Holy Rosary: The Sorrowful Mysteries Poem by NHIEN NGUYEN MD

1. FIRST SORROWFUL MYSTERY: THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN

When the feast of Passover was over,
Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives as usual.
His disciples followed him to that place.
He told them to pray that they might not undergo the test.
Then, he knelt and prayed about a stone's throw away from them.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
He found them sleeping from grief.
While he was speaking to them, a crowd approached and arrested him.
(Luke 22: 39-47)

*Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin

2. SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY: THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR

After arresting Jesus, they led him away
And they took him into the house of the high priest Caiaphas
Here in the court yard, Peter denied Jesus three times.
The men who held Jesus in custody ridiculed and beat him.
When day came, chief priests and scribes brought him before their Sanhedrin.
Then they brought him before Pilate who sent him to Herod
Herod sent him back to Pilate who ordered him to be flogged.
(Luke 22: 66, Luke 23: 1-17)

*Fruit of the mystery: Purity

3. THIRD SORROWFUL MYSTERY: CROWNING WITH THORNS

"Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium
and gathered the whole cohort around him.
They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head
and a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying: "Hail, King of Jews"
They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes and led him off to crucify him".
(Matthew 27: 27-31)

*Fruit of the Mystery: Courage

4. FOURTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY: CARRYING OF THE CROSS

Pilate addressed people a third time:
"What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore, I shall have him flogged and then release him."
With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted."
So, Pilate released Barabbas and handed Jesus over to them.
As they led Jesus away, they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian
They forced him to carry the cross and to walk behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women.
They also led away with him two other criminals to be executed.
(Matthew 23: 22-32)

*Fruit of the Mystery: Patience

5. FIFTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY: THE CRUCIFIXION

When they came to a place called the Skull,
They crucified Jesus and two criminals there,
One on his right, the other on his left.
Above his head, there was an inscription that read:
"This is the King of the Jews".
The darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice:
"Father into your hands I command my spirit"
When he had said this, he breathed his last.
(Luke 23: 33-47)

*Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance

NHIEN NGUYEN MD
3/7/2018