ROSARY OF THE SEVEN SORROWS
OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
O God come to my aid
O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
The FIRST SORROW: Mary Most Holy is contemplated as She presents the baby Jesus in the Temple and meets the aged Saint Simeon who prophesies the “sword of sorrow”,
Mary Most Holy offers Jesus to God the Father. She offers the pure, holy and immaculate Victim, and with Him She offers Herself, called to be the universal Coredemptrix. Because of this, Jesus will be the Victim crucified and Mary’s soul will be pierced by the “sword” of sorrow for all
the sins of the world
One Our Father, and seven Hail Marys, one Glory be.
HYMN: O my sweet Mary grant that also in my heart Your pains may be impressed.
The SECOND SORROW: Mary Most Holy is contemplated in flight to Egypt, to save the Baby Jesus from death.
Mary Most Holy flees into exile with St Joseph, in order to save the life of Baby Jesus threatened with death. The drama of the sorrowful exile of Mary Most Holy is a grace to sustain all of us “exiled children of Eve” called from this land of exile to our heavenly Homeland by the way of the Cross, supported and comforted by Her.
One Our Father, and seven Hail Marys, one Glory be.
HYMN: O my sweet Mary grant that also in my heart Your pains may be impressed.
The THIRD SORROW: Mary Most Holy is contemplated in Her search for Jesus whom She found in the Temple of Jerusalem.
Mary Most Holy suffers terrible anguish for the loss of Jesus in Jerusalem. For three days She searches for Her Son and She finds Him in the Temple. To lose Jesus is the greatest misfortune that can happen to us, because He only is the Way, the Truth and the Life .Therefore it is necessary to immediately search for Him and find Him again in the Temple, in the House of the Lord, approaching the Sacraments of Confession and of Holy Communion.
One Our Father, and seven Hail Marys , one Glory be.
HYMN: O my sweet Mary grant that also in my heart Your pains may be impressed.
The Fourth Sorrow: Mary Most Holy, is contemplated as She meets Her Son, Jesus on the way to Calvary
Mary Most Holy meets Jesus and traverses with Him the sorrowful way to Golgotha. She carries in Her heart the Cross of Jesus, as a “sword” ever more deeply penetrating Her soul for the redemption of sinful mankind. With Mary the Sorrowful Mother let us also follow Jesus, carrying the Cross of our salvation.
One Our Father, and seven Hail Marys, one Glory be.
HYMN: O my sweet Mary grant that also in my heart Your pains may be impressed.
The Fifth Sorrow: Mary Most Holy, the Sorrowful Mother is contemplated on Calvary at the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.
Mary Most Holy is present at the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus and suffers in Her Mother’s heart alll the tortures Jesus endured in His body as He was nailed to the cross, given gall to drink and pierced in the side. Here the “sword” of sorrow transfixed the soul of Mary, but She has offered everything, ever united to Her Redeemer Son as universal Co-redemptress for our salvation. She wants to impress in our souls the image of the Crucified.
One Our Father, and seven Hail Marys, one Glory be.
HYMN: O my sweet Mary grant that also in my heart Your pains may be impressed.
The Sixth Sorrow: Mary Most Holy, the Sorrowful Mother is contemplated as She receives into Her arms Jesus being taken down from the Cross.
Mary Most Holy receives Jesus into Her arms as He is taken down from the Cross. This is the image of the “Pietà”. But it is also the image of the priestly maternity of the universal Co-redemptrix, who offers to the Father the divine host, Victim of salvation for all mankind of every time and place. O merciful Mother, hold us also in your arms and offer us to God.
One Our Father, and seven Hail Marys, one Glory be.
HYMN: O my sweet Mary grant that also in my heart Your pains may be impressed.
The Seventh Sorrow: Mary Most Holy is contemplated as She places Her dead Jesus in the sepulchre.
Mary Most Holy places the body of Jesus in the sepulchre, to await with unconquerable faith for His resurrection. The sepulchre of Jesus is a sepulchre of life and of glory, and thus will it be for every redeemed soul that welcomes the Redeemer, while the sepulchre of those who refuse Christ, will be a sepulchre of eternal perdition. Most Sorrowful Mother, place us also in the sepulchre of Jesus so that we may rise one day like Him to eternal life.
Litany
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy…
Mother of the Redeemer pray for us
Mother at the foot of the Cross
Mother of the pierced Heart
Mother all holy
Mother universal
Mother of the redeemed
Virgin ever inviolate
Virgin Immaculate
Virgin in prayer
Virgin most obedient
Virgin most poor
Virgin most faithful
Woman most courageous
Woman most humble
Woman of Sorrow
Helpmate of the Redeemer
Co-redemptrix of all mankind
Mediatrix of all graces
Model of patience
Mirror of sacrifice
Teacher of penance
Strength of the weak
Shield of the oppressed
Hope of the suffering
Salvation of the innocent
Help of the persecuted
Defender of the exiled
Refuge of sinners
Comfort of the miserable
Consolation of the afflicted
Queen of martyrs
Queen of heaven and earth
Lamb of God….
Let us pray
O Father, who wanted the Sorrowful Mother to be beside Your Son as He was raised up on the Cross: grant that the Holy Church, united with Her in the passion of Christ, participate in the glory of the resurrection. We ask this Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen