THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES RECALL THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE FLESH
The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation Luke 1:26-38 …the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled by his words and wondered in her heart what this salutation could mean. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. And behold, your cousin Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing will be impossible for God.” Then Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” After this, the angel departed from her.
The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation Luke 1:39-45;56 In those days, Mary set out and journeyed in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why am I so greatly favored that the mother of my Lord should visit me? For behold, the moment that the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that what the Lord has said to her will be fulfilled.” Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home.
The Third Joyful Mystery: The Birth of Jesus Luke 2:7-14 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the nearby countryside there were shepherds living in the fields and keeping watch over their flock throughout the night. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terror-stricken, but the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. For this day in the city of David there has been born to you a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to all those on whom his favor rests.”
The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation Luke 2:22-24 When the days for their purification were completed according to the Law of Moses, they brought the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is prescribed in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer a sacrifice in accordance with what is stated in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple Luke 2:41-46 Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. And when Jesus was twelve years old, they made the journey as usual for the feast. When the days of the feast were over and they set off for home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents were not aware of this. Assuming that he was somewhere in the group of travelers, they journeyed for a day. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends, but when they failed to find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, where he was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers.
THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES RECALL SOME OF THE MAJOR EVENTS OF OUR LORD'S PUBLIC MINISTRY UP TO THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED.
The First Luminous Mystery: The Baptism of Jesus Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to dissuade him, saying, “Why do you come to me? I am the one who needs to be baptized by you.” But Jesus said to him in reply, “For the present, let it be thus. It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all that righteousness demands.” Then he acquiesced. After Jesus had been baptized, as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened and he beheld the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The Second Luminous Mystery: The Wedding at Cana John 2:1-9;11 there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When the wine was exhausted, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus responded, “Woman, what concern is this to us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing nearby there were six stone water jars, of the type used for Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus instructed the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When they had filled them to the brim, he ordered them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief steward,” and they did so. When the chief steward tasted the water that had become wine, he did not know where it came from, although the servants who had drawn the water knew. Jesus performed this, the first of his signs, at Cana in Galilee, thereby revealing his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
The Third Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation of the Kingdom Matthew 4:23; 5:1-10 Jesus traveled all throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every type of disease and illness among the people. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain. After he was seated, his disciples gathered around him. Then he began to teach them as follows:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will have their fill. Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Fourth Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration Luke 9:28-35 About eight days after he had said this, Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up on a mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face underwent a change, and his clothing became dazzling white. Suddenly, there were two men talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which would come to pass in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake they beheld his glory and the two men standing beside him. When they were ready to leave, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not truly know what he was saying. While he was speaking, a cloud came and cast its shadow over them, and the three disciples became frightened as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” The Fifth Luminous Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist Luke 22:19-20; John 6:53-58 Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you. Do this in memory of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be poured out for you. “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever feeds upon my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. “Whoever feeds upon my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me and I dwell in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so whoever feeds upon me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and nevertheless died, the one who feeds upon this bread will live forever.”
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES RECALL OUR LORD'S BLESSED PASSION AND DEATH FOR LOVE OF US.
The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden Luke 22:39-46 Jesus then went forth and made his way, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” After withdrawing from them about a stone’s throw, he knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish, he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like great drops of blood falling on the ground. When he rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted by grief. He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Matthew 27:22-26
Pilate asked them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them shouted, “Let him be crucified!” He asked, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they only screamed all the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was about to occur, he took some water and washed his handsin full view of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility.” With one voice the entire crowd cried out, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” He then released Barabbas to them, and after Jesus had been scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.
The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorn
Matthew 27:27-31
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they placed it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. Then, bending the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They also spat upon him and, taking the reed, used it to strike him on the head. And when they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the robe, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him away to crucify him.
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Luke 23:26-31
As they led him away, they seized a man from Cyrene named Simon, who was returning from the country. They put the cross on his back and forced him to carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed Jesus, among them many women who were mourning and lamenting over him. But he turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Matthew 27:33-40;45-51;54
When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means the Place of the Skull, they offered him some wine to drink that had been mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink the mixture. And after they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down there to keep guard over him. Above his head was inscribed the charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Two thieves were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those people who passed by jeered at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who claimed you could destroy the temple and rebuild it within three days, save yourself! If you truly are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” Beginning at midday, there was darkness over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”—that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” On hearing this, some of the bystanders said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” One of them immediately ran off to get a sponge, which he soaked in vinegar, put on a stick, and gave to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” Then Jesus again cried out in a loud voice and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and rocks were split apart. Now when the centurion and those who were keeping watch over Jesus with him witnessed the earthquake and all that was happening, they were terrified, and they said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.”
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES RECALL THE VICTORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST OVER DEATH AND THE GLORIES THAT AWAIT HIS FAITHFUL SAINTS
The First Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection John 20:3-8 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and made their way toward the tomb. They both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. When Simon Peter caught up with him, he entered the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and also the cloth that had covered his head not lying with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went inside, and he saw and believed.
The Second Glorious Mystery: The Ascension Acts 1:6-11 As they were all gathered together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the dates or the times that the Father has designated by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the farthest ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was lifted up as they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. While he was departing as they gazed upward toward the sky, suddenly two men dressed in white robes stood beside them, and they said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking up into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
The Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit Acts 1:12-14; Acts 2:1-4 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, no farther distant than a Sabbath day’s journey. When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All of these were constantly engaged in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all assembled together in one place. Suddenly, there came from heaven a sound similar to that of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were sitting. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to do so.
The Fourth Glorious Mystery: The Assumption Judith 15:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:14 When they came into her presence, they all blessed her with one accord and said to her: “You are the glory of Jerusalem, the surpassing pride of Israel, the great honor of our people. You have done all this with your own hand; you have been the source of much good to Israel, and God has approved what you have wrought. May you be blessed by the Lord Almighty forever and ever.” And all the people responded, “Amen!”
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so too do we believe that God will bring forth with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
The Fifth Glorious Mystery: The Coronation Revelation 12:1; Judith 13:18,20; A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. “Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all other women on earth. And blessed be the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth under whose guidance… you averted our ruin, walking uprightly before the Lord.”