“Love is the path of God to us and our path toward God. To love Jesus is to follow the commandments and the words of the Gospel, in which God speaks and manifests his will of love. We must listen attentively, deeply, for they transform the heart into a source of love.” –Father Tony El Khoury
Intention: In Jesus’ name, please bless America with a moral, law-abiding, and God-honoring citizenry, so that we are worthy of self-governance.
Saturday: Anger and Bitterness
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwells in you?
—1 Corinthians 3:16
Reflection:
If Mary had contained some blemish of sin in her, the angel
could not have told her that she was “full of grace.” Mary had
the Spirit of God within her, or else the angel could not have
told her, “The Lord is with you.” This is the same woman who
Jesus gave to us on the Cross. How blessed we are!
Prayer:
If we live with of the merits of Jesus who gives us forgiveness
and mercy, and live a virtuous life and have the benefit of the
grace of God, we will be living examples of the scripture,
“[My Father] will give you another counselor, to be with you
forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for
he dwells with you, and will be in you” (John 14:15–17). Holy
Spirit, come heal us of all anger and bitterness as a result of our
political differences. Amen.
Saturday: Living Sanctuary
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace.
—John 1:16
Reflection:
This encounter between Our Lady and her cousin Elizabeth at
the visitation reveals to us Mary’s strong belief in God and her
profound humility: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of
his handmaiden” (Luke 1:46–48). It is the most superb hymn
of glory to God, Who gave her grace.
Prayer:
Mary is the living sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, where divinity
abounds. Dearest Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us
to be saved from our petty desires and demands, which get in
the way of our living together in peace on this planet. Amen.
Saturday: Believe, Adore,
Hope and Love
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
When [the shepherds] saw this, they made known the message
that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were
amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.
—Luke 2:17–18
Reflection:
Christ Jesus came from God because He is God; He came down
from heaven and became a man, yet still retained His divinity.
He shined His light into the shadows of our dark world. He
can still be found in His words, in the Sacraments of the church
and inside of men, women and children across the earth. We
can look into the faces of one another, and see His face, if we
have the eyes to see.
Prayer:
After Jesus was born, the angel appeared to the shepherds,
who then came to Jesus and adored and believed in God. In
like manner, we can say to God, “My God, I believe, I adore,
I hope and I love Thee, and I beg pardon for all those who do
not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.”
Amen.
Saturday: Faithful to God
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was
named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was
conceived in the womb.
—Luke 2:21
Reflection:
By offering Jesus in the temple, Mary was fulfilling the Old
Law, and yet at the same time, she was fulfilling her role as
Co-Redemptrix of humanity.
Prayer:
Our Blessed Mother gives us a model of obedience to follow
in her compliance to the Old Law. Heart of Jesus, In Whom
the Father Was Well Pleased, inspire me to also follow Mary
by honoring and being faithful to God in His church. Amen.
Saturday: Add Prayers
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of
some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you
see the day drawing near.
—Hebrews 10:25
Reflection:
Joseph, Mary and Jesus provide a wonderful model of Christian
devotion. It mattered not the long distance, nor the lack of
transport to Jerusalem. They were eager to add their prayers
to the prayers of all the other people who had gathered there.
Prayer:
We are so fortunate to have a church to which we can go—a
church that feeds us with the word of God and the Body and
Blood of Christ. Lord Jesus, Our God, lead me to Your church
every Sunday, that I can worship You together with my brothers
and sisters in Christ. Amen.
