A contemporary Rosary

After producing the “Rosary for Anglo-Catholic Use” and then subsequently revising the prayers into contemporary as opposed to “churchy” language, I decided to plug the latter into the former and see what it looked like.  In some other digging around, I made changes to the whole kit and caboodle, and here we have this.

This can be said without reference to specific Mysteries or with the traditional Mysteries.  A major difference, other than the contemporary (and more accurate) language prayers, is that the prayers for the small beads change according to the Church Year.

Opening prayers

Sign of the Cross (Signum Crucis)

In the Name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer, and of the Transformer.  Amen.

Still holding the cross, say:

Preces

V. Lord, open our lips.
R. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

V. O God, make speed to save us.

R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

V. Glory be to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit:

R.  As it was, is now, and always shall be, forever and ever.  Amen.  Alleluia. 

In Lent, in place of “Alleluia” say: Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

On the large bead say:

Lord’s Prayer

Father, blessed be your name.  May your dominion come and your will be done.  Let your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us.  Give us what is sufficient day-by-day.  Forgive us our debts, as we forgive those indebted to us.  And save us from succumbing to temptation.  Amen.

On the three small beads say, meditating on Faith, Hope, and Love:

Trisagion

Holy God,

Holy and Mighty,

Holy Immortal One,

Have mercy upon us.

On the chain say:

Minor Doxology (Gloria Patri)

Glory be to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit: As it was, is now, and always shall be, forever and ever.  Amen.

For each decade of beads:

On each large bead, say:

Father, blessed be your name.  May your dominion come and your will be done.  Let your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us.  Give us what is sufficient day-by-day.  Forgive us our debts, as we forgive those indebted to us.  And save us from succumbing to temptation.  Amen.

On each of the ten small beads, say one of the following, according to the season:

From the First Sunday in Advent thru the Saturday before Transfiguration Sunday:

Gaude Maria

Rejoice, Mary, favored one, for the Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women, Theotokos, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

From Transfiguration Sunday thru Holy Saturday, say:

Salvator Mundi

O Savior of the world, who by your cross and precious blood have redeemed us: Save us and help us, we humbly pray.  Amen.

From Easter Sunday thru Pentecost, say:

Pascha Nostrum

Alleluia.  Christ our Passover has been raised from the dead.  Alleluia.  The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  Amen.  Alleluia.

From Whit Monday day thru the Saturday before Advent, say:

Verbum Incarnavit

The Word lived among us, full of grace and truth, a light shining in the darkness: We have seen the glory of this, the Chosen One, and through him that of God.  Amen.

On the chain say:

Glory be to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit: As it was, is now, and always shall be, forever and ever.  Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy upon me, a sinner.

On the chain at the end of the fifth decade, the Major Doxology (Gloria in excelsis) may be substituted for the Minor (Gloria Patri).

            Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will among humanity.
            Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
            Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
            For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Notes:

The Ave Maria and the Salvator Mundi were treated as equals in The Practice of Religion (1908 and subsequent editions), the first as a Memorial of the Incarnation and the second as a Memorial of the Redemption, which they both represent here, the former now called “Gaude Maria” to reflect the better translation from the original Greek.

I adapted the prayer here named Pascha Nostrum, a Memorial of  the Resurrection, from the same named canticle in the Daily Office of PECUSA’s 1979 BCP.

The first verses of the first chapter of the Gospel of John are usually treated solely as a memorial of the Incarnation.  Here, however, I intend this verse as a Memorial of the Ministry, it being through that ministry that “we have seen his glory” and “received…grace upon grace”.