Lesson 9
The Rosary
The Rosary
Today we are going to talk about another type of prayer that has been established through the history of the Church - the Rosary.
The History of the Rosary is actually pretty fascinating and goes back all the way to 1000 BC
The History of the Rosary
Jewish Tradition
In the year 1000 BC - the son of King David, King Solomon completed the Temple in Jerusalem.
This was a massive accomplishment that took years to build. It was their capital and spiritual center of their Kingdom and religion, because it was there that God dwelt in the Holy of Holies.
At that time, the King wanted to develop song for their worship so they created a collection of songs - some written by King David, some by his son King Solomon, and some by a musician set to write songs for the Temple worship.
The total collection of songs is 150 and they are in the Bible under the book “The Book of Psalms”
These 150 psalms were prayed constantly by the devout Jews. We know that they would develop a rhythm to life when they would pray these Psalms seven times a day.
We know the Jews prayed the Psalms constantly.
Jesus & the Apostles
We see Jesus praying the Psalms
In fact, one of his dying words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” (Mt 27:46, Mk 15:34), which is a direct quote from the beginning of Psalm 22
Also, we know the Apostles prayed the Psalm
This is often what was meant when referenced to their communal prayer
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread (Mass) and the prayers. (Acts 2:42)
“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour….” (Acts 3:1)
The Early Church
We know the Early Church prayed the Psalms consistently.
For the first 300 years, the most radical thing one could do was become a martyr for Jesus - which was a very real possibility.
In 313 AD, the Emperor Constantin made Christianity no longer illegal, and since radical Christians could no longer be martyred, the most extreme desired to go and live in the desert as hermit.
And what is it that the hermits did in the desert? They pray all 150 Psalms everyday.
Eventually, the hermits started to live in communities together and eventually started to pray the 150 Psalms together.
As the monstatic traditions grew, especially the influence of the Augustian and Benedictine Monks, they began to do more manual labor (“ora et labora”) to provide for their community. As a result, they couldn’t pray 150 Psalms in a day, so they created a book, called “The Liturgy of the Hours” - which is an upcoming class, in which they prayed 3 Psalms, seven times a day. Doing this every day, they’d pray all 150 psalms, not in a day, but in a month.
It is from this that the Rosary grew.
The Rosary
In the Medieval Ages, the Church desired to find ways to teach the faith and prayer to the people. The problem is that most of the population was illiterate and the written words were expensive and time consuming to create.
The Church came up with creative ways of doing this, such as stained glass windows, as a way to teach, not to mention the primary place of reading the Word of God and giving a homily (teaching) during the Mass.
Additionally, the Church developed prayers like the rosary that people who were in monasteries could pray.
It was a way the non-religious/laity could pray too. The thought went like this:
Instead of praying 150 Psalms in a day or month, why not have them pray 150 Hail Mary’s everyday - one for each of the psalms. They could do this while they worked.
As the Catechism states:
Medieval piety in the West developed the prayer of the rosary as a popular substitute for the Liturgy of the Hours (CCC 2678)
Eventually each set of 10 Hail Marys was divided up into a set, starting with an Our Father and ending with a Glory Be. Then each of these sets of 10 (or a decade) was given something from the Bible to meditate on.
The Rosary isn’t about constantly saying prayers over and over. Jesus told us not to do this.
“And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7)
But instead, this repetition of prayer establishes in us a rhythm to help us meditate or pray about the life of Jesus.
Each decade has a Mystery about the life of Jesus in which we are to meditate.
As we mentioned early, when discussing Lectio Divina, it isn’t the repetition of empty words, but meditation that is so important in the spiritual life:
Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him. (CCC 2708)
The Rosary is meant to be a way we can meditate on the life of Jesus.
Originally, there were 3 Mysteries of the Rosary, each with 5 decades.
Notice that if you were to pray all 3 Mysteries, you’d meditate on the entire life of Jesus, as well as pray 150 hail marys - to equal the 150 Psalms
Joyful Mysteries - 50 Hail Marys (10 for each group Mystery)
Annunciation - Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she is to conceive Jesus
Visitation - Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth
Nativity - The Birth of Jesus/Christmas
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple - Jesus is brought to the temple soon after his birth, according to the Jewish law, and a prophecy is given.
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple - When Jesus is a preteen, his family journeys to the Temple, where Jesus is accidentally left for 3 days. They find him in the temple, teaching the most learned men in Jerusalem.
Sorrowful Mysteries - 50 Hail Marys
Agony in the Garden - Jesus is in fear and anxiety in the garden the night he is captured
Scourging at the Pillar - Jesus is beating with the whip called the “cat of nine tails”
Crowning with Thorns - Jesus is crowned with thorns by the Roman Soldiers and mocked with fake royal vestments
The Carrying of the Cross - Jesus carries his cross to his death, falling 3 times in the process.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
Glorious Mysteries - 50 Hail Marys
The Resurrection - Jesus raises from the dead on the 3rd day
The Ascension - After appearing to people for 40 days, Jesus rises up into Heaven.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is sent on the Apostles at Pentecost (and us at Baptism/Confirmation)
The Assumption of Mary - At the end of Mary’s life, she is raised up, like Jesus, to Heaven.
The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven - Mary is elevated to Heaven as the Queen.
John Paul II Addition
In 2002, Pope John Paul II wrote a Apostolic Letter called “The Rosary of the Virgin Mary” and in it he added a new set of Mysteries.
Respecting the tradition of 150, he wanted to add additional mystery that include the life of Jesus’ public ministry - between his childhood and his Passion, death and Resurrection.
These additional Mysteries he called the Luminous Mysteries.
Here are his words:
19. Of the many mysteries of Christ's life, only a few are indicated by the Rosary in the form that has become generally established with the seal of the Church's approval. The selection was determined by the origin of the prayer, which was based on the number 150, the number of the Psalms in the Psalter.
I believe, however, that to bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary it would be suitable to make an addition to the traditional pattern which, while left to the freedom of individuals and communities, could broaden it to include the mysteries of Christ's public ministry between his Baptism and his Passion. In the course of those mysteries we contemplate important aspects of the person of Christ as the definitive revelation of God. Declared the beloved Son of the Father at the Baptism in the Jordan, Christ is the one who announces the coming of the Kingdom, bears witness to it in his works and proclaims its demands. It is during the years of his public ministry that the mystery of Christ is most evidently a mystery of light: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn 9:5).
Consequently, for the Rosary to become more fully a “compendium of the Gospel”, it is fitting to add, following reflection on the Incarnation and the hidden life of Christ (the joyful mysteries) and before focusing on the sufferings of his Passion (the sorrowful mysteries) and the triumph of his Resurrection (the glorious mysteries), a meditation on certain particularly significant moments in his public ministry (the mysteries of light). This addition of these new mysteries, without prejudice to any essential aspect of the prayer's traditional format, is meant to give it fresh life and to enkindle renewed interest in the Rosary's place within Christian spirituality as a true doorway to the depths of the Heart of Christ, ocean of joy and of light, of suffering and of glory.
The Luminous Mysteries
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River - His baptism by his cousin John the Baptist
The Wedding of Cana - This is where he does his first public miracle of turning water into wine.
The Sermon on the Mount - This is the heart of his teaching, especially of the coming Kingdom (the Church) he’d establish.
The Transfiguration - When Jesus is revealed in his glory before Peter, James and John.
The Institution of the Eucharist - The last miracle of his public ministry - turning wine into his blood, and bread into his body.
The Church also recognizes the busyiness of people’s lives now, so it recommends praying one mystery/one rosary a day.
Monday - Joyful Mysteries (one rosary - 50 hail marys)
Tuesday - Sorrowful Mysteries
Wednesday - Glorious Mysteries
Thursday - Luminous Mysteries
Friday - Sorrowful Mysteries
Saturday - Joyful Mysteries
Sunday - Glorious Mysteries