Ponder and Magnify: A Rosary Podcast

S1, E4 - The Rosary with Meditations on the Sorrowful Mysteries, Week 1

• Jessica Helling • Season 1 • Episode 4

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The mission of the Ponder and Magnify Podcast is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. Tune in to join us in praying the Rosary with meditations on the Sorrowful Mysteries intended to engage your imagination as you pray! All praise be to God!

Jessica:

Hello and welcome to the Ponder and Magnify podcast, where our mission is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the Rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. I am so happy that you are here. Today, we're going to be praying the Rosary while meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Before each decade, you'll be given something to imagine related to the mystery we're praying. However, I just want to say, if the Holy Spirit leads your imagination to something different, follow that prompting instead. Before we start, I also just want to encourage you to take a moment to just pause and reflect on what you're bringing to prayer. What are your joys in this moment? What sorrows are you feeling right now? Do you have any fears in this moment? What are you desiring? Who do you wish to pray for? Go ahead and pause the podcast if you need to think about that more, but we want to be able to bring our full self to prayer. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen, Jesus, we ask you to speak directly into our present circumstances. Mary, thank you for praying with us and for us now. Holy Spirit, anoint the gift of our imagination so that we might come to encounter Jesus more deeply through it. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, the only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. 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 For an increase in faith. 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 For an increase in hope. 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 For an increase in love. 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.

Jessica:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

Jessica:

The first Sorrowful Mystery is the Agony in the Garden, a reading from the Gospel of Mark. Jesus said Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will. As Jesus says not what I will but what you will, in submission to the Father, it is as if the Father says not what I will, but what you will to humanity. In his great gentleness and humility, God will not force his will upon humanity, but instead operates by invitation. While it is true that the Father had the power to spare his Son from suffering, it would have come at the cost of controlling those who wished for Jesus to be crucified and overriding their freedom. The Father does not wish to control any person, but to love and work with each person In Jesus' submission to the Father.

Jessica:

In the garden, Jesus gives permission to the Father to work in his situation to bring good out of his suffering In this decade, imagine yourself before the Father, see in his face how much he loves you and desires to heal you and provide for you in that area where you need it the most, yet how he holds back, waiting for you to invite him to do so out of respect for your will. If you feel ready, imagine yourself inviting the Father into your circumstances to heal and strengthen you. If you do not feel ready to invite him in, see how his love for you and desire to help you does not change, he will wait patiently. 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.

Jessica:

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. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 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 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 Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 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 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 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, Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

Jessica:

The second sorrowful mystery is the scourging at the pillar, a reading from the Gospel of John. Pilate said to Jesus what is truth? When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them I find no guilt in him, but you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? They cried out again Not this one, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.

Jessica:

In your imagination, see the marks from the scourges on the back of Jesus and compare it to the marks on your own heart. Where have you been scourged by another's harmful actions? Where have you been scourged as a result of your own sin? Even if you feel your heart is entirely covered with wounds, do not be afraid. The Lord is more powerful than the pain you feel. See Mary holding your heart in her hands with such maternal affection. See the Holy Spirit fall on each wound like morning dew, settling into each opening. The Holy Spirit is not erasing your wounds, but he is making something entirely new of them. Each wound will become a channel of his grace, a channel by which his love can reach the world in a way it could not before. Your wounds will not have the power to disturb you, because they will have become the means by which you can love others with greater understanding and mercy. What glory your heart will give to God. All things are possible with him. 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, 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, hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 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 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, Jail 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, 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. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art though 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. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen, O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

Jessica:

The third sorrowful mystery the crowning with thorns, a reading from the gospel of Mark. The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with "hail, king of the Jews, and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage and when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes and led him out to crucify him.

Jessica:

On the surface, the crown of thorns appears to be a sign of weakness and powerlessness, and yet God sees the things of the world differently than we tend to see them. For Jesus, the crown of thorns was the crown fit for the Savior. In Jesus, crowned with thorns, we come face to face with the truth that the extent that one is willing to suffer for another's sake shows the depth and authenticity of their love. Each sting from a thorn, Jesus turned into an offering for your sanctification and salvation.

Jessica:

As you pray this decade, imagine being face to face with Jesus crowned with thorns, just taking each other in, without even needing to speak.

Jessica:

Though he feels the pain of his crown, he can't help but smile, for he loves to be in your presence.

Jessica:

Your God sees you and he is eager to suffer for the sake of your everlasting joy.

Jessica:

You are not forgotten.

Jessica:

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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen, o my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. The fourth sorrowful mystery the carrying of the cross. A reading from the Gospel of Mark. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes and led him out to crucify him. They pressed into service a passerby, Simon, a Cyrenian who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place of Golgotha, which is translated place of the skull. They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. In the carrying of the cross, the all-powerful Jesus allowed his weakness to be on display very publicly. Imagine how the soldiers and the mocking crowd would have tried to bring shame to that weakness. Yet Jesus' deep union with the Father would have prevented him from experiencing shame. Jesus was not afraid, discouraged or disgusted by his weakness, because he remained connected to the Father, who was continually reminding Jesus that he would bring about a greater good through this, so that his weakness would become strength. Jesus then understood that his weakness was not his identity but a temporary experience. As we pray this decade, Consider how you feel about your own weaknesses. How do you tend to react when they're put on display? As you pray, imagine a moment of great weakness that you have experienced. Hear the Father from heaven claiming you as his own even in the midst of that weak moment. 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, 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, 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, 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 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 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 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 Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 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, 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. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen, O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. The fifth sorrowful mystery is the crucifixion, a reading from the Gospel of John. Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there, whom he loved, he said to his mother "Woman, behold your son. Then he said to the disciple "Behold your mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus said I thirst Imagine how Mary Jesus' mother Mary, the wife of Clopas, mary of Magdala and John must have felt at the foot of the cross, unable to save Jesus from his suffering. How helpless this must have felt. And yet the Father was not looking for them to give but to receive. Before the cross, they received the greatest witness to the love of the Father possible. Consider that no genuine act of faith is initiated by us, but by receiving the love of the Father first. We can do nothing without first receiving from Him. As you pray this decade, imagine yourself kneeling among those at the foot of Jesus' cross. Look up to the cross and see that, in the eyes of the Father, you are worthy of love at all cost. Allow this love to fill you. Imagine a warmth filling your body as you receive the love of the Father. Feel it filling in the cracks of all those places in your life that you have experienced a lack of love. Feel it healing you where you need it most. This is the gift of the cross. 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 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, glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen, o my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. Hail holy Queen, mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor, banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious, advocate thine eyes of mercy toward us and, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus. O Clement, o Loving O Sweet Virgin Mary, pray for us, o Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. O God, whose only begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life. Grant we, beseech Thee that, while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What a joy it is to pray with you. Please count on my continued prayers and I ask for you to keep praying for me. All praise be to God.