Luminous Mysteries

[DiscerningCatholic]

I know that they are officially recognized by the Church (JP2 actually added them), but is there any way that I should respond to someone who says, "I pray the Rosary the way the Blessed Mother gave it to us: with 15 decades. To do otherwise is wrong and against Mary's wishes."

Again, I am aware that the Luminous Mysteries are recognized by the Church and that there is nothing wrong with praying them (I say them myself), but I can't get my words to flow correctly in explaining the answer to that question.

[beatitude]

First of all, prayers grow over time and there is nothing wrong with that. We can see this in the Hail Mary itself - the opening lines are Gabriel's, the next Elizabeth's, and the final part of the prayer was added by the Church in later years. Secondly, we can't know for sure how the rosary came to us. Tradition has it that Mary gave it to St Dominic, but there is evidence of Christians praying in similar ways before Dominic was born. We are not bound to believe in the traditional story. No matter how the rosary came into existence, it's still a gift.

I know people who pray the Luminous Mysteries (I do myself) and people who don't, but either way, it's still a beautiful prayer. If meditating on the Luminous Mysteries draws people closer to Christ Jesus, I do not see how our Blessed Mother could possibly be unhappy.

[Oremoose]

I would say Mary's wishes are Jesus's wishes. So Jesus has blessed the Luminuos mysteries through the pope. therefore we are doing exactly as mary said.

[Oremoose]

I would say Mary's wishes are Jesus's wishes. So Jesus has blessed the Luminuos mysteries through the pope. therefore we are doing exactly as mary said.

[Mercy me]

I was resistant at first, too. But when I prayed them, I quickly found that they drew me more deeply into the mysteries of Jesus' life and ministry. They have become my favorite.