The Rosary: another way of meditating on the Gospels

The rosary is a silent prayer, recited with the help of a rosary bead. It involves meditating on the Gospels through the eyes of Mary. Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary and meditation on the various mysteries of the rosary, the faithful draw many graces from the mother of the Savior. We might be tempted to think of the Rosary as a difficult and demanding prayer. Like any meditative practice, it requires perseverance. Pope John Paul II says: "Prayer is not afraid of repetition. Insisting on the same questions is a sign of intensity and multiple nuances in feelings, in inner impulses, in bonds of affection. The Rosary gives "the rhythm of human life" in order to harmonize it with the rhythm of divine life." Meditating on the different episodes of Christ's life helps us to direct our own towards salvation, to which we are all called.

How is praying the rosary a form of meditation?

Since the dawn of Christianity, the faithful have meditated to get as close as possible to the various mysteries of the faith and the rosary. To meditate is to enter into one's inner self, to cherish the loving relationship we have with God. You can meditate by contemplating the figure of Christ, through an icon, or by visualizing the Lord's presence in particular scenes from the Holy Scriptures. This meditation is mostly silent, but can be accompanied by the recitation of prayers, as in the glorious Rosary. Through the contemplation of the mysteries, the rosary is part of the whole range of Christian meditation practices. The rosary is a prayer recited in four rosaries. Each decade of the rosary is associated with the contemplation of a specific mystery, including the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious mysteries. This prayer thus moves between oraison (the recitation of prayers) and meditation (the contemplation of mysteries).

Meditating on the Holy Rosary is a different and unique way of praying, with the help of the Gospels.(The Rosary of St. Joseph allows us to meditate on other mysteries through the eyes of Jesus' foster father).

Meditation suggestions for each mystery of the rosary

Through this technique of reciting the rosary, the rosary leads us through the major episodes in the life of Jesus, present in the Gospels (from his birth to his death and resurrection). By reciting the "Hail Mary", our hearts gradually open up to the beauty of the mystery contemplated, and to the fruits engendered in our lives. But how can I meditate on each mystery with Mary?

Meditating on the joyful mysteries

The Joyful Mysteries refer to the first major episodes in Jesus' life:

The Annunciation - Luke 1:26-38:

With Mary, I can meditate on :

trust in God and his action in my life
on my ability to say yes and abandon myself to divine providence

The Visitation - Luke 1:39-56:

Through the eyes of the Virgin Mary, I can meditate on

how I care for my brothers and sisters
how I go about bringing Jesus to those around me. How can I evangelize in the world?

The birth of Jesus - Luke 2:1-20:

With the mother of the Savior, I can contemplate :

the humility of this God who became very small in order to reach me in my humanity
the mystery of the Incarnation, the beginning of God's own redemption of humanity

The presentation of Jesus in the temple - Luke 2:21-40:

With the gaze of the Immaculate Conception, I can meditate:

Jesus, who presented himself to the peoples as the light of the world
Simeon and the peace he felt when he saw the Lord Jesus in his mother's arms

Jesus' recovery in the temple - Luke 2:41-47 :

With Mary, I can :

contemplate the love felt for Jesus, revealed in the fervor with which Mary and Joseph sought him out
meditate on how I can seek God in all things.

By imagining these scenes, we can meditate and contemplate the face of the infant Jesus through Mary's eyes. By meditating on these events we can touch the joy that radiates from the mystery of the Incarnation.

"Contemplation of Christ finds in Mary its unsurpassable model" (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 2002)

Meditating on the luminous mysteries

In his encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae encyclical of 2002, John Paul II instituted the Luminous Mysteries as part of the Rosary, to help us contemplate the splendor of Christ. They relate Jesus' entry into his ministry, the beginning of his public life. We find :

The baptism of Jesus - Luke 3:21-22:

Like Mary , who let the Lord into her life, I can meditate on :

this sacrament, which corresponds to the birth of eternal life
the importance of living a life aligned with what we proclaim (both in our ideals and in God's commandments)

The wedding feast at Cana - John 2:1-11:

I can contemplate :

the intervention of Mary, the new Eve who shows the way to Christ
the gap that Jesus fills with his thanksgiving. What's missing in my life that God can fill?

The proclamation of the kingdom of God - Mark 1:15:

I can meditate and welcome :

the proclamation of the kingdom, not as a political program that would erase inequalities, but as something that would save every soul
our own participation in the kingdom of God, as children of the Father.

The transfiguration - Matthew 17:1-13:

Through the eyes of the Virgin Mary, I can contemplate :

the splendor of Jesus Christ's glory, and the signs he has sent me to keep my hope alive, despite my suffering
his divine nature, revealed by Jesus in the transfiguration

The institution of the Eucharist - Matthew 26:26-29:

As Mary offered her body to give birth to the Savior, I can contemplate Christ giving himself to us to unite us with him.
I can meditate on how I can give myself to the world, in the image of Christ who gave his body for eternal life.

To contemplate the Virgin Mary is to contemplate the woman who bore and gave birth to Jesus. The Immaculate Conception, chosen by God to give birth to the Savior of the world, is best placed to defend mankind before God. By accepting to receive Jesus Christ, Mary becomes the mother of the universal Church, which gives salvation to mankind. In meditating on the Virgin Mary, we contemplate a person who gave her life so that God's plans could be realized. This trust in providence strengthens our faith and inclines us to humility.

Meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries

The Sorrowful Mysteries retrace the events of Christ's passion and death.

The agony of Jesus - Matthew 26:36-39:

I can contemplate :

the Virgin Mary 's faith in praying for her son
the mystery of Jesus' nature, both fully God and fully man

The scourging - Matthew 27:26:

I can meditate on :

the sufferings Jesus endured. I can hand over my sufferings to Christ, while continuing to hope, as Mary did during Christ's passion.
to the places of suffering in my life, and hand them over to the Lord to share in his holy cross.

The crowning of thorns - Matthew 27:27-29:

With Mary's help, I can :

realize that my sins are like thorns piercing the Lord's flesh. This mystery brings us closer to the sacrament of reconciliation.
choose to renounce self-love and thus contribute to the glory of God, rather than seeking my own.

Carrying the cross - Mark 15:21-22:

I can meditate on :

the patience that the Lord's mother had to show in witnessing the sufferings of her beloved child
the graces I received that helped me get back up after my falls

The crucifixion - John 19:16-30:

I can :

meditate on the sacrifice God made out of love for mankind, a sacrifice comparable to the gift Mary made of her life
become aware of the Father's love for mankind, for having given us his Son as a sacrifice, for the redemption of sins.

Meditating on these mysteries helps us through our human condition, which is necessarily marked by suffering and illness. If we are experiencing great suffering, we can fix our eyes on the cross of Christ, who endured all suffering and gave himself up to save us from sin. If Mary was able to witness her son's passion and crucifixion with burning faith, then we can abandon ourselves to the Savior's arms, in the hope of eternal life.

Meditating on the glorious mysteries

The glorious mysteries are at the heart of the Christian faith.

The Resurrection - Luke 24:1-6:

With the blessed mother of the Savior, I can :

meditate on the God who conquered death
ask for a strong faith to proclaim the Lord 's message to the world.

The Ascension - Mark 16:19:

With Mary, I can :

contemplate the hope and desire to meet God face to face
meditate on the places where God is present in my life

Pentecost - Acts of the Apostles 2, 1-4:

I can :

meditate on the various gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, piety and the fear of God), received at Pentecost and in the sacrament of Confirmation
contemplate the virtue of charity, a theological virtue that Christ explicitly asks us to practice on a daily basis.

The Assumption - Luke 1:48-49:

With the Virgin, I can :

contemplate how every human being should reach the Father, without passing through death
ask for the grace to live, right now, in the joy of Heaven

Mary's coronation - Revelation 12:1:

I can :

meditate on the role of the Virgin Mary, advocate of humanity before the Savior Jesus
choose the Virgin Mary as my mother and queen

The "Son of Man" unites us with God the Father. Jesus traces a path to restore the bond of love that unites the Father to humanity, a bond broken by original sin. Through the Assumption, we venerate the Virgin Mary, who is crowned Queen of heaven and earth.

Meditate on the Gospels in different ways

Every day, pray and meditate the daily Gospel through commentaries from great spiritual leaders.