Day 31: Sorrowful Mysteries

* The Sign of the Cross

*Novena Prayer:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: 

(Mention your request)

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God’s Holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

 I offer you this spiritual “Bouquet of Roses” because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

*Hail Mary

* Recite the thanksgiving prayer as follows:

Hail Queen of the Most Holy Rosary my Mother Mary, Hail!  At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer you a crown of roses, blood red roses, to remind you of the passion of your divine Son, with whom you did fully partake in its bitterness--each bud recalling to you a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.

O Holy Queen dispenser of God's graces and Mother of all who invoke you! You cannot look upon my gift and fail to see its binding.  As you receive my gift, so you will receive my thanksgiving; from your bounty you have given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought.

I did not despair of what I asked of you, and you have truly shown yourself my Mother!

* Say:

(1) Apostle's Creed
(1) Our Father
(3) Hail Mary
(1) Glory Be
(1) Fatima Prayer

*The First Sorrowful Mystery

THE AGONY

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And he took Peter with him and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and distressed. Then said he to them: “My soul is sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me". And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying: "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Mathew 26:36-39

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luke 22:44

Such a battle and such a victory become possible only through prayer. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the Tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony (CCC, 2849).

Jesus, You suffered a bitter agony in the Garden of Gethsemane because of our sins. Lead me to prayer in my time of need and grant me true contrition for my sins.

Amen.

I humbly pray:

*Say:

(1)Our Father

(10)Hail Mary

(1)Glory Be

(1)Fatima Prayer

I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of: TRUE CONTRITION FOR SIN

I humbly lay this bouquet at your feet.

*The Second Sorrowful Mystery

THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR

As soon as the morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate. And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying: “Are you the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “You say so”.  Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.” Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed… "Then what do you want me to do with the man you call king of the Jews?" They said to him, "Let him be crucified!" And Pilate said," Why, what evil has he done?" But they cried out louder, saying, "Crucify him!" And so Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and delivered Jesus to be scoured and crucified.

Mar 15: 1-16

Jesus’ sufferings took their historical, concrete form from the fact that he was ‘rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes’ (Mk 8:31), who ‘handed him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scoured and crucified’ (Mt 20:19) (CCC, 572).

Jesus, You remained pure of heart even when Your flesh was torn and scoured by those who hated You. Help me to grow in the virtue of purity even when I suffer.

Amen.

I humbly pray:

*Say:

(1)Our Father

(10)Hail Mary

(1)Glory Be

(1)Fatima Prayer

I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of: PURITY

I humbly lay this bouquet at your feet.

*The Third Sorrowful Mystery

THE CROWNING WITH THORNS

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered the whole band of soldiers around him. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet military robe. Weaving a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand.  Kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat upon him, and took the reed, striking him on the head. And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Mathew 27:27-31

It is love “to the end” (Jn 13:1) that confers on Christ’s sacrifice its value as redemption and reparation, as atonement and satisfaction. He knew and loved us all when he offered his life (CCC, 616).

Jesus, You patiently endured the pain from the crown of sharp thorns that was forced upon Your head. Grant me the strength to have moral courage to follow You.

Amen.

I humbly pray

*Say:

(1)Our Father

(10)Hail Mary

(1)Glory Be

(1)Fatima Prayer

I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of: MORAL COURAGE

I humbly lay this bouquet at your feet.

*The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery

THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS

And as they led him away, they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, and on him they laid the cross, and they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women, who mourned and lamented him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which never nursed". ... And there were also two other, criminals, were led away with him to be executed

Luke 23: 26-32

By accepting in his human will that the Father’s will be done, he accepts his death as redemptive, for “he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Pt 2: 24)(CCC, 612).

Jesus, You willingly carried Your Cross for love of Your Father and all people. Grant me forbearance and patience to carry my cross in difficult moments.

Amen.

I humbly pray:

*Say:

(1)Our Father

(10)Hail Mary

(1)Glory Be

(1)Fatima Prayer

I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of: PATIENCE IN ADVERSITY

I humbly lay this bouquet at your feet.

*The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery

THE CRUCIFIXTION

Standing by the cross of Jesus was his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!" Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her into his own home.

John 19: 25-27

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3)(CCC, 619).

Jesus, You bravely endured torture on the Cross and gave up Your life for the salvation of all humankind. Grant me peace of mind, body, and spirit, and the grace of perseverance in adversity.

Amen.

I humbly pray:

*Say:

(1)Our Father

(10)Hail Mary

(1)Glory Be

(1)Fatima Prayer

I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of: LOVE OF OUR ENEMIES

I humbly lay this bouquet at your feet.

*SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, really present in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, since I cannot now receive You under the sacramental veil, I ask You, with a heart full of love and longing, to come spiritually into my soul through the Immaculate heart of Your most Holy Mother, and abide with me forever; You in me, and I in You in time and in eternity, in Mary.

*Prayer in THANKSGIVING

Sweet Mother Mary, I offer you this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon your brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which you in your love has obtained for me.

O God! Who’s only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the reward of eternal life; grant, we ask You, that, meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise.  Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

May the divine assistance remain always with us.  Amen.

And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

Holy Virgin, with the loving Child, thy blessing give to us this day.

*HAIL HOLY QUEEN

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, Thine eyes of mercy towards us. And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Oh clement, Oh loving, Oh sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, Oh Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

*MEMORARE

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me.  Amen.

* PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits, who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

*The Sign of the Cross