Though the saying of the Rosary is no longer the popular devotion it once was, nevertheless the themes it represents continue to speak to all Christians in their daily life problems and situations. It is time for us to get back to those themes and reflect on their basic meaning for us today.
In FIVE FOR SORROW TEN FOR JOY, J. Neville Ward probes each of the mysteries and offers insights into coping with human problems. Thus, a reflection on the sorrowful themes brings to mind such elements as pain, fear, loneliness,
humility, death-very real elements in our own existence-while a consideration of the joyful and glorious themes points to the desirability and necessity of faith, hope, and love in the Christian life. What the author stresses throughout is the abundant spiritual sustenance provided by mere reflection on the Rosary themes-a much more uplifting and rewarding experience than the old habit of just "saying the beads".