - "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy." Hail Holy Queen - "Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy 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. " Certain Order - The order in which the prayers are said are shown in the Rosary diagram:

Meditating - This means that you are thinking about what was happening during these events of the Sacred Mysteries and even imagining you are there watching as they took place.

on the Sacred Mysteries - What we mean when we say Sacred Mysteries is that as we pray the rosary we look at and meditate on the events in the story of Jesus’ life. And these events are called the Sacred Mysteries of the rosary.

There are four sets of these “sacred mysteries” and each set contains five events…each event focused on an important part of the life of Christ. So you can think about it as though the Sacred Mysteries are like a set of four little books and each book has five chapters. The four different sets of these stories, or mysteries, which tell the story of Jesus and Mary are: The Joyful Mysteries which are about Jesus’ birth and his early life. The Luminous Mysteries tell about Jesus’ ministry when He went out to the people to teach them about God. The Sorrowful Mysteries teach us about the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. The Glorious Mysteries tell us about Jesus’ resurrection from death and the glorious life that awaits us in heaven. And each of these Sacred Mysteries has five parts.

When we pray the Rosary we meditate on a set of the Sacred Mysteries. Each day of the week is assigned one set of the Sacred Mysteries for that day.

Joyful Luminous Sorrowful Glorious Mondays, Saturdays; and on Sundays from the First Thursday Tuesday, Sunday, Sunday of Advent until the Baptism of the Lord) Friday Wednesday

The Joyful Mysteries

First Joyful Mystery -The Annunciation-The Angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will be the mother of Jesus. Gabriel greets Mary saying, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Luke 1:28. These are the words that are used in the Hail Mary Prayer, the main rosary prayer. Gabriel is saying that Mary is holy. She never had original sin, she is "full of grace". Mary being very humble doesn’t completely understand the angels words. The angel sees this then adds, "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God." Luke 1:30 Gabriel tells her that she will have a baby boy and that she is to name him Jesus and that the baby Jesus shall be great and that he shall be called the Son of the most High, that he is to be the savior of all. This is the messiah, the great savior that the people have been waiting for who is the king of heaven and earth. Mary asks the angel how this is possible. He answers her... "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the child which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35 Mary knows about the promise of a savior and of the prophesies of the Bible in the Old Testament. And Mary says... "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word." -Luke 1:38 Mary always conforms her will to that of God's. Imitating Mary's attitude toward God's will is a sure way to bring peace to your life. Imagine you are there when the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary, a young Jewish girl.

Second Joyful Mystery -The Visitation - Mary visits St. Elizabeth to tell her the good news.

During the Angel Gabriel's appearance to Mary, he also tells her that her cousin Elizabeth is expecting a baby. Elizabeth is much older than Mary and it was thought she could have no children because of her age and because she had no children previously. Gabriel reveals this to Mary to show that "For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke1:37. After the Angel leaves, Mary goes to visit her Cousin Elizabeth who lives about eighty miles from Mary. Elizabeth knows that Mary is blessed and she proclaims to Mary... "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." -Luke 1:42 This phrase again is used in the Catholic Rosary Prayers, the Hail Mary Prayer. Elizabeth is amazed and pleased that Mary has come to visit her and tells Mary that as soon as she heard the voice of Mary when she arrived that her own baby, who would become St. John the Baptist, leaped for joy within her. Mary then stays with Elizabeth for three months. Surely she helps her cousin who was well along in her pregnancy. The Bible says that Elizabeth’s son, John is the prophet of the highest and that he prepares the way for Jesus. St. John went before Jesus to "give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of piece." -Luke 1:79 Mary’s kindness and consideration in visiting with Her cousin Elizabeth is an example of God’s loving grace being shared with others. Imagine that you see Mary enter into the house of Elizabeth and her husband Zachary.

Third Joyful Mystery-The Nativity Jesus is born.

People are ordered to travel to the town of their ancestors to register. Joseph (and Mary) are from the family of David and therefore travel to Bethlehem, the city of David to register. Mary travels on a small donkey being led by St. Joseph. Because so many people are traveling at this time, Joseph and Mary can't find anywhere to spend the night. They go from place to place seeking a room because the baby Jesus is about to be born. Over and over again the door is closed to them with the words "no room in the inn" echoing in their ears. Finally they are offered a place to stay in a stable, and this is where the baby Jesus will be born. Then the angel appeared to the shepherds in the field and said, "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For, this day, is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: "Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will." -Luke 2:10-14 The King of kings and Lord of lords humbles Himself to be born in a manger and to have among his first visitors simple shepherds. Mary is also truly humble and filled with joy. We should all share in the humility of Mary and also in the joy of the birth of our savior who has come to redeem us all from sin. Imagine you are one of the shepherds in Bethlehem watching over the sheep when Jesus is born.

Fourth Joyful Mystery - The Presentation - Jesus is presented in the Temple. Mary and Joseph take the baby Jesus to Jerusalem "to present him to the Lord" -Luke 2:22 According to Jewish law every male child must be taken to the temple and be presented to God. There a prophet named Simeon and the prophetess Anna meet the Holy Family at the temple in Jerusalem. They do not know Joseph and Mary but Simeon was told by God that he would see the Savior before he died. When Simeon sees baby Jesus he takes him from Mary and holds Him in his arms and praises God proclaiming, "Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; Because my eyes have seen thy salvation" -Luke 2:29 Simeon then blesses Mary and Joseph and prophesies to Mary: "Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." - Luke 34-35 After all this the Holy Family leaves Jerusalem and returns to Nazareth. There they live in peace and joy for many years before Jesus begins His public life. For the Bible says... "The child grew, and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him." - Luke 2:40 We should all honor our Lord Jesus Christ as Simeon did recognizing that He is our salvation and hope for everlasting life in Heaven. Imagine you are at the temple when Joseph and Mary arrive with the child Jesus.

Fifth Joyful Mystery - Finding in the Temple -Jesus was lost, Mary & Joseph found him in the temple teaching about God. Every year during the feast of the Passover, the Holy Family went to Jerusalem. The Gospel of St. Luke tells of one particular trip when the twelve year old Jesus remains behind in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph don't know this however. Mary thinks Jesus is with Joseph and Joseph thinks He is with Mary. This could easily happen because the women and men would travel in separate groups and Jesus was at the age when he could be either with His father mother. Mary and Joseph do not notice He is missing until an entire day passes. Can you imagine the worry that they felt? They lost the Christ Child. When realizing He is not with either of them, they look for Him among their family and friends. Much to their sorrow, they do not find Him so they quickly return to Jerusalem. After three days, their anxiety turns to joy when they find Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem "sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom". -Luke 2:46-47 When his parents saw him his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” -Luke 2:48 And He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” -Luke 2:49 Jesus shows his wisdom and knowledge at the temple, but also shows his humility and obedience to his parents and returns home with them “And advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man to grow in wisdom and knowledge" -Luke 2:52 Imagine that you are with Joseph and Mary when they realize that Jesus is missing.

The Luminous Mysteries – First Luminous Mystery- The Baptism of the Lord-John baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin and the son of Elizabeth. Jesus and John had a special relationship that began when John’s mother and Mary were both pregnant with them. John leapt for joy in his mother's womb when Mary came to visit Elizabeth. When he became a man, John preached about the coming of the savior throughout the area of the river Jordan. He encouraged people to get baptized to cleanse them of their sins to prepare for the coming of Jesus. Although John baptized with water, He prophesized that the Messiah would come and baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came to where John was baptizing at the river Jordon, John exclaimed, "behold the lamb of God." John at first refused to baptize Jesus. But Jesus told him "Let it be so now, for by us must all righteousness be fulfilled." And John then baptized him. When Jesus came out of the water, the voice of God was heard as the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The voice of God said, "This is my beloved Son, in who I am well pleased." Then after being filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus went out into the desert where He fasted and prayed for 40 days. (Mt. 3:12-17) St. John the Baptist offers all of us hope in the saving of our souls through Baptism and in the coming of Jesus. Imagine that you are at the river where John is baptizing people when Jesus comes there.

Second Luminous Mystery - The Wedding at Cana- Jesus’ first miracle, he turned water into wine. The hosts ran out of wine. Mary went to Jesus and told Him they had no wine. Jesus responded to her, "Woman, what is that to me and to you? My hour is not yet come." Some people have thought that Jesus was not being very kind to His mother when He said this. But this is not true. How could it be, Jesus is sinless and is the perfect son. He would never be unkind to His mother. Mary did not say anything else to Jesus. Rather she went to the waiters and told them, "Do whatever He tells you." Her remark proves that she knew He was about to perform a miracle. She knew that he would do as she wished. Jesus instructed the servants to fill some huge pots with water. Because of Mary's advice they obeyed. He told them then to take some water from these freshly filled pots and take it to the head servant. They again obeyed and were amazed to see that the water was miraculously turned into wine. The head servant not knowing what had occurred went to the bride and groom and congratulated them on serving the best wine last. As the Bible states, Jesus first miracle "manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him." (Jn 2:1-12) As Jesus obeyed the wishes of His Mother, we should look at this miracle and see both the wonder and power of God and the virtue of obedience of Jesus to His Mother. Imagine you are with Mary and Jesus at a wedding in Galilee in an area called Cana.

Third Luminous Mystery - The Proclamation of the Kingdom- Jesus preaches to the crowds about the Kingdom of God. "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying: The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:14-15 Jesus forgives the humble who display faith in Him. The humble show sorrow for their sins. They also show love and hope. Jesus performed many miracles in front of many people to prove that He was indeed the Son of God. He put His hand on the sick who were brought to Him and at once they were cured because of their belief in God. He drove the devils out of those whom they possessed. The devil does not have power over Jesus. Many people saw these miracles and also listened to what Jesus was saying to them and did come to believe that He was truly sent from God. There were still however some Jewish leaders that did not believe and that wanted to get rid of Jesus. But Jesus did not hate these people and helped them with their illnesses and diseases also, showing kindness and mercy to all. God is the Father to all people in the world and wants everyone to be saved and join Him in heaven. The message of Jesus to all was to repent and believe the Gospel. And this is still the most important duty of all Christians and is necessary for all of us today and for all times. Imagine you are in the crowd listening to Jesus speak to the people and you move closer so you can listen and watch what Jesus does when some people bring sick people to Him.

Fourth Luminous Mystery - The Transfiguration- Jesus took the three apostles and went to the top of Mt. Tabor and when they reached the top of the mountain, they saw that Jesus' "face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow." Then suddenly Peter, James and John saw Moses and Elias appear and they were talking to Jesus. Peter got very excited and he called out to Jesus saying... "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." Jesus did not answer him and a bright cloud came and covered them. A booming voice came from the cloud. It was the voice of God. The words they heard were, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." This frightened Peter, James and John. Immediately they fell to the ground. Jesus went to them, stooped down, gently touched them then said, "Arise, and fear not." When they arose, they only saw Jesus and the apparition was over. While they were making their descent from the mountain Jesus gave them this command... "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead." -Matthew 17:9 These Apostles only saw a glimpse of the magnificence of God. Imagine the power and glory that awaits in Heaven for those who love Jesus and accept His gracious mercy. Imagine how Peter, James and John felt when they went with Jesus and saw Moses and Elias appear. 12

Fifth Luminous Mystery - The Institution of the Eucharist-Before he died, Jesus gave us his body & blood in the Holy Eucharist. The time for the Passover was drawing near. Jesus told the disciples to go into Jerusalem where they would meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. He would take them to a room that was prepared for their meal. During the meal Jesus said, "Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me." This really disturbed them all and they began asking "Is it I, Lord?" Jesus said in response... "He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me...woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born." Judas who already committed to betraying Jesus said, "Is it I, Rabbi?" Jesus responded, "Thou hast said it." Then Jesus took bread then blessing it, He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said, "Take ye, and eat. This is my body." Then He took the chalice filled with wine and gave it to them saying... "Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins." It was at this time that Jesus gave us the wonderful Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist through which we are able to personally and spiritually experience the actual presence Our Lord and to offer our praise, thanks, and petitions to Him in a personal way. Imagine how the Apostles felt at this most holy event, not knowing what would happen but knowing that Jesus was offering to them something that would become a most sacred sacrament.

The Sorrowful Mysteries

First Sorrowful Mystery - Agony in the Garden-Jesus prayed in the Garden because he knew he was going to be soon turned over to His enemies. Following the Institution of the Eucharist at the last supper, Jesus takes His disciples to an olive garden, called Gethsemane. He tells most of them to stay behind while He leads Peter, James and John further into the garden to pray. The Bible says Jesus "began to grow sorrowful and to be sad." He reveals to Peter, James and John, "My soul is sorrowful even unto death". He tells the three of them to stay behind and watch as he goes alone to pray. Jesus falls upon his face in an agony being overwhelmed by what He knows He must suffer the next day in atonement for the sins of mankind. He prays to God, "My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Returning to Peter, James and John, who have fallen asleep, Jesus somewhat disappointed asks them, "Could you not watch one hour with me?" Shortly after this Judas with a group of men and soldiers came into the garden and approach Jesus and kissing Him he says, "Hail, Rabbi." Previously, Judas told the soldiers that the Man whom he would kiss would be Jesus. And Jesus sadly replied saying, "Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?" -Luke 22:48 The soldiers take hold of Jesus and all the disciples run away abandoning Him. Jesus is arrested and then taken to Caiphas, the Jewish high priest where many people are already gathered awaiting Him. We should never make our Lord sorrowful because of our in attention to Him, our betrayal of Him, or our abandonment of Him as happened in the garden. Pray that your faith and devotion remains strong Imagine that you are in the garden and you can hear what is going on. .

Second Sorrowful Mystery - Scourging at the Pillar-After Jesus was arrested he was tied up and whipped.

The High Priest Ciaphas, found Jesus "guilty" and took Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who ruled over those parts because Jesus' enemies wanted Him executed and only the Roman ruler could have a prisoner put to death. Pilate did not really want to deal with this matter but he did question Jesus and asked Him, "Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. Pilate saith to him: What is truth?"-John 18:37-38. Pilate believed it was wrong to condemn Jesus to death because His crime did not warrant such a punishment. Pilate was also a coward. He was afraid the leaders of the Jews would start a rebellion if he did not give into their demands. So Pilate had Jesus scourged and agreed to have Him crucified on the cross. Jesus was stripped of His clothes and tied to a stone pillar and whipped. He was surrounded by a blood thirsty mob who were shouting and encouraging the cruel Roman soldiers as they lashed His divine flesh with leather whips tipped with sharp stones. Blood flowed forth as His flesh was torn from His sacred body. Although He did no wrong Jesus patiently submitted Himself to the questions of the Roman ruler, the beatings and the condemnation to death. We should learn the virtue of patience from Jesus example. Imagine that you are in the courtyard during Pilate's questioning of Jesus.

Third Sorrowful Mystery - Crowing with Thorns-The soldiers made a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus’ head to make fun of him.

If it wasn't bad enough having Jesus whipped, the cruel soldiers mocked Him and crowned Him with thorns. They clothed Him in a scarlet robe, the color of royalty. Then they pressed upon Jesus a crown made from thorns. They placed a reed into His right hand and made fun of His Divine Kingship. Mocking Him all the while with their pretend coronation. The cruel executioners danced around Jesus shouting in jest, "Hail King of the Jews" and mockingly they bowed down before Him. They taunted Him and took the reed from His hand and struck Him with it on His head. His own blood blinded Him as it trickled from wounds that the thorns made in His head into His Eyes. How those agonizing blows made Jesus suffer compounding the throbbing pain caused by the crown of thorns upon His head. Jesus being crowned with thorns is one of the sorrowful events in the life of Jesus that it makes your heart sad that they would treat Jesus this way. Jesus accepted this humiliating treatment so that we may !earn to be humble ourselves and accept that sometimes we may be treated unfairly by others. But we should remember that Jesus suffered the greatest humiliation and pain for us and He was innocent of any crime that they had accused Him. Imagine you are still in the courtyard and just watching Jesus be whipped severely you now watch as they further humiliated and insulted Jesus.

Fourth Sorrowful Mystery - Carrying the Cross-Jesus carried his cross to Calvary

After Jesus was mocked and crowned with thorns, He was stripped of the robe and dressed in His own clothing. This caused such torment for the wounds from the scourging were reopened and pained Jesus again. Jesus was then forced to carry His own cross to Calvary. The journey was excruciatingly painful. Jesus was already weak from the torture He underwent and stumbled and faltered along the way. He fell many times and the weight of the heavy cross came crashing down upon His weary body. Mary accompanied by John and Mary Magdalen followed Jesus as He carried His cross. At one point Mary was face to face with her Son. Seeing her brought much comfort to Jesus and gave Him renewed strength and courage to continue His mission. Seeing that He was so weak and His wounds were to immense that He could have died on the way, the executioners picked a man from the crowd, Simon of Cyrene, and forced Him to help Jesus carry the cross. Along the way there was a holy woman named Veronica. She was a follower of Jesus and she waited to see Him. As He approached her, she removed her veil and wiped His bloody face. Her gesture was so refreshing and loving that Jesus performed a miracle. The image of His face was impressed upon her veil. When Jesus finally completed His long and agonizing journey, the executioners threw Him to the ground and stripped Him once again of His clothing and prepared to crucify Him. Imagine you are following Jesus as He carries His cross to Calvary.

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion-Jesus forgave all who hurt him and then He died on the cross.

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior was nailed to the cross and hung there all day to suffer and die. Mary the mother of Jesus, was standing near the cross along with John and Mary Magdalene and the other Holy Women. When Jesus looked down upon His mother who was full of sorrow, He said to her, "Woman, behold thy son. "Then looking at St. John, Jesus said, "Behold thy mother." -John 19:26-27. Jesus was not only asking St. John to care for Mary, which he did, but Jesus was also giving Mary to be the mother of all people. Then at 3 o'clock, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" -Matthew 27:46 Those near the cross thought Jesus was calling out to Elijah. Then Jesus said, "I thirst." The executioners filled a sponge with vinegar and put it up to the mouth of Jesus. Some of the bystander said, "Let us see whether Elias will come to deliver him." -Matthew 27:49 "And Jesus crying out with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost." -Luke 23:46 The head of Jesus bowed and His spirit departed. The body of Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in the arms of His sorrowful mother. Although Jesus was crucified on the cross. He forgave his executioners saying; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 Imagine you are present when Jesus arrived and they nailed Him to the cross and crucified Him.

The Glorious Mysteries

First Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection-Jesus rose from the dead because he is God. The body of Jesus was hastily placed in a borrowed tomb without the usual burial ceremony because the Sabbath was drawing near. After the Sabbath the Holy Women went to the tomb so they could finish anointing Jesus' body. But, Jesus had already risen. Mary Magdalen was first to arrive to the tomb. She thought Jesus’ body had been stolen. She ran to Peter and John and said, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him." -John 20:2 Peter and John ran to the tomb and saw that the linens that Jesus' was wrapped in were on the floor but that the cloth that covered Jesus' face was folded neatly and placed somewhere separate from the other linens. At that moment they both believed that Jesus had risen as He said He would. Meanwhile, Mary Magdalen remained outside the tomb, crying. Two angels appeared to her and asked her why she was sad. She answered... "Because they have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid him." -John 20:13 She turned around and saw Jesus standing there yet she did not recognize Him until He spoke to her. Then she went back to the other disciples and proclaimed, "I have seen the Lord." The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ gives us hope that through the mercy and love of God that we also will rise again at the end of time and enjoy everlasting life in Heaven with God and all the Angels and Saints

Imagine that you went along with the women to the tomb where Jesus was buried.

Second Glorious Mystery - The Ascension-Jesus returned back to his father in heaven.

After the resurrection during His time with them He ate with them and taught them new things concerning the Kingdom of God. One evening as the remaining eleven were eating dinner, Jesus appeared to them. He told them He was disappointed for their lack of faith. They were being stubborn and refused to believe those who had seen Jesus alive after the Resurrection and they locked themselves in a room for fear of Jesus' enemies. "And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned." -Mark 16:15-16. But before they were to do these things, they had to wait for the promised coming of the Holy Spirit Who would give them the strength they needed to carry out their mission. Some of them asked Him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" -Acts 1:6 "But he said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power: But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth." -Acts 1:7-8 They all then went out to a field, then as He was blessing them, He went up into a cloud and vanished. Jesus returned to His Father in Heaven where He continues to watch over us, hear us, and guide us if we allow ourselves to follow His teachings and example. Imagine you are with the Apostles after the Resurrection of Jesus

Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of the Holy Spirit- Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to Mary and the Apostles.

They stayed in the Upper Room where they prayed together for the coming of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Jesus had told them that God would send them the Holy Spirit to help them. “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.” Acts 2:2. “Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” Acts 2:3 "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues" Acts 2:4 Being able to speak in different languages would allow them to preach about God to people in all lands. There were many people in the area that heard the sounds that came from the house and a large crowd gathered outside. Peter went out to them and preached to them about the Kingdom of God and about Jesus. "Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." -Acts 2:38 That day 3,000 people converted and were baptized. The Holy Spirit dwells within every one of us and gives us the strength we need to overcome the evils of the devil and strengthen our faith and trust in God.

After the Ascension, imagine you are with the Apostles and Mary and are wondering what is next and what will happen to you and how you are going to be prepared to go and teach about God as Jesus wants you to do. 21

Fourth Glorious Mystery - Assumption-Mary is taken to Heaven body & soul.

Mary lived a pious and holy life. She had many memories of Her life with Jesus from the surprising announcement of the angel that She would become the Mother of Our Savior, the joy of the birth of Jesus, the agony of the crucifixion, and the glory of the Resurrection. Her soul was surely filled with peace and joy as she eagerly awaited her reunion with Jesus, her Son. The Blessed Virgin Mary closed her eyes and fell asleep in death. Those present would have to wait for their own earthly journey to come to an end before they would see Her and their Lord, Jesus again. The Apostles present and the Holy Women prepared Mary's body for burial and they devoutly and lovingly laid her to rest. When the Apostles went to the tomb to pray the following day, Mary's body was gone and the place where they had lain Her was now filled with the sound of birds singing and the lovely scent of flowers. Mary was conceived without sin and Jesus would not allow her body to decay. The devil had no power over her. Jesus took her, body and soul up to Heaven where He had a place prepared for her. Mary's faithfulness to God had never waivered and Her love of Jesus is complete and selfless. She is now among the angels and the saints praising God and interceding for all of us as we ask her to pray for us and to help us in seeking God's blessings for our intentions and to help us live our lives in accordance with God's will. When Mary's time on earth drew to a conclusion many of Jesus followers knelt around her bed and prayed. Imagine you are with them as they pray together. 22

Fifty Glorious Mystery - The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary-Jesus crowns Mary queen of heaven and earth. Jesus took Mary, body and soul into heaven, He crowned her Queen of heaven and earth. By her very relationship as the mother of Jesus, Mary is queen because Jesus is King. Who is a king's mother? A queen of course. And Mary is the greatest queen ever for she is the mother of the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace, Jesus. The Angel Gabriel declared this to be true. Not only is Mary the mother of the King, she is the most highly favored daughter of God the Father and the Spouse of God the Holy Spirit. She always obeyed God and was humble before Him. Mary received the promised "never fading crown of glory" because her life so perfectly resembled that of her Son's and because she shared in all His sufferings. -1Peter 5:4 As a reward for her holiness and perfection of virtues, Jesus gave her dominion over the Angels and the Saints as their queen. Evil spirits fear Mary more than any other human because they never had any power over her for she was conceived in her mother's womb without the blemish of original sin. Jesus could only enter this world through a spotless woman, one created as Adam and Eve were created, perfect in the eyes of God. We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ. Imagine all of the joys and all of the sorrows that Mary had during Her life and how God blessed Her with the highest honor in heaven.