THE SORROWFUL Mysteries of the Holy Rosary allow us to meditate on the Passion of Jesus Christ. Let us remember that the Holy Rosary is Mary’s testimony of Jesus: her experiences of His life, His ministry, and the Gospel.
It is traditional to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays. Also, the Catholic Church has attached specific graces that we can receive through the meditation of the mysteries of the Rosary and applying them to our lives.
Below I provide the Sorrowful Mysteries following the method of Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, the Apostle of the Rosary. I also include passages of Scripture and images to help us meditate on each Mystery. I pray that this resource may be of great help to you along your Road to Righteousness.
Introductory Prayers:
Make the Sign of the Cross while praying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Pray:
I unite with all the saints in Heaven, with all the just on earth, and with all the faithful here present. I unite with Thee, O my Jesus, in order to praise worthily Thy holy Mother and to praise Thee in her and through her.
I renounce all the distractions I may have during this Rosary, which I wish to say with modesty, attention, and devotion, just as if it were to be the last of my life.
We offer Thee; O most Holy Trinity, this Creed in honor of all the mysteries of our Faith; this Our Father and these three Hail Mary in honor of the unity of Thy Essence and the Trinity of Thy Persons.
We ask of Thee a lively faith, a firm hope, and an ardent charity.
Amen
Pray the Apostles Creed
Pray three Hail Mary
The First Sorrowful Mystery – The Agony in the Garden
Spiritual Grace: Resignation to the will of God
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy agony in the Garden of Olives, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, contrition for our sins.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 22:39-46
39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Agony in the Garden come down into our souls.
Amen
The Second Sorrowful Mystery – The Scourging at the Pillar
Spiritual Grace: Mortification
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy bloody scourging, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, the grace of mortifying our senses.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture Regarding the Importance of the Scourging and Passion in general – NRSV – Isaiah 53:4-6
4 Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises, we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Scripture NRSV – John 19:1
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Scourging come down into our souls.
Amen
The Third Sorrowful Mystery – The Crowning with Thorns
Spiritual Grace: Moral Courage
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy being crowned with thorns, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, contempt of the world.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Matthew 27:27-31
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Pray ten Hail Mary
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Crowning with Thorns come down into our souls.
Amen
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – The Carrying of the Cross
Spiritual Grace: Patience in Adversity
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy carrying of the cross, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, patience in bearing our crosses.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – John 19:16-17
16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
Scripture NRSV – Luke 23:26-32
26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Carrying of the Cross come down into our souls.
Amen
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery – The Crucifixion of Our Lord
Spiritual Grace: Love of Enemies
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy crucifixion and ignominious death on Calvary, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, the conversion of sinners, the perseverance of the just, and the relief of the souls in Purgatory.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 23:33-49
33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. 47 When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. 49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Pray the Glory Be
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Crucifixion come down into our souls.
Amen
Concluding Prayer
Hail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father; admirable Mother of the Son; faithful Spouse of the Holy Ghost; august Temple of the Most Holy Trinity.
Hail Sovereign Princess, to whom all owe subjection in Heaven and on Earth!
Hail sure refuge of sinners, Our Lady of Mercy, who hast never refused any request.
All sinful though I am, I cast myself at thy feet and beseech thee to obtain from Jesus, thy beloved Son, contrition, and pardon for all my sins, as well as the gift of divine wisdom.
I consecrate myself entirely to Jesus, through thee, with all that I have. I choose thee today for my Mother and Mistress. Treat me then, as the least of thy children, and the most obedient of thy servants.
Listen, my princess, listen to the sighs of a heart that desires to love and serve thee faithfully. Let it never be said that of all who have had recourse to thee, I was the first to be abandoned.
O my hope, O my life, O my faithful and Immaculate Virgin Mary, defend me, nourish me, hear me, teach me, and save me.
Amen
2 Comments
Rose
Praying for the end of hatred, the end of greed, the end of COVID and the end of war in Ukraine. I pray as well for all the refugees waiting, being held in many borders of the world.
Lawrence LaTorre
By praying the mysteries of the most holy rosary every day, I have replaced my selfishness with hope and with spiritual fulfillment.