Scripture gives consistent direction on how to respond: by turning back to God, seeking His mercy, and turning from our pre-cataclysmic ways to the far better ways He offers us. This rosary-based prayer collects five Old Testament scriptures addressing cataclysms and giving those directions.
The scriptures collected here are the equivalent of the mysteries meditated upon in a traditional rosary. They are referred to here as “Pandemic Lessons.” The scriptural texts quoted are from the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB). The hyperlinked citations will take you to other translations.
Specific words within each scripture are emphasized, with definitions of the Hebrew words set out below each passage and links to the sources of the definitions. Those are among the things to be meditated upon on the Hail Mary beads.
As you meditate, note the concepts that are repeated within and across these scriptures—God often uses repetition to emphasize what He really wants us to understand.
If, however, from there you start searching once more for Yahweh your God, and if you search for him honestly and sincerely, you will find him. You will suffer; everything I have said will befall you, but in the final days you will return to Yahweh your God and listen to his voice. For Yahweh your God is a merciful God and will not desert or destroy you or forget the covenant which he made on oath with your ancestors.
to seek, require, desire, exact, request; to seek to find; to seek the face; to ask, request; to search out; to strive after:—ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire; to examine; to entreat, to supplicate
to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require; to seek deity in prayer and worship; to practice, study, follow, seek with application; to follow (for pursuit or search); diligently, inquire, make inquisition; to learn, to study: frequent; apply oneself; to take care for
all, the whole of; totality, everything; any or every; altogether
secure, acquire, get (thing sought); to meet, encounter; to detect; to be in the possession of; to cause to find, attain; to receive; to wish to find; to be acquired by
straits, distress; a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); anguish, distress; trouble; sorrow, tribulation
to return, turn back; to turn back (to God), repent; turn back (from evil); to restore, refresh, repair; recall, recompense, recover; reverse; turn about; to turn oneself; restore
to hear, listen to, obey; give heed; yield to; to obey, be obedient; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc....); consent, consider
to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion; pity; cherishing
[I]f my people who bear my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my presence and turn from their wicked ways, then I will listen from heaven and forgive their sins and restore their country. Now and for the future my eyes are open and my ears attentive to prayer offered in this place
submit oneself; bow down; be subdued, be brought down, be low, be under, be brought into subjection; to bend the knee; to be low, depressed in spirit
to intervene, interpose, pray; to intercede; intreat; make supplication
to seek, require, desire, exact, request; to seek to find; to seek the face; to ask, request; to search out; to strive after:—ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire; to examine; to entreat, to supplicate
face; person; countenance
to return, turn back; to restore, refresh, repair; to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense); the idea of return to the starting point; cease; convert; rescue, restore, retrieve; reverse; take back; withdraw; to turn oneself; revoke, make void
bad, evil; malignant; giving pain, unhappiness, misery; unkind (vicious in disposition); wicked (ethically); evil((-favouredness); deformed; badness, especially in an ethical sense; malice
listen= שָׁמַע = shama`
to hear, listen to; to hear with attention or interest, listen to; give heed; to hear intelligently; give ear; to understand things heard
intercession, supplication; entreaty; hymn, sacred song
to forgive, pardon; spare; to show oneself gentle
When you call to me and come and pray to me, I shall listen to you.When you search for me, you will find me; when you search wholeheartedly for me, I shall let you find me (Yahweh declares. I shall restore your fortunes and gather you in from all the nations and wherever I have driven you, Yahweh declares. I shall bring you back to the place from which I exiled you).
to call unto, cry (for help); the idea of accosting a person met; cried out aloud; call upon
to go; proceed, move; enter; follow; go along; to go with, have intercourse with; to go after; pursue; to follow ant manner of life; to go forward in anything
to intervene, interpose, pray; to intercede; intreat; make supplication
to hear, listen to; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention ....); consider
to seek, require, desire, exact, request; to seek to find; to seek the face; to ask, request; to search out; to strive after:—ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire; to examine; to entreat, to supplicate
to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require; to seek deity in prayer and worship; to practice, study, follow, seek with application; to follow (for pursuit or search); diligently, inquire, make inquisition; to learn, to study: frequent; apply oneself; to take care for
all, the whole of; totality, everything; all, any or every; of all kinds, every sort; altogether
secure, acquire, get (thing sought); to meet, encounter; to detect; to be in the possession of; to cause to find, attain; to receive; to wish to find; to be acquired by
to return, turn back; to restore, refresh, repair; to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense); the idea of return to the starting point; cease; convert; rescue, restore, retrieve; reverse; take back; withdraw; to turn oneself; revoke, make void
to gather, assemble; collect; congregate
'But now -- declares Yahweh come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning.' Tear your hearts and not your clothes, and come back to Yahweh your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and he relents about inflicting disaster. 14Who knows if he will not come back, relent and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a libation to be presented to Yahweh your God?
Blow the ram's-horn in Zion! Order a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, call the people together, summon the community, assemble the elders, gather the children, even infants at the breast! Call the bridegroom from his bedroom and the bride from her bower! Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, stand weeping between portico and altar, saying, 'Spare your people, Yahweh! Do not expose your heritage to the contempt, to the sarcasm of the nations! Why give the peoples cause to say, "Where is their God?" '
to return, turn back; to turn back (to God), repent; turn back (from evil); to restore, refresh, repair; recall, recompense, recover; reverse; turn about; to turn oneself; restore
all, the whole of; totality, everything; all, any or every; of all kinds, every sort; altogether
inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding; mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory; inclination, resolution, determination (of will); seat of appetites; seat of emotions and passions; mode of thinking and acting; will and purpose; intellect
to cover over (the mouth); “the primary idea lies in the mouth being shut;” to abstain from food, fast;
to make a great lamentation
wailing; a lamentation
tear in pieces; rend asunder; to rend, literally or figuratively
merciful, benignant
to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion; pity; to love; to behold with tenderest affection; the primary idea seems to be in cherishing, soothing, and in a gentle emotion of the mind
goodness, kindness, faithfulness; mercy, pity; benevolence; grace, favor
bewail, cry, shed tears; to weep (in grief, humiliation); make lamentation; mourn
In the second year of Darius, in the eighth month, the word of Yahweh was addressed to the prophet Zechariah (son of Berechiah), son of Iddo, as follows, Yahweh was deeply angry with your ancestors. So say this to them, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Return to me -- Yahweh Sabaoth declares -- and I will return to you, says Yahweh Sabaoth. Do not be like your ancestors when the prophets in the past cried to them: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Turn Back from your evil ways and evil deeds -- they would not listen or pay attention to me -- Yahweh declares. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live for ever? But did not my words and statutes, with which I had charged my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors just the same?" ' So they repented and said, 'Yahweh Sabaoth has treated us as he resolved to do, and as our ways and deeds deserved.'
to return, turn back; repent; turn; to restore, refresh, repair; recall, recompense, recover; reverse; turn about; to turn oneself; restore
evil= רַע = ra`
bad; disagreeable; malignant; giving pain, unhappiness, misery; unkind (vicious in disposition); wicked (ethically); evil((-favouredness); deformed; badness, especially in an ethical sense; malice
to hear, listen to, obey; give heed; yield to; to obey, be obedient; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc....); consent, consider
to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen; hearken; to attend to anything
