The Romantic Mysteries of the Rosary

I have had at least half a dozen topics run through my mind over the last couple of days as I tried to decide what I wanted to write about for the upcoming Holy Week.  None of which actually made it down onto paper and were thus forgotten within minutes of their amazing conception. One thing I want to do is say welcome to our new Bishop, Joseph Tyson.  If you somehow missed it he is coming over from the archdiocese of Seattle and will be installed as our new Bishop at the end of May.  My thanks also to Bishop Sevilla for all the time and energy he has given to our diocese during his time here. Now back to my topic for today, the Romantic Mysteries of the Rosary. The Romantic mysteries are as follows:

1. The Agony in the Garden.

2. The Scourging at the Pillar.

3. The Crowning of Thorns.

4. The Carrying of the Cross.

5. The Crucifixion of Christ. 

Look familiar?  They should. They are also the Sorrowful mysteries.  I wish I could claim credit for referring to them as the Romantic Mysteries, but in truth I learned it from my wife and am putting my own thoughts down on it.  It makes sense if we look at it. In Ephesians 5 men are told to love their wives as Christ loved His Church, laying down His life for her.  If you look at it in that light, how could they be anything less than romantic?  The fair maiden trapped and imprisoned. Deceived by the enemy and sold into slavery which in the end will mean certain death and permanent separation from her beloved. No matter what she does she cannot escape. The enemy is too powerful for her.  Her beloved, however, is not powerless. He is faithful. He is a man among men who sees his beloved fall into captivity and knows that only he can rescue her.  He calls to her time and time again, but every time the seductive and deceitful voice of the enemy lures her back away from her true love.  Finally the hero has had enough. He knows that the only way to get his beloved back is to march into the enemy and take her by force. He knows that to do so will cost him his life, but that is a small price to pay for the one he loves. And so he goes. He sweats blood as He pours out his prayers for her in the Garden. He allows himself to be stripped and beaten, crowned with thorns that scratch the very bone of his scull as they are smashed onto his head. Then He carries the instrument of His own death up the hill and is crucified.  At that moment his beloved is finally free.  As we approach this Holy Week, I encourage every single member of our parish to join us as we walk through the most romantic of days. Let us walk with our Lord, our knight in shining armor. Let us pray with Him in the garden and follow him up the hill to Calvary. In the end, let  us stand with the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross and thank Him for our Freedom.