The Holy Rosary

The Holy Rosary is a very special prayer and a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.. Rosary means rose-bush or bouquet/crown of roses. It tells us about Mary's life and life of Jesus. Every bead of the rosary we pray is a rose flowered offered to Blessed Virgin Mary.

Every time we pray the rosary, we pray for peace. We also hope for what is good for our fellowmen and country.

Each time we pray the rosary, we ask Blessed Virgin Mary to help us pray to Jesus for our needs.

 It started in the Middle Ages and, since then, had undergone a considerable evolution. It consists of two complementary parts:

1. Meditation or Reflection on some important events ("Mysteries") in the life of Jesus and Mary;
2.  Recitation of a number of vocal prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Fatima Prayer)

Meditation on the "mysteries" and recitation of vocal prayers are not enough. Application to Life is an indispensable component of the Rosary. Like all other forms of prayer, the Rosary has to be lived out in our daily lives. We are expected to put into practice what we meditate upon and express in our vocal prayers. This is the test of the genuineness of our devotion to Jesus and Mary. 

WHY RECITE THE ROSARY?

I usually ask why do we need to recite the rosary? I remember that I have read somewhere in the bible that praying  repeatedly is bad, so praying the rosary is bad because we recite the Hail Mary always? I also remember arguing with ex-seminarian about it. Actually we are drunk when we are debating about this topic. And I will tell you we end up with the question still no answer. So below are some explanations about why we need to recite the rosary. 

Like all other forms of prayer, the recitation of the Rosary is a way of opening our hearts to God in adoration, praise, thanksgiving, offering, and petition. So, the Rosary is, (should be) first of all, an act of worship addressed to God.

The meditation on the mysteries of our salvation centers predominantly on different moments of the life of Christ. Even when Mary seems to be the protagonist, Jesus is always included as an essential character. He actually is the One who makes Mary what she is, for Mary exists because of Christ and for Christ.

But the Rosary is also a prayer or devotion in honor of Mary Most Holy. It is meant to honor her in a special manner and to ask for her intercession. 

She deserves our praises because she is "full of grace." She is "most blessed of all women" because she was chosen to be the Mother of God's Son. As the glorified Mother of the Redeemer, she is in the best position to obtain for us all the graces that we need.

The Rosary, if recited properly meditating on the four sets of mysteries together with the effort to live-out their message in our lives is a wonderful means of spiritual growth.

The Rosary is also a very effective instrument of community building. It gathers together, for a shared prayer, the members of the family, groups of families and neighbors, the entire parish and even the whole nation or many nations.

HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

We recite different prayers as we pray the Holy Rosary. Here are the parts of the rosary and the prayers we recite.

We start with a Sign of the Cross then followed by the Apostles' Creed. Each decade (10 Hail Mary) we announce one mysteries of the rosary. We recite frive mysteries in every Holy Rosary.

THE MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY

The Joyful Mysteries
(Monday, Saturday)

1. The Annunciation
   The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will become the mother of Jesus
2. The Visitation
   Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth.
3. The Birth of Jesus
   Jesus is born in a stable in Bethlehem
4. The Presentation
   Jesus is brought to the temple for the first time by Mary and Joseph.
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
   Mary and Joseph found Jesus at the Temple after He has been lost.

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesday, Friday)

1. The Agony in the Garden
   Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper.
2. The Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar
   Jesus is beaten and whipped by the soldiers
3. The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns
   Jesus is crowned with thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
   Jesus carries the cross to Mount Calvary
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
   Jesus is nailed to the cross and He dies.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesday, Sunday)

1. The Resurrection of Jesus
   Jesus rises from the dead.
2. The Ascension of Jesus
   Jesus return to His Father in heaven.
3. The Coming Down of the Holy Spirit
   The Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles.
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
   Mary goes to heaven, to join her son, Jesus
5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
   Mary is crowned as queen of heaven and earth

The Mysteries of Light
(Thursday)

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River
2. His self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana
3. His proclamation of the Kingdom of God with His call to conversion
4. His transfiguration
5. His institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper

Source:
Witnessing God's Love, God's creation and the Holy Spirit by Eden P Battad
Witnessing God's Love, The Sacraments of Initiation and Penance by Maria Cynthia M. Isidro