Day 360: The Sorrowful Mysteries

We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries and enter deeply into the heart of Christ’s Passion, guided by Fr. Mark-Mary through each decade. In the Agony in the Garden, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on Jesus’ threefold cry of “My Father,” showing how Jesus faces his suffering in relationship with the Father, inviting us to bring our own agonies to God with the same trust. The Scourging at the Pillar inspires us to meditate on the irony of the crowd choosing Barabbas, the “son of the father” in name only, over the true Son. Despite the mockery of the Crowning with Thorns, Fr. Mark-Mary shows how even here Christ’s kingship is revealed and God is silently at work for our salvation. During the Carrying of the Cross, we’re guided into a moment of imaginative prayer, placing us in the role of Simon of Cyrene. Finally, as we pray with the Crucifixion, Fr. Mark-Mary draws attention to the tearing of the temple veil and Pope Benedict XVI’s insight that symbols give way to reality: God himself has opened the way to his heart through the crucified Christ. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.