Guest Column: A Circle of Mysteries

By L. Paige McCormick
Charleston, South Carolina

The true heart of the Rosary lies in its mysteries. These encompass important events in the lives of Jesus and His mother. As we work through the beads, we meditate on these events. Each decade of the Rosary focuses on a particular mystery. Below are the traditional daily suggestions, but don’t feel constrained by them. If at any time a particular set of mysteries seems necessary or resonates with you, it is perfectly acceptable to use those on any day.

On Sunday and Wednesday, the Glorious Mysteries are prayed. They are The Resurrection of Christ, The Ascension of Christ into Heaven, The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, The Assumption of Mary into Heaven, and The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven. For Non-Catholics, the Assumption and Coronation of Mary are probably unfamiliar articles of faith. The basis of both rests in Mary’s special role in salvation history by surrendering to the Holy Spirit and bringing God into the world through Jesus. As such, she was preserved from sin and did not need to die a natural death. Rather, she was assumed, body and soul, directly into Heaven with her Son. She is crowned Queen of Heaven because she is the Mother of Jesus, our God. During these mysteries our focus should be on how God can accomplish anything for us, no matter how impossible we think things might be.

On Monday and Saturday, the Joyful Mysteries are prayed. They are The Annunciation of the Birth of Christ to Mary, The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, The Nativity, The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. I find these mysteries especially helpful as a woman and mother in praying about my children and for other mothers and children. In these, we are to meditate on the birth and growth of Jesus and the role that Mary played in his life. From the fear that Mary felt when Gabriel announced her pregnancy to her joy at finding her child among the priests in the temple, these mysteries span the emotions of motherhood and connect us with the young Jesus who was to grow up to be our Savior.

On Tuesday and Friday, the Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed. They are The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, The Scourging of Christ at the Pillar, The Crowning of Christ with Thorns, The Carrying of the Cross and The Crucifixion. Jesus, while Son of God, still endured all of the pain and hardship of a human life and understands deeply our own hardships. I use these mysteries often, especially when praying for an end to war, violence and hatred or when I pray for someone who is dying or ill. They help us to better accept sorrows as a natural part of life, as well as to have faith in Christ’s understanding and aid during difficult times.

On Thursday, the Luminous Mysteries are prayed. They are The Baptism of Jesus, The Wedding at Cana, The Proclamation of the Kingdom, The Transfiguration, and The Institution of the Eucharist. These mysteries focus on Christ’s ministry and the events that shaped his message and presence in the world. In them we see Jesus’ fulfillment of the requirement of baptism and the beginning of his public ministry at Cana. The Proclamation of the Kingdom focuses our attention on the Beatitudes and on our ties to the kingdom of God through Christ. The Transfiguration reminds us of how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament in showing himself aside Moses and Elijah and being named the Son of God by His Father. And in the Eucharist, we see His ultimate offering of Himself for us, body and blood, as our food. These mysteries help us to focus on the ways we should follow Christ and the depths of love shown in His ministry.

Tomorrow, we will dive into the mechanics of the beads and the prayers.

-- A resident of Charleston, South Carolina, Paige is a devoted wife and mother of two young sons. She is an active homeschooler and attends the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.