Religious Information: Five Mysteries of Faith

The Rosary prayers are the cornerstone of Roman Catholic devotions to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. They consist of a series of specific prayers, recited in order, while moving fingers from one bead on the rosary to the next.

There are fifteen events in the life of Mary and Jesus that are commemorated by rosary devotions; these life experiences are grouped into three categories of five related occurrences and are called the Joyous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. (A "mystery," in this instance is an article of faith for Catholics--something accepted as truth but not explained by scientific means.)

• The Agony in the Garden

• The Scourging at the Pillar

• The Crowing of Thorns

• Jesus Carries His Cross

• Crucifixion

These mysteries are usually meditated upon while praying the rosary on Tuesdays and Fridays, and on Sundays during the Season of Lent, which is the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday.

As a person who is praying the rosary focuses on the Sorrowful Mysteries, he will first name the mystery, recite the Lord's Prayer, and then, while repeating the Hail Mary prayer at each of the next ten beads, reflect on the meaning of that particular mystery and how he can learn from the lessons it teaches.

The First Sorrowful Mystery, the AGONY in the garden, focuses on the night Jesus spent alone following the Last Supper with His disciples. He was aware He had been betrayed, and that one of them had provided damaging evidence about his teachings to the government officials. He experienced such grief at the betrayal, and at the knowledge of what was to befall Him, that he sweat blood as he prayed alone.

Meditations on the Agony in the Garden can direct a person's focus to:

-- Placing trust in God's plan for our lives;

-- Experiencing the depth of powerful emotions, including the most painful and fearsome;

-- Understanding that no one goes through life without deep pain.

The Second Sorrowful Mystery is the Scourging at the Pillar. This was the first of the punishments administered to Jesus after being handed over to the soldiers by Pontius Pilate. He was stripped, tied to a post, or pillar, and whipped with cutting straps.

Meditations on the Scourging at the Pillar can help remind a person:

-- Religious persecution goes on throughout the world today as it has for centuries;

-- Sometimes there is no way to escape the pain inflicted by people who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions and decisions;

-- Physical pain even at its most severe need not take away spiritual strength.

The Third Sorrowful Mystery, the Crowning with Thorns, refers to the soldiers' continued attempts to convince Jesus to renounce His teaching. As He refuses, a crown is made of vines with long thorns and placed on his head. The soldiers, as they taunted Jesus' royalty, in front of a crowd, pounded the crown of thorns into His head.

Meditations on the Crowning with Thorns can take the focus of:

-- Spiritual strength in the face of public humiliation;

-- Gentle responses to personal abusers;

-- Dignity in spite of disfigurement and pain.

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery is the Carrying of the Cross. Jesus' was sentenced to death by crucifixion because of his refusal to deny His own teachings, and was ordered to carry His own cross to the site of execution. The path He walked was lined on both sides by crowds of people -- some deriding Him, some in support. As He stumbled under the weight of the cross, a few stepped up to assist Him with the burden.

Meditations on the Carrying of the Cross can help us to:

-- Remember that in every instance of great agony, there are supporters and those who oppose;

-- Stay true to spiritual truth, and accept help when it comes;

-- Continue the journey in the face of odds that appear impossible.

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery is the Crucifixion, the death of Jesus on the cross at the top of Mount Olive. Positioned between two thieves, He died in a manner that was, at the time, reserved for the most contemptible criminals. During the three hours He hung on the cross, he prayed aloud and promised forgiveness to one of the men dying beside Him.

Meditations on the Death by Crucifixion can be reminders that:

-- Death comes to everyone as a natural consequence of being born;

-- Dying does not necessarily mean being forgotten: Jesus' life and death has had impact on trillions of lives in the past two centuries;

-- The physical circumstances surrounding death do not always reflect a person's holiness or the value of their life.