Beyond the Veil: Contemplating the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

The word “contemplate” appears sixty-seven times in Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter entitledRosarium Virginis Mariaewhere he reminds us that we are meant to contemplate on the mysteries of the rosary while we pray it. The predicament, for some of us, is that we have been praying the rosary in a different way for so long that it can be difficult to pray it in a new way –the way it was intended. This book will show us how we can contemplate the mysteries while saying the vocal prayers; and it is easier than it seems.With five basic concepts, anyone can turn the rosary into a meditative prayerwherein we remember Jesus, together with Mary. The author likes to liken the rosary to an album of the events in the life of Jesus that we revisit daily. Just as pictures and images in our own personal albums (on or smartphones, tablets, or social-networks) evoke different emotions when we view them, the rosary can do the same. We will learn to do this by immersing ourselves in each of the twenty mysteries in context of scripture. Acomprehensive commentary of each mysterywill also offer proposals on how to view each scene, observations about the principal characters, suggestions on things the evangelists do not mention, and questions for us to ponder on. These lavish comments are sure to bring each mystery to life and transport us to the events as if we were first-hand witnesses to them. Let us revive our love for this cherished Catholic devotion by learning to contemplate the mysteries. By doing so, each rosary will be fresh, new, meaningful, and so exciting that we will look forward to our next one.Read more