Chiastic Structure of the Rosary

Probably twenty years ago I started to notice the symmetry in the Dominican Rosary. Then, in 2022, I formally learned about a literary device called a "chiastic structure."  A year later, I outlined the note pictured here. (You can see it was timestamped in 2023, though I probably had an earlier version of this prior to that.)

A "chiasm" is a literary device that uses inverted repetition to create symmetry with the goal of highlighting a key idea. A great example of this is the story of Noah's flood. If you look for the numbers 7, 40, and 150, you will see them repeated in a mirrored fashion, with the message at the center being "God remembered Noah."

Another good example of this is Matthew 11:28-31.

Here's the straight text:

(v. 28) “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
(v. 29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.
 (v. 30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

And here is the chiastic structure, keeping only the key word and the central message.

a- burden
  b- rest
    c- yoke
      d- I am meek and humble of heart
    c'- yoke
  b'- rest
a'- burden 

The chiasm reveals the central message of Matthew 11:28 to be that Jesus is meek and humble of heart.

Keeping this in mind, let's look at the chiasm in the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.

a- Mary receives honor from heaven- (Annunciation)
 b- Mary carries Jesus on a journey- (Visitation)
  c- the Body of Christ enters the world- (Nativity, the birth of Jesus)
   d- the Son is presented to the Father (Presentation in the Temple)
    e- After 3 days, Jesus is reunited- (Finding of Jesus in the Temple)
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
     f- Jesus in Agony in the Garden- (Agony in the Garden)
      g- Jesus is tortured nearly to death- (Scourging at the Pillar)
       H- Christ the King is Crowned with thorns
      g'- Jesus is tortured to death- (Jesus Carries his Cross to his Death)
     f'- Jesus in Buried in the Garden- (Jesus Dies)
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
    e'- After 3 days, Jesus is reunited- (Jesus rises from the dead)
   d'- the Son made present to the Father (Jesus Ascends to Heaven)
  c'- the Body of Christ enters the world- (Pentecost, the birth of the Church)
 b'- Jesus carries Mary on journey- (Mary is Assumed into Heaven)
a'- Mary receives honor from heaven- (Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth)

A chiasm is intended to draw out a meaning through the central message. In this case, the central message is a crown of thorns.

But to me, the message of the crown in the 3rd Sorrowful Mystery points to the message of a crown in the 5th Glorious Mystery, the crowning of Mary.

In other words, I believe the key message of the Dominican Rosary shows us that our suffering (a crown of thorns on earth), can be redemptive (a crown in heaven that we can merit- see Rev. 2:10).

In fact, Revelation 2:10 specifically says, 

Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 What does this mean?

I think this means that the traditional, Dominican, Joyful/Sorrowful/Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, carry a message about the redemptive nature of suffering!