Beneath Thy Protection: Finding Jesus in the Arms of Mary: Mary's Mysteries of the Rosary

by Paula Capps

Journey through the mysteries of the rosary with Mary as your guide and experience this ancient prayer in a whole new way. Have you ever wondered what it was like for Mary to give birth to the Son of God, to be assumed into Heaven, or to be crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth? Beneath Thy Protection takes as its structure the twenty mysteries of the rosary, offering for each a narrative reflection told from the perspective of Mary herself. The resulting account of the experiences of Mary and of her Son brings the Church’s teachings to life and serves as a fruitful foundation for meditation. Delivering the content of a Scripture study in the form of a novel, Beneath Thy Protection imparts the richness of Catholic theological tradition, from the writings of the saints to the latest Marian scholarship, in a format that is powerful, engaging, and accessible. Each chapter will have you sitting beside the Blessed Mother, seeing the Word through her eyes, and allowing her to reveal the secret of an intimate relationship with God.

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2021

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 2 out of 5]

My husband had a LOT of problems with this book. He did not care for the Mary as she is portrayed here, and I am inclined to agree with him. It may not be so obvious if you read the book silently but when read aloud, this Mary--and she is the narrator--which is why her voice is so important does not sound like any Mary I have ever imagined or can relate to. She does not seem humble for one thing. She constantly refers to Jesus as, "My Son". Well, yes, He is her Son, but somehow, I don't picture her calling Jesus, "My Son" to Peter and the rest of the Apostles all the time. Maybe I am wrong, but it kind of reminds me of those moms who go around with bumper stickers that say, "My Son is on the Honor Roll".

Wouldn't she just call Him, Jesus? Or am I being too informal?

There is much good in the book, but there is also a lot which the author draws from apocryphal and mystical texts, Old Testament stories and her own imagination. I tried to explain some of this to my former Protestant husband and we had many interesting conversations about some of the mysteries. Finally, after the Second Glorious Mystery, he just said, "Enough". I finished it on my own. I'm going to loan it to my sister, also a Secular Carmelite and see what she thinks.

Together we have read and prayed MANY Rosary books; I've reviewed at least 22. We both quit one other; this is the first one he refused to finish on his own.



Our latest Rosary book. As we pray each Mystery, we decided that I need to read the text as it is in Mary's voice and my husband did not think he could do it. He is leading the prayers. Last evening (October 9, 2022) as we pondered the 2nd Joyful Mystery, I suggested he read Joseph's words and that seemed to work. I have never pictured Joseph in this particular mystery, but the author has woven Old Testament events and prophesies into the conversations between Joseph and Mary as they traveled to visit Eliabeth and later when Joseph came to pick Mary up and accompany her back to Nazareth.

[Sonia Bachamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for those who would like to imagine what was in Mary's mind in each moment of her life.