When we pray the Rosary, we also have 5 mysteries that we pray as well. These occur on the Our Father beads and actually add a whole new depth to this already beautiful prayer. There are 4 sets of mysteries in the Rosary, and they are there to give us something to focus or meditate on while we recite the ten Hail Marys. The four sets include the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries, and they shed light on very important aspects of our faith.
The first set of mysteries, the Joyful mysteries, focus on the events that happened prior to Christ’s ministry. These events are the Annunciation, where Mary said yes to God, the Visitation where Mary visited Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s baby leapt for joy, the Nativity of Jesus, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and the finding of Jesus in the temple.
The second set of mysteries, the Luminous mysteries focus on Christ's earthly ministry. It starts with Jesus’ Baptism and includes the wedding feast at Cana, the proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration, and the establishment of the Eucharist.
The third set of mysteries, the Sorrowful mysteries, focus on the passion and death of Christ. These consist of the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross, and the Crucifixion.
The last set of mysteries, the Glorious mysteries, focus on what happens after the passion and death of Jesus. They include the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the Assumption and Coronation of Mary.
Each of these mysteries is a great tool to help us understand our faith better, and when we pray the Rosary, they help us to put ourselves in the life of Jesus. |
