Praying the Rosary - share your meditations?

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Mustaphile

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I pray the Rosary, when I want to spend some time in prayer. Not having many Catholics around me to talk about this, I was curious if people wouldn't mind sharing their experiences of what they meditate upon as they do so. I have to confess I still have to have the instruction sitting in front of me when I do pray the Rosary, so I don't lose track of what I'm doing. So for a novice Rosary prayer, what can you share about your use of the Rosary that might be of interest to me?
 

Paul S

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I find it useful to read Scripture meditations while saying the Ave Marias. Here's what I use; it has ten things for each mystery.

Joyful Mysteries
First Decade: The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?

35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: 37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.

38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Second Decade: The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)
39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. 40 And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

51 He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: 55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.

Third Decade: The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4-20, Matthew 2:1-2,11)
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, 5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. 9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.

10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: 11 For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us. 16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. 18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

1 When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. 2 Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to adore him.

11 And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Fourth Decade: The Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2:21-40)
21 And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.

22 And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord:

23 As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: 24 And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons:

25 And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. 26 And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said:

29 Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; 30 Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: 32 A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

33 And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted;

35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.

36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37 And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. 38 Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel.

39 And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in him.

Fifth Decade: The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch, 42 And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,

43 And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not.

44 And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. 45 And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him.

46 And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. 48 And seeing him, they wondered.

And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business?

50 And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them.
And his mother kept all these words in her heart.

52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.

Sorrowful Mysteries
First Decade: The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Luke 22:39-54)
39 And going out, he went, according to his custom, to the mount of Olives. And his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was come to the place, he said to them: Pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn away from them a stone's cast; and kneeling down, he prayed, 42 Saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done.

43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer.

44 And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. 46 And he said to them: Why sleep you? arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation.

47 As he was yet speaking, behold a multitude; and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus, for to kiss him. 48 And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?

49 And they that were about him, seeing what would follow, said to him: Lord, shall we strike with the sword? 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when he had touched his ear, he healed him.

52 And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients, that were come unto him: Are ye come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

54 And apprehending him, they led him to the high priest's house. But Peter followed afar off.

Second Decade: Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Mark 15:1-15)
1 And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

2 And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it.

3 And the chief priests accused him in many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answerest thou nothing? behold in how many things they accuse thee.

5 But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered.

6 Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. 7 And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder.

8 And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. 9 And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.

11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them.

12 And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? 13 But they again cried out: Crucify him.

14 And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him.

15 And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Third Decade: Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (John 18:36-38, Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:19, John 19:5)
36 Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence.

37 Pilate therefore said to 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. 38 Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in him.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto him the whole band;

28 And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him.

29 And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand.

And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews.

30 And spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head.

19 And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him.

5 (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: Behold the Man.

Fourth Decade: Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:31, Luke 23:26-32, Matthew 27:33-34)
31 And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.

26 And as they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus.

27 And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him.

28 But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

29 For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck.

30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us.

31 For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?

32 And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death.

33 And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary.

34 And they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink.

Fifth Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Luke 23:33-34,39-43, John 19:23-28, Matthew 27:46, John 19:30, Luke 23:46, John 19:34)
33 And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there; and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.

39 And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. 42 And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

23 The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24 They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lot. And the soldiers indeed did these things.

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. 26 When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. 27 After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

28 Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. 29 Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar and hyssop, put it to his mouth.

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

30 Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated.

46 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.

33 But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.

Glorious Mysteries
First Decade: The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (Luke 24:1-6, John 20:18-23, Luke 24:13-15,27, John 20:24-28, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

1 And on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared.

2 And they found the stone rolled back from the sepulchre. 3 And going in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold, two men stood by them, in shining apparel. 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen.

18 Mary Magdalen cometh, and telleth the disciples: I have seen the Lord.

19 Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. 20 And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.

13 And behold, two of them went, the same day, to a town which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmaus. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that while they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus himself also drawing near, went with them.

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures, the things that were concerning him.

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. 27 Then he said to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither and see my hands. And bring hither the hand and put it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing. 28 Thomas answered and said to him: My Lord and my God.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures: 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven. 6 Then he was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.

Second Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord (Acts 1:3, Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:8, Luke 24:50-51, Mark 16:19, Acts 1:9-11)
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God.

16 And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And seeing them they adored: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.

19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:

and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

8 But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost 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.

50 And he led them out as far as Bethania: and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, whilst he blessed them, he departed from them, and was carried up to heaven.

19 And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God.

9 And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments.

11 Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven.

Third Decade: The Descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-6,16-18,36-42)
1 And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place:

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them:

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue.

16 But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: 17 And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know most certainly, that God hath made both Lord and Christ, this same Jesus, whom you have crucified.

37 Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles: What shall we do, men and brethren? 38 But 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 Ghost.

39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation.

41 They therefore that received his word, were baptized; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Fourth Decade: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven (Songs 2:4,10-11, 4:7, Psalm 44:3,14-16, 88:2, John 14:3, Hebrews 4:16, 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Corinthians 13:12)
4 He brought me into the cellar of wine, he set in order charity in me.

10 Behold my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come. 11 For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone.

7 Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.

3 Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever

14 All the glory of the king's daughter is within in golden borders, 15 clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee. 16 They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king.

2 The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.

3 And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be.

16 Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid.

8 As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.

12 We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know I part; but then I shall know even as I am known.

Fifth Decade: The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Genesis 3:15, Judith 13:18-26, Apocalypse 12:1, Sirach 24:4,7, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Luke 8:21, Galatians 4:19, 1 John 3:2)
15 I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

18 And by me his handmaid he hath fulfilled his mercy, which he promised to the house of Israel: and he hath killed the enemy of his people by my hand this night. 19 Then she brought forth the head of Holofernes out of the wallet, and shewed it them, saying: Behold the head of Holofernes the general of the army of the Assyrians, and behold his canopy, wherein he lay in his drunkenness, where the Lord our God slew him by the hand of a woman.

20 But as the same Lord liveth, his angel hath been my keeper both going hence, and abiding there, and returning from thence hither: and the Lord hath not suffered me his handmaid to be defiled, but hath brought me back to you without pollution of sin, rejoicing for his victory, for my escape, and for your deliverance. 21 Give all of you glory to him, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And they all adored the Lord, and said to her: The Lord hath blessed thee by his power, because by thee he hath brought our enemies to nought.

23 And Ozias the prince of the people of Israel, said to her: Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth. 24 Blessed be the Lord who made heaven and earth, who hath directed thee to the cutting off the head of the prince of our enemies. 25 Because he hath so magnified thy name this day, that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord for ever, for that thou hast not spared thy life, by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy people, but hast prevented our ruin in the presence of our God. 26 And all the people said: So be it, so be it.

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

4 And in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed, saying : 7 I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne is in a pillar of a cloud.

17 For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.

21 Who answering, said to them: My mother and my brethren are they who hear the word of God, and do it.

19 My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you.

2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.

Luminous Mysteries
First Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:7-8, John 1:29, Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:12-13)
1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea. 2 And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

7 And he preached, saying: There cometh after me one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.

8 I have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him.

17 And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

12 And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert. 13 And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan; and he was with beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

Second Decade: The Wedding at Cana, when Christ manifested Himself (John 2:1-11)
1 And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine.

4 And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.

6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.

7 Jesus saith to them: Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it.

9 And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water; the chief steward calleth the bridegroom,

10 And saith to him: Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Third Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14, John 1:4-5, Mark 1:15, 2:2,4,9-11, Matthew 10:1,5-7)
14 And after that John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

15 And saying: The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.

2 And it was heard that he was in the house, and many came together, so that there was no room; no, not even at the door; and he spoke to them the word.

4 And when they could not offer him unto him for the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was; and opening it, they let down the bed wherein the man sick of the palsy lay.

9 Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy: Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say to thee: Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.

1 And having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities.

5 These twelve Jesus sent: commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not. 6 But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And going, preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Fourth Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Luke 9:28, Matthew 17:2-3, Luke 9:31, Matthew 17:4, Luke 9:34-35, Mark 9:8-12)
28 And it came to pass about eight days after these words, that he took Peter, and James, and John, and went up into a mountain to pray.

2 And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.

3 And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him.

31 Appearing in majesty. And they spoke of his decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem.

4 And Peter answering, said to Jesus: 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.

34 And as he spoke these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them; and they were afraid, when they entered into the cloud.

35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son; hear him.

8 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them not to tell any man what things they had seen, till the Son of man shall be risen again from the dead. 9 And they kept the word to themselves; questioning together what that should mean, when he shall be risen from the dead.

10 And they asked him, saying: Why then do the Pharisees and scribes say that Elias must come first?

11 Who answering, said to them: Elias, when he shall come first, shall restore all things; and as it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things and be despised. 12 But I say to you, that Elias also is come, (and they have done to him whatsoever they would,) as it is written of him.

Fifth Decade: The Last Supper, when Our Lord gave us the Holy Eucharist (The Roman Canon)
We therefore, humbly pray and beseech Thee, most merciful Father, through Jesus Christ; Thy Son, our Lord, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to accept and bless these gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted Sacrifices, which in the first place we offer Thee for Thy holy Catholic Church to which vouchsafe to grant peace, as also to preserve, unite, and govern it throughout the world, together with Thy servant N., our Pope, and N., our Bishop, and all orthodox believers and professors of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith.

Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy servants and handmaidens, N. and N. and of all here present, whose faith and devotion are known unto Thee, for whom we offer, or who offer up to Thee, this sacrifice of praise for themselves, their families and friends, for the redemption of their souls, for the health and salvation they hope for; and who now pay their vows to Thee, the everlasting, living and true God.

Communicating with, and honoring in the first place the memory of the glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ: as also of the blessed Apostles and Martyrs Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon, and Thaddeus; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Xystus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian, and of all Thy Saints, through whose merits and prayers, grant that we may in all things be defended by the help of Thy protection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

We therefore beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously to accept this oblation of our service, as also of Thy whole family; and to dispose our days in Thy peace, preserve us from eternal damnation, and rank us in the number of Thine Elect. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Which oblation do Thou, O God, vouchsafe in all respects, to bless, approve, ratify, make worthy and acceptable; that it may be made for us the Body and Blood of Thy most beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Who, the day before He suffered, took bread into His holy and venerable hands, and with His eyes lifted up towards heaven unto Thee, God, His almighty Father, giving thanks to Thee, He blessed it, broke it and gave it to His disciples saying: Take and eat ye all of this, FOR THIS IS MY BODY.

In like manner, after He had supped, taking also this excellent chalice into His holy and venerable hands, He blessed, and gave it to His disciples, saying: Take and drink ye all of this, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL TESTAMENT, THE MYSTERY OF FAITH; WHICH SHALL BE SHED FOR YOU AND FOR MANY UNTO THE REMISSION OF SINS. As often as ye do these things, ye shall do them in remembrance of Me.

Wherefore, O Lord, we Thy servants, as also Thy holy people, calling to mind the blessed Passion of the same Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, and also His Resurrection from the dead and His glorious Ascension into heaven: do offer unto Thy most excellent Majesty of Thine own gifts, bestowed upon us, a pure Host, a holy Host, an unspotted Host, the holy Bread of eternal life, and the Chalice of everlasting salvation. Upon which vouchsafe to look with a propitious and serene countenance, and to accept them, as Thou wert graciously pleased to accept the gifts of Thy just servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham, and that which Thy high priest Melchisedech offered to Thee, -- a holy Sacrifice, and unspotted Victim. We most humbly beseech Thee, almighty God, command these offerings to be borne by the hands of Thy holy Angels to Thine altar on high, in the sight of Thy divine majesty, that as many as shall partake of the most holy Body and Blood of Thy Son at this altar, may be filled with every heavenly grace and blessing. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Remember also, O Lord, Thy servants and handmaids N. and N., who are gone before us with the sign of faith, and rest in the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and peace; Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

To us also, Thy sinful servants, confiding in the multitude of Thy mercies, vouchsafe to grant some part and fellowship with Thy holy Apostles and Martyrs, with John, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and with all Thy Saints, into whose company we beseech Thee to admit us, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses.

By Whom, O Lord, Thou dost ever create, sanctify, quicken, bless, and give unto us all these good things. Through Him, and with Him, and in Him is to Thee, God the Father almighty, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory. World without end. Amen.
 
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Rising_Suns

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Mustaphile said:
I pray the Rosary, when I want to spend some time in prayer. Not having many Catholics around me to talk about this, I was curious if people wouldn't mind sharing their experiences of what they meditate upon as they do so. I have to confess I still have to have the instruction sitting in front of me when I do pray the Rosary, so I don't lose track of what I'm doing. So for a novice Rosary prayer, what can you share about your use of the Rosary that might be of interest to me?

Mustaphile,
I would first like to commend you on saying this most powerful prayer even though you are not Catholic. How rare that is.

Secondly, it seems you have the right perspective and approach to this. Some people when they say the rosary, do not pay any attention to the mysteries and merely utter the words from their mouth while the mind wonders off to other things. Others make personal petitions during the rosary and end up taking their focus off of the mysteries.

Where the rosary got its reputation for being such a powerful prayer is through its meditations on the mysteries. All other prayers are merely words that we utter with our mouths, but the rosary requires focus of the mind to meditate on the life and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed mother Mary.

The sorrowfull mystery in particular stands out among the rest; for there is nothing more profoundly humbling than meditating on the sufferings of Christ. Below is something I wrote a while back regarding the rosary;
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42. The Power of the rosary, Not “Vain Repetition”
The rosary is the most powerful Catholic devotion in existence. It was given to the Church through Saint Dominic, who, in a vision, had received it from the Blessed Virgin as a powerful means of converting the world.

“So when you give a sermon, urge people to say my Rosary, and in this way your words will bear much fruit for souls.” [Vision to Saint Dominic, De Dignitate Psalterii]

Many people who misunderstand the rosary, mistakenly think it emphasizes Mary to much, while emphasizing Jesus too little. This is a clear distortion of the truth. First, at its center, the prayer is really a meditation on the life and passion of Jesus Christ; each meditation (Mystery) is a different Biblical event in Our Savior’s life. Secondly, everything that Mary is and everything that Mary does, points to her Son Jesus Christ. It is the sole desire of Mary to bring us closer to her Son, and by praying to her, we are obtaining the powerful graces of her petitions, especially when we pray the rosary.

“There has never been anything in the whole history of the world more moving than the wonderful story of the life, death, and glory of Our Savior, which is contained in the Holy Rosary” [St. Louis De Montfort, Secret of the Rosary]

Virtually all of the most prominent saints were devoted to Our Lady, and likewise, to the rosary. Padre Pio called the rosary the “Atomic Bomb” of prayers, and would carry it with him wherever he went. It is truly unlike any other prayer. It was not only given to us by Mary herself, but it is also the only devotion that is multi-dimensional in that it is both vocal and meditative. The surface contains repetitions of two divine prayers (one of which was given to us by Christ himself, and the other by an angel at the angelic salutation), and below the surface, meditations on various events in the life of Jesus Christ.

Those who misunderstand it try to use the Bible against it, calling it a “vain repetition” (Matt 6:7). But this is a clear case of Scriptural distortion (it is no surprise that the things most cherished by God are often the most profaned and misunderstood by the world). The Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary are love prayers that are deeply unitive. Each time we say them we give God a rose in praise and adoration, and we give Mary a rose in gratitude for her intercessions. So considering a prayer is a single act of love, why then, would we want to say it just once? If we truly love God, we would want to let Him know with every breath we take. The Bible commands us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) and keeping a practice of regular prayer is an essential means of conforming our hearts to God’s as we seek His face.

In all the countless documented apparitions of Mary, she would often make it a point to let us know how powerful this prayer is. In one instance, for example, there was a certain pious lady who thought she was living a holy life, and when advised during confession to start saying the rosary, she refused, making the excuse that she had no time for it. That night she fell into ecstasy and Mary appeared to her. Holding a scale before her, Mary placed all the good works and penances the woman had done on one balance of the scale, while placing all her sins and imperfections on the other side. The tray of her good works was greatly outweighed by that of her sins and imperfections. Mary then took the single rosary the woman had once said and dropped it on the tray of her good works. The rosary was so heavy that it outweighed all her sins as well as all her good works. Mary then reproved the woman for refusing to say the rosary. From that day forward, the woman said the rosary devotedly and eventually rose to Christian perfection

Being the most powerful devotion, the rosary is quite fittingly the most difficult to say well. Our minds will inevitably wonder at times, and by keeping focused on the mysteries at hand, we not only experience the best graces from the rosary, it will also strengthen our will. When saying the rosary, it is important to remember that we are human and should not expect to say it perfectly every time. But it is the effort God sees, for He places more value on the effort we put forth, than the final results.
 
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Epiphanygirl

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Both are excellent ways of approaching the Rosary!
Before I start, I do say a personal prayer that the Lord clear my mind and heart of any distractions, that I may fully concentrate and center myself towards God. Also that I be mindful of each Mystery to gain a fuller understanding of it.
There is nothing wrong with having Prayer cards to guide you in this! Did you also know that they have tapes called "The scriptural rosary" said by nuns, that you can follow along with. This will give you a sense of what a community Rosary prayer is like, and might help you follow and learn more easily the Mysteries.
 
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Paul S

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Epiphanygirl said:
Both are excellent ways of approaching the Rosary!
Before I start, I do say a personal prayer that the Lord clear my mind and heart of any distractions, that I may fully concentrate and center myself towards God. Also that I be mindful of each Mystery to gain a fuller understanding of it.

That's another wonderful suggestion. When I pray the Office, I always begin each Hour with this prayer, which could be slightly adapted for the Rosary:

Aperi, Domine, os meum ad benedicendum nomen sanctum tuum. Munda quoque cor meum ab omnibus vanis, perversis, et alienis cogitationibus. Intellectum illumina, affectum inflamma, ut digne, attente, ac devote hoc Officium [Rosarium] recitare valeam, et exaudiri merear ante conspectum divinae majestatis tuae. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Open, O Lord, my mouth to bless Thy holy name. Cleanse also my heart from all vain, evil, and foreign thoughts. Illuminate my intellect, inflame my affections, that worthily, attentively, and devoutly I may be well to recite this Office [Rosary], and may be merited to be heard before the sight of Thy divine majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
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Mustaphile

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Rising_Suns said:
Mustaphile,
I would first like to commend you on saying this most powerful prayer even though you are not Catholic. How rare that is.

Secondly, it seems you have the right perspective and approach to this. Some people when they say the rosary, do not pay any attention to the mysteries and merely utter the words from their mouth while the mind wonders off to other things. Others make personal petitions during the rosary and end up taking their focus off of the mysteries.

Where the rosary got its reputation for being such a powerful prayer is through its meditations on the mysteries. All other prayers are merely words that we utter with our mouths, but the rosary requires focus of the mind to meditate on the life and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed mother Mary.

The sorrowfull mystery in particular stands out among the rest; for there is nothing more profoundly humbling than meditating on the sufferings of Christ. Below is something I wrote a while back regarding the rosary;

It's interesting you should mention the sorrowful mysteries, Rising_Suns. :)

I was sitting around at home the other day and feeling quite down. Loneliness and a lack of physical affection in my life, I would say, is the root cause of this malaise I occasionally find myself in. It's in moments like these that temptation begins to haunt me, as I dwell incessantly on thoughts of wishing there was someone in my life right at that moment, or the temptation to find solace in something like alcohol or marijuana (the haunting temptations of the past). :)

I know at these moments I have turned my heart and mind from God, who gives me all the love and acceptance I need, if only I would reach out to Him for it. Simple prayer at times can turn my mind to others thoughts, but at certain times the haunting temptation becomes incessant and demanding. It's at these times that I have found praying the Rosary to be a most effective way of focusing the heart, mind and soul on God, and finding that 'thin place', where the presence of God becomes evident to me and once more sustains me and fills me with the comfort of his grace and love for me. The sorrowful mysteries in times of melancholy and sadness do much to bring my own sorrows into perspective. My sorrows seems somewhat small in comparison, and I begin to feel more sorrow for Jesus than myself. Admiration for his strength in sorrow, and where he seeks his strength in sorrow, through prayer to God, brings the ship of Mustaphile back on course and gives me the correct attitude to the prevailing winds around me. ;)

Thanks to all who have shared their personal meditations.
 
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