“Love your Maker; reverence your Creator; glorify him who ransomed you from death; be single of heart and exuberant of spirit; do not associate with such as walk in the way of death; abhor everything not pleasing to God; detest every form of hypocrisy; do not by any means neglect the commandments of the Lord.  Do not carry your head high, but be ever in a humble frame of mind; do not reach out for personal glory; do not plot evil against your neighbor…”  –From the Epistle of Barnabas (late 1st Century)

Intention:   Thank You that I am well able to do what You have called me to do.

Wednesday: He is Alive
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
—John 20:20
Reflection:
We can rejoice, because Jesus Christ is alive. Everything is
different now, because He lives, and by this, we are sure that
He is truly the Son of God.
Prayer:
The resurrection shows that Jesus has triumphed over evil and
death, and that I can feel renewed and hopeful in my capacity as
a human being. Lord, for those who renew the hope of others in
the face of difficulties, please reward them for their generosity.
Amen.

Wednesday: Humanity Taken to God
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and
blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was
taken up to heaven.
— Luke 24:50–51
Reflection:
The ascension of Jesus shows us that, rather than His being
absent from our lives, He is with us in a new way, to support
our reaching heaven. When He ascended, He took our earthly
humanity with Him up to God, which opened up a pathway
for us to go to God, also.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I recognize that I am never alone, because I always
have You as my Advocate, Who waits for me to safely arrive
home. As I go through my days, help me to remember that I
belong to You, and give me guidance about what to do and to
say. Amen.

Wednesday: Vessel of Light
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three
thousand persons were added that day.
—Acts 2:41
Reflection:
The Holy Spirit prompts us to go out courageously to announce
the gospel’s happy news, to witness to the peace, love and joy
of being close to Jesus and to bring Him to everyone we meet.
Prayer:
The Holy Spirit nudges me to assist some people, and to bring
the witness of Jesus to others. Make me Your vessel of light,
Holy Spirit. Amen.

Wednesday: Connected to Mary
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
Judith urged them with a loud voice: “Praise God, praise him!
Praise God, who has not withdrawn his mercy from the house
of Israel, but has shattered our enemies by my hand this very
night.”
—Judith 13:14
Reflection:
Even though Mary is in the heart of God, that does not mean
that we are somehow separate and apart from her. Actually, we
are intimately connected to her, and God sees us and loves us
just as much as He loves her.
Prayer:
O Blessed Mother, Mother of Chaste Love, as I ponder your
beauty and connection to me, pray for me to recognize that I,
too, was created for perfect love: to give love, and to receive
love, also. Amen.

Wednesday: Church Militant
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
To the victor, who keeps to my ways until the end,/ I will give
authority over the nations./ Behold, I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I
will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will
give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself
first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.
—Revelation 2:26, 3:20–21
Reflection:
The struggle between the church and evil is represented in
the Book of Revelation by the battle between the woman
and the dragon. Although the church is victorious because
Jesus triumphed over the devil, its members on earth still must
battle with evil as the “church militant.” Even though we must
contend with darkness while we are on this planet, we can be
encouraged by knowing that that is how we win our victory.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Mother of the church, I know that I must still
grapple with sin and evil while I am here on earth. You,
however, always stand by me as I struggle. Intercede for me to
triumph over my vices, the world’s temptations and the devil’s
snares. Amen.

“The Christ-life is a joyful one, but it is hard, it is not easy, because it is never for one moment the line of least resistance; it is a continual conquest.  The non-Christian of the post-Christian world, often a charming and amiable person, can rid himself of the agony of temptation simply by giving way to it; the Christian has to go on wrestling with it, and to go on feeling the agony of it while he does so.”  –Caryll Houselander (+ 1954)  

Intention:   Lord, please bless the world with peace on earth. I expect the earth to be at peace – true peace, like that which we experience on Christmas Day, in Jesus’ name and in His mighty power!  I thank You God ahead of time for this!

Tuesday: Benefit in the End
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed
are you.
—1 Peter 3:14
Reflection:
Although suffering cannot be erased from human existence, it
does have meaning when it is offered up to God and is placed
in His loving hands. God has the ability to write straight with
crooked lines. Just look at Jesus’s story.
Prayer:
Dear God, I have learned that You accompany me in a very
close and special way when I suffer. Give me Your divine
strength when my suffering becomes too much to bear in my
human nature and make benefit come out of it, in the end.
Amen.

Tuesday: Suffering Servant
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Because [Jesus] himself was tested through what he suffered, he
is able to help those who are being tested.
—Hebrews 2:18
Reflection:
During Jesus’s trial, scourging, crowning with thorns and
crucifixion, He offered no protest, but laid His life down for
us as the Suffering Servant predicted in Isaiah, to manifest God’s
love for us.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Strength of Martyrs, through Your passion and
Cross, bring to fulfillment the salvation of all Your people.
Amen.

Tuesday: Heavenly King
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the
cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to
crucify him.
—Matthew 27:31
Reflection:
Jesus did not come into Jerusalem to be crowned an earthly
king; in stark contrast, He was mocked and abused in many
ways, and died as a criminal on the Cross. However, it was
through what He suffered on that Cross that His Kingdom
shines most brightly.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, You are a Heavenly King who teaches me by
example how to live a life filled with love and service. Help
me to remember the importance of this when I am confronted
with the values of the world. Amen.

Tuesday: Reasoning of the Cross
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
He [the Lord] reached out from on high and grasped me;/ he
drew me out of the deep waters.
—2 Samuel 22:17
Reflection:
When we follow in the footsteps of Christ, our King, we learn
to step out of our comfort zones and reach out to our brothers
and sisters who are in deep waters, vulnerable and in need.
Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, the reasoning of the cross is less about pain
and death, and more about self-sacrificial love. Inspire me with
the words and deeds that will be most helpful to others. Amen.

Tuesday: God Judges by Loving Us
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
He replied to [the criminal], “Amen, I say to you, today you
will be with me in Paradise.”
—Luke 23:43
Reflection:
The way God judges us is to love us; then, if we accept His love,
we are saved. If we reject His love, we are condemned. God’s
only action is to love and redeem us.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, the Way of the Cross is the journey of
acceptance and forgiveness, and receiving Jesus’s gracious, grand
and glorious love. Help me to feel worthy to accept Jesus’s love.
Amen.

“The world is obsessed by suffering, and everyone who thinks at all asks, and has a perfect right to ask, what all this suffering means, what purpose, if any, does it serve, why is it allowed?  Questions which can only be answered in the light of Christ’s coming to earth to take the burden of man’s sin upon himself, and  living on in men, that they might take the glory of his redeeming love to be their own.”  –Caryll Houselandler (+ 1954)

Intention:   Lord, please make of America a nation that becomes like a shining city on a hill for the rest of the world, and inspires the world to become more just, kind, peaceful, free, and resistant of Communism. I thank You God ahead of time for this.

Monday: Nothing Impossible for God
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in
her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called
barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.
—Luke 1:36–37
Reflection:
Humble Mary was very surprised at the angel’s message, because
she was just a simple girl, living a simple life. But she trusted
deeply in God, although she did not understand His ways.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, You tell me to trust You, and not to be afraid,
because nothing is impossible for You. For all migrants and
refugees, please give them secure homes in their new countries.
Amen.

Monday: Everything is God’s Gift
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
From [God] and through him and for him are all things. To
him be glory forever.
—Romans 11:36
Reflection:
Mary’s Magnificat is a canticle of worship to God to praise
Him for His history of salvation for all peoples, as well as for
how He had blessed her personally. She saw all of it as God’s
glorious gift to us.
Prayer:
By accepting everything that comes to us as a gift from God,
it frees us up from a lot of resistance in our lives. Dear Lord, I
thank You for all of Your gifts. Please show me how to use them
for the greater good of all the world. Amen.

Monday: Jesus Lowered Himself
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this
thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known
to us.”
—Luke 2:15
Reflection:
Jesus came down from heaven to be with us, and to show us that
the Father loves us tenderly, passionately and unconditionally.
The shepherds were the first to see Him, because they were
counted as the outcasts of Judea. “Many who are first will be
last, and the last will be first” (Matthew 19:30).
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, You lowered Yourself down to our level for a
time, for the sake of giving us Your many blessings. Please raise
me up to heaven when I die, to be with You. Amen.

Monday: Mary Walks by Our Side
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
If we walk in the light as he [God] is in the light, then we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus
cleanses us from all sin.
—1 John 1:7
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother understands our suffering, having had her
heart pierced, as Simeon said it would be. She walks with us
hand in hand, bringing us closer to Jesus, the light of all nations.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, Comfort of the Troubled, you told Juan Diego
(the visionary who talked with Our Lady of Guadalupe), “Let
your heart not be troubled. Am I not here, who am your
mother?” Through your intercession, please walk by the side
of all our faithfully departed brothers and sisters, giving them
your sweetness and consolation. Amen.

Monday: Faith Walk
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to
festival custom.
—Luke 2:42
Reflection:
Mary had to make the same kind of pilgrimage of faith as we
do—for example, when Jesus was lost in the temple for three
days, and she couldn’t find Him. The course of her faith was
often confusing and difficult, as is ours.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, Most Honored of Virgins, the path of my faith’s
development is often not clear or easy. Please pray for me to
have guidance and clarity when I feel lost or confused in my
faith walk. Amen.

“The devil, through his extraordinary action…  tries to destroy the confidence of each man and each woman to love and be loved.  [But may our hearts be filled] with the hope that is based on the rock, the Word of God, that neither rain, nor the overflowing of rivers, nor the blowing of violent winds — nor any other dramatic experience from which we could borrow metaphors — can destroy.”  –Father Gabriele Amorth (+ 2016)

Intention:  Father, please give us fair and honest elections.

Sunday: Changed the World
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples
that are not written in this book. But these are written that you
may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
—John 20:30–31
Reflection:
At the crucifixion the apostles feared punishment for being
Jesus’s associates. But after the resurrection and Pentecost, they
boldly proclaimed the truth that He had risen from the dead.
Because of their tireless work to proclaim the gospel, Jesus was
able to change the world.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your message transformed men’s and women’s
hearts, and that, in turn, changed the world into a much better
place. Thank You, because I am living in a much better world
now than I would have lived in without Your coming. Amen.

Sunday: Pray Unceasingly
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
[The disciples] did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem
with great joy, and they were continually in the temple
praising God.
—Luke 24:52–53
Reflection:
Jesus’s ascension into the cloud of glory in the sky signified that
He was returning to heaven.
Prayer:
Dear Father, I know that this world is an uncertain place and
that the timing of my death and judgment are uncertain too,
so I will strive to pray always. And understanding that I cannot
do anything without You, I ask for Your grace to help me to
pray unceasingly, so that I will be prepared, no matter what
happens. Amen.

Sunday: Mary, Symbol of the Church
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba,
Father!”
—Galatians 4:6
Reflection:
Christian imagery casts Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant,
and the one upon whom Divine Wisdom (Christ) sits enthroned.
Christianity also believes that the Holy Spirit came to live in
Mary in a unique way at Pentecost.
Prayer:
Dear Mother Mary, you are the symbol of the church, and
Pentecost was the church’s day of birth. Watch over your church
and continually guide Her to Christ, through your intercession.
Amen.

Sunday: Jesus Helped
Mary Into Heaven
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
Scripture:
The Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of
an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down
from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we
who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
—1 Thessalonians 4:16–17
Reflection:
Jesus was able to ascend into heaven on His own “power.” Mary
was sinless her whole life, and her soul would have been able to
go to heaven without waiting. But she had to have help from
Jesus to travel to heaven in both soul and body, which we call
her being “assumed.”
Prayer:
Jesus, when my time comes, please give me a peaceful, easy and
happy death, and please help me to attain entrance into heaven
quickly and easily. If I need to be purified in Purgatory, please
make the time short, and sweeten it with the love of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.

Sunday: Mary is the Ark
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its
place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary, the
holy of holies of the temple. The cherubim had their wings
spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the ark and its
poles from above.
—1 Kings 8:6–7
Reflection:
In John’s vision of heaven in Revelation, he saw the new temple
in the center of the city, which had as its center the Ark of the
Covenant. Then immediately that vision opened up to the
woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and
on her head a crown of twelve stars. John’s vision of the woman
has been interpreted to be Mary, the New Ark, the Queen of
Heaven, since the earliest days of the church.
Prayer:
I pray, Lord, for the repose of all the holy souls in Purgatory, as
I pray, “Out of the depths I call to you, Lord;/ Lord, hear my
cry!/ May your ears be attentive/ to my cry for mercy” (Psalm
130:1–2). Amen.

“The enemy of the human race, who rebelled against God and who intends to bring all creation to perdition and destruction, also wishes to make us lose the hope of love and joy in each moment of our lives, including the final moment, when through God’s mercy we shall have restored to us the possibility of redeeming ourselves, after having been separated by original sin from total communion with the Creator.”  –Father Gabriele Amorth (+ 2016)

Intention:   Lord, please preserve our rights to meaningful representation in government, the right for free speech, the right for freedom of religion, the right for freedom of assembly, the right to bear arms, and having a country with firm borders.

Saturday: Yes, to the Angel
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Let your “Yes” mean “Yes,” and your “No” mean “No.”
—Matthew 5:37
Reflection:
It was fitting that an angel came to Mary to tell her about
the coming of the Messiah, because it was critical that Mary
be given the choice to give her fiat, or to not give it. If God
Himself had appeared to Mary instead, she could hardly have
said no, because God commands, whereas angels ask.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother Mary, Mother and Virgin, thank you for your
“yes” to the angel. Through your intercession, please light my
way so that I can develop a close, personal relationship with
your Son. Amen.

Saturday: The Father Stooped Down
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
O Lord, you are our father;/ we are the clay and you the
potter:/ we are all the work of your hands.
—Isaiah 64:7
Reflection:
Mary had true humility, which means having a correct
assessment of one’s gifts as they truly exist. Her humility was
borne of realizing how vast the chasm was between herself (a
mere creature) and God.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, In Mary’s Magnificat, she marveled that You would
stoop down so low as to overshadow her as You did. Please,
Lord, stoop down to me and make me more perfect, also.
Amen.

Saturday: Jesus is Truth
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for
all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
—Luke 2:20
Reflection:
Divine knowledge comes from above, as it did when the
shepherds heard the message of the angel. And it can also be
found sometimes through human effort, as it was when the
Magi figured out the location of Baby Jesus, probably through
means of star-gazing.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, no matter how I pursue the truth, I know that I will
always end up finding Christ, who is the Way and the Truth
and the Life. Focus my eyes always upon the Truth—upon
Jesus. Amen.

Saturday: Through Mary’s Eyes
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
All will fear and proclaim God’s deed,/ pondering what has
been done./ The just will rejoice and take refuge in the Lord;/
all the upright will glory in their God.
—Psalm 64:10–11
Reflection:
Some translations say that Simeon said to Mary, “A sword shall
pierce your own soul.” These words probably caused Mary to
reflect on his words in her heart long afterwards.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, the reflection that you contemplated in your heart
must have found its way into the formation of the gospels. Assist
me to see Jesus through your eyes every time I pray the Rosary.
Amen.

Saturday: Delayed the Inevitable
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God
almighty and the Lamb.
—Revelation 21:22
Reflection:
Jesus was lost in the temple for three days, which was a
prefigurement of the three days that He was buried before the
resurrection. St. Luke, in his telling of the story, might have
been inferring that Jesus came to the temple as a boy intending
to carry out His Father’s will, right then and there.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, Dearest of Mothers, did you delay the inevitable,
by making Jesus come home with you and St. Joseph? Thank
you for being such a loving mother to Him while He was here.
Amen.

“This is the heart of Christian life: charity, mercy, and acceptance.  At the sunset of our life, all that will remain is that particle of love that we have placed in each thing.  There is, however, another side to this coin: besides being judged on love, we shall also be judged by Love, that is, by God…” –Father Gabriele Amorth (+ 2016)

Intention:   Lord, please give us a population that becomes more religious again, and has a revival. I thank You God for the revival that is already started.

Friday: Restoration of Human Race
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, “The man
I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.” Immediately he went over to
Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him. Jesus answered
him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then stepping
forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
—Matthew 26:48–50
Reflection:
At Gethsemane, Jesus grappled with His human nature to
accomplish the most important achievement in mankind’s
history: the restoration of the human race.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, for all that You gained for us at Gethsemane, I praise
You and I bless You. I thank You for being my Forever-Friend.
Amen.

Friday: Not a Roman Citizen
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
But all together they shouted out, “Away with this man! Release
Barabbas to us.” (Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a
rebellion that had taken place in the city and for murder.) Again
Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they
continued their shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate
addressed them a third time, “What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have
him flogged and then release him.”
—Luke 23:18–22
Reflection:
Jesus was stripped naked and blindfolded before He was flogged.
There was one soldier on each side of Him, striking Him with
implements of torture that would have caused welts to appear,
and ripped His skin so that it hung in shreds from His bleeding
body. Since He was not a Roman citizen, He was executed by
intense scourging and crucifixion. If He had been a Roman
citizen, He would have been flogged more lightly and then
beheaded.
Prayer:
Dear Father, how terrible for You to behold what happened to
Your Son. Please forgive me for my sins, which contributed to
Jesus’s sufferings. Amen.

Friday: Bled Profusely
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the
praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They
stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about
him. They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking
him on the head.
—Matthew 27:27–28,30
Reflection:
The thorns used were very long and sharp, and the soldiers
probably affixed them to a basket to make a pretend “crown”
that they could put on Jesus’s head and strike, so that the thorns
pierced His skull and forehead. This “crowning with thorns”
must have seriously diminished His strength before carrying
His Cross and being crucified, because scalp tissue is highly
vascularized, and would have bled profusely upon laceration.
Prayer:
Lord, You are the Divine Physician of our souls and bodies.
For those who carry the perennial cross of illness or disability,
please give them relief and solace. Amen.

Friday: Fill the Earth With Love
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after
me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”
—Matthew 16:24
Reflection:
Jesus emphasized the importance of carrying one’s cross more
than he emphasized the wonders of heaven. Jewish citizens
of His time would have understood exactly what that meant,
because of all the crucifixions they had witnessed.
Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, You work in mysterious ways. In place of
our wastelands of hopelessness, please fill the earth with Your
love. Amen.

Friday: Trustworthy Compassion
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
At three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema
sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?”
—Mark 15:34
Reflection:
By saying this first line of Psalm 22, Jesus was quoting the
whole psalm, as best He could while being tortured. The psalm
contains many of the events of Jesus’s passion. He was in effect
saying that that scripture was being fulfilled that day.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are Trustworthy Compassion for all those who
are bogged down with grief. Minister and stay close to those
who are troubled by bereavement and sadness. Amen.

“The last judgment issued on our life will be based on love.  Indeed, we ourselves shall reveal the naked truth of our reality to all when we appear before God’s presence.”  –Father Gabriele Amorth (+ 2016)

Intention:  Lord, please bless us with a President and Justice Department who are non-partisan in their actions. I thank You God ahead of time for this.

Thursday: Be a Lamp
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been
none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.
—Matthew 11:11
Reflection:
John the Baptist was a very unique man who lived in the
wilderness and ate locusts and wild honey. He was also a
prophet who lived and proclaimed the truth, from every part
of his being.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me to follow in the footsteps of John the
Baptist—to be a lamp that shines the way to You, without
worrying about human respect. Amen.

Thursday: Virtue and Holiness
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana
Scripture:
When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
—John 2:3
Reflection:
When Jesus said to His mother, “Woman, how does your
concern affect me?” (John 2:4), He really might have been
informing her that she must be the one to begin His ministry
in the world.
Prayer:
Jesus, take my natural human nature and turn it into virtue and
holiness, just as You turned water into wine. Amen.

Thursday: All Will Be Well
3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Scripture:
But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given you besides.
—Matthew 6:33
Reflection:
Even though people may not want to hear the truth, it is
important to tell them the truth in love, including the truth of
the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and His love for us.
Prayer:
As a disciple of You, Lord, I pray, aid me in finding the Kingdom
of God, and in having faith that all will be well. Amen.

Thursday: Direction and Guidance
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow
over them.
—Matthew 17:5
Reflection:
The disciples wanted the beauty of the bright cloud on the
mountaintop during the transfiguration to last forever. But
they had to descend into the valley and deal with the events of
Jesus’s passion. We must also come down from our mountaintop
experiences in the Holy Spirit, and come back into our everyday
lives.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, Good Shepherd, help me to look only to You for my
direction and guidance, whether I am in the valley or on the
mountaintop; whether I am in consolation or desolation. Amen.

Thursday: More and More Like Jesus
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with
you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it [again] until
there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
—Luke 22:15–16
Reflection:
Jesus humbled Himself by allowing His glorious substance to be
contained in a little piece of bread, so that we could take Him
inside of ourselves.
Prayer:
The Holy Eucharist makes it possible for us to become more
and more like Jesus every time we partake of it. Heart of Jesus,
Tabernacle of the Most High, spread Your Holy Spirit across the
world through the communion of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Amen.

“‘In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love.’  With this dazzling expression the great 16th-century mystic Saint John of the Cross expresses theologically the same mysterious reality that Jesus presented to his disciples shortly before offering his life in redemption for mankind.  Portrayed majestically by Matthew in chapter 25 of his Gospel, Jesus tells us that each thing we have done, or have not done, to each of the least of our brothers and sisters, we will have done, or will not have done, to him (Mt 25:31-46).”  –Father Gabriele Amorth (+ 2016)

Intention:   Lord, please bless us with a Constitution that functions as it was intended to function. I thank You God ahead of time for this.

Wednesday: Sea of Love
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s
dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and
they will be his people and God himself will always be with
them [as their God]. He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
[for] the old order has passed away.”
—Revelation 21:3–4
Reflection:
When we leave this life, all of our sufferings, difficulties and
tribulations will appear to be surreal, compared to the beautiful
appearance of Jesus, Who will be awaiting us in the next life.
Prayer:
If it please God, I look forward to being in heaven one day, and
being in a sea of love – loving and being loved by all, including
Jesus. Lord, infuse Your love into all families, so that divisions
no longer exist within them, but only love. Amen.

Wednesday: Invisible Realms
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
Behold, the kingdom of God is among you.
—Luke 17:21
Reflection:
Jesus has ascended and sits at the right hand of the Father.
He consoles us when we can sense His presence within us.
When we cannot sense His presence, could it be that we are
consoling Him?
Prayer:
Lord, grant me a deep trust in You—that You are always with
me in the invisible realms, and that I am never alone, even when
I cannot feel You. Amen.

Wednesday: Courageous
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be
dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.
—Joshua 1:9
Reflection:
When the gifts of the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and the
disciples, there was a pronounced change in the disciples,
whereby timid men became courageous. And though it was
dangerous to do so, they proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven
in Jesus’s name.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth and Wisdom, bestow upon our civic
leaders Your gifts of wisdom, prudence, patience and love, that
they may be dedicated to carrying out merciful justice in all
their duties. Amen.

Wednesday: Thoughts,
Words and Actions
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
You are the glory of Jerusalem,/ the surpassing joy of Israel;/
You are the splendid boast of our people.
—Judith 15:9
Reflection:
The Blessed Virgin Mary is interceding for us here, while
she is in heaven cheering us on with her love and care. She
understands all that we are up against, and is praying for us to
withstand all that would cause us to slip away from our virtue.
Prayer:
Dear Mother Mary, Shrine of the Spirit, show me how to
keep my thoughts, words and actions in line with being a true
Christian. Amen.

Wednesday: Heavenly Intercession
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of
my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished
the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of
righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will
award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who
have longed for his appearance.
—2 Timothy 4:6–8
Reflection:
The Blessed Mother’s humility was so exceptional that it
filled the angels with astonishment and perplexed the haughty
demons. Her excellence and virtue are manifested now in her
reign as Queen of Heaven and Earth, and she is on our side.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother, you watch over and encourage all of us, as a
doting mother does. Inspire many people to come to the faith
through your heavenly and motherly intercession. Amen.

“What a test of faith is this daily round, this pressure of seeming trivialities!  What a test of faith in the dull, wearing pain, lacking all glamour and grandeur!  All the time, the heart of the contemplative is racing out beyond appearances to embrace the Beloved who cannot be seen, cannot be felt.  It means being drawn secretly to God…”  –Sister Ruth Burrows, O.C.D. (+ 2023)

Intention:   Lord, please bless us with a society that seeks Your face and prays to You earnestly. I thank You God ahead of time for this.

Tuesday: Use My Suffering
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch with me.”
—Matthew 26:38
Reflection:
Jesus gave us an example of what to do when suffering shows up:
submission, charity, and offering the suffering up to the Father.
In accepting the Father’s will, He trusted that everything would
work out well in the end.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, when I have to be in pain, please accept my suffering
and use it to purify the church and protect the Holy Father.
Amen.

Tuesday: Cover With Your Blood
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you
want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!”
—Matthew 27:21
Reflection:
In the scourging at the pillar, Jesus suffered excruciating pain
because of the whips, but He also probably suffered humiliation
as people looked on with bemused expressions on their faces.
Prayer:
Precious Blood of Christ, Price of Our Salvation, please cover
me, to heal my hurts, inadequacies and sins. Amen.

Tuesday: Substandard Human Rights
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
[Even] Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and
mocked him, and after clothing him in resplendent garb, he
sent him back to Pilate.
—Luke 23:11
Reflection:
We often think that our own cross is too heavy to carry for
even one more day. But all we have to do is think of how Jesus
was crowned with thorns after being scourged, to realize that
we can endure a lot more than we think, if we take Him as our
example and model.
Prayer:
Lord, please comfort and protect those who are imprisoned
because of their faith beliefs in countries with substandard
human rights. Free them, O Lord, from unjust religious laws.
Amen.

Tuesday: Crosses Allowed by God
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed,
but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck
down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the
dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested
in our body.
—2 Corinthians 4:8–10
Reflection:
We might have sometimes thought that the cross was destined
for Jesus alone, and not for us. But salvation does not mean a
release from suffering. Rather, it gives value to our suffering.
Prayer:
Dear Father, please motivate me to accept my cross as if it comes
directly from You, and to trust that value will come out of it. I
don’t have to understand how now; I only need to trust. Amen.

Tuesday: Pardon My Enemies
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father
will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will
your Father forgive your transgressions.
—Matthew 6:14–15
Reflection:
Jesus is the model we should follow regarding forgiveness of
enemies. He forgave those who killed Him, while on the Cross.
Yet it is so hard for us to do the same. Could it be that we
have trouble forgiving ourselves, and that is the reason for our
insufficient charity toward our neighbors?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, please give me the compassion to pardon myself as
well as my enemies, and to persevere to the end in offering up
sacrifices, for the sake of all souls and peace on earth, until I
die. Amen.

“What the heart of a God-man desires ultimately cannot be fully understood.  But this heart of flesh — which, though transfigured, still beats in heaven — must surely be filled with ardor and tenderness, with hope and inexhaustible, never-ending love…  The world of today, with its discoveries and boundless aspirations, can no longer understand it.”  –Servant of God Chiara Lubich (+ 2008)

Intention:   Please help us to resist communism and totalitarianism. I thank You, God, ahead of time for this.

Monday: Vocations to Religious Life
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love
covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without
complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one
another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
—1 Peter 4:8–10
Reflection:
When the shadow of iniquity was upon the human race, the
Blessed Virgin Mary’s charity and meekness motivated the
Father to send the Angel Gabriel to her, asking that very special
question, to which she responded, “Yes.”
Prayer:
Dear Father, please grant that many young people may consider
vocations to the religious life, that they may lead lives of
service and prayer, and be examples to the world of virtue and
generosity. Amen.

Monday: Magnify the Lord
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by
the Lord would be fulfilled.
—Luke 1:45
Reflection:
The Blessed Virgin Mary hurried to visit her cousin Elizabeth,
to assist her during her time of pregnancy, even though she
herself was still probably very much in awe of what the angel
had just told her. Still, she magnified the Lord in all her words
and in her help for Elizabeth.
Prayer:
Dear Mother Mary, please assist me to magnify the Lord also,
by living out the virtues as best I can today. Amen.

Monday: Jesus in the Poor
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his
mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh.
—Matthew 2:11
Reflection:
God works in mysterious ways. For example, the Messiah—the
Heavenly King come down to save the world—was born in
great humility in a dank and cold cave. Then the Magi found
Him and showered Him with extremely costly gifts.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Treasure of the Faithful, I ask You for the wisdom
to see You in the faces of the poor and lonely – those who have
nothing to offer me (in the world’s eyes). Amen.

Monday: Intellectual Challenges
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,/ My God, my rock
of refuge,/ my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold!
—Psalm 18:3
Reflection:
What a mystery Jesus’s mission must have seemed to Mary,
when she handed him to be prophesied over by Simeon. What
a sense of responsibility she and St. Joseph must have had, to be
the protector of that mission. They trusted in God’s wisdom
and power, concerning the path that was ahead of them. God
was their rock of refuge.
Prayer:
Some children in the womb are particularly vulnerable to being
aborted before they come to term. In particular, children with
intellectual challenges are chosen by the Father to achieve
important work for the Kingdom, but in secret. Dear Lord,
please give courage to the parents of children with intellectual
challenges, and help them to accept and recognize their
children’s gifts and talents. Amen.

Monday: Family Anxiety
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
All who heard him were astounded at his understanding and
his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished.
—Luke 2:47–48
Reflection:
The Blessed Mother was, most likely, in a seriously anxious state
for three days. She must have been wondering about what had
happened to her precious Son.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, when my family is torn apart by anxiety, dissention
and anger, please spread Your love and forgiveness over us like
a healing mist, so that we may find harmony with each other,
once again. Amen.