“Our Lady of Faith, Mother of all the lonely and the frightened of all the ages, help us to keep faith through the long days and the longer nights: faith in God, who does not desert us, who is with us all days, even unto the consummation of the world (Mt 28:20).”  –Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, O.P. (+ 1988)

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

Friday: Something Beautiful
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not
my will but yours be done.
—Luke 22:42
Reflection:
Jesus asked us to take up our cross and follow Him; yet when
His passion was close at hand, He agonized over it, asking
that the cup be taken away from Him. Thus, we know that
it is appropriate to ask the Father to alleviate our sufferings,
whenever possible.
Prayer:
Something inside of me perceives that suffering is a vicious
wrong, and so I wince away from it; however, God’s mercy can
turn it into something beautiful for the world. Heavenly Father,
turn my suffering into something splendid for the world. Amen.

Friday: Not alone
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
[Pilate said to them,] “Therefore I shall have him flogged and
then release him.”
—Luke 23:16
Reflection:
The Roman soldiers whipped Jesus until He was almost at
death’s door, but God the Father was with Him with each and
every lashing.
Prayer:
When I feel pain, I have to remember, God is with me every
step of the way, every painful moment. Heart of Jesus, Hope
of Those Who Die in Thee, let me not feel alone when I am
in pain. Let me feel Your yoke of divine friendship with me at
such times. Amen.

Friday: He Went Before Us
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on
his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak.
—John 19:2
Reflection:
The soldiers made a mock court out of the praetorium and
a mock King out of Jesus. Then, as if mocking Him weren’t
enough, they “crowned Him” with long thorns, to bite into
His head.
Prayer:
Even though Jesus was God, He had no protection against this
wretched misery. Lord, when I am hurting, let me remember
that You went before me to lead the way for me. Amen.

Friday: A Random Way
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a
Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after
laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus.
—Luke 23:26
Reflection:
Simon of Cyrene came across Jesus on His way to Calvary by
happenstance, when Jesus fell on His knees, and the soldiers
chose Simon to support Our Lord in carrying His Cross. The
cross often comes to us in a random way, such as this.
Prayer:
My Lord Jesus, I recognize that You are with me when I am
carrying my cross, and that You will always help me to carry
it until the end. Please uplift those people who are despairing,
and help them to know in their hearts that the world would be
a worse place without them. Amen.

Friday: Endure to the End
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in
wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.
—Matthew 27:48
Reflection:
The soldiers ripped off Jesus’s clothing, which had dried to His
Body, opening up all the wounds from earlier at the scourging.
They offered Him a concoction of wine and myrrh to numb
His senses, but He refused it.
Prayer:
The way to heaven will be through the cross. Lord Jesus, Most
Powerful, You have shown me how to carry the cross, and have
promised to be with me, if I will only just endure to the end.
Give me Your strength to do so. Amen.

“Come, Holy Spirit, sanctify me!  My desire for holiness is so great!  Sanctify me yourself; make haste to make me holy and a great saint, without my knowing it, in the self-effacement of my daily life.”  –Sister Carmela of the Holy Spirit, O.C.D. (+ 1949)

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.

Thursday: Sanctified Waters
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
A voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
—Matthew 3:17
Reflection:
Jesus was in the midst of His Father’s business when He went
to the Jordan to be baptized by John. He was expressing His
solidarity with all of us while He was sanctifying the waters of
baptism.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus Christ, help me to always be in the heart of the
Father’s business by aiding me to live out my baptism to the
fullest. Amen.

Thursday: Pleasing to God
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding at Cana
Scripture:
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe
in him.
—John 2:11
Reflection:
Jesus’s changing the water into wine at Cana, while a miracle,
is also a symbol. It symbolizes His changing of the Jewish
ceremonial washings into His work—that transforms each
person into a being pleasing to God—through His task of
redemption.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, let me feel Your love for me at all the important
events of life, and think of You at Cana. Amen.

Thursday: Use Words When Necessary
3rd Luminous Mystery: The
Proclamation of the Kingdom
Scripture:
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This
is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
—Mark 1:14–15
Reflection:
Jesus said that only after His death and resurrection would His
disciples be able to truly understand His teaching.
Prayer:
Lord, grant me the grace to understand and teach Your gospel
everywhere. And, as St. Francis of Assisi said, “When necessary,
use words.” Amen.

Thursday: Heavenly Light
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up
a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured
before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no
fuller on earth could bleach them.
—Mark 9:2–3
Reflection:
The figure of Jesus became dazzling white from the glory of
the Godhead within Him, manifesting His grandeur. His Body
was not yet glorified, but It was able to show forth some of Its
divine radiance.
Prayer:
Lord, please indwell me evermore with Your heavenly light, to
illuminate my mind, purify my emotions and give me a heart
full of love for my brothers and sisters. Amen.

Thursday: More Like Unto Him
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that
the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread,
and after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my
body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the
same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the
new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me.”
—1 Corinthians 11:23–25
Reflection:
The above scripture is the earliest written account of the
institution of the Holy Eucharist, and it indicates Jesus’s emphasis
on the giving of Himself.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, after You give me Your Body and Blood, make me
more and more like unto Yourself, each week, little by little.
Transform me, bit by bit, into Your glorious Self, so that I am
no longer an old creation, but a new one. Amen.

“O Spirit of truth, make me know your Word; teach me to remember all he has said; enlighten me, guide me, make me conformable to Jesus as an alter Christus, another Christ, by giving me his virtues, especially his patience, humility, and obedience; let me take part in his redemptive work by making me understand and love the cross.”  –Sister Carmela of the Holy Spirit, O.C.D. (+ 1949)

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.

Wednesday: Labor in Heaven
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and
see the place where he lay.
—Matthew 28:6
Reflection:
Jesus in His risen state showed us that His Body was the same as
before in some ways, but that also It was a Glorified Body—not
subject to the normal restrictions of this universe.
Prayer:
Lord, after I leave this life and go to heaven, grant that I may
help others who are struggling in their commitment to You, by
praying for them. Let me labor and love for You while I am in
heaven, as long as You need me there. Amen.

Wednesday: Finish Line of Heaven
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted
up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
—Acts 1:9
Reflection:
The apostles did not have the power to bring Israel back to
freedom; however, they did have the power, in the name of
Jesus, to bring sinners back to grace through the forgiveness of
sins.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I aspire to be with You, where You are ascended and
seated at the Father’s right hand. Grant me the determination
and give me Your grace to make it to the finish line of heaven,
no matter what. Amen.

Wednesday: Living Fire from Heaven
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
There appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and
came to rest on each one of them.
—Acts 2:3
Reflection:
After the ascension, the apostles waited and prayed for nine
days for the Holy Spirit, who came to show them everything
that Jesus had taught them, but that they had not yet fully
understood.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, You are the Living Fire come down from heaven
to aid me, to teach me, to encourage me and to console me. I
love You, I praise You and I bless You. Amen.

Wednesday: Safely Ashore
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
If we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through
Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
—1 Thessalonians 4:14
Reflection:
In the mystery of the Assumption, we are shown the gospel—
which is visible only through faith – namely, that death is an
illusion; in actuality, we will pass from life to life.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep me sailing in the direction of heaven until I
arrive safely ashore. Amen.

Wednesday: Supreme Mother
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
And a great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the
sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown
of twelve stars.
—Revelation 12:1
Reflection:
The mystery of the Coronation demonstrates to us our eternal
reality: in due time and with the grace of God, we will be with
Our Lord and Our Lady—Queen and Mother—and all our
brother and sister saints. There will be no more sorrow and no
more tears.
Prayer:
Blessed Mother, Mother of the Church, you are a supreme
mother to me at all times. Let me never forget that you are with
me to assist me in all my needs, so that I can face each new day
with confidence and enthusiasm. Amen.

“The Holy Spirit is our Advocate in prayer.  He prays from within us, bringing our prayers to our heavenly Father in his own voice.”  –Father Paul Scalia

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

Tuesday: Took on our Sins
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
[Jesus] said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take
this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.”
—Mark 14:36
Reflection:
The Lord’s agony was so harrowing because He became the
sin-bearer for us all. While He had no sin, He took on our sins
in the garden.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You were in terrible anguish in the Garden of
Gethsemane, at viewing the cup that was before You to drink.
Give powerful aid to those men and women who are singled
out for persecution because of their Christian faith. Send angels
to protect and comfort them. Amen.

Tuesday: Holy Offering
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to
them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be
crucified.
—Mark 15:15
Reflection:
John gave Our Lord the baptism of water; the Roman soldiers
gave Him the baptism of blood. He gave His life for us as a
redemption for our sins.
Prayer:
Blood of Christ, Poured Out on the Cross, accept all my
sufferings as a holy offering to You, for the sake of Your will
being done in the world. For every kernel of wheat that falls to
the ground and dies in suffering, let many kernels of truth and
love grow up in its place. Amen.

Tuesday: Acceptance
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
Scripture:
They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns,
placed it on him.
—Mark 15:17
Reflection:
The soldiers probably swore at the thorns, when they pierced
their hands while making the crown. But they probably reveled
in the sight of those same thorns piercing Our Lord’s forehead
and seeing the blood on His face.
Prayer:
Blood of Christ, Solace in Sorrow, grant me the goodness to
accept the crown of thorns, if God allows it to come to me –
and not to complain. Let acceptance be my holy undertaking.
Amen.

Tuesday: Responsibility
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
And carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called
the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.
—John 19:17
Reflection:
The psalms speak of having a parched throat, having a tongue
that sticks to the mouth like clay and having gall to eat and
vinegar to drink. These are all things Jesus experienced on the
Cross.
Prayer:
Lord, how You must have wondered at the formidable power
of God as You slowly trudged down the road to Golgotha and
reflected on the prophecies of the psalms coming true. Inspire
the wealthy people of the world to realize their tremendous
responsibility to do advantageous works in the world with the
wealth that has been entrusted to them. Amen.

Tuesday: Entering Eternal Life
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I
commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed
his last.
—Luke 23:46
Reflection:
Jesus the Son went home to His loving Father (Who is like the
“prodigal father” in His parable).
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Pierced with a Lance, You taught me that when I
die, I will not really be dying; I will be reborn into eternal life.
Comfort all the dying with the consolation of Your Spirit. As
they expel their last breaths, Lord, draw them safely into Your
loving arms. Amen.

“Do not think of or desire anything other than what is right and especially pleasing to God, that is, the virtues and good works done in God’s honor.  Remain in truth and charity, and you will be acceptable to God, to the angels, and to men.  Be not afraid.  The evil one may be able to withdraw some transitory things from us, but God gives to those who are patient things much greater and eternal.”  –Venerable Thomas A. Kempis (+ 1471)

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.

Monday: Let it Be
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is
with you.”
—Luke 1:28
Reflection:
Something wonderful happened when Mary said, “Let it be”
(see Luke 1:38). The Son of God became incarnate in a human
body to live with all of us and redeem us.
Prayer:
Lord, You are steadfast in Your covenant with me, even when I
fail to live up to my commitment to You. Bring to repentance
all those who have failed to live out their dedication to You,
forgive them and restore them to wholeness again. Amen.

Monday: Leaps for Joy
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
[Elizabeth] cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed
are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
—Luke 1:42
Reflection:
Elizabeth was the mother of John—the precursor to Christ.
John was in her womb and leaped for joy at the nearness of the
Baby Jesus, who was in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Prayer:
The Holy Spirit leaps for joy within me when I surrender to
the inner peace He wants to give me. Holy Spirit, Spirit of love
and joy, send Your comfort to lighten the hearts of all people
in every nation. Amen.

Monday: Suffering and Weakness
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and
keeping the night watch over their flock.
—Luke 2:8
Reflection:
In a cold dark cave, where shepherds sometimes found shelter,
the Son of God was born in the flesh, into the world. Then the
shepherds of sheep came to meet the Shepherd of Souls—Jesus
the Christ—in the manger.
Prayer:
The Lord Jesus came down to earth to suffer and experience
weakness for me so that I could be made strong in my own
suffering and weakness, through Him. Heart of Jesus, Delight
of all the Saints, grant that lawmakers in every nation work
together in harmony, and create legislation for their constituents
that reflect gospel values. Amen.

Monday: First-Born of the Father
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “Consecrate to me every
first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites, both of
man and beast, for it belongs to me.”
—Exodus 13:1–2
Reflection:
Jesus Christ was presented as the First One of humanity that
had been reinstated into the Family of God – into purity and
holiness.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, I trust in You – in your divinity, as the First-Born of the Father. Inspire me to work together with others
to clean up the air of the sky and the water of the seas, as good
first-born stewards would do. Amen.

Monday: Their Equal
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
After three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in
the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them
questions.
—Luke 2:46
Reflection:
The Lord was found sitting in the midst of the doctors and
teachers; this implies that He was sitting with them as their
equal and as their teacher.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Father of the Poor, instruct me in Your ways, in
Your mysterious way of teaching. Grant that all the poor of
the world would receive an adequate education, grounded in
gospel values. Bring forth courageous, honest and godly men
and women from this education, to help our world. Amen.

“God is truth and will not permit liars to remain hidden for long.  The evil one may be able to disguise himself for a time, but the truthful man will finally prevail, and the one who utters falsehoods will be reduced to confusion when he least suspects.”  –Venerable Thomas A. Kempis (+ 1471)

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.

Sunday: Eternal Life
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my
hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not
be unbelieving, but believe.”
—John 20:27
Reflection:
Because of Jesus’s resurrection, we can believe in eternal life.
Jesus said that for everyone who believes in Him, He would
raise them up on the last day.
Prayer:
For all teachers and preachers, I pray that they would always be
humble and faithful to their calling from God. Reward them
in this life and in the next life, for all their efforts to heal our
world. Amen.

Sunday: Invisibly There
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking
at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into
heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going
into heaven.”
—Acts 1:11
Reflection:
The ascension is so encouraging because we see that Jesus has
ascended into heaven and is seated at the Father’s right hand,
where He intercedes for us. That means that Jesus exercises His
power over us by interceding for us all. He is with us invisibly.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, when I lose friends and family members to death,
help me to remember that they have just crossed over to be with
You, and that where they have gone, we can aspire to follow.
Amen.

Sunday: Post-Christian World
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong
driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.
—Acts 2:2
Reflection:
Sometimes in our world, that is rapidly becoming “post-Christian,” it can feel like we are slogging through mud to live
out our witness of authentic Christianity. But through the Holy
Spirit’s gifts, we can keep on going—not by our own strength,
but with God’s strength—trusting that God will make a way
for us.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, aid me in living out my authentic Christianity in
the face of misunderstanding. Let others see my love, joy and
peace for what they really are: desirable fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Sunday: Our Certain Hope
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his
covenant could be seen in the temple.
—Revelation 11:19
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother was assumed into heaven, not by her own
power, but by the power of God. She went before us to show
the way to our entry into eternal life.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, when I experience the death of a loved one or
contemplate my own death, grant me the vision of Our Lady
being taken up to heaven, to help me remember that I have the
certain hope of heaven, also. At the moment of my death, I will
fling myself into Your loving arms. Amen.

Sunday: Eternal Crown
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the
nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and
his throne.
—Revelation 12:5
Reflection:
The end of Our Blessed Mother’s journey was being crowned
Queen of Heaven and Earth. We should have hope of receiving
an eternal crown at the end of our journeys also—the supreme
reward for those who have lived holy lives.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, for the pope and all other church leaders, grant them
to live lives of holiness through chastity, humility, poverty and
compliance with the gospels. Protect them from the evil one!
Amen.

“Stand firmly in the truth, and the truth will set you free from all deceit, iniquity, and falsehood spoken against you.  All that is maliciously fabricated about a neighbor will revert to the head of the fabricator.”  –Venerable Thomas A. Kempis (+ 1471)

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

Saturday: Jesus’s Love for Us
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no
relations with a man?”
—Luke 1:34
Reflection:
Mary said “yes” to the angel. Like her, we must say “yes” to
Jesus: “yes” to becoming His disciple, “yes” to allowing Him
to come into our hearts through prayer and the Sacraments and
“yes” to His purification of every part of us that is not like God.
Prayer:
Jesus Christ, You come to me as God, and yet You also come
to me in the wee, non-threatening face of a Babe. It’s as if You
longed to show Your love for me, because of how vulnerable
You made Yourself as a Baby, and also made Yourself as a lonely
Man on a Cross. Help me to take in the reality of how much
You love me. Amen.

Saturday: Mysterious Life
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in
her womb.
—Luke 1:41
Reflection:
Two meek women who were cousins met and greeted each
other, with the joy of knowing that God was working something
mighty in their lives; they entrusted themselves to God’s will. It
was such a mystery. Perhaps that is how we should live our lives:
to believe that God is working something mighty—though
what, we do not yet comprehend—and just let the mystery be.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, pour out Your Spirit of true charity, true
hospitality and true generosity through me, for my neighbors.
Remind me of the godly and mysterious nature of their lives
also! Amen.

Saturday: Following Jesus, My Star
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King
Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the new-born king of the Jews? We saw his star at its
rising and have come to do him homage.”
—Matthew 2:1–2
Reflection:
The Magi were led by a star, to find the Christ Child. What star
do we allow ourselves to be led by? Is it the star of “keeping up
with the Jones’s?” Is it the star of being the most beautiful one
in the room? Of having the most money? Of having the most
popularity? Of attaining the most impressive accomplishments?
Or, is it the North Star of following in the footprints of Jesus
Christ, our Savior?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I kneel at Your manger in breathtaking wonder of
how the Word was made flesh. Elevate my mind and heart, so
that I follow God’s will. Help me to follow You, my North Star,
all the way to heaven. Amen.

Saturday: Reverence for Church
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived
seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as
a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple,
but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. And
coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and
spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption
of Jerusalem.
—Luke 2:36–38
Reflection:
This mystery demonstrates to us Joseph’s and Mary’s dedication
to fulfilling the laws and customs regarding God. We are living
their example when we go to Mass on Sundays, when we have
reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament and when we make our
homes places of prayer and gratitude.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Our Life and our Resurrection, grant me the
discipline of going to Mass every Sunday, unless it is impossible
to do so. Let it not be a duty but a joy! Amen.

Saturday: No Difficulty-Free Lives
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but
not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
—Luke 2:44–45
Reflection:
St. Joseph and Mary were overjoyed upon finding Jesus in
the temple. However, the three days prior were fraught with
worry and dread, loss and guilt. Certainly, the parents of Jesus
were not given a worry-free life as they raised Our Lord and
Savior. Why should we think that we will be spared worry and
difficulty in our lives?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, You said that You would be with me always.
Please assist me in handling the difficulties in my life more
easily because of Your presence within me, as I walk along the
road of life. Amen.

“Only if God exists, only if he becomes the center of my life, is this love my neighbor as myself possible.  But if he exists, if he becomes my center, then it is also possible to reach this inward freedom of love.”  –Pope Benedict XVI (+ 2022)

Intention:   In Jesus’ name, please bless America with a moral, law-abiding, and God-honoring citizenry, so that we are worthy of self-governance.

Friday: Comforting Balm
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and
he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began
to feel sorrow and distress.
—Matthew 26:36–37
Reflection:
Our Lord Jesus took our sins and paid the penalty of those
sins on the Cross. He was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane
with His contemplation of the terrifying sacrifice yet to come,
because His disciples fell asleep despite his repeated attempts to
awaken them to His plight.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, You chose to come down to unify Yourself
with Your people in the pains and misfortunes of life. Grant
me the gift of calmness in my own times of struggle with
anxiety, suffering and anguish. Strengthen me and give me the
comforting balm of Your love. Amen.

Friday: Nothing is Wasted
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus
scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.
—Matthew 27:26
Reflection:
Jesus underwent a terrible scourging on that Good Friday at
the pillar. Many people in our world undergo terrible types
of torture and traumatic deaths at the hand of evil. We, too,
might be called to make an ultimate sacrifice someday for
Jesus. However, we must always remember that God will make
righteousness come out of evil eventually, and our sacrifice will
not be in vain.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when life defeats me seemingly for no reason, assist
me in clinging to You, and in remembering that I am suffering
in union with You. Nothing is wasted. Amen.

Friday: Ridicule
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and
kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They
knelt before him in homage.
—Mark 15:18–19
Reflection:
Most of us have either experienced mental distress ourselves, or
have been familiar with someone who has experienced it. One
of the blessings of Jesus’s crowning with thorns is that He made
holy the experience of all sorts of mockery and derision. If we
are being mocked or are experiencing mental illness, we can be
comforted in the awareness that our sufferings are in union with
Christ, and that He can make something beautiful out of them.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I witness someone ridiculing another, give me
the courage and strength to stand up for the one being ridiculed,
and remind me to pray for everyone involved. Amen.

Friday: Till the Very End
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and
persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping
our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For
the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross,
despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the
throne of God.
—Hebrews 12:1–2
Reflection:
Sometimes we feel as if we are carrying a cross for years and
years: the illness that won’t go away, the failure that no one will
let us live down, the calamity of suicide, the learning disability,
etc. When we suffer with these kinds of things, we should
remember Our Lord staggering through the streets of Jerusalem
with His Cross on His shoulders, and ask Him to give us His
fortitude, bravery and resolve to keep going until the very end.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, aid me in carrying my cross by keeping my eyes
fixed upon You carrying Your Cross, so that I can imitate You
in enduring until the end. Amen.

Friday: Silence
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”
—Luke 23:39
Reflection:
Jesus did not respond to those who mocked Him; He drank
silently, for the most part, from the bitter cup that the Father had
prepared for Him. This silence alone was incredibly influential
to those who watched Him and mocked Him; many of them
experienced conversion later. Let us also remember that silence,
in the face of evil, is sometimes the best approach.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I was bought at a heavy price: Your suffering
and death on the Cross. You love me so very much! Let this
knowledge give me the desire to live the gospel message more
fervently and sincerely. Amen.

“Those who do not accept themselves take exception to others.  True love is fair: where it is leading us is to love oneself as one of the members of Christ’s body.  Oneself like the others — becoming free of that false perspective with which we are all born, as if the world revolves around me and my ego.”  –Pope Benedict XVI (+ 2022)

Intention:   Dear Heavenly Father, I ask You to please bless all my friends and relatives and the people who dislike me with good health, financial stability and uplifting relationships with their friends and family.  Please bless them with peace, love, joy, happiness and harmony, and please, when their time comes, give them each a peaceful, easy and happy death, and bring them into heaven to be with you forever and ever.

Thursday: Openness to Holy Spirit
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert
of Judea [and] saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand!”
—Matthew 3:1–2
Reflection:
Jesus came to John at the Jordan and was baptized, which is a
sign of repentance. Jesus did not need to repent because He was
without sin, but He did so in order to make baptism an integral
part of His church. We must all repent, be baptized and be made
new in the Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Priest and Prophet, please develop in me an
unfettered openness to the Holy Spirit, so that I may live with
more love, joy, wisdom, self-control and patience. May I live
in the anointing of the Holy Spirit until the day I die. Amen.

Thursday: Foreshadow of Eucharist
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding at Cana
Scripture:
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and
the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also
invited to the wedding.
—John 2:1–2
Reflection:
Jesus blessed the wedding party at Cana with a miracle—
the changing of water into the best of wines. This was a
foreshadowing of His Eucharistic miracle of changing bread
into His Body, and wine into His Blood. We must remember
that even in the midst of festive gatherings such as a wedding,
Jesus Christ is there to bless it, if He is invited.
Prayer:
Lord, Your Mother, Mary, spoke to You about the wedding
couple’s having run out of wine, and You performed a miracle.
Build in me a more hopeful trust that I may come to You
through her intercession. Amen.

Thursday: Repentance
3rd Luminous Mystery: The
Proclamation of the Kingdom
Scripture:
Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.”
—John 8:12
Reflection:
Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom by teaching to the crowds and
the disciples for three years. We are so fortunate to have His
teachings written down in the Holy Bible. It takes time to
assimilate what He taught and start to incorporate it into our
lives. Some of the things He taught—like the parables—can
be particularly challenging to comprehend. Yet we must keep
coming back to His gospel words, meditating on them, and
letting them seep deeply into our consciousness. This is one of
the challenges of the Christian life.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Our Peace and our Reconciliation, help me to
repent of my sins and omissions, so that these truths that You
are teaching me might take root and grow in my soul. Root
out of me whatever does not serve You. Amen.

Thursday: Desire for Holiness
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was
transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his
clothes became white as light.
—Matthew 17:1–2
Reflection:
During the transfiguration, Jesus’s face and clothes became
dazzling white, as if glowing brilliantly. He was showing
His disciples some of His glory before going to the Cross, to
strengthen them for the ordeal. But the transfiguration bolsters
all of us to strengthen us for our ordeals in life, and to keep us
going toward that beautiful end when we will see the glorious,
loving and dazzling face of Jesus, up close and personal.
Prayer:
Dear Father, grant in me a fervent desire for holiness, so that
I may keep headed in the right direction until the end of my
life—away from sin and toward holiness. Then help me to
become purified so that I may be able to see my Jesus face-to-face.  Amen.

Thursday: Adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have
life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.”
—John 6:53–54
Reflection:
Jesus gave us the Blessed Sacrament as the Living Bread come
down from heaven, that if we eat His Body and drink His
Blood, we will have life in us. It is a beautiful way that He is
making us more and more like Himself.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Bread of Life, let me have a heartfelt adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament, so that I may cultivate more awe and
reverence toward God. Amen.

“Inner agreement with God belongs to the happy life.  Only if this fundamental relationship is right can all the other relationships be right.  For that reason it is important throughout one’s life and from one’s youth onwards to learn and to practice thinking with God, feeling with God, willing with God, so that love may grow from this and become the keynote of our life.”  –Pope Benedict XVI (+ 2022)

Intention:   Lord, send favor now!

Wednesday: Faith
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they
entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
—Luke 24:2–3
Reflection:
On the morning of the third day, Jesus Christ rose from the
dead, and appeared to the holy women and His disciples. They
worshiped and adored Him as their God and gave joyful glory
to God.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd, develop within me a greater faith,
so that I may trust more in Your salvific action, and in the
place that awaits me in heaven, that You have prepared for me.
Remind me of all the times that You have shepherded me into
green pastures—in seemingly miraculous ways. Amen.

Wednesday: Hope
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And
behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.
—Matthew 28:19–20
Reflection:
After His resurrection, Jesus remained on the earth for forty
days, at which time He instructed His disciples to carry on
with the Way, told them He would be with them always and
ascended into heaven while they watched Him leave.
Prayer:
Lord, please create a more trusting hope inside of me, that I may
live with expectant confidence in the ultimate triumph of God,
even in the face of the sad occurrences in life. Make this hope
be beyond any earthly hope I have ever known before. Amen.

Wednesday: Wisdom
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one
place together.
—Acts 2:1
Reflection:
In the upper room, Mary and the disciples assembled for days
to pray for the Holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit came in the
form of fiery tongues over each one’s head and gave them the
knowledge of truth, the gift of tongues and all His other gifts.
Prayer:
Lord, please give me more wisdom from the Holy Spirit, so that
all my actions might come from a place of true knowledge—a
perspective of holy understanding. Remind me to keep looking
up! Amen.

Wednesday: Devotion to Mary
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
My lover speaks; he says to me,/ “Arise, my beloved, my
beautiful one, and come!”
—Song of Songs 2:10
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother Mary was assumed body and soul into
heaven. We don’t have knowledge if this happened before or
after she died, but we believe that Our Lord wanted to honor
her so much that He gave her that majestic blessing – that of
being taken up into heaven.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Crown of all Saints, bestow upon me a greater
devotion to Mary, so that when I feel I need a loving mother,
I may come to recognition of her power as an intercessor. O
Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to
thee! Amen.

Wednesday: Trust in Mary
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Then [King Solomon] sat down upon his throne, and a throne
was provided for the king’s mother, who sat at his right.
—1 Kings 2:19
Reflection:
Our Lord Jesus was not content just to have the Blessed Virgin
Mary assumed into heaven; He also had her crowned as Queen
of Heaven and Earth, and Queen of Angels and Saints. She lives
in heaven to intercede for us anytime, day or night.
Prayer:
Lord, help those who are addicted to a substance—or a lifestyle
that blocks them from honoring their bodies—to have greater
trust in Mary’s intercession, so that when they face temptations,
they may be given the grace to overcome addictions. Amen.