The Four Mini-Gospels

I.
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Is 11:2,3).

1  Fear of the Lord

2  Piety

3  Knowledge

4  Fortitude

5  Counsel 

6  Understanding

7  Wisdom 

II.

The Seven Beatitudes (Mt 5: 1-9).  

1  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.  

2  Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. 

3  Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.

4  Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice for they shall have their fill.

5  Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

6  Blessed are the clean of heart for they shall see God.

7  Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called Children of God.

III.

The Seven Petitions of the Lord's Prayer (Mt. 6: 9-13; Lk 11: 2-4). 

1  Our Father who art in heaven hallowed by thy name

2  Thy kingdom come,

3  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

4  Give us this day our daily bread

5  And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

6  And lead us not into temptation

7  But deliver us from evil

IV.
The Seven Words of Our Lord on the Holy Cross.

1  "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." (Lk 23:34)

2  "Amen, I say to thee: this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." (Lk 23:43)

3  “Woman, behold thy son.” To the disciple, “Behold your mother.” (Jn 19:26-27)

4  "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mk 15:34)

5  “I thirst.” (Jn 19:28)

6  “It is consummated.”  (Jn 19:30)

7  “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”  (Lk 23:46)

Here is the key to meditating upon them:  The four Mini-Gospels correspond to each other in the order in which they are numbered one through seven.  St. Augustine and St. Thomas established the correspondence for the first three Mini-Gospels, and Bishop Fulton Sheen incorporated the fourth. 

The mini-gospels can be applied to the mysteries of the Rosary.  There is an easy way to connect them to the ten decades of Hail Mary prayers of the Rosary.  Please see the book How to Pray the Secret Rosary, here.