We have a beautiful and succinct definition of rosary
given in the roman breviary: “Rosary is a certain form
of prayer wherein we say fifteen decades or tens of Hail
Mary with an Our Father between each ten, while at each
of these fifteen decades we recall successively in pious
meditation one of the mysteries of our Redemption.”
In the tradition of the Church the Holy Rosary
is an antidote to heresy and sin. This powerful and fascinating
prayer of the Common Catholic people was most wonderfully
published abroad and developed by St.Dominic the monk whom
different pontiffs have in various past ages of apostolic
letters declared to be the institutor and author of the
same devotion. The custom of reciting upon a string with
knots or beads thereon at regular intervals has come down
from the early days of Christianity, and is still practiced
in the Eastern as well as in the western Church. But there
is difference of opinions which disapprove the fact that
the origin of the Rosary is personally connected with St.Dominic,
the monk. We have positive evidence s to show that both
the invention of the beads as a counting apparatus and also
the practice of repeating a hundred and fifty Aves can’t
be due to St.Dominic, because they are both notably older
than his time. Further, we are assured that the meditating
upon the mysteries was not introduced until two hundred
years after St.Dominic’s death.
But my concern is not to prove the tradition
of Dominican authorship but to highlight the Devotion of
the Most Holt Rosary before and after Vatican II.
The Rosary is a means given by the Blessed
Virgin for contemplating Jesus and, meditating on his life,
for loving and following him always more faithfully. The
traditional image of the Madonna of the Rosary depicts Mary
holding the Child Jesus in her arm and giving the Rosary
to St.Dominic. The significant iconography shows that the
Rosary is a means to follow Jesus deeply by meditating the
mysteries of our redemption. This is something that Mary
has offered in various apparitions, especially in her apparition
at Fatima that took place 90 years ago, She appeared to
the three little shepherds [ Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisca]
as “The Madonna of the Rosary” and recommended praying the
rosary every day to bring an end the war in the world. The
Church, committed to the Virgin’s maternal request has been
praying the rosary with faith for peace in the world and
strongly exhorted the faithful to pray the rosary in the
families through out the world with deep faith. The rosary
has been the external sign or symbol of Catholic Faith through
out the world.
Immense is the good things which this devotion
has done in the lives of the devotees all over the world.
By the power of the rosary when it was recited with deep
devotion and much devotedness, many people have been delivered
from sin, or led to a holy life and to a good health. It
is very important to keep in mind when we recite the rosary
the words said by Our Blessed Mother to St.Eulalia that
5 decades said slowly and devotedly were more pleasing than
15 said hurriedly with little devotion.
The Church has been strongly believed and
promoted through various teaching the importance and the
power of The Holy Rosary as a means of devotion in order
to obtain the peace in the world. The feast in honor of
the rosary dates from 1571, when Pope Pius V instituted
it in gratitude for Our Blessed Mother’s aid in the great
victory over the Turks at Lepanto. It was Pope Leo XIII
who declared October the month of the holy rosary. The words
of St. Montfort are worth quoting here, “Never will anyone
who prays the holy rosary every day be led astray. This
is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood.”
The devotion to the holy rosary has not diminished
but the fervor with which it was practice as the sole Catholic
popular devotion has little gone down due to the false propaganda
of the Neo-Pentecostal movements. They accuse that the Catholics
violate the Lord’s command not to engage in “vain repetition”
when praying the Rosary. This is first of all a wrong interpretation
of the words of Jesus in Mtt6;7 where He warns about the
“empty phrases” of the gentiles not because they repeated
them, but because the false gods to whom they prayed didn’t
exist at all. That is why Jesus said all their “many words”
were vain and useless. But in Bible nowhere we find the
prohibition of the practice of praying formula prayers repeatedly.
In fact, Bible proves the opposite in Mtt26;39,42,44, where
we find the Lord himself repeated the same prayer three
times during the agony in the garden. Ps136 is another example
of a God-honoring repetitious prayer where the refrain “for
his steadfast love endures for ever” is repeated many times.
In short, the holy spirit inspired the holy rosary for us
to pray. If Jesus would not like us praying the rosary which
is a repetitious prayer, why would the holy spirit inspired
the writers of the Psalms to repeat this refrain many times?
WHY TO PRAY THE ROSARY TODAY?
There are some great popes and saints have
said the following reasons to pray the rosary:
“Among all the devotions approved by the Church
none has so favored by so many miracles as the devotion
of the Most Holy Rosary,” said Pope Pius IX. And Pope Pius
XII has said that there is no other means of calling down
God’s blessings upon the family…. Than the daily recitation
of the rosary. But Bishop Hugh Doyle goes one step further
in stressing the importance of rosary in the personal life
of a Catholic that, “No one can live continually in sin
and continue to say the rosary, either they will give up
the sin or they will give up the rosary.” The same way Pope
John Paul xxiii says that the rosary is magnificent and
universal prayer for the needs of the Church, the nation
and the entire world.
My impression is that Rosary is of the greatest
value not only according to the words of Our Lady of Fatima,
but according to the effects of the rosary one sees throughout
the history. That is why it is my impression that Our Lady
wanted to give to ordinary people, who might not know how
to pray, this simple method of getting closer to God.
Stations of The Cross!
The most ardent desires of Christendom centered
in the Holy Land, and the lover of crucified gladly faced
all hardships in the attempt to visit the scene of the Savior’s
passion, though unable to accomplish such a journey strove
to find an equivalent by following Christ’s footsteps to
Calvary at least in spirit. The exercise of the Stations
of the Cross thus formed a miniature pilgrimage.
The Stations of the Cross simply refers to
the depiction of the final hours of passion of Jesus and
devotion commemorating the passion. The Stations of the
Cross helps the faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage
of prayer to the Chief scenes of Christ’s suffering and
Death. The most important reason for reviving the practice
of making the Stations of the Cross is that it is a powerful
way to contemplate, and to enter into, the mystery of Jesus’
gift of Himself to us. It involves my senses, my experience
and my emotions. To the extent, I come to experience the
love of Jesus for me, to that extent the gratitude I feel
will be deep.
So, let us try the stations, and experience
the consolation they offer. In addition, return often, to
be renewed in this intimate experience of Jesus’ solidarity
with all humanity in our way of the cross each day.
THE FIRST STATION: - Jesus
is condemned to Death!
Priest: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless
you.
All : Because by the holy cross you have redeemed
the world.
There is havoc in the courtyard of Pontius
Pilate. Crucify Him! Crucify Him! [Lk23’21]
Look at the scene! Don’t you be moved by both
outrage and gratitude? Look at Jesus. His face. The crown
of thorns. The blood. His cloths stuck to the wounds on
the back. His hands are tied behind his back. What wrong
did He commit? He felt compassion toward the helpless and
destitute [Mtt9: 36-37]. He healed the sick. He taught them
laws are for human beings and not human beings for the law
[mk2:27].
The people who cried yesterday, “come to save
us” [mk11; 9] now cry, “Crucify Him!” mk11; 9].
Though Pilate was sure that Jesus was a just
man and innocent, he proclaimed the death sentence against
Jesus. A sentence that cheats one’s own conscience. The
just and loving Jesus is scourged and condemned. Jesus accepted
every kind of injustices for me and for you, that we might
be free and have eternal life.
As the journey begins, I ask to be with Jesus
and to follow his journey by expressing our love and thanks.
PRAYER: Lord! We are extremely sorry for our
acts of injustice, give us courage and strength to walk
in the path of Truth.
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THE SECOND STATION: - CROSS,
A GIFT FOR JUSTICE!
Priest: We adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the Holy cross…
Contemplate the wood of that Cross. Do imagine
how heavy it was. They scourged Jesus and sentenced Him
death by crucifixion. The merciless scourging paralyzed
his mind and body. Jesus accepted the Cross-on his shoulders
that were torn and bleeding.
Jesus carried the heavy cross and began his
journey to bring life for me and for you. Jesus leads the
journey to life through the lanes of suffering. We can give
consolation to Jesus by alleviating the sufferings of the
socially rejected and victimized in our midst.
Let us recall to our mind the words of Jesus,
“whoever wishes to follow me, let him deny himself, carry
the cross and follow me.”
PRAYER: Lord! Help us to bring consolation
to those in pain; to listen to the cry of the helpless and
rejected, and to put an end to the unjust victimization
of people.
THE THIRD STATION: - JESUS
FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME!
Priest: We adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the holy cross…
Jesus was getting weaker and weaker through
the loss of blood, lack of food and sleep, and because of
the beating, he had received. Sweat, tears and blood roll
down his face and body. Therefore, he began to stumble,
to tremble. The fall was inevitable.
Glance at the whole body of Jesus and the
exhaustion! Don’t stare at the weakness in his eyes? He
suffered and fell down as a helpless for me and for you.
Any kind of fall is damage for one’s morale.
However, a public fall is specially damaging. Jesus made
use of the little chance to regain his strength. And what
are going to do when you happened to fall from your state
of grace?
Many people today are weighed down by the
burdens of life-poverty, sickness, unemployment, debts.
When they reach a point where they just can’t cope any longer,
and they fall. Jesus says to those people, “Come to me,
all you who are labor and are overburdened and I will give
you rest.”
PRAYER: Lord! May the impact of Jesus fall
awaken in us the desire to recognize the needs of the poor,
and to gain inner strength to stand again like you.
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THE FOURTH STATION:- JESUS
MEETS HIS MOTHER!
Priest: We adore you…
All : Because by the Holy Cross…
It was a painful meeting-painful for Mary
as well as Jesus. What made so painful was the deep love
they had for each other. The pain for Mary must have been
excruciating to see her only son condemned to death and
now being made spectacle in the public.
The bible uses a mother’s love for her child
as an image of God’s love for us
[Is49; 15]. Are you able to see the mystery
of love’s power to give strength? When a mother has lost
a child to tragedy or violence, she would stand helpless
in cruel silence.
Families are supposed to be heavens of love
where washing one another’s feet is normal, self-sacrifice
and self-offering are values. Jesus’ meeting with his mother
was a great comfort to him.
Look at the two of them carefully and long
for such love and such peace. We need mothers who will offer
their children for the good of the world.
PRAYER:- Lord! Forgive us for the breakdowns
in our relationships. Help us build up our relationships
based on real love and self-sacrifice in our families.
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THE FIFTH STATION:- SIMON
HELPS JESUS TO CARRY THE CROSS!
Priest: We adore you, O Christ…….
All : Because by the Holy Cross…
They seized Simon of Cyrene to shoulder the
Cross and carry it behind Jesus [lk23;26].
The pain of being left alone; the body that
is completely exhausted; the hurt of seeing the Mother in
tears; made Jesus incapable of carrying the weight of the
cross. The soldiers thought, “In case Jesus dies on the
way; we can’t crucify Him alive? They realized the need
for a helper.
Simon of Syrene did not like to help as he
did not know who Jesus was and why He was condemned. It
is not only a shame to carry a cross of the one condemned
to crucifixion, but also the burden of another is twice
as heavy as our own burden.
As soon as Simon touched the cross, he experienced
a change within him and felt the freedom and joy of helping
a close friend. In bearing our daily burdens, we should
not be too proud to accept the help of other. So also, when
someone is at the end of his strength, learn to lend him
support and see what wonders that can work in you. Remember
the words of Jesus, “As long as you did it to one of these,
you did it to me.” “The person who does a good deed is instantly
ennobled,” says Emerson.
PRAYER: Lord! Make my hands like those of
Jesus to reach out in help to others in need.
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THE SIXTH STATION:- VERONICA
WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS!
Priest: we adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the holy cross…
The love of the woman Veronica in face of
all rejection received her the ultimate gift, the face of
Jesus on her handkerchief. It called for a lot of courage
to help someone who was the object of public derision.
Veronica’s gesture was a spontaneous act of
kindness. It is good to share the pain of others when they
asked, but it is better to help unasked through understanding.
Are you able to translate your sympathy into deeds of love
like Veronica?
Whom do we see in the pain-stricken Jesus?
The homeless children need your love and compassion; elderly
people yearn for tolerance and understanding in the evening
of their lives. A word, a look and a smile will do great
for them.
It I can’t wipe away the tears of others what
is the use of the handkerchief of my life?
PRAYER: Lord! We pray for those mothers and
nurses who wipe the face of the sick. Imprint in my heart
the face of Jesus so that I may wipe the tears of the needy.
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THE SEVENTH STATION:- JESUS
FALLS SECOND TIME!
Priest: We adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the Holy Cross…
The weakness came on again. He struggled against
it. He started to get dizzy. Before he knew it, he was on
the ground. He was not allowed to rest a while. The soldiers
dragged him to his feet, shouted at him, and forced him
to go on. They wanted to finish their business of crucifying
before Sabbath.
There are lot of people for whom life is so
cruel. Many of them feel that no one understands them or
care about them. Think of the victims of alcoholism and
drug addition who, no matter how hard they try, fall again
and again. Think also of the families that are dragged down
with them.
Remember that, “The success of Christian life
is not being perfect but striving to be perfect.
PRAYER: Lord! Imprint in us the image of falling
Jesus that we may strive to raise from additions and breakdowns.
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THE EIGHT STATION:
JESUS CONSOLES THE JERUSALEM WOMEN!
Priest: We adore you, O Christ…….
All: Because by the holy cross….
A good number of women who followed Jesus,
were morning and weeping for Him. He told them, “Cry not
for me but for yourselves and for your children.”
The women did not hide their sympathy behind
stony faces. And they were not afraid of the soldiers to
let Jesus know that they cared about Him. Jesus was touched
by their love and compassion. He noticed their tear-filled
eyes and sobbing hearts. Jesus gets some strength from the
compassionate women on his way.
Love, compassion and sympathy do give inner
strength to people who carry their daily cross. Do we offer
such compassion and consolation to the weak?
PARYER: Lord! May your compassionate face
be imprinted in our hearts so that we may weep for our sins
before considering the sins of others. In addition, our
experience of suffering makes us compassionate towards the
suffering.
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THE NINTH STATION: - JESUS
FALLS A THIRD TIME!
Priest: we adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the holy Cross….
Jesus is here absolutely drained and totally
exhausted. He could not walk no more. Tired and in pain,
His steps are faltering and as a result He falls for the
third time. This time it gets harder to recover. Left to
himself he probably would not have made it. However, the
Calvary vision comes to his mind and some how he makes it
to the place of execution.
How many of us are reduced to this sorry state
today? How many of us feel utterly helpless and hopeless?
Do you feel that the well of energy and strength has run
dry?
Why don’t you have the will and the spirit
Jesus had to carry on your cross and follow Him? A man with
a grain of faith in God never loses hope, because he ever
believes in the ultimate triumph of truth, says Gandhi.
PRAYER:- Lord! Forgive us for being men of
little faith in the moments of trails. Help us when we are
broken, lost and wounded, and bless those who are at the
edge of despair and suicide.
THE TENTH STATION:- JESUS
IS STRIPPED OF HIS CLOTHES!
PRIEST: We adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the holy Cross…
Everything has been taken away from Jesus.
He has nothing now with him. They stripped of his clothes
with the aim of further degrading and humiliating Him. To
be naked is also to be totally vulnerable. Jesus did not
forget who He was, and He maintained His dignity to the
end.
Is it not cruelty to pull off clothes when
it is stuck to the flesh? Are you able to measure the intensity
of pain that Jesus underwent? Shame is imputed not to the
one who suffers it but to the one, who inflicts it, says
St. Francis of Assisi.
Wealth and luxury may render us blind and
insensitive to the plight of the poor. How sad to see in
America human beings roaming the streets without food and
shelter?
PRAYER: Lord! We feel very sorry for degrading
our fellow human beings. We also pray for who are stripped
of their dignity and self-worth.
THE ELEVENTH STATION:- JEUS
IS NAILED TO THE CROSS!
Priest: we adore you, O Christ…….
All : Because by the holy cross…
The hands that blessed and brought the healing
touch to so many, and feet that walked the streets of Palestine
reaching out to the needy, are now nailed to the wood of
the Cross.
The soldiers did what was ordered. They did
not consider it their business to question the morality
of that order. They just carried their job exactly. The
excruciating pain Jesus underwent was beyond imagination.
He accepted dead-end pain for me and for you.
Jesus came to seek out and to save the lost.
He did accomplish his mission by being sacrificed on the
Cross.
PRAYER: Lord! May your fortitude give us strength
and support when we struggle for justice and truth.
THE TWELFTH STATION:- JESUS
DIES ON THE CROSS!
Priest: we adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the Holy Cross…
It is terrible to be beside a friend or a
relative who is suffering or dying, and know there is nothing
you can do. It makes you feel useless and inadequate. You
desperately want to run away. In those cases, our only ministry
is one of simple presence.
Even though this is difficult, it is a precious
and vital thing. Like Mary, we must stay with the suffering
or dying person. To know that there is somebody there to
cares, makes the world of difference. It saves the person
from the awful prospect of dying alone and abandoned.
In the face of death, only God can save us.
PRAYER: Lord! Help us to forgive all those
who have harmed us in any way. Bless those who are dying
and those who minister to them.
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THE THIRTEENTH STATION:-
JESUS’ BODY IS TAKEN FROM THE CROSS!
Priest: we adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the Holy Cross….
The Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross,
and his mother takes it into her arms. The sorrow for Jesus’
friends was no doubt immense. But for Mary it must have
been absolutely overwhelming. Parents do not expect their
children to die before them.
Yes, here is a sacrifice of what is most dear---the
sacrifice of giving up a son for the salvation of all sons
and daughters---- the mother’s sacrifice!
Today, to love Jesus means, going into the
world of suffering and getting involved, being affected
and hurt by its sorrows.
There is no love without sacrifice; without
giving up something we cannot give anyone anything at all.
The depth of our love is proved by the cost we are willing
to pay.
PRAYER: Lord! We pray for all those who deal
with the victims of violence and those who in the emergency
rooms of hospitals. Help us to communicate the depths of
God’s love to those around us.
FOURTEENTH STATION:- JESUS
IS BURIED IN THE TOMB!
Priest: we adore you, O Christ…
All : Because by the holy cross…
Darkness fell, silence wrapped itself around
them. They felt numb and empty. A terrible truth began to
sink in. it seemed that Jesus was gone forever. They began
to grieve. They wanted to have the consolation of giving
Him a burial.
Life is only a kind of sowing; the harvest
is not here, says Van Gogh.
The human body is temple of the Holy Spirit.
It has to be respected and honored even in death. Do we
realize that human body is holy? It is true worship when
we care to console and comfort the weak, tired and broken
bodies that are on the wayside.
PRAYER: Lord! Bless those who are grieving,
and for those who are in the tomb of loneliness and depression.
Help us to listen to your call and to die for you.
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Let us pray for the intentions of our holy
father……
One “Our father…
And a “Hail Mary….
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