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| Category: Religion:Christianity |
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| About the Book | |
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The Rosary is simple to say, yet it is deeply powerful in what it can teach us and the graces it brings into our lives. The four Mysteries allow us a framework to study salvation history and the Bible so that we may become effective prayer warriors. We see how God allows us free will, but His abundant love provides us with endless opportunities to choose Him. In the Joyful Mysteries, where Mary gives her life to the Lord, we see that God has also blessed her cousin, Elizabeth, with John the Baptist who will prepare the way for Jesus. We see the ever-faithful St. Joseph protect Mary and Jesus and see that their Family follows the Law. The Luminous Mysteries introduced by Pope John Paul II offer us the chance to meditate on critical points of the Life of Jesus to see His perfect obedience to the Father. From His Baptism by John the Baptist where the Father acknowledges His Son to the first miracle Jesus works, at the prompting of Mary, we see the love Jesus has for us. The Proclamation of the Kingdom is joyous. The Transfiguration of Jesus is proof of Who He is. The importance of the Eucharist is emphasized for us. The Sorrowful Mysteries demonstrate what Jesus endured for us. The betrayal by one of His own is but one emotional agony He endures while He prays in the Garden. The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns are physical torture. Even while carrying His Cross, His thoughts are of those He has come to save. The Crucifixion depicts every kind of agony possible, including spiritual when our sin temporarily breaks the connection Jesus has with the Father so that He cries out in the ultimate agony, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Yet His perfection allows Him to then commend His Spirit to the Father and seal the offer of salvation He makes to us. We can rejoice because of the Glorious Mysteries where Jesus rises from the dead. He walks and talks with those who knew Him well before ascending in front of a large crowd in broad daylight. Yet even after all the miracles his apostles have witnessed, they are paralyzed with fear until the Holy Spirit makes them bold for the Lord. The Assumption of the beloved Mother of Jesus and her reign as Queen of Heaven give us further witness of God's love for man. Jesus gave us Mary as our Mother on the Cross and He entrusted us to her. We cannot be reminded too often of God's great love for us, nor of the tools He has provided to us so that He is always in our lives. "The prayer of the Rosary is perfect because of the praises it offers, the lessons it teaches, the graces it obtains, and the victories it achieves." -- Pope Benedict XV
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| About the Author | |
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Michael J. Laurence is a college instructor and author with a lifelong interest in religion. |