By Fr. Thomas Manjaly –
How is the Rosary Biblical?
The biblical roots should find some expression in the way that we pray the Rosary. The Scriptural texts in relation to the various mysteries can help to make a short reflection that is very relevant to life (a kind of lectio divina). This is all the more evident when we pray the Rosary as a community experience.
Rosaries come in all sizes, colours, and materials – pearl, wood or plastic beads. Some have been lovingly passed down from great grandparents to grandparents and parents, etc. Some at least have been made by Religious Sisters and others whose lives have been devoted to contemplative prayer (Of late, we find purely commercial mass production). Many religious women and men hang them at the sides of their religious dress (habit). Most have five decades, but some have only one decade, a “finger rosary,” that can slip into a pocket for use in any spare moment. The variety of rosaries bespeaks the variety of Christians who pray this prayer and the different ways it can be prayed.
While some think of praying the rosary as mechanical repetition of prayers, it is actually a prayer that can lead to deep contemplation of the mystery of salvation at the core of our Christian life. It helps us to go through the more significant moments of mystery of salvation and enables us to relive those moments in the actual situation of our lives. The repetitive rhythm of the familiar prayers accompanied by meditation upon the mysteries of salvation can help us to abandon ourselves to prayerful union with God. Many other religious traditions also have strings of beads as an aid to enter into contemplative prayer. The rosary is a prayer that can be prayed individually and in community / group, silent or aloud.
Tradition
According to tradition, the origin of the Rosary goes back to the time of Saint Dominic. During the time of the Albingensian heresy, he implored the help of Mary, who instructed him to preach and pray the rosary as a means to counter these opponents. It is said that from that time onward Dominic did just that. It is a prayer form that is special not only for the Dominicans; it has caught the hearts of the faithful and has endured in popularity through the centuries. The Feast of our Lady of the Rosary continues to be celebrated on 7 October.
Ordinarily, the rosary is begun by praying the sign of the cross and the Apostles’ Creed, followed by an ‘Our Father’ and three times the ‘Hail Mary.’ To these is added the doxology, ‘Glory Be.’ One then meditates on one of these mysteries of our faith, and continues by praying an ‘Our Father,’ ten times the ‘Hail Mary’, and the doxology, the ‘Glory Be’. The process continues until one completes the desired number of decades. The biblical roots of these prayers are strong.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both recount the episode in which Jesus teaches his disciples to pray (cf. Mt 6:9-15; Lk 11:1-4). The form we currently use in praying the ‘Our Father’ is closest to the Matthean text. The ‘Hail Mary’ combines the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary at the Annunciation (Lk 1:28) with Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary at the visitation (Lk 1:42). The words of the Doxology are similar to those found frequently in the Pauline letters (cf. Rom 11:36; 16:27; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:21; 1 Tim 1:17).
a) Joyful Mysteries
Traditionally there have been three sets of ‘Mysteries’ of faith that are the focus of meditation for each decade of the rosary. Each centres on an event from the life of Jesus or connected with him (Mary), most of which are recounted in the Gospels. The joyful Mysteries invite us to reflect on the episodes that centre on the incarnation and beginning of Jesus’ life. They are: (a) The Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus (Lk 1:26-28; cf. Mt 1:18-25); (b) The Visitation (Lk 1:39-45); (c) The Nativity of Jesus (Lk 2:1-7; cf. Mat 1:18-25; 2:1); (d) The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:22-38); (e) The Finding of the child Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52).
Most of these episodes are presented in detail only in the Gospel of Luke. The Annunciation and Birth of Jesus are also recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, whereas Mark begins the Gospel with the preaching of John the Baptist, when Jesus is already a grown up man. The Gospel of John speaks of Jesus’ birth using theological language and poetic literary form, “the Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us” (Jn 1:14). It is recommended that these Joyful Mysteries be the source of Meditation on Mondays and Saturdays, as well as on Sundays of the Christmas season.
b) Sorrowful Mysteries
The sorrowful Mysteries centre on the end of Jesus’ life: (a) Jesus’ Agony in the garden (cf. Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:39-46; Jn 18:1-14); (b) The Scourging of Jesus (cf. Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15; Jn 19:1); (c) The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns (cf. Mt 27:29; Mk 15:17-18; Jn 19:2); (d) Jesus carries His Cross (Jn 19:17); (e) The Crucifixion of Jesus (cf. Mt 27:33-34; Mk 15:21-32; Lk 23:26-42; Jn 19:16-27).
While certain elements of the story remain constant in all four Gospels, each of the evangelists tells the story of the passion slightly differently. All four depict Jesus in Gethsemane at his arrest, but only Luke uses the word ‘agony” (Lk 22:44), and only John mentions a “garden” (18:1). In the Synoptic Gospels this is a scene of struggle for Jesus as he enters into intense prayer while his disciples sleep. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is in command of the situation and seems to go eagerly forward toward the arresters. He does not fall prostrate (cf. Mk 14:35), rather the soldiers do, as Jesus pronounces the “I AM” (Jn 18:6).
As for the Scourging of Jesus, a practice meant to weaken the victim to be crucified, Luke eliminates this detail. Likewise, in the scene in which the soldiers mock Jesus’ kingship, arraying him with a “royal” cloak and a crown of thorns, whose spikes imitate the rays that emanated from the crown of Caesar, Luke omits the crown (Lk 23:11). Only John says that Jesus carried the cross himself; Matthew (27:32), Mark (15:21), and Luke (23:26) tellus that it was Simon of Cyrene who was made to carry the cross. It was probable that Jesus was too weak to carry the crossbeam to the place of execution, and so Simon was pressed into service. Tuesdays and Fridays as well as Sundays of Lent are the recommended days for meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries.
c) Glorious Mysteries
The Glorious Mysteries are: (a) The Resurrection of Jesus; (b) The Ascension of Jesus (cf. Lk 24:50-53; Mk 16:19; Jn 20:17; Acts 1:6-11); (c) The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13); (d) The Assumption of Mary into heaven; (e) The Coronation of Mary. No canonical Gospel recounts the actual resurrection, but each has a narrative of how the women found the tomb empty (cf. Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24: 1-12; Jn 20:1-10), and of disciples to whom the risen Lord appeared (cf. Mt 28:9-20; Mk 16:9-20; Lk 24:13-53; Jn 20:11-29; 21:1-23; see also 1 Cor 15:3-5, 6-8).
With regard to the ascension, there is a brief mention of it in Mark 16:19, which is found in the long ending – among the verses that have been added by someone other than the evangelist. Only Luke tells of the ascension in story form, in two different versions. At the conclusion of his Gospel, Luke depicts it as an event that occurs after several resurrection appearances. Jesus leads the disciples to Bethany, raises his hands and blesses them, and then is “taken up” to heaven (Lk 24:50-53). At the beginning of his second volume (Acts of the Apostles), Luke picks up the story, adding a longer parting dialogue between Jesus and the disciples (Acts 1:1-11); two men dressed in white help them interpret their experience, and they return to Jerusalem to await the promised Spirit, who is given to them on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13).
While Luke depicts these as separate events, for the Fourth Evangelist the passion, death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus all are one movement of Jesus’ return to the Father. In John’s depiction of Jesus’ death, his final words are not, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as in Mark 15:34, but rather, “It is accomplished” (Jn 19:30). Then the evangelist adds, “And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit” (Jn 19:30). This initial handing over the spirit is complemented by the scene in John 20:19-23 where the risen Christ appears to the disciples who were gathered behind locked doors. After showing them his hands and side, speaking peace to them, he then “breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (Jn 20:22).
With regard to the ascension, the Fourth Evangelist alludes to it in the story of the appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene. As he is commissioning her to tell the news to other disciples, he instructs her not to cling to the earthly Jesus she formerly knew, saying, “am I as yet not ascended to the Father?” (Jn 20:17). This question expects the response, “no, you are indeed, ascended.” These Glorious Mysteries are recommended for our Prayer on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Neither the Assumption of Mary into heaven nor her coronation is found in the Bible. Nor does the Bible recount anything about the death of Mary. The last mention of her in the New Testament is at Acts 1:14, where she and Jesus’ siblings are said to be among Jesus’ disciples, including the Galilean women, who were awaiting the coming of the Spirit. Both Jerusalem and Ephesus claim to be the place of Mary’s death.
The first literary tradition about Mary’s Assumption dates to the fourth or fifth century. Since the fourth century Mary has also been spoken of as “Queen of Heaven and Earth.” In 1950 Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption of Mary a dogma of Catholic faith, and this feast is observed on 15 August. The feast of the Queenship of Mary, celebrated on 22 August, was established by Pope Pius XII in 1954. Likewise, the Second Vatican Council affirms in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) that “the Immaculate Virgin preserved from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things” (Lumen Gentium, no. 59).
d) Luminous Mysteries
In 2002 Pope John Paul II introduced a fourth set of mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries. These centre on the public ministry of Jesus. They are: (a) Baptism of the Lord; (b) The Wedding at Cana; (c) The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God; (d) The Transfiguration; (e) The Institution of the Eucharist. Each of the Synoptic Gospel recounts the episode of Jesus’ baptism (cf. Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:8-11; Lk 3:21-22). John only alludes to it, when John the Baptist speaks of having seen the Spirit descend from heaven, like a dove and remain on Jesus (Jn 1:32).
The Wedding at Cana is an episode unique to the Gospel of John (Jn 2:1-12) and initiates Jesus’ public ministry in the Fourth Gospel, as does the opening proclamation of the reign of God in the Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mt 4:12-17; Mk 1:14-15; Lk 4:14-19). Although Luke frequently uses the phrase “reign of God” it is absent from Jesus’ inaugural proclamation in Luke 4:14-19. The phrase first appears in Luke 4:43. While the expression “reign of God” occurs often in the Synoptic Gospels (though Matthew prefers the expression “kingdom of God”), it seldom appears in the Gospel of John (cf. Jn 3:3,5).
The Transfiguration is recounted in each of the Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mt 17:1-8; Mk 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36); it is alluded to in 2 Peter 1:16-18. The Gospel of John treats many of the themes found in that episode, but scatters them throughout the Gospel, rather than recounting it as one incident. The accounts of the Institution of the Eucharist are found in the Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mt 26:20-30; Mk 14:17-26; Lk 22:14-21; see also 1 Cor 11:23-26). In the Fourth Gospel the Foot washing (Jn 13: 1-20) is what conveys the meaning of Jesus’ death and is the gift and model given to the disciples. It is recommended that these Mysteries of Light be prayed on Thursdays.
The Rosary is a beloved form of prayer that enables us to enter into the profound mysteries of our faith by calling to mind, at each decade, key mysteries of the faith recounted in the Gospels / New Testament. When prayed in close relation with Bible study and biblical reflection, it can be a most powerful aid in the spiritual life.
The announcing of a Mystery can be accompanied by an appropriate Biblical text, followed by a reflection in 2-3 short sentences. Another way is to focus on one Mystery of the Rosary with a Biblical text and a longer reflection. This can be done at the beginning itself. (Alternately, a very brief text from the Church Documents, like Lumen Gentium (chapter 8) or Marialis Cultus / Redemptoris Mater or from the Fathers of the Church can be used, for example – Assumption / Coronation of Mary). These are some of the helpful ways to invite the participants to a deeper reflection on the Mystery of Salvation, enabling us to re-live the key moments of our own salvation history here and now.
Fr. Thomas Manjaly is a priest of the Archdiocese of Shillong. He has been teaching New Testament at Oriens Theological College, Shillong and in other theological institutes in India for over 35 years. He has presented papers and written extensively on various biblical themes, particularly on mission, evangelization and ministry. He served as the Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Clergy and Religious (1994-98), CCBI Commission for Proclamation (1998-2000) and Deputy Secretary of NEIRBC (2009-15). He was a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission for two terms (2009-2019). He was also a special invitee as theological expert for the XIII Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on “New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith” (7-28 October 2012). He can be contacted at [email protected]
