Rosary of the Sorrowful Mysteries

Rosary of the Sorrowful Mysteries

How to pray the Rosary One «Our Father» and ten «Hail Mary» is called a decade. Before each decade recall the appropriate mystery. You can also intrust your intentions to God and the assembly. After each decade you say the Glory Be

1 THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN 2 THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR 3 THE CROWNING WITH THORNS 4 THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS 5 THE CRUCIFIXION The Voice of Christ MY CHILD, I came down from heaven for your salvation and took upon Myself your miseries, not out of necessity but out of love, that you might learn to be patient and bear the sufferings of this life without repining. From the moment of My birth to My death on the cross, suffering did not leave Me. I suffered great want of temporal goods. Often I heard many complaints against Me. Disgrace and reviling I bore with patience. For My blessings I received ingratitude, for My miracles blasphemies, and for My teaching scorn. Imitation of Christ Book II Chapter 18 The Voice of Christ MY CHILD, patience and humility in adversity are more pleasing to Me than much consolation and devotion when things are going well. Imitation of Christ Book II Chapter 57

1 THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN «Our Father, who art in even...» Then Jesus went with them to a garden, which is called Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples, Sit down here, while I go there and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and saddened. Then he said to them: My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Stay here and keep vigil with me. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{26:36-38} And when he had proceeded on a little ways, he fell prostrate on the ground. And he prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. And he said: Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this chalice from me. But let it be, not as I will, but as you will. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{14:35-36} And he went and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to be vigilant for one hour? Watch and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark {14:37-38} Again, a second time, he went and prayed, saying, My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away, unless I drink it, let your will be done. And upon returning, he found them sleeping yet again, (for their eyes were heavy) and they did not know how to respond to him. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» matthew{26:42} Mark{14:40} And he was separated from them by about a stone s throw. And kneeling down, he prayed, saying: Father, if you are willing, take this chalice away from me. Yet truly, let not my will, but yours, be done. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{22:41-42}

Then an Angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony, he prayed more intensely; and so his sweat became like drops of blood, running down to the ground. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{22:43-44} And he arrived for the third time, and he said to them: Sleep now, and take rest. It is enough. The hour has arrived. Behold, the Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Behold, he who will betray me is near. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{14:41-42} While he was still speaking, behold, a crowd arrived. And he who is called Judas, one of the twelve, went ahead of them and approached Jesus, in order to kiss him. And Jesus said to him, Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss? «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{22:47-48} Then they approached, and they put their hands on Jesus, and they held him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus, extending his hand, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him: Put your sword back in its place. For all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew {26:50-52} In that same hour, Jesus said to the crowds: You went out, as if to a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me. Yet I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not take hold of me. But this is your hour and that of the power of darkness. Then all the disciples fled, abandoning him. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{26:55-56} Luke{22:53} Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

2 THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR «Our Father, who art in even...» And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the priests and the scribes and the elders came together. But Peter followed him from a distance, even into the court of the high priest. the entire council sought testimony against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death, and they found none. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{14:53-55} But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, I bind you by an oath to the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him: You have said it. Yet truly I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and coming on the clouds of heaven. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{26:63-64} Then the high priest tore his garments, saying: He has blasphemed. Why do we still need witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy. How does it seem to you? So they responded by saying, He is guilty unto death. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{26:65-66} Then they spit in his face, and they struck him with fists. And they blindfolded him and repeatedly struck his face. And they questioned him, saying: Prophesy! Who is it that struck you? And blaspheming in many other ways, they spoke against him. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{26:67}Luke{22:64-65} And after a little while, those who were standing nearby came and said to Peter: Truly, you also are one of them. For even your manner of speaking reveals you. Then he began to curse and to swear that he had not known the man. And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which he had said: Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And going outside, he wept bitterly. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{26:73-75}

When morning arrived, / they led him to Pontius Pilate, the procurator. Therefore, Pilate went outside to them, and he said, What accusation are you bringing against this man? They responded and said to him, If he were not an evil-doer, we would not have handed him over you. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{27:1-2}John{18:29-30} Then they began to accuse him, saying, We found this one subverting our nation, and prohibiting giving tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ the king. Therefore, Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and judge him according to your own law. Then the Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to execute anyone. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:2}John{18:31} Then Pilate entered the praetorium again, and he called Jesus and said to him, You are the king of the Jews? Jesus responded: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my ministers would certainly strive so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not now from here. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{18:33-36} And so Pilate said to him, You are a king, then? Jesus answered, You are saying that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world: so that I may offer testimony to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{18:37} Pilate said to him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and he said to them, I find no case against him. But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? Then they all cried out repeatedly, saying: Not this one, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Therefore, Pilate then took Jesus into custody and scourged him. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{18:38-40}{19:1} Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

3 THE CROWNING WITH THORNS «Our Father, who art in even...» Then Pilate said to the crowds, I find no case against this man. But they continued more intensely, saying: He has stirred up the people, teaching throughout all of Judea, beginning from Galilee, even to this place. when Pilate realized that he was under Herod s jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was himself also at Jerusalem in those days. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:4-7} Then Herod, upon seeing Jesus, was very glad. For he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard so many things about him, and he was hoping to see some kind of sign wrought by him. Then he questioned him with many words. But he gave him no response at all. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:8-9} And the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, stood firm in persistently accusing him. Then Herod, with his soldiers, scorned him. And he ridiculed him, clothing him in a white garment. And he sent him back to Pilate. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke {23:10-11} Then the soldiers of the procurator, taking Jesus up to the praetorium, gathered the entire cohort around him. And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak around him. And plaiting a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head, with a reed in his right hand. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{27:27-29} And genuflecting before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews. And spitting on him, they took the reed and struck his head. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{27:29-30}

Then Pilate went outside again, and he said to them: Behold, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may realize that I find no case against him. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:4} (Then Jesus went out, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he said to them, Behold the man. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:5} Therefore, when the high priests and the attendants had seen him, they cried out, saying: Crucify him! Crucify him! Pilate said to them: Take him yourselves and crucify him. For I find no case against him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and according to the law, he ought to die, for he has made himself the Son of God. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:6-7} Therefore, when Pilate had heard this word, he was more fearful. And he entered into the praetorium again. And he said to Jesus. Where are you from? But Jesus gave him no response. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:8-9} Therefore, Pilate said to him: Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to crucify you, and I have authority to release you? Jesus responded, You would not have any authority over me, unless it were given to you from above. For this reason, he who has handed me over to you has the greater sin. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:10-11} Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

4 THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS «Our Father, who art in even...» Then Pilate, seeing that he was able to accomplish nothing, but that a greater tumult was occurring, taking water, washed his hands in the sight of the people, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man. See to it yourselves. And the entire peopl responded by saying, May his blood be upon us and upon our children. Then he released Barabbas to them. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{27:24-26} he said to the Jews, Behold your king. But they were crying out: Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him! Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your king? The high priests responded, We have no king except Caesar. Therefore, he then handed him over to them to be crucified. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Matthew{19:14-16} And they took Jesus and led him away. And as they were leading him away, they apprehended a certain one, Simon of Cyrene, as he was returning from the countryside. And they imposed the cross on him to carry after Jesus. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:16}Luke{23:26} Then a great crowd of people followed him, with women who were mourning and lamenting him. But Jesus, turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over me. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:27-28} Instead, weep over yourselves and over your children. For behold, the days will arrive in which they will say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the breasts that have not nursed. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:28-29}

Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall over us, and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things with green wood, what will be done with the dry? «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:30-31} And they led him through to the place called Golgotha, which means, the Place of Calvary. Now they also led out two other criminals with him, in order to execute them. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{15:22}Luke{23:32} Then Pilate also wrote a title, and he set it above the cross. And it was written: JESUS THE NAZARENE, KING OF THE JEWS. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:19} Therefore, many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was close to the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:20} Then the high priests of the Jews said to Pilate: Do not write, King of the Jews, but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate responded, What I have written, I have written. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:21-22} Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

5 THE CRUCIFIXION «Our Father, who art in even...» And they gave him wine with myrrh to drink. But he did not accept it. And while crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots over them, to see who would take what. Now it was the third hour. And they crucified him. And with him they crucified two robbers: one at his right, and the other at his left. Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{15:23-27}Luke{23:34} And the passersby blasphemed him, shaking their heads and saying, Ah, you who would destroy the temple of God, and in three days rebuild it, save yourself by descending from the cross. And similarly the leaders of the priests, mocking him with the scribes, said to one another: He saved others. He is not able to save himself. Those who were crucified with him also insulted him. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{15:29-32} And one of those robbers who were hanging blasphemed him, saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other responded by rebuking him, saying: Do you have no fear of God, since you are under the same condemnation? «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:39-40} And indeed, it is just for us. For we are receiving what our deeds deserve. But truly, this one has done nothing wrong. And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Amen I say to you, this day you shall be with me in Paradise. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:41-43} And standing beside the cross of Jesus were his mother,. Therefore, when Jesus had seen his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son. Next, he said to the disciple, Behold your mother. And from that hour, the disciple accepted her as his own. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:2527}

And when the sixth hour arrived, a darkness occurred over the entire earth, until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? which means, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Mark{15:33-34} After this, Jesus knew that all had been accomplished, so in order that the Scripture might be completed, he said, I thirst. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:28} And there was a container placed there, full of vinegar. Then, placing a sponge full of vinegar around hyssop, they brought it to his mouth. Then Jesus, when he had received the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing down his head, he surrendered his spirit. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:29-30} And the sun was obscured. And the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. And upon saying this, he expired. Then the centurion who stood opposite him, seeing that he had expired while crying out in this way, said: Truly, this man was the Son of God. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» Luke{23:45-46}Mark{15:39} Therefore, the soldiers approached, and, indeed, they broke the legs of the first one, and of the other who was crucified with him. But after they had approached Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immediately there went out blood and water. And he who saw this has offered testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knows that he speaks the truth, so that you also may believe. «Hail, Marie, full of grace...» John{19:32-35} Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

This booklet may help you to meditate the sorrowful mysteries of the passion of our Lord, Jesus Christ, by reading extracts of gospel before each Hail Mary. Why begining by the sorrowful mysteries? Because as ST Paul says to Corinthians : {1:23} But we are preaching Christ crucified. Certainly, to the Jews, this is a scandal, and to the Gentiles, this is foolishness.this is so important that he insists saying to Galathians{1:8} But if anyone, even we ourselves or an Angel from Heaven, were to preach to you a gospel other than the one that we have preached to you, let him be anathema. From Diary of Saint Faustina Kowalska 186 Today Jesus said to me, I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you meditate upon My Passion. Call upon My mercy on behalf of sinners; I desire their salvation. When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give him the grace of conversion. This is the prayer: 187 "O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You." 369 I heard this voice in my soul: There is more merit to one hour of meditation on My sorrowful Passion than there is to a whole year of flagellation that draws blood; the contemplation of My painful wounds is of great profit to you, and it brings Me great joy. 1397 The Lord said to me, The loss of each soul plunges Me into mortal sadness. You always console Me when you pray for sinners. The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion of sinners. Know, My daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered.

1485 The Goodness of God. The mercy of God, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, the voice of the Lord who speaks to us from the throne of mercy: Come to Me, all of you. Jesus: Be not afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart. Jesus: I am your strength, I will help you in the struggle. Jesus: My child, do you fear the God of mercy? My holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful. Behold, for you I have established a throne of mercy on earth-the tabernacle-and from this throne I desire to enter into your heart. I am not surrounded by a retinue or guards. You can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire to grant you grace. Jesus: My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace. Jesus: Child, speak no more of your misery; it is already forgotten. Listen, My child, to what I desire to tell you. Come close to My wounds and draw from the Fountain of Life whatever your heart desires. Drink copiously from the Fountain of Life and you will not weary on your journey. Look at the splendors of My mercy and do not fear the enemies of your salvation. Glorify My mercy.

Amo Ergo Sum