THE ROSARY IS THE COMPENDIUM OF THE GOSPEL, SEASON III, PART 2

Indeed the Rosary is a brief summary of the life of Christ in the manner of St. Peter’s discourse in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10: 36-42). As Christians we are called to imitate Jesus. It is impossible to imitate someone you do not know. We come to know Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, the Sacraments and through so many different people and places. One other way is the Rosary. By praying the Rosary, we can ponder many aspects of Jesus and his life in a relatively brief period of time.

In fact, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (RVM), Saint Pope John Paul II wrote: ‘To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ’ (RVM 3). He repeatedly emphasized that although the rosary is clearly Marian in character, it is at its heart a Christ-centred prayer.

“The Rosary is a compendium of the entire Gospel”, a snapshot of our faith. “It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love.” (RVM 2)

This is not to say that the Rosary should replace frequent reading and me citation on the Holy Scriptures. The apostle’s knowledge of Christ must be constantly fed by scriptural study and reflection. But going to the Rosary with the Gospel accounts vivid in our minds brings Our Lady’s own influence into play, allowing us to plumb depths of these accounts. Our knowledge and union with the Lord will deepen, not all at once but over years, in a way that would not be possible without her help.

If the Liturgy, as the activity of Christ and the Church, is the saving action par excellence, the Rosary too, as a mediation with Mary on Christ, is a salutary contemplation. By immersing us in the mysteries of the Redeemer’s life, it ensures that what he has done and what the liturgy makes present is profoundly assimilated and shapes our existence. (RVM 13)

Isn't this inspiring? Are you aware of the hidden mysteries in the Rosary?

To be Continued….

Mother of Christians, Pray for us!!

Compiled By:

Eric K. Dagbui