The Pondering Heart

THE PONDERING HEART
A ROSARY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS
COMPILED BY
Samuel L. Edwards, M.Div
CONTENTS
Diagram of the Rosary......................................................... 6 Compilers Preface .............................................................. 7 An introduction to the Rosary...............................8 The pattern for this manual.................................10 A personal postscript...........................................12 Organizing a Corporate Rosary ..........................13 The Preparatory Prayers .................................................... 17 The Mysteries of the Rosary ............................................. 19 The Joyful Mysteries ..........................................21 The Luminous Mysteries ...................................31 The Sorrowful Mysteries ...................................41 The Glorious Mysteries ......................................51 Alternative forms .........................................61 The Concluding Devotions ............................................... 64 Additional Canticles............................................66 Compilers Postscript ........................................................ 68 A note on repetitive prayers................................68 A further note on the Ave Maria.........................68 Sources for the Collects..................................................... 70 Sources for the Illustrations............................................... 71
The Rosary
Glory be . Fatima Prayer Collect Responsory
Hail, Mary (10x)
Trisagion & Our Father Glory be Fatima Prayer Collect Responsory
Concluding Devotions
Hail, Mary (3x) Our Father Creed
THE PONDERING HEART

A Rosary for all Christians
COMPILERS PREFACE But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. [Luke 2:19] There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of rosary manuals in print and in use today, so the question might naturally arise, Who needs one more? It is not my purpose to supply some perceived deficiency in any of these other manuals. Rather, this work comes as an offering out of my own experience in the use of this ancient method of prayer that may be of help to other Christians, particularly in the promotion of the perfect unity of the Church outward and visible as well as inward and spiritual for which our Lord prays (cf. John 17). In the end, common prayer is the most effective way of participating in the accomplishment of that divine imperative. Additionally, this work is presented as an example of how the Anglican Patrimony (referred to by Pope Benedict XVI in his landmark 2009 Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus) might be incorporated into the devotional treasury of the Catholic Church. In my younger days, before it became so abundantly evident that the Anglican heritage has little hope of survival and vitality while it maintains its separation from the spring of life that proceeds from the rock from which it was hewn, I was much taken with my mentor Bishop Robert Terwilligers description of the Anglican Church as an ecumenical movement in miniature. For all the nearly four decades that elapsed from my departure from Methodism until my reception into full communion with the Catholic Church, I identified with the high church wing of that tradition. It has been a notable characteristic of that variety of Anglicanism that it frequently has enriched its own incomparable literary, musical, artistic, pastoral and liturgical tradition which includes the Authorized Version of the Bible and The Book of Common Prayer with material drawn from Christian traditions other than the Anglican. These have ranged from Reformed and Lutheran hymnody to Orthodox iconography to Wesleyan homiletic and Pentecostal fervor, all modified and disciplined to the extent necessary to preserve doctrinal integrity, ensure decency and good order, and guarantee that in all things Christ be glorified which (and not incidentally) are concerns which have directed and dominated the universal pastorates both of Pope Benedict and of his immediate predecessor Blessed John Paul II. This manual is intended for use both in corporate settings where a number of Christians are praying the rosary together and in private 7
devotions. To give it the widest appeal, it includes some material designed to enable full participation by Christians of good will who nevertheless may not as yet be persuaded of the full practical implications asserted by Catholics concerning the doctrine of the Church as the Communion of Saints which they all confess be they Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, Reformed, and/or Pentecostal. An Introduction to the Rosary Although both Eastern Christianity and non-Christian religions have methods of prayer that use knotted ropes or chains of beads, the exact origins of the Western rosary devotion are lost to history. Its most common and widely-known form dates at least as far back as the high Middle Ages (roughly the 12th through the 14th centuries). In that time as well as in succeeding ages, the rosary provided its users, both great and small, and especially the lay people, with a means not only of internalizing the substance of the faith through prayerful reflection on its central mysteries, but of participating in the daily prayer of the church. In Western Europe at the time of its emergence, this participation had become difficult for all but a few. This was due not only to the complexity of the monastic office and the general incomprehensibility of the Latin tongue to those outside the clerical estate, but also to the time-consuming demands of daily subsistence. The rosary gave the ordinary devout layman a way to practice the presence of God, to fortify his awareness of his own membership in the communion of saints, and to approach the fulfillment of the apostolic counsel of constant prayer. It still does. The term rosary itself is used to refer both to a set of beads used in a method of prayer that involves the whole person body, mind, spirit and to the form of prayer itself. The person using this devotion simultaneously handles the beads, articulates the words of the prayers, meditates on the mysteries, and offers to God his hearts aspirations (and those of the others for whom he prays). Technically speaking, the rosary is a sacramental. This means that it is a material item which, depending on the interior disposition of the person who makes use of it and Gods assessment of that persons particular needs, may serve as a channel of divine grace of Gods sharing his life with us. That the rosary remains in widespread use after centuries is testimony enough that it is a sacramental upon which the Lord has chosen to confer a notable efficacy. (A sacramental should be distinguished from a sacrament proper: While a sacramental may be a means of grace, a sacrament unfailingly brings the divine life to the recipient. Whether he receives it to 8
his benefit or to his hurt depends on his hearts disposition; that he receives it is an objective fact.) The standard rosary (sometimes called the Dominican rosary, after Saint Dominic, and illustrated on page 4) consists of a crucifix, a medallion, and fifty-nine beads on a chain or cord. These items are arranged and normally used as follows: v First, (following the invocation of the Holy Trinity which properly begins all acts of prayer) on the crucifix, the Apostles Creed is said. v Then comes a solitary bead, on which the Lords Prayer (Pater noster) is recited. v After this are three beads, on each of which the Hail Mary (Ave Maria) prayer is said. v On the chain between the third bead and the next solitary bead is said the lesser Doxology (Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father, etc.) It is quite common nowadays for this to be followed by the so-called Fatima Prayer, about which more later. (This first exercise functions as a sort of primer for the work ahead, and need not be repeated if any or all of the other sets of mysteries are to be used in the same session.) v After this, the name of the first mystery to be meditated on is declared. This is followed by another Our Father on the solitary bead, then ten Hail Marys (whence comes the term decade in reference to the rosary), the Gloria Patri, and the Fatima prayer This pattern is repeated for the remaining mysteries. After meditation on the mysteries is completed, a final act of prayer and praise may be made while holding the medallion, or the first solitary bead in the pendant chain after the medallion. Probably the most common of these among Roman Catholics and Anglicans who use the rosary is the hymn Salve Regina, Mater misericordia (Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy). Frequently, as well, an additional Our Father, Hail Mary, and Gloria Patri are said on the three small beads of the pendant chain for the intentions of the Pope, and all is concluded with an Act of Contrition on the solitary bead above the crucifix. In other places, it is customary to recite a litany (most commonly the Litany of Loretto) at the conclusion of the recitation. However, as is true of other details of this form of prayer, there is no strict requirement that these items, or indeed any other, be used at this point. During its history, there have been as many as fifty mysteries proposed for contemplation using the standard rosary. Until recently, by long-standing 9
custom the number had been fixed at fifteen, organized in three sets of five: Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious. In his 2002 Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II proposed the addition of an additional set of five mysteries focusing on the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and called the Luminous Mysteries, and that recommendation has been quickly and widely implemented. The pattern for this manual What is offered for use here is based on the classical standard rosary, but incorporates a number of enhancements. The first of these is the preference for the use of the Ecumenical Creed (more commonly called the Nicene Creed) in place of the Apostles Creed. It seemed to me that it would be appropriate in a rosary devotion aimed at drawing Christians into prayerful unity to use the only creed which is common to classical Christians, East and West. The text used is essentially the English translation of The Book of Common Prayer, with three small differences: (1) the phrase, was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary is replaced with, was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary, which is a more literal translation of the Greek original; (2) the Western insertion and the Son in reference to the procession of the Holy Ghost (the so-called filioque) is included parenthetically since its inclusion lacks the consent of those Eastern Christian Churches not at present in communion with the Holy See; and (3) the word holy in reference to the Church (which had been omitted due to one of the few scholarly errors committed by the compilers of the Anglican Prayer Book) is restored to its ancient place. Another practice followed here, and noted as early as 1974, is the practice of insertion between the two halves of the Ave Maria prayer a reference to the mystery being contemplated in a given decade. [cf. Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus, section 46.] Those offered here are suggestions and I in no way represent them as definitive. It is also worth noting that some who pray the Rosary using the insertions add the second half of the Ave prayer only after the tenth bead in the decade. A notable variation used here involves the provision for substituting for the words of the second half of the Ave Maria (Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death) the words, Son of Mary, Son of the living God, have mercy upon us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. This modification, originally suggested by the great Anglican theologian Austin Farrer in his booklet on the rosary [The Rosary, (London: The Church Literature Association, 1958), p. 9.], is useful not only to make this form of prayer more accessible to persons who may have conscientious scruples about invoking the prayers of the saints (which Dr Farrer says that 10
no Christian is obliged to do), but more importantly to emphasize the role of Mary as one whose ministry above all is to present Christ to the world whose sovereign Redeemer he is: In her own words which are the last of her words Scripture records Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it [John 2:5]. When combined with the reference specific to the mystery under consideration, this form of the Ave Maria sets up a kind of continuous rhythm (what might be called an ascetical ostinato) in which the focus of the prayer is persistently shifted from the Handmaid of the Lord to the Lord himself, which is exactly the pattern we see in the Virgins own life, notably in the account of the wedding-feast at Cana (John 2:1-11). It is also noteworthy that Dr Farrers suggested modification is clearly, and I suspect intentionally, reminiscent of the Jesus Prayer that is such a characteristic component of Eastern Orthodox devotional life a fact which further emphasizes the ecumenical aspirations connected with this present undertaking. Again in the interest of bringing Christians together in prayer, I have provided (on pages 61 and 63) alternatives for the last two Glorious Mysteries in the classical rosary. This is done so that Christians who, for whatever reason, have some difficulty affirming the mysteries to which they refer (the doctrine of our Ladys bodily Assumption and the idea of her being crowned by her Son as Queen of Heaven) may in good conscience affirm the essential revealed truth represented by each of them: Namely, Gods gathering of his Church to himself and his awarding of the crown of life to all those who have fought the good fight, finished their course, and kept the faith. It is especially incumbent upon any person organizing or leading a corporate recitation of the Rosary using this Manual to remember and observe the rule of charity here, as in all things. I have taken the liberty of inserting the Trisagion a common Trinitarian invocation in the Eastern Orthodox tradition at the beginning of each mystery. This has no authority other than my own experience: I offer it because I have found it helpful in refocusing on the central Mystery of Communion which is the context in which all Christians pray and because I think others might also find it so. Suggested passages of Holy Scripture related to the mystery being contemplated are included for optional use before each decade of Hail Marys, as is Saint Catherine LaBoures prayer to Mary Immaculate (also known as the Miraculous Medal prayer).
11
This manual follows the practice of inserting the previously mentioned Fatima prayer after each Gloria Patri. This is the prayer that was given by the Lady of the Rosary to the three Portuguese children who testified to having multiple visions of the Virgin in 1917 in the fields outside their village of Fatima. Its content ought to be wholly unobjectionable to any believer. At the end of each mystery, I have included a collect that seems appropriately to sum up the preceding meditation. Of the twenty-two collects used, twelve are from the 1928 American Edition of The Book of Common Prayer, two (one of which I have somewhat revised) are from the 1963 edition of Lesser Feasts and Fasts, four (one of which I have augmented) are from The American Missal (1951), one is a conservatively augmented version of a prayer of Episcopal Bishop Charles Henry Brent (which was also used in the 1979 revision of the American Book of Common Prayer), and three are of my own composition. Also included at the end of each mystery is a responsory appropriate to the set of mysteries being contemplated. For the concluding devotions on the medallion, I have given a choice of canticles and antiphons drawn from Scripture and the Churchs liturgical tradition, which may be used as seems best. Throughout, the classical English idiom is used. This means that the Deity and his saints are addressed using the second person familiar forms (thou, thee, and thine) rather than those second person formal forms (you, you, yours) which, with the significant exception of love poetry, have completely conquered modern English usage. In the context of prayer amongst the members of the Christian family, a return to the older and more intimate forms seems especially appropriate. A personal postscript The reader should understand that, while I have now entered into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, I learned the basics of the Catholic and Christian Faith within the Anglican (which includes the Methodist) tradition. This traditions nearly five centuries of structural separation from the main body of Western Christians has been an impoverishment to all parties, but I believe that even now this is in the process of healing, thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit expressed in the vision of a goodly number of leading Anglicans and the practical and principled generosity of the two most recent Bishops of Rome. It is my hope that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is at the center of all these mysteries, may richly bless each and all who, like his Virgin Mother, keep 12
and ponder them in their hearts. If this work proves to be of help to that end, then its compilers hopes for it will stand fulfilled. Samuel L. Edwards Waynesville, North Carolina Feast of the Christ the King, 2012 PonderingHeart@dnet.net http://ThePonderingHeart.net
ORGANIZING A CORPORATE ROSARY

As with any act of worship, it is important that the participants in a corporate offering of the Rosary have a clear understanding of how it will be done. The less the participant has to ask, What do I do next? the more likely he is to enter into the spirit of worship and thus to be able to receive the whatever blessing the Lord wishes to confer on him through the act. The primary responsibility for making clear the pattern of the corporate Rosary belongs to the person who organizes and (usually) leads it, subject to the pastoral authority under whom he or she does so. The leader must plan and make clear before this act of worship begins which options are going to be used. While this is true of any corporate Rosary, it is especially important when using The Pondering Heart, since this particular Rosary is aimed at uniting in prayer Christians of diverse confessional traditions and allows for a good number of options. The first thing a leader must do is to accurately assess the general character of the assembly which will gather for the Rosary. A group composed entirely of Catholics (perhaps also including high-church Anglicans and Methodists) will need to be planned for differently than one including a wide range and representation of other confessional traditions. The aim is to foster the total unity of the Church, and this will be advanced better by allowing for confessional sensitivities that do not involve the denial of such foundational truths of the Faith as the Trinity and the Incarnation. The principle that there should be unity in things essential, liberty in things doubtful, and charity in all things should govern here as elsewhere. As a guide to leaders, I here offer a list more or less sequential of the decisions that will need to be made in planning for a corporate offering of the Rosary using The Pondering Heart: 1. Intentions: If announced, decide whether the announcement is to be made before the offering of the Rosary begins or after the Preparatory Prayers. If particular intentions are to be offered in 13
2. 3. 4.
5.
6.
7. 8. 9.
connection with individual mysteries, these should be announced at the same point in each mystery, preferably immediately following the announcement of the name of the mystery. (For example, The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar. Let us pray for all who suffer injustice at the hands of those who are charged with the administration of justice.) Decide which Creed is to be used: While TPH recommends the Nicene Creed, some groups may be better served by the Apostles Creed. Decide whether the Miraculous Medal prayer is to be used. Decide what form of the Hail Mary is to be used after the insertion: (a.) traditional version (Holy Mary pray for us sinners ), (b.) Austin Farrer version (Son of Mary) or (c.) early medieval version (nothing following the insertion, perhaps with a. or b. after the last iteration). Decide whether the insertion proper to the Mystery being contemplated is to be said by the leader alone or by the group as a whole. If the latter, it will be best to have a printed copy of the insertions available to the participants. Decide whether the recommended Scripture passage for each Mystery is to be used and, if so, who is to read it. (If there is to be a meditation, it is recommended that this either follow the Scripture reading or precede the Collect.) Decide if the collects and the closing responsory are to be used. Concluding Devotions: Choose which canticle is to be used, if any, and whether the Salve Regina will be used in addition to (or instead of) the canticle. Decide whether the concluding Our Father, Hail Mary, and Gloria will be used, and whether the Act of Contrition will follow.
If practicable, these decisions should be committed to paper for the convenience of the other participants. In any case, they should be clearly communicated in speech prior to the beginning of the offering of the Rosary. Remember, not everyone is a visual learner: The faculty of hearing is at least as important as that of sight, if not more so. If the corporate offering of the Rosary is to become a regular feature of the common worship of any given community of Christians, it should have a predictable and regular format. Initially, it may be necessary to beta test various formats, but once the community is content with the form, it should not be changed often nor without compelling cause. The reason for having set forms of prayer is to enable people, having become familiar with them, to get behind them, as it were, and enter into the richness of divine encounter that they both signify and facilitate. 14
x
15
16
THE PREPARATORY PRAYERS

If the recitation of the Rosary is made as an act of prayer for specific objects, these may be declared here or before the collect that concludes the Preparatory Prayers. All make the Sign of the Cross with the crucifix, as the Leader begins,
In the Name of the FaXther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
All say,
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary, And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father [and the Son]; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; And I look for the Resurrection of the dead; And the Life of the world to come. Amen.
[On the first solitary bead, all pray:]
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, XBut deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
[On the first of the trio of beads is prayed, the Leader beginning,]
Hail Mary, full of grace: The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who giveth us faith. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen. 17 Son of Mary, Son of the living God, have mercy upon us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
[On the second bead:]
Hail Mary, full of grace: The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who is our hope. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
[On the third bead:]
Son of Mary, Son of the living God, have mercy upon us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace: The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who loveth us with an everlasting love. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
[On the chain:]
Son of Mary, Son of the living God, have mercy upon us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O, my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell; and bring all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy. Amen. Let us pray. O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death, and resurrection, hath purchased unto us the rewards of life eternal: Grant, we beseech thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the faith, we [together with those on behalf of whom we shall do so] may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
x
18
THE MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY:

JOYFUL LUMINOUS SORROWFUL GLORIOUS
19
20
THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
I. The Annunciation to our Lady
Holy God, Holy and Mighty One, Holy and Immortal One: Have mercy upon us.
Luke 1:26-38 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
O Mary, conceived without sin: Pray for us who have recourse unto thee.
[On each of the following ten beads:]
Hail Mary, full of grace: The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
who took our flesh of thee.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen. Son of Mary, Son of the living God, have mercy upon us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts: that, as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And the Word was made flesh : And dwelt among us.
21
22
II. The Visitation of our Lady to Elizabeth

Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
whose saints rejoice at his coming.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O Christ, our God Incarnate, whose virgin Mother was blessed in bearing thee, but still more blessed in keeping thy word: Grant us, who honour the exaltation of her lowliness, to follow the example of her devotion to thy will; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen. And the Word was made flesh : And dwelt among us.
23
24
III. The Nativity of the Lord

Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who assumed our humanity that we might share his divinity.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty God, who hast given us thy onlybegotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen. And the Word was made flesh : And dwelt among us.
25
26
IV. The Presentation in the Temple

Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
Hail Mary, full of grace: The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, the light of the nations and the glory of his people Israel.
[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that, as thy only-begotten Son was presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And the Word was made flesh : And dwelt among us.
27
28
V. The Finding in the Temple

Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who teacheth his elders wisdom.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, who art the power of God and the wisdom of God: Grant that, whensoever we are bereft of the sense of thine abiding Presence, we may seek thee first in the midst of thy holy Temple, and there receive the words of life for thy glory, our comfort, and the good of all thy holy Church; who in unity with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. And the Word was made flesh : And dwelt among us.
x
29
30
THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES

I. The Baptism of the Lord
Matthew 3:13-17 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who fulfilleth all righteousness.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty God, who at the baptism of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ in the river Jordan didst manifest his glorious Godhead: Grant, we beseech thee, that the brightness of his presence may shine in our hearts, and his glory be set forth in our lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Light shineth in the darkness : And the darkness hath not overcome it.
31
32
II. The Wedding at Cana

John 2:1-11 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who rejoiceth both bridegroom and bride.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty and everliving God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the first-fruits of the new creation: Grant that we, being obedient to his word, may find in him the fulfillment of all our occasions and so be fitted to share the wedding-feast of his glorious kingdom; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Light shineth in the darkness : And the darkness hath not overcome it.
33
34
III. The Proclamation of the Kingdom

Matthew 7:24-29; 5:1-11; or 13:44-50 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who hath the words of eternal life.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who hast exalted thy beloved Son to be King over all worlds, and hast willed in him to make all things new: Mercifully grant that the kindreds of the earth which are wounded and dispersed by sin may speedily be knit together under his gracious sovereignty; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen. The Light shineth in the darkness : And the darkness hath not overcome it.
35
36
IV. The Transfiguration of the Lord

Mark 9:2-8 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who fulfilleth the Law and the Prophets.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O God, who on the mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thine only-begotten Son wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistering: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may be permitted to behold the King in his beauty, who with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen. The Light shineth in the darkness : And the darkness hath not overcome it.
37
38
V. The Institution of the Eucharist

1 Corinthians 11:-23-29 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
whose flesh is food indeed and whose blood is drink indeed.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, did institute the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may thankfully receive the same in remembrance of him, who in these holy mysteries giveth us a pledge of life eternal; the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen. The Light shineth in the darkness : And the darkness hath not overcome it.
x
39
40
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

I. The Agony in the Garden
Mark 14:32-42 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who for us drank the bitter cup.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Savior of the world, who by thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us : Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
41
42
II. The Scourging at the Pillar

Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
by whose stripes we are healed.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O Lord God, whose blessed Son, our Saviour, gave his back to the smiters and hid not his face from shame: Grant us grace to take joyfully the sufferings of the present time, in full assurance of the glory that shall be revealed; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Savior of the world, who by thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us : Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
43
44
III. The Crowning with Thorns

Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who endured a crown of thorns to win for us a crown of glory.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who for our salvation didst lay aside thy crown of glory to accept a crown of thorns: Mercifully grant that we may so live by the grace thy suffering hath secured that, when thou comest to be our Judge, we may be placed on thy right hand and receive the crown of life that fadeth not away; who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God, world without end. Amen. O Savior of the world, who by thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us : Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
45
46
IV. The Bearing of the Cross

Hebrews 12:1-4 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who for us endured the cross, despising the shame.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Savior of the world, who by thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us : Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
47
48
V. The Crucifixion of the Lord

John 19:17-30 or Philippians 2:5-11 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who for us became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within reach of thy saving embrace: so clothe us in thy Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of thee; for the honor of thy Name, who livest and reignest with the Father and the same Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. O Savior of the world, who by thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us : Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
x
49
50
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

I. The Resurrection of the Lord
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who hath overthrown sin, hell, and death.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O God, who for our redemption didst give thine only-begotten Son to the death of the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily from sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through the same thy Son Christ our Lord. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
51
52
II. The Ascension of the Lord

Acts:1:1-14 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who ascended on high that he might fill all things.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that according to his promise he abideth with his Church on earth, even unto the end of the world; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
53
54
III. The Descent of the Holy Ghost

Acts 2:1-21 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who through the Holy Ghost abideth with his Church for ever.
[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O God, who didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
[Note: Alternative forms of the last two Mysteries are found on page 61.] 55
56
IV. The Assumption of our Lady

Song of Songs 2:10-14 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who hath taken thee to himself.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, .. Let us pray. O God, who hast taken to thyself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of thine only-begotten Son: Grant that we who, with her, have been redeemed by his blood may share with her the glory of thine eternal kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
57
58
V. The Coronation of our Lady

Revelation 21:1-7 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who doth crown thee with glory and honor.

[On the chain:] Glory be . O, my Jesus, .. Let us pray. O Almighty God, who didst endue with singular grace the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord: Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to hallow our bodies in purity, and our souls in humility and love, that we, with her, may receive from thy Son the crown of life which fadeth not away; through the same our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
x
59
60
ALTERNATIVE FORMS FOR THE CONCLUDING GLORIOUS MYSTERIES IV. The Ingathering of the Saints
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who doth gather his saints to himself.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for them that unfeignedly love thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
61
62
V. The Crown of Life

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 [On the first bead, all pray,]
Our Father, .
[Here may be said:]
who crowneth them with life that honor him.

[On the chain:]
Glory be . O, my Jesus, . Let us pray. O God, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass mans understanding: Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Christ hath conquered; Christ now reigneth; Christ doth command.
63
THE CONCLUDING DEVOTIONS

While holding the medal (or the large bead), the following canticle Magnificat anima mea (Luke 1:46-55) is said. Other canticles which may be used in this place are found on pages 66 and 67: (Antiphon.) We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous; * And he is the propitiation for our sins. My soul doth magnify the Lord, * And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour; For he hath regarded * The lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth * All generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * And holy is his name; And his mercy is on them that fear him * Throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm, * He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; He hath put down the mighty from their seats, * And hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * And the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
(Antiphon.) We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous; * And he is the propitiation for our sins.
x
The following Antiphon of our Lady may be said here in addition to, or in place of, the foregoing Canticle or either of its substitutes:
Salve Regina and Collect Mary we hail thee, Mother and Queen compassionate; Mary our comfort, life, and hope, we hail thee. To thee we exiles, children of Eve, lift our crying; 64
To thee we are sighing as, mournful and weeping, we pass through this vale of sorrow. Turn thou therefore, O our intercessor, those thine eyes of pity and loving-kindness upon us sinners, Hereafter, when our earthly exile shall be ended, show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb, O gentle, O tender, O gracious Virgin Mary
Leader People
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God; That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary to become a habitation meet for thy Son: Grant that as we rejoice in her commemoration, we may be delivered by her loving intercession from our present evils and from eternal death; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Translation from the Latin by Canon Winifred Douglas]
Here, on the three small beads, may be said an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory be for the intentions of the Holy Father. An Act of Contrition may also be added
x
Leader People
Lord, hear our prayer; And let our cry come unto thee.
Let us pray. Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in thy Sons Name: We beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us who have now made our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Book of Common Prayer (1928), page 50]
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
[2 Corinthians 13:14]
x
65
ADDITIONAL CANTICLES
WHICH MAY BE USED IN THE CONCLUDING DEVOTIONS
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 66
DIGNUS ES, DOMINE

Revelation 4:11; 5:12, 9b-10, 13b
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, * for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood * out of every kindred and tongue and nation, And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; * And we shall reign on the earth. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, * to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and glory and blessing! Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, * And unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
67
COMPILERS POSTSCRIPT
A note on repetitive prayers A question that often arises in connection with the rosary and related prayers, such as the Jesus Prayer, concerns whether the method of their use does not violate a condemnation of repetitive prayer by the Lord Jesus. I think not, for it seems clear that the command under consideration (Matthew 6:7) does not condemn repetitive prayer as such, but the false notion that the more we repeat the prayer the more likely it is that we shall be heard: But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Vain repetition (that which is empty, mindless, and lacking meaningful content) is what is condemned, and it is condemned because of an attitude foreign both to Christianity and the faith of Israel that we can by any act of ours impose a claim of necessity on God. When we pray a prayer repetitively, it is as a means of allowing God to move us more closely into his will, not the other way around. A further note on the Ave Maria I have already addressed the rationale for providing here an optional modification of the most familiar form of this prayer, but there are several other things relating to the Ave Maria that might be fruitfully considered by the reader. First, a historical note is in order: It appears that when this prayer first came into widespread use, it consisted simply of the combination of the Angelic Salutation to the Virgin (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeths greeting to her on the occasion of the Visitation (Luke 1:42), which now comprise the first part of the prayer.1 The latter portion, which invokes the Virgins prayers, did not come into widespread use until the late Middle Ages, which was notable for the increasingly florid nature of its popular Marian piety. The reality of (and the lawfulness of invoking) the intercession of the Virgin Mary, or indeed that of any saint, is not one of those things that is so patent in Scripture that belief in it is obligatory on that basis alone. However, it needs to be noted that it is not contrary to Scripture, it is rooted in the Scriptural doctrine of the Church as the one Body of Christ, and it has been a part of Christian tradition for so long that its historical origins cannot be
For what it is worth, the present compiler sees nothing especially objectionable about individuals or groups reverting to the use of this primitive form of the prayer in preference to either the high medieval or Dr Farrers substitute. After all, it seems to have been good enough for the likes of Saints Dominic, Francis, Thomas Aquinas, and Bonaventure.
68
traced to their root. As Dr Farrer writes, no Christian is obliged to invoke the prayers of any saint, and that includes those now living among us as well as those departed to be with the Lord. However, assuming that the suppliant recognizes that every grace comes from the Father through the Son in the Holy Ghost, there is no harm in invoking the prayers of the saints who have gone before us. The trouble starts when one goes from saying that he is not comfortable with doing this himself to making the positive assertion that it is something no Christian ought to do. At this point he enters dangerous territory where, if he is to be logically consistent, he must finally deny either the essential unity of the Church as a communion of believers in Christ or the lawfulness of its members asking one anothers prayers. In this context it is perhaps not very helpful that the longstanding custom in the West of referring to the Church as Militant (here on earth), Expectant (in paradise), and Triumphant (in heaven) can easily lead people who have not been adequately instructed to think that there are three distinct Churches when in fact there is only one Church that has three inseparable aspects. If there is only one Church, then any argument against asking the prayers of any of its members who happen no longer to be living in this world can logically if absurdly be pursued to the conclusion that it is impious to ask the prayers of any who are still living in it. The excuse that the prohibition of the invocation of the saints prayers is necessary to prevent idolatry in the end makes no more sense than the assertion that the sale and use of alcohol must be prohibited to prevent alcoholism. The capacity of any thing to be abused cannot legitimately be used as an argument against its use: The primary problem is not with the thing abused, but with the intelligent entity who abuses it.
x
69
Sources for the Collects:

Joyful Mysteries
I. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for the Annunciation II. Lesser Feasts and Fasts (1963), Collect for the Visitation III. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), First Collect for Christmas Day IV. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect of the Presentation V. Samuel L. Edwards, 2010
Luminous Mysteries
I. II. III. IV. The American Missal, p. 41 Samuel L. Edwards, 2010 The Anglican Missal, Collect for the Feast of Christ the King The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for the Transfiguration V. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for Maundy Thursday
Sorrowful Mysteries
I. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), p. 595 II. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for the Tuesday before Easter III. Samuel L. Edwards, 2007 IV. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for the Monday before Easter V. adapted from Charles Henry Brent, With God in Prayer (1907), pp. 40-41.
Glorious Mysteries
I. II. III. IV. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Second Collect for Easter Day The American Missal, p. 370 The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for Whitsunday adapted from Lesser Feasts and Fasts, (1963) Collect for Saint Mary the Virgin V. adapted from The American Missal, p. 463
(alternative Glorious Mysteries)

IV. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for All Saints Day V. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for 6th Sunday after Trinity
70
Sources for the Illustrations:

Note: Those items for which permissions are not listed are believed to be in the public domain. If we are in error concerning any of these, please notify us so that the necessary permission may be secured and published in future editions.
Front and Back Covers and Title page: Madone assise, William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905), Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Page 6: Courtesy of the Diocese of the Eastern United States, Anglican Church in America. (Labels by the compiler.) Page 14: La Vierge au lys, William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905), private collection. Joyful Mysteries: I. Annunciation, Harry Osawa Tanner (1859-1937), Philadelphia Museum of Art. II. The Visitation, Giacopo Pontormo (1494-1557), Church of San Francesco e Michele, Carmignano. III. The Nativity, Fra Angelico (1395-1455), Museo di San Marco, Firenze. IV. The Presentation, Altarpiece by Michael Pacher, 1481, St Wolfgang Parish Church, Salzkammergut, Upper Austria. (Photograph by Wolfgang Sauber, 2009) V. Christ among the Doctors, Giotto di Bondone (1266-1337), Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi, Italy. Luminous Mysteries: I. The Baptism of Christ, Fra Angelico (1395-1455), Museo di San Marco, Firenze. II. The Wedding Feast at Cana in Galilee, icon written by Igor Stoyanov, nd. III. Jesus Teaches the People by the Sea, James Joseph Jacques Tissot (1836-1902), Brooklyn Museum. IV. Transfiguration of the Lord, Nikolai Andreevich Koshelev (18401918). V. Institution of the Eucharist, Sasseta (Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo di Cortona, ca. 1395-1450), Siena, Florenz, Borgo Sansepolcro. Sorrowful Mysteries: I. Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, Giovanni di Paolo (ca. 14031482), Vatican Pinacoteca. II. The Scourging (Front), James Joseph Jacques Tissot (1836-1902), Brooklyn Museum. 71
III. Ecce Homo, Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674), Muse National des Granges de Port-Royal, Port-Royal-des-Champs, France. IV. Christ Bearing the Cross, Alvise Vivarini (1444-1505), Basilica dei Santi Giovannie e Paolo, Venezia, Italy. V. Cristo crucificado, Diego Velazquez (1599-1660), Museo del Prado, Madrid. Glorious Mysteries: I. The Resurrection, Mathias Gothart Grnewald (ca. 1480-1528), panel from Isenheim Altarpiece, Unterlinden Museum, Colmar, Alsace, France. II. The Ascension, Benjamin West (1738-1820), Berger Collection, Denver Art Museum, Colorado. III. Retable of the Pentecost [detail], Alvise Vivarini (1444-1505), BodeMuseum, Berlin, Germany. IV. The Assumption of the Virgin, Michael Sittow (c. 1459-1525), National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. V. The Coronation of the Virgin [detail], Ridolfo Ghirlandaio (14831561), Muse du Louvre, Paris, France. Alternative Glorious Mysteries: The Last Judgment [detail], Fra Angelico (1395-1455), Museo di San Marco, Firenze, Italy. The Assumption of the Virgin [detail], Francesco Botticini (1446-1497), National Gallery, London. Page 64: The Nativity from Les Trs Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 44v, Limbourg brothers (early 15th century), Muse Cond, Chantilly, France. Page 65: The Adoration of the Lamb (detail from Altarpiece), Jan van Eyck (ca. 1395-1441), St Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium.
72
73
74

The Pondering Heart

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Pondering Heart

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE PONDERING HEART

A ROSARY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS

Samuel L. Edwards, M.Div

Hail, Mary (10x)

Trisagion & Our Father Glory be Fatima Prayer Collect Responsory

Hail, Mary (3x) Our Father Creed

THE PONDERING HEART

ORGANIZING A CORPORATE ROSARY

THE PREPARATORY PRAYERS

[On the second bead:]

THE MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY:

THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

who took our flesh of thee.

[On the chain:]

II. The Visitation of our Lady to Elizabeth

whose saints rejoice at his coming.

[On the chain:]

III. The Nativity of the Lord

who assumed our humanity that we might share his divinity.

[On the chain:]

IV. The Presentation in the Temple

[On the chain:]

V. The Finding in the Temple

who teacheth his elders wisdom.

[On the chain:]

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES

who fulfilleth all righteousness.

[On the chain:]

II. The Wedding at Cana

who rejoiceth both bridegroom and bride.

[On the chain:]

III. The Proclamation of the Kingdom

who hath the words of eternal life.

[On the chain:]

IV. The Transfiguration of the Lord

who fulfilleth the Law and the Prophets.

[On the chain:]

V. The Institution of the Eucharist

whose flesh is food indeed and whose blood is drink indeed.

[On the chain:]

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

who for us drank the bitter cup.

[On the chain:]

II. The Scourging at the Pillar

by whose stripes we are healed.

[On the chain:]

III. The Crowning with Thorns

who endured a crown of thorns to win for us a crown of glory.

[On the chain:]

IV. The Bearing of the Cross

who for us endured the cross, despising the shame.

[On the chain:]

V. The Crucifixion of the Lord

[On the chain:]

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

who hath overthrown sin, hell, and death.

[On the chain:]

II. The Ascension of the Lord

who ascended on high that he might fill all things.

[On the chain:]

III. The Descent of the Holy Ghost

[On the chain:]

IV. The Assumption of our Lady