The Holy Spirit in the Holy Rosary

The Holy Rosary is very much a Trinitarian prayer as well as a spiritual journey through the life of God the Son on Earth.  In a previous article “God Speaks to Us Through the Holy Rosary,” I wrote about God the Father speaking in the Second and Fourth Luminous Mysteries.   In this article, I focus my attention on the God the Holy Spirit’s role in the Holy Rosary. 

The Holy Spirit is present in the very first Mystery of the Rosary, the Annunciation.  When St. Gabriel informs Mary that she will conceive and bear the Son of God, Mary is confused as to how this would be possible.   “And the angel said to her in reply, ‘The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God’” records St. Luke in his Gospel (Luke 1:35).  

Though not a part of the First Joyful Mystery, St. Joseph also received a visit from an angel.  After learning of Mary’s astonishing pregnancy news, St. Joseph seeks to divorce her quietly so as not to expose her to the legal and societal consequences of a pregnancy out of marriage.  Soon after, St. Joseph is also visited by an angel in a dream who tells him:  “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her”  (Matthew 1:20).  

Mary’s visit by St. Gabriel occurs prior to her conception by the Holy Spirit; St. Joseph’s visit from an angel occurs after Mary has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.  So in this First Joyful Mystery, we have two of the three Divine Persons present:  God the Holy Spirit and God the Son.  

The Holy Spirit appears again in the Baptism of Jesus (the First Luminous Mystery).  In fact, all three Persons of the One God are present in this Mystery.  God the Holy Spirit descends upon God the Son and God the Father proclaims Jesus as His Son and His approval of His Son’s mission.  

The Holy Spirit is promised by Jesus at the Last Supper (the Fifth Luminous Mystery).  As St. John writes in his Gospel, “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you”  (John 16:7)

A little later in that same discourse, Jesus reiterates his promise of the Holy Spirit:  “But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.  He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.  Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”  (John 16:13-15)

The Holy Spirit appears next in the First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. Jesus appears to the Apostles, saying “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.”   (John 20:21-22).

Jesus ascends into Heaven and ten days later, he sends the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and his Blessed Mother at Pentecost.  This epic event is included in the Rosary as the Third Glorious Mystery.  As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (2:1-14):  “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.  And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.  Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”  

“On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended with power upon the Apostles; thus began the mission of the Church in the world,” said Pope Benedict XVI in his Homily for Pentecost 4 June 2006.

The Holy Spirit is present in the Fourth and Fifth Glorious Mysteries, both of which take place in Heaven.  Again, all Three Persons of God are present.  In the Fourth Glorious Mystery, Mary is assumed into Heaven.  In the Fifth Glorious Mystery, Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven by her Son with the approval of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.  

When we take this spiritual journey through the Rosary, we should do so with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.  We should ask for the Holy Spirit’s assistance in praying the Rosary and focusing upon its Mysteries.  It can be difficult at times to focus our minds on the prayers and the Mysteries.  Sometimes we are so easily distracted and so easily lose our focus.  Here is where the Holy Spirit can help us not only to delve deeper into the Mysteries but also to keep our minds from wandering.  

Veni Sancte Spiritus, Veni Sancte Spiritus, come Holy Spirit Creator blessed…