Pray the Rosary, Pray the Gospel

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 20 November 2010)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We, Catholics, are often accused of not reading the Bible. This may be true, but, as a remark I came across the Internet says, we pray the Bible. How so? By praying the Rosary.

Do you know that in the Rosary prayer, we have a very handy “compendium of the entire Gospel”, as traditionally phrased by Pope Pius XII? The Rosary is biblical because its mysteries are drawn from the New Testament. In the Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI described it as “a Gospel prayer, centred on the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation…”. And so, although the Rosary may seem to be more Marian in character, at heart it is actually Christ-centred. Pope Paul VI wrote: “…the succession of Hail Mary's constitutes the warp on which is woven the contemplation of the mysteries. The Jesus that each Hail Mary recalls is the same Jesus whom the succession of the mysteries proposes to us-now as the Son of God, now as the Son of the Virgin…”.

To illustrate, let us now see the Gospel in the Rosary mysteries.

The Joyful Mysteries present the joyous and decisive moment of our Redemption in the Annunciation and Mary’s “yes” to God’s mission for her. We travel with Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth, where she imparted the Holy Spirit to St. John the Baptist, the herald of Jesus Christ, while still in his mother’s womb. We hear Mary praising God for fulfilling His promises in the Magnificat. Further on unfold the mysteries of Jesus’ virginal birth, His infancy and His childhood.

The Luminuous Mysteries bring us into the public life of Jesus – His Baptism in the Jordan at the start of His ministry; the first manisfestation of His glory at the wedding at Cana; His proclamation of the Kingdom of God by His teaching, preaching, calls to conversion and healing; His Transfiguration where God reveals the glory to be given to Him; and His institution of the Eucharist by which He made Himself present to us for all time to come.

The Sorrowful Mysteries remind us of Jesus’ humble submission to the Father’s will even while in agony in the Garden of Getshsemane; the horrendous torture, pain and humiliation that He went through in His scourging at the pillar, His crowning with thorns, His carrying of the Cross and finally His death on the Cross – all for the sake of saving us.

The Glorious Mysteries proclaim the triumphant victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death by His resurrection. He was raised to His rightful place at the right hand of the Father at His Ascension. We then see the Church born in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit by its prayers as a family together with Mary (JPII, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, #23, 2002), the Mother of the Church. We are reminded of the glorious end we are destined for in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven. The last mystery presents Mary as Queen of the Angels and Saints (JPII, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, #23, 2002), shining forth in the glory bestowed by the Father for her faithful and perfect discipleship. We are thus assured of her powerful intercession for us as we journey towards our heavenly home. The last two mysteries, although not explicitly written in the Bible, flowed from the faith of the Church based on revelations of the truths in the Bible.

There you have the entire Gospel presented in the Rosary. Indeed, a complete Rosary is the entire 20 mysteries. Brother John M. Samaha wrote on the Mary Page website: (quote)

“To know how to pray the twenty mysteries of the rosary means that we know the basics about the life of Jesus and his teachings – his life, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension; the meaning of Jesus’ Incarnation and Redemption.  This challenges us to ponder what these mysteries mean for us today. In reality the rosary is a compendium of the Gospel; it is the Gospel strung on beads.” (unquote)

And so, the Gospel can be easily prayed anywhere, anytime (as long as not interfering with our duties), and by anyone, even the illiterate. We don’t even have to carry the Bible with us! And we can be sure that we would be pleasing God, since the Gospel is the very Word of God. So let us pray the Rosary, and we’ll be praying the Gospel – in a simple way, and in union with Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother.

Hail Holy Queen

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 6 November 2010)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, I will share with you on the Hail Holy Queen prayer.  There are 4 ancient Marian antiphons which expresses the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are prayed daily, each in different liturgical seasons of the year as part of the Liturgy of the Hours. Of the four, the Hail Holy Queen is considered the most popular and oldest form of prayer directed to Mary; second only to the Hail Mary in popularity. It is also recited at the end of the Rosary.

History and Background

The Hail Holy Queen originally appeared in the Latin form “Salve Regina”.

The earliest known manuscript was found at Richenau in Southern Germany, latest early 11^th Century. This antiphon is now generally ascribed to Blessed Hermann Contractus the Cripple who lived from 1013 until 1054.  He was born with a badly deformed body from two noble families. He could not move without assistance and suffered for all 41 years of his life. He also had a speech defect. He managed to read and write with the greatest difficulty; but he was highly gifted intellectually. He became a Benedictine monk in 1043 after his parents took him to stay at the monastery  at Richenau when he was just 7. Hermann was a chronicler, mathematician, astronomer, poet and creator of the “Salve Regina” and the other Marian antiphons and hymns and excelled brilliantly in theology, mathematics, astronomy, music, Latin, Greek and Arabic. He was a model of self-acceptance and reaching-out love. (http://nyssa.cecs.scranton.edu/salve.html)

By 1135 AD, it was used as a processional chant at Cluny. The Hail Holy Queen was used as a solemn anthem for the Magnificat on the feasts of the Purification, Anunciation and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was also the anthem for the Benedictus at Lauds (Morning Prayer) of the Assumption. (http://nyssa.cecs.scranton.edu/salve.html) In 1218, the Cistercians adopted it as a daily processional chant and sang the Hail Holy Queen after Compline (Night prayers) since 1251.  In 1221, the Dominicans started and propagated the use of the Anthem at Night prayers. The Franciscans also started using it. The Carmelites had used it after every hour of the Office in place of the last Gospel at Mass.  The Carthusians sing it daily at Vespers. Pope Gregory IX ordered it to be chanted after Compline (Night prayer) on Fridays. From the 14^th Century down to today it has been a part of Compline for the Latin Rite, to which we belong. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who devoutly recite this prayer. (http://www.secondexodus.com/html/prayers/salveregina.htm, http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/BVM/SalveRegina.html)

While the antiphon figured largely in liturgical and in general popular Catholic devotion, it was especially dear to sailors; for instance it was recorded that Columbus’ men sang the “Salve Regina” the evening before they sighted the New World the next morning. (http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/BVM/salve regina.html It was also popular at medieval universities as an evening song and frequently used for devotions in the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament (Kris Sommers, The Mary Page: http://campus.udayton.edu/mary//resources/antiph4.html, downloaded on 25 Aug 2009)

In part 1 of his famous treatise on the “Glories of Mary”, St. Alphonsus de Liguouri explains how God gave Mary to mankind as the “Gate of Heaven” (Wikipedia, downloaded 5 Mar 2010)

Several Protestant reformers objected strongly to the Salve and to the title Queen of Heaven. (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Salve  Regina.html) complaining that the anthem was too extravagant in claiming Mary’s place in salvation history. (Kris Sommers, The Mary Page: http://campus.udayton.edu/mary//resources/antiph4.html, downloaded on 25 Aug 2009). Luther objected especially to the words “Queen of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope” (Sable, 26 April 2009)

As time passed, the hymn became a symbol of Tridentine Mariology and Catholic Reformation devotion. The hymn was defended, “sung with a loud voice” and inserted in older manuscripts. (http://campus.udayton.edu/mary//resources/antiph4.html) It was prayed every Saturday by members of the Sodality of Our Lady, a Jesuit Marian congregation. (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Queen_of_Heaven) Peter Canisius (d. 1597) countered the oppositions by writing that when we turn to Mary in song, we praise God in her, namely, that the work He has done in her. (Kris Sommers,  25 Aug 2009/The Mary page: http://campus.udayton.edu/mary//resources/antiph4.html))

Mary as our Queen and Advocate

This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Anunciation. Taken up to Heaven, she did not lay aside this saving office. The Blessed Virgin Mary is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate/Helper/Benefactress and Mediatrix (CCC 969/LG)

This is the meaning of the “Salve Regina”. It is our belief that she has been drawn to Heaven but does not forget those who still journey on this earth. She can assist us only because God so wills it. 

When praying/chanting the “Hail Holy Queen”, we are asking Mary to intercede for us in all our needs. No one’s life is perfect or always happy.  We are all searching for peace.  The phrase “banished children of Eve” refers to this fact. Mary was a real person who understands all our problems. There are times in our lives when we are afflicted with disappointments, heartbreaks and illnesses. These are known as “the valley of tears”.

She is our most gracious Mother. Because we are Jesus’ brothers and sisters, we become Mary’s children too.  He gave her to you and me when He was on the cross (John 19:26-27) Like a good mother, she longs to protect and rescue us, her children.  She is always kind and loving even when we feel like we do not deserve it, that is why we pray “turn thine eyes of mercy towards us”. We can confidently refer to her as Queen because of her relationship with her Son Jesus, who is Christ the King.

This beautiful prayer will give us all confidence to turn to Mary in all our daily struggles and know that we have someone bringing our worries to God on our behalf. We will truly learn to let go and find peace in our lives.

(http://www.how-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com/hail-holy-queen-prayer.html)