What is the rosary? Literally it means: bouquet of roses. Rosary is initially thought to be a Marian prayer. It is true, but more importantly it is a Christ-centered devotion. in the rosary, we meditate on the mysteries of Christ regarding on how he accomplishes our redemption. The mysteries of the life of Christ are classified into four: his coming as man, his public life, his passion and glory. The rosary without the meditation of the mysteries of Christ is likened to a body without a soul. As we meditate on the mysteries of Christ, we join Mary who according to the Scripture, put all things in her heart. (Luke 2:19) She is the perfect model of Christian meditation and contemplation. We are asking her help that we might be able to know and understand Christ more and more and be closer to him.
The rosary is not a liturgy, that is the official worship of the Church. But, it allows us to participate more in the liturgical life of the Church through the mediation of Christ's mysteries. The rosary is not a Bible, but it helps us to mediate on the truths uttered by God in the Holy Scriptures. The rosary is not a Creed, that is the summary of our faith, but it contains the basic truths of our faith. The rosary is not a Constitution of Morals, but in these mysteries lies the challenge for us to live in the virtues practiced by Christ and Mary.
The rosary is a prayer of meditation and contemplation of the life Jesus with and through Mary. We must never forget this as we pray the rosary.
The first series of the mysteries are called joyful since they speak of the coming of Christ. "Joy" is different from "happiness". Happiness is a feeling but joy is a deep realization in one's being that the situation is happy although the situation may not be considered so.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
The first joyful mystery is the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary that she will conceive and bear a Son whom she will name Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). The Lord surprised Mary that as a virgin, she will bring forth a son. Mary was initially disturbed when an angel appeared to her and greeted her. The angel wants to show Mary that she is chosen by God by which his Son will be brought into the world. Mary doesn't know how will this happen so she asked. Unlike Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, she did not doubt, she just wanted to know how will this happen. The angel replied that it is through the Holy Spirit. It is a new idea for the Israelites. And being an ordinary Jewish girl, she doesn't have the knowledge of the scribes. Yet she trusted in God's plan for her in spite of difficulties. She might be misunderstood or be condemned. She replied in faith: Let it be done unto me according to your word. Then, a miracle happened, God became man in her womb. After nine months, God will dwell in the world he created.
This is a joyful mystery since Mary, although there is fear, felt joy knowing that she is a part of God's plan. She doesn't know where doing God's will will lead her but it is enough for her to be happy. She trusts in faith that God will take care of her.
In this mystery, let us pray to Jesus for the awareness of the sanctity of life in this world wherein contraception, abortion, euthanasia and the like thrive. Let us ask Mary for the virtue of purity because it is only in the bodies and hearts pure where God dwells.
The second joyful mystery is the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1;39-56). After receiving graces, Mary did not remain in the house, she wanted to share the joy with her cousin Elizabeth who like her is in the period of grace. Elizabeth conceived in her old age. Truly, God has been gracious to both of them. Her Son, Jesus and Elizabeth's son. John the Baptist will be God's chosen men to lead Israel back to God. Mary was acknowledged by Elizabeth as "blessed among women" and as the "mother of her Lord". Yet Mary, offered them all to God. She acknowledges herself as nothing without God's favor. And she continually thanked him for all the wonders he has done to her and to her nation, Israel.
In this mystery, let us pray to Jesus for the religious men and women that like Mary, may they be effective evangelizers through their word and the example of their lives. And let us ask Mary for the virtue of genuine love and service like what she offered to Elizabeth.
The third joyful mystery is the Birth of Jesus in a stable at Bethlehem (Matthew 2: 1-12, Luke 2:1-20). The emperor Augustus ordered a census that everyone must go back to their own respective towns. Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth but their place of origin was at Bethlehem since they were descendants of David. Having no place to stay, they were forced to stay in a stable. There were no room for them in the inns. There, Mary gave birth to Christ. And the first ones to know his birth were the shepherds who keep watch over their flocks by night. Angels appeared to them announcing that the long awaited Savior is born and a sign of an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and layed in a manger. The shepherds after finding the baby praised God and became evangelizers. The baby was also found by the astrologers in the East after seeing and studying an unusual star. They initially thought that the baby is King Herod's son but the same star lead them to the place where the baby was. They offered their gifts of gold, fankincense and myrrh. They never went back to Herod after learning from an angel that Herod actually wanted to kill the child thinking that it would be the end of his kingdom.
Let us pray to Jesus in this mystery to safeguard the children and the youth of today from the evils that threaten them. May they be signs of God's goodness to the world. May they never be looked upon as burdens but as blessings. And let us ask Mary for the virtue of poverty and simplicity. As God manifested his power in poor and simple ways, may we see him in the same paths.
The fourth joyful mystery is the presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2: 22- 40). According to the Jewish law, a woman is ritually unclean within forty days after giving birth. So, she needs to perform a ritual of purification by offering a lamb or two young pigeons to be sacrificed in the temple. Mary with Joseph went to the Temple in Jerusalem, there they met Simeon, a just man awaiting Israel's redemption. He knows that he will never die until he sees the long -awaited Messiah. When he saw Jesus, in joy he carried him in his arms and blessed God thanking him and saying that he is now ready to die since he has seen the Savior. Her prophesied the redemption of Jesus through his persecution and the sorrow of Mary. Anna, a prophetess also seen Jesus and like Simeon, she rejoiced seeing the Savior. Then they went back to Nazareth and there the child grew in grace and wisdom.
Let us ask Jesus in this mystery to help those who are poor who are awaiting help from God to see Jesus in the simplicity and ordinariness of their lives. May they feel and recognize the presence of the Holy One who is always with them. Let us ask Mary for the virtue of contemplation so that we can see Christ and feel his presence in our daily lives.
The fifth joyful mystery is the loss and the finding of the child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2: 41-52). When Jesus was twelve years old, when it was his first time to join the caravan from Nazareth in pilgrimage to the Temple for the feat of the Passover, he did not join his parents when they were returning to Jerusalem. Noticing that Jesus was not with them, Joseph and Mary looked for him for three days. They found him in the temple among the teachers, who were amazed at his wisdom in listening and asking them questions. Mary asked him why did he do this to them. But Jesus replied that he is just doing what his Father asked him to do. His parents did not understand him but Mary contemplated these things in her heart. Jesus obeyed his parents when they returned to Nazareth and became a good example to the young and was pleasing to God and men.
Let us ask Jesus in this mystery to help the families to be aware of their responsibility to the Society and to the Church. Like the Holy family, may they be effective in looking for the lost and to let god be known to the world. Let us ask Mary for the virtue of diligence in our duties. That like Jesus, may we always be industrious in doing what God wants us to do in our home, in our studies, in our work and in our ministry.
Let us always pray The Holy Rosary.
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