“Virtue, dearly beloved, is something precious and valuable, and among all the things held in admiration in this life, it would, I think, be preferred by those who are in the habit of viewing matters rightly. One would with very good reason commend the good and honest man who would be willing to undergo countless labors for it with enormous diligence, filled with that best sort of zeal. I for my part say to those who have achieved such exceptional glory, if any of them should need a purpose, that they must never slacken…” –Saint Cyril of Alexandria (+ 444)
Intention: Lord, please help us to resist communism and totalitarianism. I thank You God ahead of time for this.
Wednesday: Clean New Start
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
Then they [Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and
Salome] went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling
and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were
afraid.
—Mark 16:8
Reflection:
Mary Magdalene was freed from seven demons during Jesus’s
earthly ministry. When the oppression of those demons let go of
her, she became a fresh, new, innocent woman again. This was
a kind of resurrection for her—a little echo of the resurrection
of Our Lord on Easter Sunday.
Prayer:
Jesus gives us all a fresh, clean, new start in life every time we
reach out to Him. Jesus, I am grateful to You for:
_________________________. Amen.
Wednesday: Purification
of Egocentricities
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet
ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and
your God.’”
—John 20:17
Reflection:
It must have been awe-inspiring for the apostles to watch Jesus
ascending into heaven. But the angels told them to get back to
work here on earth because there was much to be done. They
were instructed to evangelize others, certainly. But also, part
of their personal work was to achieve a purification on earth
that could be achieved faster while here—using the gifts of the
Holy Spirit—than after their deaths.
Prayer:
Jesus, with You in heaven interceding for me, I can work on
the purification of my egocentricities now, while I’m still
alive. Please assist me in working on my dominant fault:
__________________________. Amen.
Wednesday: What is Important in Life
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been
poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been
given to us.
—Romans 5:5
Reflection:
The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost like
a firestorm, totally altering the beliefs and priorities of their
lives. All of a sudden, the earthly things that they had once
talked and worried about seemed no longer the priorities that
they once were.
Prayer:
I pray for the Holy Spirit to quicken in my life, and give me the
anointing of the new eyes of the Holy Spirit, to see that what is
really most important in my life is Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday: More Dominant
Soul and Spirit
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
See, darkness covers the earth,/ and thick clouds cover the
peoples;/ But upon you the Lord shines,/ and over you appears
his glory.
—Isaiah 60:2
Reflection:
Mary’s life was sinless, and her assumption into heaven was
another example of God’s glorious grace in her life; it was the
ultimate example of that grace’s victory. We are called to follow
in her way of life, too, through the goodness and love of God
and our identification with the Mystical Body of Christ.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, In Whom Dwells the Fullness of Divinity, please
make my soul and spirit become more dominant in my life as
I follow You, as I lead a life dedicated more to the service of
others, and to my transformation by the Spirit of God. Amen.
Wednesday: Heaven
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
She will put on your head a graceful diadem;/ a glorious crown
will she bestow upon you.
—Proverbs 4:9
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother is a symbol for the church, and so when
she was crowned Queen of Heaven, in a way, the church was
crowned also – meaning each of us, after we go to heaven
(please God). This is because we are adopted sons and daughters
of the Father, which means that we are princes and princesses,
also, because He is King.
Prayer:
Dear God, make my purity complete, that I, too, will be in
heaven. And, if You are willing, let me receive a crown of
glory, so that I can be of more service to others while in heaven.
Amen.
