Rosary Guide

Prayers -

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Gesture: With the right hand, using three fingers together, touching the forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder. (Optional kiss fingers/fingers to mouth.)

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 Mysteries

• The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

• The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)

• The Glorious Mysteries (Sundays and Wednesdays)

• The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MYSTERIES

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; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will 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 life everlasting. Amen.

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.

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 vale of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward 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. Amen.

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.

Fatima

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.

St. Michael Prayer

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

The Mysteries of the Rosary

(Mondays and Saturdays)

• The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation

- Scripture: Luke 1: 26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Reflection: This is Mary’s moment, the moment when her “yes” changed the world. Imagine the monumental courage that would have required. Think about it. An angel appeared to Mary, and told her she would be the mother of the savior, the mother of God. She was a teenager, only a child. And what the angel said made no earthly sense. What was Mary thinking? What would have happened if she had said no?

• The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation

- Scripture: Luke 1: 39-45

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari’ah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Reflection: God turned Mary’s world upside down. What did Mary do? She rushed off to serve her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant in her old age. It was Mary’s first reaction. Too often our first reaction is one of selfishness: “I don’t feel like it,” “I’ll do it later,” “Can’t someone else take care of it?” But Mary had an instinct to serve, an entrenched humility.

• The Third Joyful Mystery: The Birth of Jesus

- Scripture: Luke 2: 1-7

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirin’i-us was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Reflection: The world is a mess: war, poverty, corruption, greed, selfishness, violence, abuse, injustice. The face of evil torments ordinary people every day, and yet God chose to put himself in the middle of our mess. The humility of God is incredible. He places himself right in the middle of our mess as the solution to it. We don’t deserve it. We have no claim to it. God gives us a new beginning, a fresh start, freely and without merit.

• The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation

- Scripture: Luke 2: 22-38

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to they word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel. And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan-u-el, of the tribe of Asher, she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow til she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Reflection: Mary presented Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem, dedicating him to God according to the Jewish custom. As she did so, a man named Simeon said something astounding, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to they word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Luke 2:29-30). Have you ever waited for something with great anticipation? Did you wait patiently? What are you waiting for in your life right now? Simeon had waited. He had waited patiently, and prayed patiently for the savior. Now, he took baby Jesus in his arms. Imagine the emotion as he pulled the child to his chest. His face filled with a strange combination of joy and anguish. Joy for the present, anguish for the future he knows the child will face.

• The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

- Scripture: Luke 2: 41-52

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” and he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

Reflection: On their way home from celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph actually lost Jesus. God, the Creator of the universe, had entrusted Jesus the Messiah to Mary and Joseph’s care—and they lost him. Imagine what they were thinking and how they were feeling: grief, torment, distress, anguish, torture. So often we lose Jesus in our own lives and don’t even notice.

(Tuesdays and Fridays)

• The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

- Scripture: Luke 22: 42-44

"Father, if thou art willing, remove this 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.

Reflection: Stay awake. Jesus said it three times. But his disciples could not. They let him down. Imagine how alone he felt that night in the garden. Have you ever been in agony—physical, spiritual, emotional, psychological? Multiply that by infinity and take it to the depths of eternity, and you may get a small glimpse of what Jesus was experiencing that night in the Garden of Gethsemane.

• The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging of the Pillar

- Scripture: John 19: 1

Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.

Reflection: One sentence. “Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him” (John 19:1). Seven words. But it would have been enough to kill most people. The flesh on his back torn in a hundred places, blood dripping from each, small pieces of his divine body that had been ripped off scattered on the ground—the body of Christ. Still, this was almost nothing compared to what he was to go through.

• The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns

- Scripture: John 19: 2

And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe.

Reflection: They crowned him with thorns and used a stick to smack the crown down on his head driving the thorns deep into his skull. He felt it all. He accepted it all. He embraced it all. It seems we will do anything to avoid pain and suffering today. But not Jesus, he embraced every experience of pain and suffering. He allowed each thorn, each taunt to strengthen his resolve to do what was before him.

• The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross

- Scripture: Luke 23: 26

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyre’ne, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Reflection: As Jesus carried his cross, it was a wonder how he was even still alive. He was beaten by the guards as he struggled to carry the cross. He collapsed three times, magnifying his pain. The guards knew he would not make it to Calvary, so they forced Simon of Cyrene to help Jesus so he would not die along the way.

• The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion

- Scripture: John 19: 30

When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Reflection: There is a time and place for everything in God’s plan, and every debt in the universe needs to be settled eventually. This was the day. Calvary was the place, And over two thousand years ago was the time that God decided to settle our debts.

(Sundays and Wednesdays)

• The First Glorious Mystery: The Ressurection

- Scripture: Luke 24: 1-2

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Reflection: It must have been astonishing Sunday morning. The city would have been drowning in gossip and emotion. But few, if any, would have recognized that this was the main event of human history. Jesus rose from the dead. On that day there was no doubt many who ignored it, and many others who doubted it, rejected it, were skeptical or cynical. These people have existed in every age and exist today, but you see them wandering through their lives confused. It is simply impossible to make sense of life and history without acknowledging the Resurrection.

• The Second Glorious Mystery: The Ascension

- Scripture: Luke 24: 50-53

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

• The Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

- Scripture: Acts 2: 1-4

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterances.

Reflection: The disciples were afraid. Most of us have probably never experienced fear like the fear they were gripped with. They were afraid they would be killed for being Jesus' followers. But if they weren't killed, what were they to do, now that Jesus was gone? Then the Holy Spirit descended upon them and transformed them. Their fear was banished and they were filled with courage. This is the greatest before-and-after sequence the world has ever seen.

• The Fourth Glorious Mystery: The Assumption

- Scripture: Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph 966

Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.

Reflection: Mary’s radical humility is an encyclopedia of lessons about the inner spiritual life. Imagine how rich her inner life must have been. Imagine what it was like for the first Christians to seek her counsel and guidance. Then at the end of her life, Mary was taken body and soul into heaven. Her reward for a life lived entirely for God. What’s keeping you from giving everything to God?

• The Fifth Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

- Scripture: Revelation 12: 1

And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars

Reflection: Mary’s courage, fidelity, and humility greatly pleased the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They crowned her queen of heaven. There is no greater title on earth than “Mother of God”—and no greater creature than Mary has ever existed. This Mary, your spiritual mother and the Queen of heaven, is the most celebrated woman on earth and in heaven. Who is greater than Mary? None but God.

(Thursdays)

• The First Luminous Mystery: The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan

- Scripture: Matthew 3: 13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Reflection: Jesus, the Son of God, went to John the Baptist to be baptized. John felt unworthy even to untie Jesus’ sandals, but Jesus stood in line with sinners and presented himself to John to be baptized. At that moment, as Jesus stood in the water, the heavens opened and God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”

• The Second Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana

- Scripture: John 2: 1-12

On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come. HIs mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now became wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed him. After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and brethren and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.

Reflection: This is it. Jesus’ first public miracle. And it takes place rather quietly at a wedding. When the bride and groom ran out of wine, Mary took their need to Jesus. And he turned water into wine, a wine that was far better than the wine they had already served, and more wine than they could ever drink. That our God is a God of abundance. Just as Jesus abundantly supplied more wine when it was in short supply at the wedding in Cana, he wants to provide abundantly for whatever is in short supply in our lives today.

• The Third Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation of the Kingdom

- Scripture: Mark 1: 14-15

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Reflection: When Jesus spoke about the kingdom, he perplexed people. They had a certain image of God and his ways, and Jesus turned them upside down and inside out. In our own ways, we too have images of God and ways of thinking about how God does things that he wants to turn upside down—which as it turns out will be right side up.

• The Fourth Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration

- Scripture: Mark 9: 2-8

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved son; listen to him.” And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.

Reflection: Jesus wants to show us what is possible. Too often our vision is too earthbound. He wants to open our hearts and minds to all that is possible far beyond our limited thinking. The disciples, like you and I, could only see Jesus in a very limited way because of their limits. Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on the mountain so God the Father could open their spiritual eyes wider than ever before and see Jesus in all his glory.

• The Fifth Luminous Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist

- Scripture: Mark 14: 22-25

And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Reflection: Do you know what happened at the Last Supper? Most of us would say yes, and then recite the facts and mechanics of that historic experience. But really, what we don’t know about the Last Supper dwarfs what we do know. What we don’t know about God makes what we do know about him look like a grain of sand in the Sahara desert.

Source: Dynamic Catholic

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