I was at a baseball game yesterday with some Catholic friends.* The Texas Rangers clobbered the Atlanta Braves. Meanwhile between pitches we were discussing Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Rosary, and which order is more Marian (Franciscan vs Dominican).

And a question came up:

Which set of mysteries of the Rosary is the most difficult for you to pray?

1. Joyful Mysteries
2. Luminous Mysteries (Yes, the Luminous Mysteries are not officially part of the divinely revealed Rosary. More info. Yet a Sainted Pope proposed and endorsed them. So I’m including them.)
3. Sorrowful Mysteries
4. Glorious Mysteries

Two of us (Alex and myself) think the Sorrowful Mysteries are the most difficult. The other two guys (Andy and Brandon) answered “Glorious.”

Why “Sorrowful”?

I find the Sorrowful Mysteries the most difficult because it is a challenge for me to think of Christ in so much agony. It hurts. The first three (agony in garden, scourging at pillar, and crowning with thorns) are somehow more difficult than the last two (carrying the cross, and death on the cross).

On Tuesdays and Fridays when our family prays the Sorrowful Mysteries, I’m just not as excited. During Lent, I like them, but at other times it’s difficult for me. It’s like watching Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ on repeat. Yes, it’s good for you. But it’s painful to watch someone you love suffer.

Why “Glorious”?

The guys who answered Glorious Mysteries explained that these mysteries were the most abstract to imagine. These mysteries are particularly difficult to picture in the mind.

For example, how to imagine the Ascension? Christ floating on a cloud? How to you imagine the Coronation of Mary?

I have no problem with these and I’ve previously written a blog post on how to imagine these five glorious mysteries here.

Poll: Which are the most difficult mysteries of the Rosary for you to pray:

It struck me that others might have different input. So let’s take a poll. If you’re an email subscriber (or even if you aren’t), tell us which Rosary is the most difficult or foreign to you:

To take the survey and see the results, click here.

[reminder]We want to hear from you. Why do you connect or not connect with certain mysteries of the Rosary? Which is your favorite Rosary mystery of all?[/reminder]

*David, if you’re reading this, thanks for the great Rangers tickets.