Rosary for the Sunday of the Word of God

As St. John Paul II taught, the Rosary is a "compendium of the Gospel" with a contemplative character, meditating on the mysteries of the Lord's life alongside Mary, who treasured God's Word in her heart.

Each mystery is announced, followed by a proclamation of a related biblical passage, a pause for silent meditation, and then the decade prayers. This practice inserts Rosary elements into the celebration of the Word, fostering Lectio Divina and joyful contemplation of Christ's Incarnation.

Pray the Joyful Mysteries, which radiate the joy of the Incarnation and align with the Gospel's opening mysteries.

Opening Prayers
Sign of the Cross

Leader: O God, who caused the light of truth to shine forth in the heart of your Church through the grace of the Holy Spirit, grant that, on this Sunday of the Word of God, we may meditate on your Word in the Rosary and proclaim its riches.

Our Father, Hail Mary (3), Apostles' Creed, Glory Be.

First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation

• Leader: The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive the Son of God. 
• A reading from Lk 1:28-38
  And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. 
• Leader: Let us pause for meditation to ponder Mary's fiat, her belief in God's Word, and her blessedness.
• Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be, O My Jesus (Fatima Prayer).

Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation

• Leader: Mary visits Elizabeth, and John leaps for joy in her womb
• A reading from Luke 1:39-45
  In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ 
• Leader: Let us pause for meditation to see Christ present in Mary, bringing joy through God's Word.
• Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be, O My Jesus.

Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity

• Leader: Jesus is born in Bethlehem, announced as news of great joy.
• A reading from Luke 2:1-20
  In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
  In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
• Leader: Let us pause for meditation to contemplate the Saviour's birth as the Father's merciful love entering history.
• Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be, O My Jesus.

Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation

• Leader: Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple. 
• A reading from Luke 2:22-38
  ​When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”  Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
• Leader: Let us pause for meditation. Mary offers the Word-made-flesh; how do we present our lives to God?
• Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be, O My Jesus.

Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

• Leader: Mary and Joseph find the boy Jesus among the teachers.
• A reading from Luke 2:46-49
  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
• Leader: Let us pause for meditation. In the Father's house, Jesus reveals his mission of prayer and Word; Mary treasures this in her heart. 
• Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be, O My Jesus.

Hail Holy Queen.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, 
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
​
Sign of the Cross.

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