In the name of The Father, and The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen.
My God, I offer You this Rosary for Your glory, so I can honor your Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin, so I can share and meditate upon her suffering. I humbly beg you to give me true repentance for all my sins. Give me wisdom and humility, so that I may receive all the indulgences contained in this prayer.
Act of Contrition: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend You, my God, You Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
THE FIRST SWORD OF SORROW
The prophecy of Simeon
“And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.” – Luke 2, 34-35.
Meditation: How great was the shock to Mary’s Heart at hearing the sorrowful words, in which holy Simeon foretold of the bitter Passion and death of her sweet Jesus. Mary pondered all he had said, in her heart. It was the thought of all the insults, blows, torments and ingratitude towards Her beloved Son, Redeemer of the world, that was to pierce her heart with a sword.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
…….
THE SECOND SWORD OF SORROW
The flight into Egypt.
“And after they (the wise men) were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise and take the child and His mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy Him. Who arose and took the child and His mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and He was there until the death of Herod.” – Matt. 2, 13-14.
Meditation: Consider the sharp sword which pierced Mary’s heart, when, St. Joseph after warned by an angel, led them to flee by night in order to protect her beloved Child from the slaughter decreed by Herod and what hardship She suffered on that long journey to Egypt. What anguish She suffered thinking of all the young babies so cruelly and innocently murdered.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
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THE THIRD SWORD OF SORROW
The loss of Child Jesus in the Temple.
“And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day’s journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him.” Luke 2, 43-45.
Meditation: What grief Mary suffered, when she saw that her beloved Son was missing. Frantically she searched for him among her kinsfolk, but in vain. How deep the sword penetrated when for three days she searched for Him, returning to Jerusalem.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
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THE FOURTH SWORD OF SORROW.
The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the way of the Cross.
“And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him.” Luke 23: 27.
Meditation: Mary witnessed Jesus carrying the heavy cross alone—the cross on which He was to be crucified. Jesus, now already weakened by the numerous hard blows received by the soldiers Mary was filled with anguish at His pain. The soldiers kept hurrying and pushing Him, though He had no strength left. He fell, exhausted, unable to raise Himself. At that moment, Mary’s eyes, so full of tender love and compassion, met her Son’s eyes, which were pained and covered in blood. Their hearts seemed to be sharing the load; every pain He felt, she felt also.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
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THE FIFTH SWORD OF SORROW.
The Crucifixion
“They crucified Him. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, He said to His Mother: Woman: behold thy son. After that he said to the disciple: Behold thy Mother.” – John 19: l8-25-27.
Meditation: Mary’s pain was beyond bearing when Jesus was stretched out on the Cross. As they hammered the nails through His hands and feet, Mary felt the blows in her heart; the nails pierced her flesh as they tore into her Son’s body. As he breathed his last and bequeathed his soul to the Father a sword of the pain of separation pierced Her heart.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
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THE SIXTH SWORD OF SORROW
Jesus is laid in Our Lady’s arms.
“Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen.” – Mark 15: 43-46.
Meditation: The friends of Jesus, Joseph and Nicodemus, took down His Body from the Cross and placed It in the outstretched arms of His Mother Mary. Consider the most bitter sorrow which pierced the soul of Mary, when she saw the dead body of her dear Jesus on her knees, covered with blood, all torn with deep wounds.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
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THE SEVENTH SWORD OF SORROW.
Jesus is laid in the tomb.
“At the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in this garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Since it was the Jewish Day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” John 19:41-42
Meditation: Consider the pain which burst from Mary’s sad heart when she saw her beloved Jesus laid in the tomb. What grief was hers when she saw the stone lifted to cover that sacred tomb! She gazed a last time on the lifeless body of her Son, and could scarce detach her eyes from those gaping wounds. And when the great stone was rolled to the door of the sepulcher, oh, then indeed her heart seemed to be torn from her body.
(Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s while meditating on the sorrow).
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Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows
Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee.
In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me.
With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven.
Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory.
Amen.
