Rosarium

The Sorrowful Mysteries

Carl Heinrich Bloch, Christ in Gethsemane
Carl Heinrich Bloch · Christ in Gethsemane, 1873 · Brigham Young University Museum of Art, Provo · Public domain

Prayed on Tuesday and Friday

Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 38

Pray these mysteries in Rosarium

The First Sorrowful MysteryThe Agony in the Garden

Fruit of the mystery: Conformity to God's will

Scripture · Matthew 26:36–46

Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani; and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me? Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak. Again the second time, he went and prayed, saying: My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done. And he cometh again and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word. Then he cometh to his disciples, and saith to them: Sleep ye now and take your rest; behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go: behold he is at hand that will betray me.

Matthew 26:36–46 · Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)

Meditation

Let us follow Jesus into the olive grove of Gethsemane at night. The city sleeps; the moon throws shadows among the old trees. He takes Peter, James and John aside and begins to grow sorrowful: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death.” A little further on he falls upon his face and prays: “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Three times he returns and finds his friends asleep. Here, in anguish, “this ‘Yes’ of Christ reverses the ‘No’ of our first parents”. Love is sealed not in feeling but in surrender. Let us keep watch with him one hour, and ask for the grace to conform our will to the Father's, even when it costs.

Cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 22

Contemplate: Which part of my life have I not yet surrendered to the Father's will?

Through this mystery, let us ask for the grace of conformity to God's will.

The Second Sorrowful MysteryThe Scourging at the Pillar

Diego Velázquez, Christ after the Flagellation Contemplated by the Christian Soul
Diego Velázquez · Christ after the Flagellation Contemplated by the Christian Soul, c. 1628–1629 · National Gallery, London · Public domain

Fruit of the mystery: Purity

Scripture · Mark 15:6–15

Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? But they again cried out: Crucify him. And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him. 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.

Mark 15:6–15 · Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)

Meditation

Let us stand in the courtyard of the praetorium in the early morning. The crowd has chosen Barabbas; Pilate, willing to satisfy the people, hands Jesus over to be scourged. Soldiers bind him to a pillar. The blows fall again and again on the body formed in Mary's womb, the body that touched lepers and embraced children. He does not resist or curse. In silence he bears in his flesh the disorder of our desires and the misuse of our bodies. Let us look at him without turning away, and ask for purity of heart and body: to honor the body as a temple, and to love with a love that never uses another.

Meditation · Rosarium

Contemplate: How do I honor my body, and the bodies of others, as God's temple?

Through this mystery, let us ask for the grace of purity.

The Third Sorrowful MysteryThe Crowning with Thorns

Caravaggio, The Crowning with Thorns
Caravaggio · The Crowning with Thorns, c. 1603 · Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna · Public domain

Fruit of the mystery: Moral courage

Scripture · Mark 15:15–20

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. And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band: And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews. And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him.

Mark 15:15–20 · Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)

Meditation

Let us enter the courtyard where the whole band of soldiers has gathered. They throw a purple cloak over Jesus' torn shoulders, plait a crown of thorns and press it onto his head. They strike his head with a reed, spit on him, and bend their knees in mockery: “Hail, king of the Jews.” They mean it as a joke, yet it is the truth. The true King is crowned with our contempt, and reigns by bearing it. Soon Pilate will lead him out and say, “Ecce homo”: behold the man. Here we see what it means to be truly human. Let us ask for moral courage: to stand for truth when it is mocked, and never be ashamed of Christ.

Cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 22

Contemplate: Where am I tempted to stay silent when I should stand with Christ?

Through this mystery, let us ask for the grace of moral courage.

The Fourth Sorrowful MysteryThe Carrying of the Cross

El Greco, Christ Carrying the Cross
El Greco · Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1580 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · Public domain

Fruit of the mystery: Patience

Scripture · Luke 23:26–32

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. And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 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. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death.

Luke 23:26–32 · Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)

Meditation

Let us join the crowd along the narrow street leading out of the city. Jesus, exhausted, bears the weight of the Cross; each step is labor. The soldiers seize Simon of Cyrene, a man coming in from the country, and lay the Cross on him to carry after Jesus. Women follow, weeping, and even now Jesus turns to speak to them. He does not complain or put the burden down. He carries it to the end, for us. Our own crosses are often small, daily and unchosen: an illness, a difficult person, a long wait. Let us ask for patience to carry them with him, and to help carry the crosses of others, as Simon did.

Meditation · Rosarium

Contemplate: Whose cross could I help carry this week?

Through this mystery, let us ask for the grace of patience.

The Fifth Sorrowful MysteryThe Crucifixion and Death

Diego Velázquez, Christ Crucified
Diego Velázquez · Christ Crucified, c. 1632 · Museo del Prado, Madrid · Public domain

Fruit of the mystery: Perseverance

Scripture · Luke 23:33–46

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. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying: If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And there was also a superscription written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 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.

Luke 23:33–46 · Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)

Meditation

Let us climb to Calvary. At midday the sky grows dark. Jesus hangs between two thieves, mocked by those who pass, and yet he prays: “Father, forgive them.” He promises paradise to a repentant thief. He gives his mother to the beloved disciple, and the disciple to her. Then, having loved to the very end, he cries out, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” and bows his head. Nothing is left unfinished. The sorrowful mysteries invite us “to stand at the foot of the Cross beside Mary”. Let us ask for perseverance: to remain faithful to our last breath, entrusting ourselves into the Father's hands.

Cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 22

Contemplate: What would help me stay faithful to the end?

Through this mystery, let us ask for the grace of perseverance.

Pray these mysteries in Rosarium