The Joyful Mysteries
Monday 11th
May 2020
As I mentioned in the
last reflection, this week we will be praying the Rosary together as a family,
albeit virtually through the power of the internet! In this
St. Mary’s Parish Family Rosary
let us pray for each other during this pandemic.
Holding the Crucifix we begin by making the sign
of the cross +
The Crucifix
There in our hands is
the image of the Lord on the Cross. Maybe the crucifix on your rosary is like
mine, scuffed and worn. Maybe it has scratches or the metal plate has flaked
off. No matter how it looks this imperfect image of Jesus raises our minds, our
thoughts and our hearts to him ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life.’ It is
only through him, with him and in him that we will find completeness and
happiness. As St. Augustine once wrote, ‘Our hearts are restless Lord, until
they rest in You.’ The whole purpose of the Rosary is, with Mary’s prayers
and guidance, to draw us closer to Jesus who is the only one who
can give meaning to our lives.
As we hold the image
of the Lord in our hands we profess our faith. This is the same faith our
brothers and sisters in the early church professed. It is not just the mere
empty recitation of doctrine. It is the public witness of our belief in the One
God who has revealed Himself to us. By praying the Apostles Creed we are
remembering what we believe and how it unites us as the Church. Not just today
with people we know, but with the saints and faithful people who have gone before
us.
I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
First Single Bead.
We now pray those words that Jesus taught us. As we begin the Rosary
already we are not alone. Not only have we prayed those words that countless
Christians have professed before us but now the Lord himself joins us in this
prayer. He gives us the perfect words and sentiments to guide and direct our
minds.
Our Father, Who art in
Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it
is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Three Beads
Faith. On the first bead we pray for faith. Faith is the expression of our
belief in God. It is not a mere intellectual exercise but the concrete reality
of our belief shown in thought and deed. Faith is not and can never be private,
it is always public and must give witness. Faith is believing in Jesus, the Son
of God, and each day wanting to know him more, love him more and serve him
more.
Hail Mary full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Hope. On this second bead we pray for the virtue of hope. Hope is that desire
within us that wants to attain a greater good despite difficult circumstances
and apparent impossibilities. Hope is certain and full of confidence because it
knows with God all things are possible.
Hail Mary full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Charity. On this third bead we pray for charity. Charity is that virtue that
allows us to walk in the footsteps of
Jesus. Remember the Lord’s actions at the Last Supper:
‘When he had washed
their feet and put on his clothes again he went back to the table. ‘Do you
understand’ he said ‘what I have done to you? You call me Master and lord, and
rightly; so I am. If I, then, the lord and Master, have washed your feet, you
should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy
what I have done...’’ (Jn 13:12-15)
Charity is that call to love our brothers and sisters, to love the
stranger and the foe. To be merciful, forgiving and compassionate. To give and
never to count the cost. Our Teacher not only preached the commandment of love
but he practised it - The cross!
Hail Mary full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Single Bead
On this bead we give praise and honour to the Holy Trinity. One God in
Three persons. God the Father loves us so much that he gave us His only Son.
The Son promised that he would never leave us as orphans and so he gave us the
gift of the Holy Spirit. In the Spirit we are never distant from Jesus but
always close to him. It is the Spirit who draws us ever closer to the heart of
God in His Son, Jesus.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Tomorrow we will meditate on and pray the First Joyful Mystery – The
Annunciation.
God Bless and keep praying
Fr. O’Brien