The Holy Rosary through the Writings of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

Introduction

T

he life span of

St. Alphonsus (1696-1787) covered almost the entirety of the Eighteenth Century, a century generally regarded as one of the most hostile to the Catholic Faith. On the one hand, it was the age of Jansenism; a Calvinist corruption of Catholic truth that perverted the attributes of Almighty God and rendered sanctity an unreachable and impossible goal. On the other, it was the era of ‘the Enlightenment’ and of so called ‘enlightened monarchs’, who, under the cloak of ‘reason’, attempted to corrupt the entire Catholic religion into a ‘moral system’ ordered towards decency and obedience whilst downplaying or outright denying the truths of Revelation. St. Alphonsus, through his popular devotional writings, stood on the forefront of the Catholic response to these dual blights that so threatened the salvation of souls and which continue in their influence to this day.

In response to the Jansenists, St. Alphonsus repeated without ceasing what is now referred to as ‘the universal call to holiness’, that fact Almighty God invites each person to co-operate with the working of His grace and to conformity with His Holy Will. An offer which, if embraced through a life of assiduous prayer, whether it is by a peasant, a king, a soldier or a merchant, will infallibly lead that individual onwards, even to the heights of sanctity. He who prays will most certainly be saved, Alphonsus liked to repeat, and he who does not pray, will most certainly be condemned. Alphonsus insisted, in all his ascetic works, that the cold protestant god of the Calvinistic Jansenists was completely alien to the revelation of Sacred Scripture and the interactions of those many holy mystics who conversed familiarly with Him, and whom he delights in quoting frequently.

In combatting the errors of the enlightenment rationalists, St. Alphonsus asserted the fundamental and irrefutable certainty of events of Salvation History, and moreover, of the personal destiny to either heaven or hell, and either one for eternity. The Catholic Faith was not to be seen as a merely moralistic system for good living founded by a deistic deity who cared nothing for his people. Rather, for St. Alphonsus, the core of our faith was the powerful and romantic quest by the One True God to save His people from certain damnation. A quest that consisted in the Father sending His Son, the loving saviour, to convince of us the love of God, so that, by gazing upon this love crucified, we might be converted to heartfelt contrition for our sins, and thereby avoid the certainty of Hell through a friendship with Him through the Catholic Church He founded.

In these Rosary Meditations you will experience the romanticism of St. Alphonsus as he beautifully describes the central mysteries of our Catholic Religion. The saint’s ‘appeal to the heart’ is not however a kind of sentimentalism, provoking tears for tears’ sake, but always stemming from the truths of revelation; showing the full emotive force of realities too many Catholics have allowed themselves to simply gloss over, as if they were solely historical facts only of abstract personal relevance. For the priest, the catechist, or indeed, the parent, the imagery of our saint will provide countless examples and analogies to bring to life the events of Salvation History for the benefit and edification of those being instructed. I firmly believe that no one can seriously ponder the words of St. Alphonsus without being touched and filled with the grace of compunction, being thereby brought to a deeper desire for holiness; to undertake daily mental prayer, to avoid the occasions of sin, to visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently, and to depend, more habitually, on the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Virgin.

It was by a special grace that I came across the writings of this saint when I was still an adolescent, and so he has been a saint who has accompanied me whilst at University, at Seminary and now in the Sacred Priesthood. Of all the books that I have compiled on rosary meditations, the material of this book was most familiar to me, and so, whilst Alphonsus wrote a lot on many of the mysteries of the rosary, I am very satisfied with the compilation that is presented in this volume.

Again, I have included in this work ‘The Hopeful Mysteries’, mysteries which I propose or offer to you for your private devotion. These mysteries cover the events of Our Lord and Our Lady prior to the Annunciation and they bring to attention many elements of Sacred Tradition so ignored and despised by rationalists and yet so dear to our Catholic forefathers. The Hopeful Mysteries are; The Creation of all things in view of Christ, the Promise of the Redeemer and the Co-Redemptrix, The Birth of Our Lady, The Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple and The Chaste Espousals of Mary and Joseph.

I would like to conclude this introduction in imitation of our holy saint, who, in a number of his works, in the midst of his narrative, makes the point that there will come a day when the writer will cease to write and the reader will cease to read. I end, therefore, these words, with the petition that you cast your mind to the soul of this poor sinner, presently writing, that you might pray for the repose of his soul. Perhaps by the time you are reading he has already passed into eternity. I hope it not presumptuous to assume the writer is in purgatory, and so, if he is still alive, pray for his perseverance and that he may die in the state of grace, fortified by the rites of the Church, and so, at least, he may arrive at that place of purification.

Yours, in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners,

fr mark higgins

the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila, 2021

frmarkhiggins@gmail.com

note on praying the rosary using this book

if you are praying the rosary alone, it is suggested that you read the initial text before commencing the Our Father. Afterwards, the ten paragraphs of additional meditation can either be read before or during each Hail Mary. In a group setting a leader is required to read aloud each paragraph and commence each Hail Mary. The experience of the editor is that, in private use, with a prayerful silent reading of each passage, to say five mysteries will take at least 30 minutes and for some people closer to 45. If you feel the movements of grace pulling you into a simpler contemplation of a mystery as you read a paragraph, do not resist the Holy Spirit, and allow yourself to be at rest in the affect (the response of the heart) which Almighty God is stirring from within your soul.

It is customary to commence the Holy Rosary with the Sign of the Cross, the Apostles Creed, and then, for the intentions of the Holy Father, an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be. After completing five mysteries we then say some concluding prayers centred around the Hail Holy Queen, these are contained at the end of each decade.

note on source material

the texts contained in this volume were translated from the Italian by Fr. Eugene Grimm CssR. I have revised his translation myself in order to render it easier to read, understand and narrate. It still remains faithful to the Italian original. There are instances, however, where in order to ensure that the meditations for each bead have a certain completeness and succinctness, some abridgement or splicing of the saint’s writings has, necessarily, been carried out. That small disclaimer having been said, the work, nonetheless, belongs entirely to our saint, all the thoughts, rhetorical devices and images are his. I hope that this abridged collection of texts drawn from St. Alphonsus’ entire collection of meditation works will encourage you to obtain and read his individual works. They can be purchased in well presented and economically priced volumes through the Catholic Way Publishing website.

All images used in this book are works in the Public Domain available through Wikimedia Commons. The painting on the front cover, likewise Public Domain, depicts St. Alphonsus with St. Francis De Sales adoring Jesus Christ, Who is both in the arms of His mother and enthroned in the monstrance.

The Joyful Mysteries

the first joyful mystery

The Annunciation

the fruit of this mystery

A holy love of God, Who became man to win our hearts, and to save us from Hell

B

ehold the archangel gabriel

is sent as ambassador to the town of Nazareth to announce to the Virgin Mary the coming of the Word, Who desires to become incarnate in her womb. The angel salutes her, and calls her full of grace and blessed among women. The humble Virgin, chosen to be mother of the Son of God, is troubled at these praises on account of her great humility, but the angel encourages her, and tells her that she has found grace with God; that is to say, the grace which brought peace between God and man, and the reparation of the ruin caused by sin. He then tells her that she must give her son the name of Saviour, You shall call His name Jesus and that this, her son, is the very Son of God, Who is to redeem the world, and thus to reign over the hearts of men. Behold, at last Mary consents to be the mother of such a son, Be it done to me according to your word. And the Eternal Word takes flesh and becomes man. Let us thank this son, and let us also thank His mother, who, in consenting to be the mother of such a son, consented also to be the mother of our salvation, and mother also of sorrows, accepting at that time the deep abyss of sorrows that it would cost her be the mother of a son who was to come to suffer and die for man.

our father

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

hail mary (10)

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

1. Almighty God, having determined to make Himself man in order to redeem fallen humanity, and to manifest to the world His infinite goodness, as He was about to choose on earth His mother, sought among women the holiest and the most humble. Among them all He saw one, the youthful Virgin Mary, who, as she was the most perfect in all virtues, so was she the most simple; and humble as a dove in her own esteem. Let this one, then, said God, be My chosen mother. God exalted her in her humility, as He Himself would later explain, Whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, but the one that humbles himself shall be exalted.

2. The Lord, drawn by the odour of this humble Virgin, chose her for His mother, when He wished to become man to redeem the world. While the King was at His repose, my spikenard sent forth its odour, thus relates the Holy Canticle. For the Blessed Virgin, like the small herb, exhaled the odour of humility; the fragrance of which ascended even to heaven, and in heaven, it, as it were, awakened Him who was in His repose, and brought Him to rest in her womb.

3. When the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that God had chosen her to be the mother of the Word, he said to her, Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God. She did not find grace for herself, because she always possessed it, but she found it for us who had miserably lost it. Hence in order to recover grace, we should go to Mary. O Sinners, who by your sins have forfeited the divine grace, run, run to the Virgin, and say to her with confidence, Restore to us our property which you have found.

4. The more Our Lady is exalted by the angel, the more she humbles herself, and the more she considers her nothingness. If the angel had said that she was the greatest sinner in the world, it would not have perturbed her to such a degree as this. But in hearing the exalted praises of the angel she is greatly disturbed. She was troubled because, being so full of humility, she abhorred every praise, and desired that none but her Creator, the giver of every good, should be praised and blessed. Indeed, in revelation to a saint, Mary revealed, I disliked my own praise, and wished only to hear the praises of my God and Creator.

5. The Virgin is silent. Take courage, says St. Bernard, addressing her, why delay, holy Virgin, in giving your consent? The Eternal Word awaits it, in order to clothe Himself with flesh, and to become your son. We, who are all condemned to eternal death, are waiting for it in misery. If you but accept and consent to be His mother, we shall all be delivered. Quickly, oh Lady, answer; do not delay giving to the world that salvation which depends on your consent.

6. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word. Oh, what more beautiful, more humble, and more prudent answer could all the wisdom of men and of angels united have invented, if they had thought of it for millions of years! Oh powerful answer, which gave joy in heaven, and poured upon the earth a vast flood of graces and blessings! Answer, that hardly came forth from the humble heart of Mary before it drew from the bosom of the Eternal Father, the only begotten son, to become man in her most pure womb! Yes, for hardly had she uttered these words when immediately the Word was made flesh: the Son of God became also the Son of Mary. Oh powerful Fiat! oh efficacious Fiat! oh Fiat to be reverenced above every Fiat! By another Fiat God created the light, the heaven, and the earth; but by this Fiat of Mary, God became man like us.

7. And the Word was made flesh. Behold Jesus in the womb of Mary; having now made His entry into the world in all humility and obedience. He says to His Father, Since men cannot make atonement to Your offended justice by their works and sacrifices, behold here I am, Your son, now clothed in mortal flesh, ready to satisfy for their sins with My sufferings and with My death. And so, for us miserable worms, and to captivate our love, God deigned to become man. Yes, it is a matter of faith. God has done so much in order to be loved by us.

8. Almighty God could have saved us by sending an angel to redeem us; but He wished to come Himself to die for our salvation, so that our hearts might not be divided. He wished to be both our Creator and Redeemer.

9. The prophet of old cried, Oh that You would deign, my God to leave the heavens, and to descend here, to become man among us! Surely on beholding You like one of themselves, the mountains would melt away, the waters would burn with fire! Even the most frozen souls would be a fire with the flame of love! But has this been the case? Have all sought to correspond with this immense love of Jesus Christ? Alas, my God, the greater part have combined to repay Him with nothing but ingratitude! And you also, dear reader, tell me, what sort of return have you made up to now for the love your God has borne you? Have you always shown yourself thankful? Have you ever seriously reflected on the significance of it all, of God becoming man, in order to die for you?

10. Make us understand what an excess and what a miracle of love this is, that the Eternal Word, the Son of God, should have become man for the love of us. If God had created a thousand other worlds, a thousand times greater and more beautiful than the present, it is certain that this work would be infinitely less grand than the incarnation of the Word,