A Tale of Two Rosaries: Dominican & Servite

Mary said, "One day through the Rosary and the Scapular, I will save the world."

She said this to St. Dominic. But then, in Kibeho, she asked that the Seven Sorrows Rosary of the Servites be re-introduced to the world.

For my part, I'm not sure which one she meant when she said, "...through the Rosary I will save the world," so I pray both.

But what is the difference?

Why bother with the Seven Sorrows Rosary?

A few years ago, I got to go to Rome. It was amazing. It was beautiful. It was inspiring. The art was breathtaking. The architecture was magnificent. The food was fantastic.

I came to realize that I love Rome. I love Assisi. I love Loreto. I'll take it a step further and say, "I love Italy."

But I love Italy as a tourist, as a voyager, as a passer-by. 

If it were possible, I would consider moving to Italy.

For now, I have only ever been a tourist in Italy.

I have also been a tourist in the United States.

I have traveled to New York City. I have travelled to Florida, to California, to Denver, to Texas, to Chicago. I've seen the Statue of Liberty, the lighthouses of the East Coast, the Great Lakes, the Rocky Mountains.

 But, I live in the United States. I'm a citizen of the United States. My blood is red, white, and blue.

I love the United States.

And see, here's the difference. I love Italy as a tourist, but I love America as a citizen. Even though I have been a tourist in America. If I had never visited any other parts of America as a tourist, I would only be a citizen. Since I have never lived in Italy, I can't say that I'm a citizen.

This might be a stretch as an analogy, but I love Jesus with the heart of a Christian— a follower of Jesus.

Mary loves Jesus as a Christian. She's a, "follower of Jesus." But she's also His Mother.

Nobody loves like a Mother. It's just not possible. 

So, Mary loves Jesus as a Christian, AND as a Mother.

In my analogy, I love America as a resident, AND as a tourist.

When I pray the Dominican rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious mysteries), I am praying it with the heart of a Christian. The "vantage point" of those scenes is from the perspective of a Christian, a follower of Christ.

But when I pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary, I am praying with the heart of His Mother, Mary. My viewpoint is from Mary's viewpoint.

From this perspective, I can love Jesus with the Heart of Mary.

To further convey this to you, let me make one observation:

The fifth Sorrowful Mystery is the Death of Jesus. But note, this is not one of Mary's Seven Sorrows.

In the Dominican Rosary, the Death of Jesus is the culmination of the Sorrowful Mysteries. It's the ultimate sadness. Man killed God. It doesn't get worse than that.

But to the Sorrowful Heart of Mary, the Death of Jesus is not the worst thing. In fact, it's a relief, because His Pain is ended.

What then, from the viewpoint of Mary, is the greatest sadness? That Jesus might have died in vain, if not for your willingness to respond to His invitation to come and follow Him.

Love Jesus, then, with the Heart of Mary. Learn to not just follow Jesus as a Christian. Learn to say "yes," to the invitation to bring Him into the world, into your world.

Pray the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Dominican Rosary in order to follow Jesus. Pray them so that you can learn about your heritage, your complicity in His Death, the destiny that awaits you in Heaven. Pray them to be reminded about the Paschal Mystery, and the relevance of the last things: death, judgement, Heaven, and Hell.

But pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary also so that you can see in them the perspective of the Heart of His Mother, so that you can love Him with her heart.

When you do, you will see in her Seven Sorrows, the seven petitions of the Our Father, the Beatitudes, the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, the Spiritual Works of Mercy, the seven Virtues that help us overcome the seven deadly vices.

When you pray the Seven Sorrows you will experience peace in your family, be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries, you will experience consolation, the Providence of God, protection from the infernal enemy, assistance at the hour of your death, and you will behold the Beatific Vision. These are the promises of Our Lady of Sorrows who asked that we re-introduce the Seven Sorrows Rosary to the world!

Will you answer her call?