WANTED...your personal insights, ideas on the different mysteries of the Rosary

Hello...if you have a short insight into one of the mysteries of the Rosary...share them here...I would love to know anything a Rosary mystery inspires you to think of. It would definitely enrich our own prayer life in the Rosary. A example being....The Crucifixion...I meditated on all the phsical elemets present at the crucifiction...lets see...thier was the nails, the hammer, the Crown of Thorns, the garmet of Jesus, the dice the men used to cast lots for Jesus's garmet, the sponge, the spear, maybe some rope, the wooden Cross itself, a ladder to take Jesus's body down. Anything else... vinegar spiked with gall. Does anyone have a idea on the symbolism of Jesus refusing the vinegar?

 

'Does anyone have a idea on the symbolism of Jesus refusing the vinegar?''

Yes; in fact from the Last Supper right up until Christ's Deat h appears t have been modelled on the Jewish Pashach, the Passover Feast and can only be fully understood in this context , including Chrst's refusal of the wine. The reason why Jesus, apparently refused the cup of wine ( the offering of wine to a dying person was traditional Jewish custom.[.kinda like last supper for an executed person for us) .

Now at the Passover Meal, right up to the present day it is tradition that four cups of wine at dstinct stage of the wine. The third cup of wine , the Blessing Cup was when Christ consecrated the bread and wine.

However at the Last Supper Jesus refused the fourth cup

Matthew 26

[29] And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.

By refusing the cup both at Pashach and the Last Supper Jesus was, I believe indicating the Eternal Nature of the Sacriifce; The Lamb had been sacrificed and eaten and now the Chosen people would move on out of captivity and sin. But the 4th Cup is still not drunk Pasach..the Mass continues....

 

Wow padraig...that is really cool...so no action of Jesus's is wasted...this is fresh insight...something I'll incorperate into my Rosary meditation tonight.

 

padraig...I know I'm wearing on your nerves...but do you have any insights into the Assention of Jesus into heaven. I just don't have the imagination...what does it mean. Maybe I'm trying to read to much into it and I should leave it for "it is what it is"...but...Mary did say mystereries. Any ideas?

 

The Ascension means everything. It is like a coronation celebration with Christ giving the gifts! Jesus promised at the Last Supper:

John 16: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

or as Paul reiterated:

Ephesians 4:7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it is said,
"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."
14...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.

It is why we can daily pray with confidence to the Holy Spirit, who is the life of the Church and each one of our souls!

Luke 11:10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Pray each day for a sensitivity and a docility to the Holy Spirit for he longs to transform our lives! The fruit of the Ascension is Pentecost! Alleluia!


2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

The agony in the garden:
For some reason when 'contemplating' this mystery my thoughts always go to Mary - what kind of a night was she having?
I think that she was in agony too...
Trusting and surrendering... But even for her, fully graced, that must have been agony...
Oh Mary what did you suffer for us?

 

Interesting. I have never contemplated Mary concerning the Agony in the Garden. I wonder where she was during all this. Was she involved in any way with the Last Supper? Was she there but just in the background?

When Jesus went out to the Garden with the apostles, did she knew at that time what was immediately ahead? Did Jesus tell her ahead of time? Did she know that tomorrow was THE day? Or did she know nothing until Jesus was arrested? I wonder how much she knew ahead of time of this horrible and wonderful day? Did Jesus sit with her ahead of time and say, 'Mom this is what is going to happen to me. I want you to be prepared'?

 

Thanks Mario...that helps alot...so the apostles watching Jesus assend into heaven in glory are given a preview of when Jesus returns the second time. And this also is our blessed hope.

 

Insightful Bartimaeus and Jimmyiz...I never thought of it that way...another new thing to comtemplate.
I always start my reflection by imagining I'm in the garden... asking Jesus very directly to remember my family and myself. To let but one drop of his bloody sweat to fall upon us.
I ask because I believe time is not linear but folds back upon itself thus Jesus Christ is the focal point of all human history. The beginning and end... thus he hears our prayers to him in real time at the very moments he suffered his passion... thus He cast a glance of compassion upon us in a very real sence.

 

my meditations sometimes seem like a movie rolling in my head! It's not too deep, but I try to pray with heart!

At times, I put myself in the scene as different people. Would I have been with the crowd of Holy Women? Would I have been friends with Mary Magnolan and tried to calm her down? Would I have been with Our Lady and tried to comfort her? Sometimes I'm with John and Our Lady, standing firm at the foot of the cross. Sometimes I'm actually beating Peter in running to the hills in fright and confusion. How did those apostles feel as they fled and left Jesus? Desperate with guilt, fear, and confusion I'm sure. Pure, pure anguish. They really did not understand what was happening and it must have been surreal. Sometimes I'm in the crowd taunting Jesus as He carries his cross. Sometimes I'm hanging with Mary Magnelan as Jesus calls her from the cave. Sometimes I'm eating fish by the fire when Jesus returns to his disciples and I laugh at Peter as he jumps out of the boat and runs to our saviour as he sees him for the first time ressurected. Sometimes I'm in the crowd watching Him in awe as He ascends into Heaven. I also love being one of the shepherds visiting Jesus the baby and adoring Him! I think you get the picture!!

Much of my inspiration comes from reading Ann Catherine Emmerich's books. LIfe of the Blessed Virgin Mary will give you tons of insights into the first 4 joyful mysteries and the last 3 glorious mysteries. Her Mary Magdalen book gives insight into the Luminous mysteries as well as sorrowful mysteries. The Dolorous Passion of our Lord covers all 5 sorrowful mysteries. Also, you get information on all the Luminous mysteries sprinkled throughout all the books I have read so far. I've put all those links below. When you read them, you will feel as if you are right there as it is all happening. It is awesome reading!! She has also written 3 books on every single day of Jesus' ministry. I plan to read them someday! would be great for the luminous mysteries I'm sure.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listi...LA-_-Book_15To24-_-Q000000633-_-2681089474913

http://www.adoremusbooks.com/thedol...2&zmap=91813&gclid=CKPs5t7ehLYCFYqf4AodZkQA0g

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mary-magdalen-anne-catherine-emmerich/1110871565?ean=9780895558022

 

For me, Christ was saying I thirst for souls. But this was misunderstood, and in refusing the vinegar, which wouldn't quest the thirst of anyone, He was saying... I love my souls, I thirst for love of them in return. I want all souls to reign in Heaven with me. I thirst for them to see my love, my way of live.. I thirst of them to return that love and to live my way....

 

I think this is almost correct... Scott Hahn has done a great study on this called "The Fourth Cup" . I have it in text copy somewhere, but I think it can also be found on Youtube. Here is my brief understanding of Scott Hahn's analysis:

• Hebrew Passover required lamb without blemish or broken bones to be sacrificed, and the blood painted on the door using a "hyssop branch".
• Hebrew Passover meal always had the four cups of wine, with the Fourth Cup being the "Cup of Consumation".
• This was always followed by the people "consuming the lamb" which had been sacrificed for the Passover meal.
• With the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, it became the true passover meal, however only three cups were presented before Judas betrayed Jesus, and then he was arrested. (<-Jews who read the account would notice this right away).
• On the way of the cross, Jesus was offered the bitter wine of Roman soldiers, and he refused with that famous quote "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until I come into My Kingdom..."
• However, when Jesus (the lamb without blemish or broke bone) was lifted up on the cross, He was offered the same wine again, this time on a "hyssop branch", and he drank of it, and said "It is finished." (<- Theologians have debated what Jesus was referring to when He said this, because the plan of salvation was not finished yet, as He had to die, rise, and ascend after that.)
• Hahn contends that what was finished was the "cup of consumation", the fourth cup.
• ...And from that point, we the Church participate in the true passover as we "consume the lamb" every day since then, in the Eucharist, until His return in glory.

 

I used to struggle with the Ascension but I now concentrate on various aspects (not always the same one). Here are a few:
I pray that my mind and heart will often ascend to Him each day and that I will think of Him often.

I am in line of people each saying goodbye and I kneel before Him (Mary is beside Him) and say that I look forward to seeing Him again and express my gratitude for His life, passion and resurrection and tell Him that I love Him.

After the ascension two angels appeared and asked why the disciples were standing there staring at the sky. The message, I understand is, go and do something, you have duties to fulfill to seek and to spread the kingdom so go and get on with them. (What are my duties in this respect, what should I be doing with my time?)

As He went so He will come again, in the sky from the East to judge every soul. (I pray that, at the second coming, I and mine will be called to Him to spend eternity with Him and that the number of the saved will be extended a little by my prayer. I pray for my whole blood line back to the beginning and imagine meeting ancestor souls who have prayed for me and mine.)

The disciples were dismayed that He was leaving them (they still hadn't completely understood) surely now that He was risen and had defeated death, He should remain and rule the world in an worldly way. But he explained that unless He ascended, the Holy Spirit could not come to them. I pray for those who represent Him in His Church, priests, bishops and the Pope.

I have developed many 'angles' for different mysteries. Some took years to 'arrive' and others seemed obvious from day one of my Rosary journey. I look forward to hearing of other aspects of the mysteries that have never occurred to me.

 

I
If you are looking to get a good idea of what jesus went through during the Passion ,..you might want to check this out.
http://www.passioiesus.org/en/horasdelapasion/distribucion.htm

 

Here's one I think of during the Nativity, Jesus...the Son of God, the Savoiur of the world comes to us in such poverty and humility...born in a cave/stable. Mary and Joseph must have known Jesus may have been born while they travelled..yet they were obedient and trusted in Gods will for thier lives and trusted in Gods provision. To think ..I complain when the milk isn't cold enough for my fruit loops and I would never think of having a child outside of an airconditioned hospital and yet...here is the King of Kings...the Lord of Lords...Creator of the Whole Universe entering into the world in such poverty and humilty...Wow is all I can say.

 

Thankyoui...I used this method tonight...my Rosary literally few by

 

Thats good stuff

Thats good stuff...you got any for the Crown of Thorns...man this is good...it really helps, thanks

 

By the time he was been beaten Mother Mary was there, and was broken hearted. Her beautiful boy who had healed and helped so many was now hated by them. He was bewildered, couldn't believe that so many wanted him dead. His friends had deserted him. He felt so alone. He was hated by those He loved so much.

Mother Mary couldn't get to her boy to bathe him, to stop them beating him. She was in convulsions of grief. Her beautiful baby, as to her, that is who he was.... Her baby. Yes, he was born for this, but she was his mother.

She wanted to bathe her son, cradle him, hold him... She could do none of these things, so instead she did the next best thing... and bathed his blood that was on the ground, moping it all up...

Heartbreaking....

These are my meditations

 

I'm very glad that it helps. The Crowning to me is (among other things) about:
Mainly Humility (I have struggled with pride all my life and know that it is the worst sin of all). Pride is an attempt to crown ourselves and the crowning is the price that He paid for our attempts to glorify and impose ourselves. I pray for humility (not false humility but a really deep and genuine appreciation of my sinfulness and smallness).
Power - I pray for those with spiritual power that they may seek and accept the thorns in their crowns of authority and not 'lord it' over their sheep and do what is necessary for our spiritual good, whatever the price. I pray for those with temporal power that they may seek to do good and apply real wisdom in their roles and do not pass even more legislation that insults God. I pray for politicians who have no belief in God or are too cowardly to proclaim it. (When I was working and had people working for me, I prayed not to be overbearing but gentle and patient with people - but I can't say that I always succeeded).
'The whole cohort' - about 500 soldiers - were present and they paid Him mock homage, they spat at Him in mock anointing and gave Him a reed as a mock sceptre and struck Him with it. I think that one or two of those soldiers felt some admiration at His resignation and disgust at his treatment and ask that I should never allow myself to be 'part of the pack' for the sake of my own reputation and comfort.
(I saw a relic in Spain that is claimed to be a thorn from the Crown and I often think of that - a long, nasty, vicious spike)