Monday, December 21, 2009

Praying the Rosary by Roman Catholic Christians

PRAYING OF THE ROSARY IS BIBLE BASED: Roman Catholic Christians practice the praying of the Holy Rosary, which is something that is balked at by others who believe in Christianity on the argument that praying the Rosary is paganistic in origin.

I did some reading on the matter, and indeed, there is nothing in the Holy Bible that says Christians should pray the Rosary, as there is even no mention of the Rosary in any pages of that Book.

But when one looks at the mysteries of the Rosary, one begins to understand that whoever conceived and thought of this prayer, dedicated to Mary, the Virgin Mother of Christ, actually was following the examples of many leaders of the Christian faith, enshrined in many pages of the Bible, where they resort to repeating the history of the Israelites, from their exodus to their arrival at the Promised Land, as a means to strengthen their faith.

Just look at the story of Gideon, in Judges 6 and 7 of the Bible, and you will see what I mean. Before Gideon finally relented to be used as God’s chosen one to deliver his people from the Midianites who were causing them sufferings, he had to recount Israel’s story all over again.

This is what is happening when a Roman Catholic prays the Rosary: he is actually repeating a tried and tested tradition of Christian leaders, for he is reminded of the full and entire story of Christ, from the announcement of his birth by the Angel Gabriel to his Ascention to Heaven, taken directly from the Bible itself.

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LIFE OF JESUS RECOUNTED IN THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY: A keen study of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary will show that each of the mystery recited in praying it constitutes one important aspect of the life of Jesus.

In the Joyful Mysteries, for instance, what is recounted are the following events in the life of Christ: Annunciation, Visitation of Elizabeth by Mary, Birth of Christ, Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, and Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

In the Mysteries of Light, we find the following: Baptism of Jesus, Wedding at Cana, Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, Transfiguration and Institution of the Holy Eucharist through the Last Supper.

The Sorrowful Mysteries narrate these events in the life of Jesus: Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning of Jesus with Thorns, Carrying of the Cross, and Crucifixion and Death of Christ.

Finally, the Glorious Mysteries make an account of the Resurrection, the Ascention, Descent of the Holy Spirit, Assumption of Mary, and the Coronation of Mary as Queeon of Heaven and Earth.

Anyone who prays the Holy Rosary, therefore, gets to remember Jesus Christ and is reminded all over again of His status as our God and Savior.

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BIRTH OF JESUS ANNOUNCED BY THE ANGEL GABRIEL: The Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary represent an account of how Jesus Christ started His life here on earth.

The first joyful mystery, the annunciation, is found in Luke 1:26 to 38, where the Angel Gabriel, “who stands in the presence of God”, came to Mary, a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

Gabriel told Mary, who was greatly troubled by the angel’s statement that she was highly favored in the eyes of God and that “the Lord is with you”, that she will be with child and give birth to a son, whose name will be Jesus and will actually be called the Son of the Most High and will be given the throne of King David.

Mary was incredulous, and actually asked the angel how could she give birth when she had not known a man. The angel told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her “so the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

The angel then assured Mary: “For nothing is impossible with God.” In reply, Mary uttered “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”

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