There are many different rosary reflections written to help make the rosary a more meaningful experience. Each one of them enhances the rosary, and it can be helpful to vary which one you use. This one focuses on Peter, the first pope. It is how he would have seen the events of the rosary, and how he would have recounted it to you, the beloved disciple.
Read each reflection before praying the corresponding decade.
The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Woman, who was betrothed to Joseph, and proclaimed, "Hail Mary, Full of Grace! Adonai is with you."
This greeting troubled her, but Gabriel reassured her, "Mary, do not be afraid; you have won Adonai's favour. Listen! Your are to conceive and bear a Son, and you must name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. Adonai will give Him the throne of His ancestor David; He will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and His reign will have no end."
This puzzled the Woman because she was a consecrated virgin, and she said to Gabriel, "But how can this be, since I am a virgin?"
Gabriel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with Its shadow. And so the Child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God."
Then the Woman said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of Adonai. Be it done unto me according to your word." And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
At the words of the Archangel Gabriel, "your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son," the Woman went as quickly as she could to Elizabeth.
As soon as Elizabeth heard the Woman's greeting, her child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud cry, Elizabeth said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of you womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of the Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by Adonai would be fulfilled."
And the Woman said, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour for He has looked with favour on His lowly servant. From this day forward all generations will call me most blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name. He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation. He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever."
When the Woman was close to giving birth, her betrothed, Joseph, took her to the town of David, that is Bethlehem, to register for the census that Caesar Augustus had decreed. There was no room for them in the inn, and when the our Lord was born, the Woman laid Him in a manger.
Near Bethlehem were some shepherds watching their flocks during the night. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to them, and the glory of Adonai shone around them. They were terrified, but Gabriel said to them, "Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
Suddenly, a great throng of heavenly host surrounding Gabriel appeared, singing, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth."
When the angels had gone, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the Baby lying in the manger, and they repeated what the Gabriel had said of Him.
The Woman treasured all of this, and pondered it in her heart.
When the time came to consecrate our Lord to Adonai, and to offer the required sacrifice, Joseph took our Lord and the Woman to the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Holy Spirit revealed to a devout man named Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Chist of Adonai. The Spirit prompted Simeon that day to go to the Temple, and when he saw the our Lord, he took Him in his arm, blessed Adonai, and said, "Adonai, now you let your servant go in peace. Your word has been fulfilled, my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel."
As Joseph and the Woman wondered at what Simeon was saying, Simeon blessed them and said to the Woman, "You see this Child: He is destined for the fall and the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected, and a sword will pierce your own soul too, so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare."
Joseph would annually take our Lord and the Woman to Jerusalem for the Passover. In our Lord's twelfth year, He stayed behind after the feast without His parents knowing it. They assumed He was with the caravan. After a days journey they realised that He was not with them, and they returned to Jerusalem. Joseph and the Woman search for three days before they found Him in the Temple. He was sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions. All who heard Him were astounded at His intelligence and His replies.
When Joseph and the Woman saw our Lord, they were overcome, and the Woman said to Him, "My Child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you."
"Why were you looking for me?" He replied. "Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father's affairs?"
Again, the Woman treasured all of this, and pondered it in her heart. And our Lord increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and men.
My brother, Andrew, and you went to see John the son of Zechariah who was baptising in the Jordan at Bethany. When you found him, John began to recount an experience of his that had taken place six weeks earlier.
As our Lord came to be baptised, Adonai revealed to John that this was the Messiah. John protested, and said, "It is I who needs baptism from you, and yet you come to me!"
But our Lord replied, "Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should in this way, do all that righteousness demands." And John baptised Him.
As our Lord came up from the water, the Spirit of God came down in the form of a dove and rested on Him. Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on Him."
As John finished telling this story, our Lord walked past. John looked at Him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." And you followed Him.
We accompanied our Lord and the Woman to a wedding in Cana. The bridegroom was not prepared for all of us, but he could not refuse us to the feast. As the night wore on, the wine began to run low. The bridegroom's mother confided in the Woman that the wine was soon to run out, and the Woman said to our Lord, "They have no wine."
Our Lord replied, "Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet."
The Woman said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."
Obeying His mother, our Lord directed the servants to fill the six large jars that were used for the rite of purification to the brim with water. He then directed them to draw some out and take it to the steward of the feast. The water had changed to wine, and when the steward tasted it, he declared to the bridegroom, "People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now."
One morning, as we were washing our nets, our Lord came, surrounded by a large crowd as usual. Like other days, He got into my boat and asked me to put it out from shore a little. He continued to teach the crowd as we continued to wash our nets.
When He was done teaching, He said to me, "Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch." It was time to go home and I was tired, but I would do anything our Lord asked me to. I was not expecting to catch anything, it was the wrong time of day for that, but our Lord asked me to do it, and so I did it. In no way was I prepared for what happened next: the nets were filled! I had to yell to you and James to help, and even with two boats, we were filled to the point of sinking.
It was at that time that I truly knew who our Lord really was. I had seen His other miracles, I had even heard demons call Him "the Holy One of God," but I still had reservations. I now knew deep in my heart that this Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of the living God. I knew that I was in the presence of God's only son, and as such, I was unworthy. I fell at His knees and said, "Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man." But Jesus replied, "Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch. Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
One day our Lord took us up a high mountain where we could be alone to pray. As He prayed, the aspect of his face changed. His clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleach could make them. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before us, and they talked with our Lord. I was filled with awe and fear, and I foolishly said, "Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
I was still speaking when a bright cloud came, and covered us with its shadow. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him."
At the sound of Adonai's voice, we were so frightened that we fell on our faces. But our Lord said to us, "Stand up, do not be afraid." And when we raised our eye, we saw only our Lord.
The day before He suffered, the first day of Unleavened Bread, our Lord celebrated the Passover with us. As we were eating, He took bread and gave Adonai thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to us, and said, "Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my Body which will be given up for you."
When supper was ended, He took the cup. Again He gave Adonai thanks and praise, gave the cup to us, and said, "Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the Cup of My Blood, the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me."
After the Passover meal, and the singing of psalms, we went to the Mount of Olives. When we had reached Gethsemane, our Lord said to all of us, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation. Stay here while I go over there to pray."
He took us with him into the garden and said to us, "My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and keep awake with me."
Going on a little further, He fell on His face and prayed. As He prayed, we fell asleep. After a time, our Lord woke us and said, "So you had not the strength to keep awake with me one hour? You should be awake, and praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
He went back to pray again. I tried to stay awake and pray, but it was so late, and I was tired. I fell asleep again. Our Lord woke us again, saying, "You can sleep on now and take your rest. Now the hour has come when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up! Let us go! My betrayer is already close at hand."
I could see blood on His face. Had I known that He was in so much anguish that He was sweating blood, I would have stayed awake with Him, but I didn't. If I had stayed awake I would have seen His agony, and the angel from heaven that appeared to strengthen him, but I didn't.
After our Lord was arrested, we followed at a distance. Because you were related to the high sacerdote, you were allowed to enter the courtyard while I stayed outside the gate. A servant girl came to me saying, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." I was afraid, and I said to her, "I do not know what you are talking about."
I went to the gateway where another servant girl said to those around me, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene." Again I denied our Lord by saying, "I swear I do not know the man."
By the time the high sacerdote was done questioning our Lord, the guards let me into the courtyard where our Lord was. One of the men who was with the others that arrested our Lord came up and challenged me, "Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"
For a third time, I denied our Lord saying, "My friend, I do not know what you are talking about." As these words were leaving my mouth, I heard a cock crow, and our Lord turned and looked directly at me. I could see the pain in His eyes, and I ran out of the courtyard and wept.
You stayed with our Lord that morning, and were there when He came out of Pilate's palace to be flogged. You witnessed His flogging while I hid myself. The whip cause our Lord much pain that morning, but it was nothing compared to the scourging I gave Him by my three denials.
After the scourging, you followed our Lord into Pilate's palace. You were the only one of us to witness our Lord's coronation of blood.
The whole company of Roman soldiers gathered to mock our Lord. They stripped Him of his clothes and put a purple robe on Him. Then they fashioned a crown out thorns and pressed it in hard on His head so that the thorns pierced His skin. And they knelt before Him saying, "Hail, king of the Jews."
This was our Lord's coronation. Truly, we say to Him, "Hail King of the Jews." What was meant to bring Him shame brought Him glory.
Once they were done mocking our Lord, they put His cloths back on, and led Him out to be crucified. He was given the Cross to carry, which he willingly embraced as He tenderly kissed it. The weight of the Cross was too much for Him to bear alone because of the abuse He had already received, and He fell exhausted to the ground.
They forced Him to take up the Cross again, and He carried it through the streets. He came to where you and the Woman were standing, and their eyes met. In that instant they shared the same sorrow. The pain that they both shared was beyond what any earthly torment could induce.
Seeing that our Lord was too weak to carry the Cross by Himself, the soldiers forced a bystander, Simon of Cyrene, to help Him carry it. With Simon's assistance, our Lord continued to carry the Cross.
Our Lord's face was covered in so much blood and sweat that He was unrecognisable. Moved by compassion, a certain lady, Veronica, wiped His disfigured face with her veil. For her act of kindness, our Lord gave he a gift, He imprinted His holy countenance upon that veil.
Even with Simon's help, the Cross was too much for our Lord to bear, and He fell again. As He was getting back up, He saw the women weeping for Him. He turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For the days will surely come when people will say, 'Happy are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne, the breasts that have never suckled!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' to the hill, 'Cover us!' For if men use the green wood like this, what will happen when it is dry?"
As they placed the Cross back on His bruised shoulders, He fell a third time. Seeing that He was spent, the soldiers made Simon carry the Cross by himself behind our Lord, and they continued to Golgotha.
I was so ashamed of my denial of our Lord that I did not want Him to see me, so I watched the crucifixion at a distance.
The soldiers stripped our Lord of His garments. The blood soaked cloth had adhered to His wounds and His scourging was renewed as it were taken from him.
His executioners were so cruel as they placed Him on the Cross. Not only did they nail Him to it, but they racked Him upon it so that His joints were pulled apart.
You and the Woman were there at the foot of the Cross, where I should have been as well. Our Lord looked down on you both, and He said to the Woman, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to you, "Behold, your Mother!" From that moment on, the Woman was your Mother, just as our Lord was your brother, and Adonai was your father.
When the sixth hour came, the sun stopped shining until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour, our Lord cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Then our Lord said, "I am thirsty." Immediately someone filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to our Lord to drink. After our Lord had taken the vinegar He cried out again, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." With these words he breathed His last.
On the morning after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other women came bursting into the room were we had celebrated the Passover. Mary declared that our Lord's tomb was empty, and that an angel appeared to them saying that our Lord had risen from the dead.
We both ran to the tomb. You reached the tomb first and looked in, but you waited for me before going in. In the tomb we saw the linen that our Lord was buried in. It was where we had placed it, but our Lord was not in it. When we examined it closer, we could see the image of our Lord burnt into the cloth. I was still unsure of what to think, but you immediately believed that our Lord had risen from the dead.
Heedless to your conviction that our Lord had risen, we decided that it would be safer if we leave Jerusalem is small groups. After some of us had left for Galilee, Mary Magdalene returned from the tomb, saying, "I have seen the Lord."
I didn't know what to think, so I went to the garden to pray. As I prayed, our Lord appeared to me. I was so full of joy at seeing Him, and I quickly return to tell the others.
We continued to discuss all this into the evening, when two more of us returned from Emmaus saying that they too had seen our Lord. Then suddenly, He appeared to all of us, saying, "Peace be with you."
We were overjoyed as He said again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you."
Then He breathed on us, and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained."
On the morning after the Sabbath, our Lord rose from the dead. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to me, and then to all of us. Over the next forty day, He appeared to us a number of times.
The third time our Lord appeared to all of us was on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias. We had gone fishing, but had caught nothing all night. As it was getting light, our Lord appeared on the shore, although we did not know it was our Lord. He called to us, "Have you caught anything, friends?" And we answered, "No." He then told us to throw the net our to the starboard, which we did, and the net was so full of fish that we could not haul it in.
Realising that it was our Lord, you said to me, "It is the Lord." At these words, I wrapped my cloak around me, jumped into the water and went ashore, while you and the others followed towing the net and fish.
Our Lord had some bread and was cooking some fish on a charcoal fire. He told me to bring some of the fish that we had just caught. When I went back to the boat, I saw that the net was filled with every kind of fish there was, even ones that were not native to the Sea of Tiberias. This was to signify that I would catch people of every nation for our Lord.
After we had eaten breakfast, our Lord and I walked along the shore together. As we walked, He asked me, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?" I answered, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you." And He said to me, "Feed my lambs."
We walked a little further, and he asked me again, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" I answered again, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you." And He said to me, "Look after and rule my sheep."
A little further He asked me a third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" I was upset that He asked me this a third time, and I said, "Lord, you know everything; you know I love you." And He said to me. "Feed my sheep."
Over the next forty day, our Lord appeared to us a number of times. On one occasion, as He was eating with us, He told us not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. He said, "It is what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."
After forty days, our Lord led us to a mountain near Bethany. He said to us, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, even to the end of time."
Then our Lord extended His hands over us, and blessed us. As He blessed us, He ascended up to Heaven.
We watched as He ascended, until we could no longer seem Him. Suddenly two angels appeared, and sarcastically said, "Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there."
Following our Lords command, we went back to Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit.
When the feast of Pentecost came, all of our Lords followers, around a hundred and twenty, were together, praying around the Woman. Suddenly the house was filled with a loud sound, like that of a powerful wind. Then something appeared to us that seemed like tongues of fire. They separated and came to rest on each of us. We were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages.
Others had heard the loud sound, and came to investigate. Many of them were in Jerusalem for the feast, and were from different foreign lands. When they heard us talking in their own native language they were amazed and astonished.
They wondered how these simple Galileans could preach and talk of Adonai's marvels in their own language.
Then I stood up and addressed them all, "Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by Adonai by the miracles and portents and signs that Adonai worked through Him when He was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of Adonai, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed Him, but Adonai raised him to life, freeing Him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. Adonai raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by Adonai's right hand, He has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit. For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that Adonai has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ."
They all listen intently to what I said, and asked me what they should do, and I told them to repent and be baptised. That day, around three thousand were added to our number.
The Woman was full of grace, that is, free from the stain of original sin, and shared in the redemption of our Lord from the moment of her conception. Her Immaculate Conception was necessary to bear God in her womb. The Living Tabernacle was kept sinless so she could be in total communion with God and live. If she had not been kept free from sin, surely she would have died the instant of her Son's conception.
The sacerdotes approached the Holy of Holies with fear and trembling because they knew that if they were not adequately purified before entering the sanctuary they would be struck dead. The Woman is the Holy of Holies. She was purified at her conception, and remained pure so that she could bear God and live.
Being sinless, the Woman's body could not know corruption, and in her seventy-second year, she fell asleep and was assumed body and soul into Heaven. Much like Moses, Isaiah, and Enoch, the Woman was taken bodily into Heaven. How much more worthy was the Woman, conceived without sin, than these others. Her perfect life reflected the perfect life of our Lord, and is the perfect model for us.
We watched as the Woman was assumed into Heaven, just as we watch our Lord as He ascended into Heaven.
From the moment of His conception, our Lord was King, which made His mother Queen. This is why Elizabeth said to her, "Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?" Elizabeth was not just receiving a visit from her cousin who was with child; she was receiving a visit from her Queen and her unborn King.
Upon her assumption into Heaven, the Woman received a crown of twelve stars, and sat at the right hand of our Lord and King. The Woman was adorned with the sun, with the moon at her feet.
The woman was accurate in saying, "Adonai has done great things for me." No greater thing has ever been done, nor will ever be done, to any mortal than what Adonai did for the Woman. She was made Queen of the new Kingdom of Israel; the highest status and authority that any mortal can hold.
We honour the Woman, and fulfil the prophecy she spoke, "From this day forward all generations will call me most blessed."
Our Lord is the King, the Woman is the Queen, and we, the brothers of the King and children of the Queen, are the princes of the Kingdom. One day, we hope to see the King and His Queen in all of their glory, when we become co-heir with our Lord, and share in His glory.
