Mystical
Roses
Mystical
Roses
Reflection of our Lady of Sorrows
Michelangelo
Pieta
c. 1498-99
Marble
174 x 195 cm (5 3/4 x 6 ft)
Basilica of St Peter, Vatican
This
devotion to the Our Sorrowful Mother was originated in the Thirteenth century.
It recalls the Sorrows the Virgin Mother of God endured in compassion for the
suffering and death of her Divine Son.
How
to pray the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows
An Act of Contrition:
O, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, behold me before your divine presence,
all in confusion at the thought of the many grievous injuries I have done
you. I ask pardon for them with my whole heart, repenting of them for
love of you, hating them above every other evil and ready to lose my life
rather than offend you again. And do you, most tender Virgin, mother
of mercy and refuge of sinners, obtain for me the pardon of all my sins by
virtue of your bitter pains and help me to so pray as to gain the
indulgences attached to this, your most holy Rosary.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the
fire of you divine love. Send forth you spirit and they shall be
created and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Enlighten our minds , we beseech you, O Lord, with the light of your
brightness, that we might see what we ought to do and be able to do what is
right, through Christ, Our Lord.
Meditate
on the following while reciting the prayers
The First
Sorrow:
Let us meditate on the
first Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin, when she presented her only son in the
temple, laid him in the arms of holy Simeon,
and heard the prophetic words,
"This
one shall be a sword of sorrow to pierce your own heart."
The
Second Sorrow:
Mary flees into Egypt with Jesus and Joseph-
Forced to endure the hardships of a long journey, and becoming a foreigner
in a strange land,
Mary and her family flee to protect the child Jesus from those who would destroy him.
The
Third Sorrow:
Mary seeks Jesus
lost in Jerusalem-
Jesus disappeared for three days in Jerusalem at the age of twelve,
causing his parents, especially Mary, agonizing sorrow.
The
Fourth Sorrow:
Mary meets Jesus
on the way to Calvary-
As Jesus makes his way to Calvary, condemned to crucifixion, He meets His
mother, Mary.
He is bruised, derided, cursed and defiled
And her sorrow is absolute as Jesus drags His own cross up the hill of His crucifixion.
The
Fifth Sorrow:
Mary stands near
the cross of her Son-
Mary stands near her dying Son unable to minister to him as he cries "I
thirst".
She hears him promise heaven to a thief and forgive his enemies.
His last words, "Behold your mother," charge us to look on Mary as our mother.
The
Sixth Sorrow:
Mary received the
body of Jesus taken down from the cross-
The passion and death are over but for his mother, grief continues.
She holds His body in her arms.
The
Seventh Sorrow:
Mary places the
body of Jesus in the tomb, awaiting the resurrection-
The most tragic day in history ends,
Mary alone in sorrow, as she lays the body of her Son, in the tomb.
Hail
Mary
Hail
Mary, Full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and
Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us
sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Our
Father
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, but deliver us from evil.
Glory
Be
Glory
be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
