The paradise of the Christian soul/Chap. VII. Explanation of the Common Rosary of the Blessed Virgin.
CHAPTER VII.
The Common Rosary of the Blessed Virgin.
TO THE GOOD READER.
Of all holy exercises, the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin is in most frequent use. It consists, altogether, of the Lord’s Prayer repeated fifteen times, and the Angelical Salutation repeated one hundred and fifty times; but is usually recited according to its threefold division into the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious; to each of which belong five corresponding Mysteries, viz. :
To the Joyful belong, 1. The Incarnation of Christ. 2.. The Visitation. 3. The Nativity. 4. The Presentation. 5. The Finding in the Temple.
To the Sorrowful, 1. The Prayer in the Garden. 2. The Scourging. 3. The Crowning with Thorns. 4, The Carrying of the Cross. 5. The Crucifixion.
To the Glorious, 1. The Resurrection of our Lord. 2. The Ascension. 3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost. 4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. 5. Her Coronation.
But it must be remarked, that merely to run over the beads, repeating each Our Father and Hail Mary one after the other without stopping, and so to get through the Rosary, as the uneducated vulgar too often do, like a task, without any reflection of the mind upon the Mysteries, or meditation, or arousing of the affections at intervals, is a way of praying that is very barren and imperfect, and destitute of all spiritual devotion. For what profit or pleasure can there be in such prayer?[1] But if, good Reader, thou wouldst use the Rosary in a manner well-pleasing to God and his Mother, as well as profitable to thyself, thou wilt proceed thus:
I. Before commencing the Rosary, fix upon, and keep before thy mind some pious intention or object, and, if only by short sighs, ask of God grace in reference to it through his Mother.
II. At the beginning of each Decade, reflect a little while upon the Mystery to be honoured in it, and try to elicit holy feelings in unison with it. To do this the more easily and profitably, it will be of great use to have meditated at other leisure times on the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary, and thus by pondering them all well, to have penetrated the hidden treasures which they severally contain of the divine Power, Wisdom, Goodness, Justice, Mercy, &c., remarking at the same time the affections that lie beneath the surface, &c., all of which will occur readily to the memory as occasion requires. For this a form and method is given by Father Christian Mayer.[2] Though, as the compiler of a Manual only, I cannot include in it all I could wish, still I cannot omit to set down briefly what follows.
Martin Navarrus, a most learned man (who, though constantly engaged in the office of public teacher , in the discharge of which he gave several lectures daily, was yet, for more than sixty years, in the constant habit of saying the Rosary every day,) suggests, for easier meditation upon the Mysteries, the insertion at each Decade of the Mystery itself after every Hail Mary, thus:
I. IN THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES.
After the Name of Jesus, in each Hail Mary, add:
1. Whom thou conceivedst when a Virgin.
2. Whom thou didst carry when visiting St. Elizabeth.
3. Whom thou broughtst forth when a Virgin.
4. Whom thou presentedst in the Temple.
5. Whom thou foundst in the Temple.
At the end of the Decade, or after each Hail Mary: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, &c.
II. IN THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES.
After the Name of Jesus add:
1. Who endured for us the Bloody Sweat.
2. Who was scourged for us.
3. Who was crowned with thorns for us.
4. Who carried the Gross for us.
5. Who was crucified for us.
And after each, say: Holy Mary, Mother of God, &c.
III. IN THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES.
After the Name of Jesus add:
1. Who rose again from the dead.
2. Who ascended into Heaven.
3. Who sent the Holy Ghost.
4. Who took thee up into Heaven.
5. Who crowned thee in Heaven.
Prayers or Holy Aspiriations
TO ASSIST DEVOTION IN THE RECITATION OF THE ROSARY, OR OF ANY VOCAL PRAYER.
From F. Christianus Mayer.
I.
O my God! above all things infinitely to be praised and loved, who art praised and adored with joy by the whole Court of Heaven, oh, that I too may now at length merit to Praise and glorify Thee worthily by this offering, how little soever it be of my prayer! Hitherto, alas! how im perfectly have I praised Thee and glorified Thee, nay, how often, by my many sins and negligences, have I offended Thee! From my heart I am sorry for them all for thy sake. Of thy infinite goodness Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/664 Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/665