Veritas et Lux

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary focus on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. These mysteries are traditionally prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays.

1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

• After the Last Supper, Jesus went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. Knowing His Passion was near, he withdrew to pray. He experienced intense sorrow while contemplating the suffering He was about to endure. He prayed to His Father, and submitted to His will.
• This mystery reveals the depth of Jesus’ humanity, and His willingness in suffering for us. It also highlights His obedience for His Father’s will, and His love for us.
• Put yourself in Jesus’ shoes while praying this mystery. Imagine knowing that in a short while you will be tied to a cross and crucified. Then, remember why you are doing it and who you are doing it for.
• The spiritual fruit for this mystery is contrition/sorrow for our sins.
• Matthew 26:36 –> Then Jesus went with them to the place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’”

2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

• After being arrested, Jesus was brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. To appease the crowd, Pilate had Jesus scourged which involved being tied to a pillar and whipped with a leather scourge, often with pieces of bone or metal on it.
• This mystery represents the physical suffering that Jesus endured for us.
• Think about Jesus being scourged. Think about how sad of a moment this is. Meditate on what Jesus did for you and for me and for everyone we know.
• The spiritual fruit for this mystery is purity/mortification of the senses.
• Matthew 27:26 –> “So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.”

3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning of Thorns

• After the scourging, the Roman soldiers mocked Jesus by dressing Him in a robe and placing a crown of thorns on His head. They knelt before Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Him and struck Him on the head with a reed.
• This mystery represents the humiliation and mockery that Jesus endured for us.
• Think about people spitting on and mocking Jesus. For this mystery, I often meditate on how there are people today who mock Jesus, maybe not in a similar fashion (i.e. spitting on Him), but nevertheless mock Jesus and mock those who believe in Him. Think about how humble Jesus is for sitting there and taking it. He knows what He must do. Personally, this mystery also inspires me to be more humble.
• The spiritual fruit for this mystery is moral courage/ contempt for the world.
• Matthew 27:27-29 –> “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 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!”

4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross

• After the mockery, Jesus was forced to carry His own cross to Calvary, the crucifixion site. Weakened by the scourging, He struggled under the weight of the cross.
• This mystery represents the burden of sin that Jesus took upon Himself for our redemption. It also highlights His perseverance and determination to do the Father’s will.
• Imagine watching Jesus, beaten and bloody, struggling to carry His cross to where he was about to be killed. The site of this would be quite unsettling.
• The spiritual fruit for this mystery is patience in adversity / bearing wrongs patiently.
• Matthew 27:31-32 –> “After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.”

5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion

• At Calvary, Jesus was nailed to the cross. He hung there for three hours, enduring intense physical and spiritual agony. He was mocked by people around, yet he remained steadfast in His mission.
• This is the ultimate expression of Jesus’ love. He died for us so that we might be saved. The ultimate sacrifice one could give someone is themself.
• Imagine watching Jesus get nailed to a cross for you. What a sacrifice.
• The spiritual fruit for this mystery is love for enemies.
• Matthew 27:33-35 –> “And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots.”

The Sorrowful Mysteries are the most intense and emotional set of mysteries on the Rosary. Personally, they are my favorite because I have the most emotional response to them, and I can truly feel the connection with Jesus when I pray these. It is a perfectly linear sequence of events that outline Christ’s passion. Praying the Sorrowful Mysteries regularly is a good practice because it reminds you of what Christ’s sacrifice and Passion was. When you really sit there and meditate on these mysteries, the realization of Christ’s love for us hits you like a ton of bricks. What a sacrifice for you and for me.