“Fear not. Teach them to say the Rosary – the family Rosary and all will be well. Fear not – Jesus and I will be with you and your children.” (The Blessed Virgin Mary to Mother Teresa, 1947)
“The Rosary will lead us to the perfect love of God”. (Mother Teresa)
This traditional and popular devotion has been through the centuries a rich source of grace and a particularly powerful prayer for obtaining the gift of peace, family unity and growth in holiness. As Pope John Paul II explains in his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, the Rosary is “simple yet profound”, a blend of vocal and contemplative prayer: “Against the background of the words Ave Maria the principal events of the life of Jesus Christ pass before the eyes of the soul. They take shape in the complete series of the joyful, [luminous], sorrowful and glorious mysteries, and they put us in living communion with Jesus through––we might say––the heart of his Mother”. Prayerful recitation of the Rosary “offers the ‘secret’ which leads easily to a profound and inward knowledge of Christ” and draws us to conform our lives to his. “To pray the Rosary is to hand over our burdens to the merciful hearts of Christ and his Mother”, who understand from personal experience “all the problems, anxieties, labours and endeavours which go to make up our lives.” For each of the twenty mysteries of the Rosary, a brief passage from the Bible is provided as an aid to meditation, for, as Pope John Paul II states, “No other words can ever match the efficacy of the inspired word”. The Christian virtues that shine forth in each mystery are also included in parenthesis as a suggestion for further reflection and a grace for which to ask.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
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.
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.
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.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; hail, 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, O 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.
V/ Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech Thee, that in meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Mondays and Saturdays
“The Rosary will lead us to the perfect love of God”. (Mother Teresa)
The angel Gabriel came to Mary and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! ... Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”... And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word ” (cf. Luke 1:28, 31, 38).
Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the child leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (cf. Luke 1:39-42).
While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, 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 (cf. Luke 2:6-7).
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord … and to offer a sacrifice, “a pair of turtledoves” (cf. Luke 2:22, 24).
When the feast was ended, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.... After three days Mary and Joseph 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.... He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them (cf. Luke 2:43, 46, 51).
Thursdays
“We must use the Rosary like arms, like weapons against the evils - to fight - to spread the Kingdom of God”. (Mother Teresa)
When Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (cf. Luke 3:21-22).
When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”... Then she said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ... Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.”... The steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (cf. John 2:3, 5, 7, 9).
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” (cf. Mark 1:14-15).
Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.... And a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (cf. Matthew 17:1, 2, 5).
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (cf. Matthew 26:26-28)
Tuesdays & Fridays
“Peace will come in the world through Mary. But first in our heart. Pray the Rosary with faith”. (Mother Teresa)
Jesus said to Peter, James and John, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this chalice from me; yet not what I will, but what you will” (cf. Mark 14:34-36).
Pilate said, “I find no crime in him... will you have me release for you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him (cf. John 18:38-40, 19:1).
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him (cf. John 19:2-3).
Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat.... Then he handed him over to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the Place of the Skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha (cf. John 19:13, 16, 17).
There they crucified him and Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”(cf. Luke 23:33-34). Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said “I thirst.” So they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (cf. John 19:28-30)
Wednesdays & Sundays
“We can become saints only with the help of Our Lady. Let us cling to her. Let us keep hold of her by praying the Rosary”. (Mother Teresa)
Very early on the first day of the week the women went to the tomb.... And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe and he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here” (cf. (Mark 16:2, 5-6).
Jesus said to his disciples, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem... and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight ( cf. Acts 1:8-9).
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 there appeared to them tongues as of fire that rested 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 utterance (cf. Acts 2:1-4).
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple (Revelation 11:19).
And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1)
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