“The Savior has preceded us on the way of poverty. All the goods in heaven and on earth belonged to him. They presented no danger to him; he could use them and yet keep his heart completely free of them. But he knew that it is scarcely possible for people to have possessions without succumbing to them and being enslaved by them. Therefore, he gave up everything and showed more by his example than by his counsel that only one who possesses nothing possesses everything.” –Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (+ 1942)
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: Accompany Me
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you
have found favor with God.”
—Luke 1:30
Reflection:
Mary was probably just puttering around her house, working,
doing her chores and praying as usual, when suddenly an angel
appeared to her and said, “Hail, full of grace!” (see Luke 1:28).
Mary was startled at such a greeting, as anyone would be. But
it was a magnificent acknowledgment from the angel that Mary
was grace-filled, because of her deep love for God.
Prayer:
Like Mary, I can live my little life, whether I work outside
the home or in the home, and love God with deliberate focus
and trust that that is what God will see when He looks at
me. Heavenly Father, please accompany me and guide me
throughout my daily chores, tasks and the duties of my vocation
in life. Amen.
Saturday: See Jesus in Everyone
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not
pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its
own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over
injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with
the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.
—1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Reflection:
Although Mary had just conceived Our Lord in her womb, she
rushed out with haste to visit Elizabeth, whom she recognized
was in the hour of her need, because of her late-in-life pregnancy.
Mary realized that lending a hand to someone in need was more
important than anything else.
Prayer:
I must love everyone else – even those people I find distasteful
in some way – by seeing Jesus in them, and treating them as I
would Him. Lord Jesus, help me to do this, in order to care for
the least of my brothers and sisters. Help me to remember Saint
Mother Teresa’s five-fingered gospel: “You did it for me” (see
Matthew 25:40). Amen.
Saturday: Mary and
Joseph: Role Models
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped
in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
—Luke 2:12
Reflection:
How dark and dank that cold December cave must have been,
especially at night, when Mary bore her Babe. How cold she
must have been. How frightened St. Joseph must have been.
But they brought the Savior into the world that night, despite
their conditions of hardship, and no one knew about it except
the shepherds.
Prayer:
I can take Mary and Joseph as my role models, and love God,
despite the hardships that may come my way. Holy Spirit, give
me direction on how to do this, in whatever situation I find
myself. Amen.
Saturday: Purify Vices
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
It is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the
womb shall be consecrated to the Lord.”
—Luke 2:23
Reflection:
While the Christian Church hadn’t yet come into being, Mary
and St. Joseph presented Jesus in the temple as directed by
the law and the prophets. They followed the laws of Judaism
faithfully and taught Jesus to do so as well.
Prayer:
Jesus taught us about treating each other with deep, abiding
love. I can continue to learn how to do this through prayer,
through reading the gospels and through participating in the
Sacraments of the church. Heavenly Father, please purify me of
my vices in this way. Amen.
Saturday: Jesus Seeks Me
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
How lovely your dwelling,/ O Lord of hosts!/ My soul yearns
and pines/ for the courts of the Lord./ My heart and flesh cry
out/ for the living God.
—Psalm 84:2–3
Reflection:
When we seek for Jesus, we will find Him in little things: a
sweet smile we encounter on our way; a meeting of minds
with a friend over coffee; a simple gesture of kindness, such
as being offered a glass of cold water. Behind all these human
acts of generosity is Jesus, who is actually their author and their
perfecter.
Prayer:
The ironic thing, Jesus, is that You came into the world to look
for me. I thought that I was the one who was looking for You.
Thank You! Amen.
