A Playlist for the Rosary: The Glorious Mysteries
In this lovely springtime month of May, the month when we honor all mothers and Our Blessed Mother in particular, I thought it would be fitting to offer a meditation on the rosary. Since my Playlist for the Stations of the Cross received some positive feedback, I decided to offer another meditation through music. God willing, I will post playlists for all four sets of mysteries. (I do not promise to get them all finished during May, but no worries; I have it on good authority that heaven accepts prayers in June.) While we are still celebrating Easter, and while Mary’s crown of Mayflowers is still fresh, I thought it best to start with the Glorious mysteries.
Please feel free to use this meditation any way you choose. You can play the music underneath each decade of your rosary; you can listen to the songs before you begin each decade; you can use the music as its own separate prayer; or you can use your imagination and put it to some other use. My only hope is that it helps draw you closer to Christ through His Mother.
Update: for a Playlist for the Joyful Mysteries, click here. For the Sorrowful Mysteries, click here. For the Luminous Mysteries, click here.
The First Glorious Mystery – The Resurrection
Sviatïy Bozhe (Holy God) by Georgy Sviridov
I could not find a full translation for this piece. The language is Church Slavonic. The composer was a darling of the Soviet Union, recipient of the Stalin Prize, the Order of Lenin, and a Hero of Socialist Labor. He wrote this in 1992, after the Soviet Union had fallen. God is good.
The Second Glorious Mystery – The Ascension
Psalm 47 by Masaaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium, Japan
God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness. For the Lord, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the Lord, amid trumpet blasts. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. For king of all the earth is God; sing hymns of praise. God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne.
The Third Glorious Mystery – The Coming of the Holy Spirit
Give Good Gifts, Shaker Hymn
“Peace, joy, and comfort gladly bestow,” for these are the fruits of the Spirit.
The Fourth Glorious Mystery – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sonata 14: The Assumption of Mary by Heinrich Ignatz Franz Biber
The Fifth Glorious Mystery – Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth
Regina Caeli, Gregorian chant
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. For He whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia. [Now] has risen, as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia.