Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads

It's not often that a book aimed at devout Catholics is a fun read. Let's face it; most of them are rather plodding. Not this.Johnson delves into the history of how the prayers and the meditations came together. Did you know that they date back to the earliest hermit monks?A rosary "really means a garden in which roses are grown...the 'chaplet'...a little crown...of gold", all of it rich in symbolism.Much of this came together when St. Dominic was preaching to the Albigensians. It was a time, just as most of human history is, when prayers were urgently needed for the conversion of the misguided.I loved his explanations about the different mysteries. He is such a good writer, and he had such a wonderful topic to write about.

The history of the rosary is fascinating and complex, related to ancient forms of faith. Initially, this book looked interesting, chock-full of historical details, with pamphlets on different devotions enclosed. But the content betrays, muffled in semantics by a linguist. There's no mention of the luminous mysteries added by Pope John Paul II; later editions could have been amended to include them. You would not believe the time the author spent raving in an inappropriate diatribe against sports in the Agony in the Garden mystery. Who cares what Johnson's issues are regarding sports? As an athletic person, I couldn't care less, and as a researcher, I want to be provided real information, not nonsensical opinion. I highly recommend the fun and lucid  The Rosary Handbook: A Guide for Newcomers, Old-Timers, and Those in Between  instead.In trepidation, I turned to the Crucifixion mystery, to see if the author stains this mystery too. He does, in the most peculiar way. He horrifically describes Third Reich torture in great detail, sagging skin and all, never mentioning that Jews were the victims involved. A person of real faith does not need to dwell on gore to meditate on the depth of this mystery.As many fine theologians point out, Judaism the root of Christian faith. But Johnson completely gets Jewish history wrong, dismissing two thousand years of Judaism after the final destruction of the Temple. It's a miracle that the Jews, the people of the First Covenant, the brethren of Jesus, have miraculously survived. In the history of the world, no other people kept their language, religion, and heritage alive, while suffering over two thousand years of exile and persecution. Johnson completely misrepresents the truth when he declares that the Sadducees were the seeds for modern Judaism; they did not follow the Talmud as well as the Torah, modern Judaism does both. The Sadducees were lost in history. Unbelievable misinformation; it's incomprehensible that Johnson could write beautifully about some aspects of prayer, yet hatefully in other regards, even lambasting sports.On page 305, Johnson wrote that the Jewish Apostles saw "the whole nation of Israel turn into a mob that compelled the Roman governor to crucify Christ." This kind of generalization caused Christian mob violence against Jews over the centuries; only a raving anti-Semite would write such bile. Devout Catholics avoid this kind of thinking, it would be like shooting yourself in the proverbial foot, or root. For the mystery of Pentecost, Johnson makes the common mistake of assuming Jews called this holiday Pentecost too. They never did in Israel, and they don't two thousand years later. This Jewish feast of first-harvest is Shavout, celebrated fifty days after the festival of Passover. It is utter nonsense to state that, "because this holiday didn't have a descriptive name rooted in Hebrew like the others, and because by the time of Christ so many people spoke Greek, the holiday came to be called simply the Fiftieth Day - Pentecost" (326). Jesus spoke Aramaic, not Greek, and in referring to this feast, he would have used the normative Hebrew term - Shavout.There are better resources out there. This travesty will be discarded. Try this fine book:  The New Rosary in Scripture: Biblical Insights for Praying the 20 Mysteries , which contains Pope John Paul II's "The Rosarium Virginis Mariae: Apostolic Letter on the Most Holy Rosary."

Great book to understand the historical background of the development of the Rosary to include the biblical genesis in the Old and New Testament. It examines each mystery; of the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries; and explains their geography, travel distance, historical settings and theological meaning. It answeres the question: How and why did these events happen the way they are described in the Gospels? Even though the book does not include the Luminous mysteries, I found it invaluable in concentrating on each mystery and have a deeper understanding of its meaning.

This book is one of the best books I've ever read, and I've read a lot of books! If you are looking for one book to help you understand the Rosary better, then this is it. It covers every aspect of the Rosary in depth, and adds much detail, making it a treasure chest of knowledge about the Catholic faith. It is written in a compelling way, never dry; and although it is an expensive book, it is worth every penny. I know that I will reread it over and over again; in addition, I hope to teach a class at my church this year on it. I have several other books on the Rosary, but this is worth all of them put together.

Be not put off by the price of this paperback; it is an extraordinary jewel and a rarity: well written, at home with The Great Mystery, and unashamed of its deep Christian roots. It is not for those looking for the quick pious fix. It is for those who sincerely want to be led deeper into the mysteries of the Rosary (i.e., the Grand Mystery Himself). It is for adults. I wish you its acquaintance.

if the wear, hold, pray, or have a rosery. this book will make you appreciate it soooo much more. im so glad i found this book. im glad i had the chance to read it and would recomend it to anyone whos interested in just knowing more about the virgin mary and the rosery. if i could i would rate this 20 stars

This book about the origin and history of the Rosary is my favorite on the subject. Easy to read, informative and full of insight.

Beautifully written story on the power of the rosary. Highly recommend for Catholics and non Catholics alike who want to learn more about the rosary, its history, and how its use can empower your prayer life.

Beautiful outstanding book. A must for every person that loves our Lady and wants to know the Lord better.