“When nothing any longer arises for the soul except bitterness, both from God and from men; when one is reduced to the same state as our Lord when he exclaimed on the cross, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?, then it is that the soul’s act of love saves the world and it becomes, in a certain sense, co-redemptrix like the Sorrowful Mother…”  –Father Reginald Garrigou LaGrange, O.P. (+ 1964)

Intention:  I call in healing and righteousness for America.

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.

“Jesus purifies in the crucible of pain the hope of his most intimate friends.”  –Father Reginald Garrigou-LaGrange, O.P. (+ 1964)

Intention:  I have my trust and confidence in Almighty God.  He is my source.

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.

“The Christian, in the Church, must always await the return of Christ, who died and rose again once for all, bringing with him, as well as death to the present world, the resurrection of believers, the new creation of a world regenerated.”  –Father Louis Bouyer (+ 2004)

Intention:   Lord, thank You that I am well able to do what You have called me to do.

Sunday: Deliver Me
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
—Matthew 28:1
Reflection:
Jesus empowers us as His followers; He gives us victory over sin
and death through His passion and resurrection.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, please deliver me from evil and sin, and reawaken
in me Your love, joy and peace. Amen.

Sunday: Bolder Trust
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
[Jesus] said to them [the eleven], “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes
and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be
condemned.”
—Mark 16:15–16
Reflection:
After the resurrection, Jesus gave the apostles the joy of
experiencing His presence for forty days in His glorified body.
After the ascension, we remain in union with Him through the
wonderful gift of the Holy Eucharist.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Gate of Heaven, please pray for me to have a bolder
trust and hope in Jesus. Amen.

Sunday: Pure Love
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future
full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I
will listen to you.
—Jeremiah 29:11–12
Reflection:
When the Consoler makes His home inside of us, He gives us
His strength, heals us and guides us. Everything becomes better.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, please increase within me Your pure love. May
all those suffering from depression experience Your love and
peace. Amen.

Sunday: Immaculate Heart
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
Scripture:
The Lord is my strength and my shield,/ in whom my heart
trusted and found help./ So my heart rejoices;/ with my song
I praise my God.
—Psalm 28:7
Reflection:
In heaven, Mary is always praying to God for us, her children,
to be strong and shielded from all harm.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, I give your Immaculate Heart my sincere devotion.
Please pray for my fears to be calmed, for my concerns in life to
be taken care of, and through your intercession help me attain
the gift of heaven. Amen.

Sunday: Confidence
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to
win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
—1 Corinthians 9:25
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother is in heaven, but she is also a Queen, and
so when we pray the Rosary, we should have confidence that
what we are praying for will come to us in God’s timing, if it
is God’s will.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Queen Raised Up to Glory, please pray for harmony
among the nations and peoples of the world. Amen.

“We have to decide first of all between the prince of this world and Christ.  Humanity has gone astray by following the promptings of pride and pleasure-seeking egotism.  The new Christian is first of all someone who wants to break with this error and to follow the Son of Man, who came not to be served but to serve and give his life…”  –Father Louis Bouyer (+ 2004)

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!

Saturday: Completed
the Father’s Will
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
You guide me along the right path/ for the sake of your name.
—Psalm 23:3
Reflection:
With Mary’s “yes” she completed the Father’s will. She will be
blessed forever, because she embraced God’s will.
Prayer:
Father, as I walk the dusty roads of life, give me the unselfishness
to be obedient to Your will every step of the way. Amen.

Saturday: Carrying Jesus to Others
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back.
—Ezekiel 34:16
Reflection:
Mary carried Jesus, God Incarnate, in her womb, to visit
Elizabeth, seeking her out for the love of neighbor.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to carry Jesus to others, in imitation of Mary.
Give me a simple smile for others, or the answer to someone’s
question about the faith or a listening ear. Amen.

Saturday: Adoring Jesus
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
The angel of the Lord appeared to them [the shepherds] and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck
with great fear.
—Luke 2:9
Reflection:
The Word Incarnate was born into the world and laid in a
manger where Mother Mary, St. Joseph and the shepherds
adored Him.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother Mary and St. Joseph, assist me, through your
intercession, in doing my best to imitate you and the shepherds
by simply adoring Jesus, and thereby recognizing Him as Our
Lord and Savior. Amen.

Saturday: Accepting
Divine Appointments
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said
about him.
—Luke 2:33
Reflection:
Simeon gave his prophecy about Mary’s being pierced by a
sword in recognition that serving God would not always be
easy.
Prayer:
Lord, encourage me to listen to Your still, small voice, and to
accept Your divine appointments in my life. Amen.

Saturday: Safety Net
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek
me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the
Lord.
—Jeremiah 29:13–14
Reflection:
We often get off track spiritually, and Jesus can seem far away
from us. But He died to make sure that He would be available
to us always, if we would only seek Him.
Prayer:
Jesus, assist me in remembering You, and Your safety net of
divine love. Teach me to turn to You even in my darkest
moments. Amen.

“All people must take great care not to allow themselves to be tainted by the attitude of the Pharisee [in the Gospel parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector], which would seek to eliminate awareness of one’s own limits and of one’s own sin…”  –Saint John Paul II (+ 2005)

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.

Friday: Strengthen
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
When he arrived at the place he said to them, “Pray that you
may not undergo the test.”
—Luke 22:40
Reflection:
When Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father in the Garden
of Gethsemane, He took His own earlier advice and found
strength in God through prayer and reflection.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, please aid me in my most distressing times to
keep doing Your will, so that I can be assured that I will be
strengthened by You. Amen.

Friday: Accepting Insults
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
No weapon fashioned against you shall prevail;/ every tongue
you shall prove false that launches an accusation against you./
This is the lot of the servants of the Lord,/ their vindication
from me, says the Lord.
—Isaiah 54:17
Reflection:
It is disturbing to envision Jesus’s tormenters laughing at Him,
and whipping Him again and again as He bled. But it is valuable
to think of this, to remind us of how much He paid for us.
Prayer:
Jesus Christ, I ask for the ability to accept every insult I receive
for the love of You. When others are thoughtless toward me,
help it to roll off of me and instead to focus on Your love. Amen.

Friday: He Loves Me
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
But [Pilate] said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only
shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!”
—Matthew 27:23
Reflection:
Again, it is disturbing but valuable to envision the humiliations
that Jesus suffered when He was crowned with thorns. If He,
who was sinless, underwent such suffering, why would we
think that we should be spared all suffering in our lives?
Prayer:
Lord, when something humiliating comes my way, help me to
meditate on Your suffering, accept what happened and call to
my mind how much You love me – remembering that nothing
will ever stop You from loving me. Amen.

Friday: Accept Cross Willingly
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Now two others, both criminals, were led away with him to
be executed.
—Luke 23:32
Reflection:
It is sobering to think of the agony that Jesus and His Mother
Mary must have experienced together when their eyes met on
His way to Calvary as He – bruised and wounded—carried the
heavy Cross.
Prayer:
Dear Mother Mary, Vessel of Selfless Devotion, please pray for
me to accept my cross willingly, and for Jesus to assist me in
carrying it, also. Amen.

Friday: Replace My Pride
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
—Psalm 32:10
Reflection:
When Jesus entrusted His Mother to John while on the Cross,
He was giving her to all of us, too. He wants us to depend on
her and to love her, as He loves her.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother Mary, through your intercession, let me love
Jesus with your heart, and please replace my pride with your
humility. Amen.

“I beg you for the love of Jesus Christ to keep three things in mind: the first is the hour of death, which none of us can escape; the second, the pain and suffering of hell; and the third, the glory and beatitude of paradise…  Reflect on the glory and beatitude that Jesus Christ has reserved for those who serve him and that no eye has seen, nor heard, nor the heart of man conceived.”  –Saint John of God (+ 1550)

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

Thursday: The Strong Man
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he
takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the
spoils.
—Luke 11:22
Reflection:
In Jesus’s baptism, He descended into the dwelling of Satan and
fought with the “strong man” spoken of in Luke 11:21-22. Jesus
was stronger than Satan and was able to take our sins upon His
shoulders and release us from the power of Satan.
Prayer:
Jesus was baptized in order to demonstrate that we start our
Christian journey through baptism. As part of my baptismal
promises, I reject Satan and all his works and empty promises.
Amen.

Thursday: Jesus’s Abundant Giving
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana
Scripture:
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial
washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
—John 2:6
Reflection:
Jesus generously turned the water to fine wine at the wedding
feast at Cana. This was a sign that God’s feast table was spread,
to begin sharing the abundance of blessings that Jesus had to
give us.
Prayer:
The messianic time, when God’s wedding celebration began,
started with Your coming, dear Jesus. Please give me an
awareness of Your abundance of blessings and help me to be
grateful always. Amen.

Thursday: Communion With Jesus
3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Scripture:
Through him was life,/ and this life was the light of the human
race;/ the light shines in the darkness,/ and the darkness has
not overcome it.
—John 1:4–5
Reflection:
This new Kingdom of which Jesus spoke is so near to us because
it is located in Jesus Himself, and Jesus is with us. It can be found
in the here-and-now of time and space; that is always where
God operates. Now that Jesus has come, God can function in
the world in a whole new way.
Prayer:
Communion with Jesus is the key to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, help me to keep my focus in
the light of the here-and-now, where You reside. I know that
my relationship with You is the most important relationship of
my life. Amen.

Thursday: Light-being
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not
be afraid.”
—Matthew 17:7
Reflection:
The transfiguration vividly showed the disciples what transpired
when Jesus prayed to His Father: His face changed and His
clothes became dazzling white. It was as if He became light
itself.
Prayer:
Jesus, after Peter confessed that You were “the Son of the
living God” (Matthew 16:16), You showed him Your “Light-Being” (Matthew 17:1–8). Please give me a little glimpse of
Your “Light-Being,” also. Amen.

Thursday: Total Gift of Himself
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles.
—Luke 22:14
Reflection:
Jesus gave His total self – His Body, His Blood – for the
atonement of all sin, for all time. However, beforehand, He
instituted the Holy Eucharist, instructing His disciples at the
Last Supper to “do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19).
Prayer:
We, the many, partake of Christ’s Body and His Blood, as the
Sacrament that is the source and summit of our faith. Heavenly
Father, help me to be truly grateful for the Blessed Sacrament,
which is Jesus’s Body and Blood. Amen.

“Your time each day should be taken up with three things: prayer, work, and looking after your bodily needs.”  –Saint John of God (+ 1550)

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.

Wednesday: New Kind of Existence
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
And behold, Jesus met them [the women] on their way and
greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did
him homage.
—Matthew 28:9
Reflection:
Jesus’s resurrection was more than just an isolated event that
happened long ago in human history. It was an event that points
to a possibility of a new way of life – a life not subject only to
birth, life and death, but one that extends into eternity with
the Lord. It opened up a new kind of existence for all mankind.
Prayer:
Oh, dear Jesus, help me to understand the significance of Your
resurrection, as the institution of a new kind of transforming
reality for all mankind – that we have immortal lives to lead
after this journey here is over. Amen.

Wednesday: Ever-present
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
You heard me tell you, “I am going away and I will come back
to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to
the Father; for the Father is greater than I.
—John 14:28
Reflection:
Jesus has gone to the Father, and thus is closer to us now than
when He was in the world. This is because He is not in any
one particular place anymore (as when He walked the world),
but is now side by side with the Father, and present in all time
and space, in power. This is why we should rejoice that Jesus
has ascended.
Prayer:
Jesus, I am sure that I can reach out to You in my prayers, talk to
You about my life and concerns and ask You for Your assistance,
because You are ever-present to me where You exist with the
Father. I thank You, I praise You, and I bless You. Amen.

Wednesday: Footsteps of Jesus
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together
with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his
brothers.
—Acts 1:14
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother kept the faith all through the passion and
resurrection, and then in the midst of the disciples when they all
prayed for the Holy Spirit to come to them. She was a spiritual
Mother to the disciples then and to us now.
Prayer:
Dear Mother Mary, pray for me to have faith, to love like you
love and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday: Love and Peace
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
“There is one small favor I would ask of you,” she said. “Do
not refuse me.” “Ask it, my mother,” the king said to her, “for
I will not refuse you.”
—1 Kings 2:20
Reflection:
Jesus will always give His fiat to the requests of Mary, His
mother. It seems as though the woman of Revelation Chapter
12, seen as an image of the Blessed Mother, is defenseless
compared to the dragon, who is so strong and vicious. But
the woman has God on her side, and God is stronger than the
dragon. God is love in the world. Love seems defenseless, and
yet it is love that wins in the end.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to let love and peace have their way with me
today, through the intercession of Mary, who is the Queen of
Peace, and who dwells in heaven. Amen.

Wednesday: Closer to Jesus
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Nations shall behold your vindication,/ and all kings your
glory;/ You shall be called by a new name/ pronounced by the
mouth of the Lord./ You shall be a glorious crown in the hand
of the Lord,/ a royal diadem held by your God.
—Isaiah 62:2–3
Reflection:
Mary is a mother to us because she is kind, she has a sympathetic
and loving nature and she is always interested in helping to
fulfill the needs of her children. This is why we call her our
Advocate. We can always ask for her intercession.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, Queen of Apostles and Martyrs, I entrust my
guidance to you, and I know that I am never alone. Pray for me
to become closer to Jesus. Amen.

“We owe God three things: love, service, and reverence.  Love: as our heavenly Father we should love him above all the things of the world.  Service: as Lord, we should serve him not for the sake of the glory he will give to those who have served him, but solely for his goodness.  Reverence: as Creator, we should not speak his holy name except to give him thanks and bless it.”  –Saint John of God (+ 1550)

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.

Tuesday: Drowsy Disciple
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be
troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, “My soul is
sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch.”
—Mark 14:33–34
Reflection:
Jesus called His disciples to be vigilant in the face of the evil
coming on the evening of Holy Thursday. But instead, they
succumbed to their drowsiness. Down through the centuries, it
has been the drowsiness of man that has allowed evil to thrive,
while man sleeps unaware.
Prayer:
Human beings would rather tell themselves that some things
cannot be as evil as they appear to be, which is one way of
remaining drowsy. Jesus, please prevent me from becoming a
drowsy disciple. Amen.

Tuesday: Barbaric Punishment
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.
—John 19:1
Reflection:
Scourging was a penalty that usually accompanied a death
sentence, but could also be a tool for law enforcement, as was
Jesus’s case. It was a barbaric punishment, allowing the ones who
did the scourging to continue until they grew tired themselves,
and the victim’s flesh was hanging down in shreds.
Prayer:
Dearest Lord Jesus, the fact that Simon of Cyrene had to help
You carry Your Cross, and the fact that You died so quickly on
the Cross, may be indications of how extreme the torture of the
scourging was for You. Send Your holy angels to watch over all
the soldiers in the world and keep them safe. Amen.

Tuesday: Son of Man
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
Jesus said to him in reply, “You have said so. But I tell you: From
now on you will see ‘the Son of Man/ seated at the right hand
of the Power’/ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”
—Matthew 26:64
Reflection:
Those who mocked and beat Jesus felt invincible, because they
had Him in their power. It did not occur to them that with every
blow and every hateful derision, they were actually helping to
fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy of the Suffering Servant and Daniel’s
prophecy of the Kingdom of the Son of Man.
Prayer:
My precious Jesus, there is a striking juxtaposition between
Your suffering when You were crowned with thorns, and the
Kingdom of God You were creating simultaneously for our
benefit. Help me to understand the mystery of this. Amen.

Tuesday: Take Up the Cross
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I
give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can
take them out of my hand.
—John 10:27–28
Reflection:
Mary gave her fiat to God to do what He willed. Likewise, we
must recognize that God has mysteriously linked the Way of
the Cross to our salvation, and give Him our fiat as well. If and
when the cross comes our way, we strive to accept it as best we
can, knowing that no one can take us out of Jesus’s hand.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Virgin Gentle in Mercy, please pray for me to take
up my cross daily and follow Jesus, with obedience and with
love. Amen.

Tuesday: Psalm 22
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Then I will proclaim your name to the assembly;/ in the
community I will praise you:/ “You who fear the Lord, give
praise!/ All descendants of Jacob, give honor;/ show reverence,
all descendants of Israel!/ For God has not spurned or disdained/
the misery of this poor wretch,/ Did not turn away from me,/
but heard me when I cried out./ I will offer praise in the great
assembly;/ my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.
The poor will eat their fill;/ those who seek the Lord will offer
praise./ May your hearts enjoy life forever!”/ All the ends of the
earth/ will worship and turn to the Lord;/ All the families of
nations/ will bow low before you.
—Psalm 22:23–28
Reflection:
Psalm 22, written long before Jesus’s passion, prophesied so much
of what happened to Jesus: the scorn and mockery, the piercing
of His hands and feet, the thirst, the dividing up of His garments.
Yet when He quoted the first verse of Psalm 22, He was actually
referring to the entire psalm including the ending, where the
prayer would be answered, the great assembly would be restored
and all the ends of the earth would worship and turn to the Lord.
Prayer:
Jesus, please bless all those who practice Judaism, as people of
the covenant. Amen.

“May we never go without the affection and tenderness of Mary, who whispers the word of God in our ears.  Then we will receive the power to turn a deaf ear to the blandishments of the Evil One, and walk away laughing.”  –Pope Francis

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.

Monday: Kingdom Without End
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God,
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
—1 Timothy 1:17
Reflection:
The Angel Gabriel told Mary about Jesus, “Of his kingdom,
there will be no end” (Luke 1:33). Jesus’s Kingdom is created
through trust and love rather than earthly power. It is a Kingdom
that will have no end, because it is based upon God’s eternal
power pouring forth into our world.
Prayer:
The Angel Gabriel’s promise to Mary is sure: Jesus’s Kingdom
shall never end. Jesus was, is and always will be my King. Lord,
give me confidence about my future, knowing that in the end,
because of You, I have nothing to fear. Amen.

Monday: Hidden Hero
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
The Lord goes forth like a hero,/ like a warrior he stirs up his
ardor;/ He shouts out his battle cry,/ against his enemies he
shows his might.
—Isaiah 42:13
Reflection:
Humble Mary, while still probably amazed by what the angel
told her, hastily traveled to the house of Elizabeth to aid her in
her time of need. Jesus was the hidden hero on the day that His
Mother Mary greeted Elizabeth, because He was concealed in
her womb. Elizabeth and John were the first people He ever
visited, to bring them the gifts of the Lord.
Prayer:
Lord, visit all police officers and firefighters with the gifts of
the Holy Spirit today and keep them safe from harm. Amen.

Monday: Counter-cultural
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the
infant lying in the manger.
—Luke 2:16
Reflection:
Just as Jesus was crucified outside of the city, so He was born
outside of the city as well. This was an indication that from the
time He was born, He belonged to the realm of that which is
unimportant in a worldly sense. However, He ended up being
much more important to the world than anyone else ever has
been, or ever will be.
Prayer:
Father, I understand that in becoming a true Christian and
following Jesus, I must sometimes veer off the course of the
prevailing social norms. Instead, help me to follow the Truth
of Jesus’s light. Please give me the strength to live this counter-cultural mission. Amen.

Monday: Mary’s Role
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now,
Master, you may let your servant go/ in peace, according to
your word.”
—Luke 2:28–29
Reflection:
Simeon said that Mary, herself, would be pierced with a sword,
indicating that her role in the gospel story did not end at Jesus’s
birth, but rather that it would continue on to include her
participation in her Son’s passion and resurrection.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother Mary, Help of Christians, your role in the
gospel story included not only the beginning of Jesus’s life but
also its end. Be with all those who will die today, to comfort
them and lead them to their eternal reward. Amen.

Monday: Pondering
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
I am a sojourner in the land;/ do not hide your commands
from me./ At all times my soul is stirred/ with longing for your
edicts.
—Psalm 119:19–20
Reflection:
Mary and St. Joseph did not understand what Jesus said to them.
Mary had to keep all these things in her heart and ponder them.
Even the extraordinary faith of Mary was a faith that matured
over time—and through darkness—as she was a sojourner in
the land like us, too.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, just as you may not immediately have understood
Jesus, but pondered what He said in your heart until you
eventually did understand, help me, also, to ponder Jesus’s
sayings and grasp the fullest meaning out of them. Amen.

“To aim for the truth is to follow a call planted in us by God.  So it is natural for every man to follow the truth and to abhor lies.  Truth is always associated with love, and true love is self-sacrificing.”  –Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko (+ 1984)

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.

Sunday: Jesus’s Peace
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors
were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace
be with you.”
—John 20:19
Reflection:
Once one is informed of the story of Jesus—how meek He
was and how He was unjustly accused, condemned, scourged,
mocked and crucified—one can’t help but respond with gladness
to what happens next in the story: Jesus was risen and came to
the anguished disciples and said, “Peace be with you” (Luke
24:36). What a victory for righteousness!
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, what would we do as a human race without Your
teachings of love, peace, kindness and forgiveness? Where
would we be without them? Please create more peace among
all nations and tribes. Amen.

Sunday: Ruler of the Universe
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
—Acts 1:8
Reflection:
When we say that Jesus went up into heaven to sit at the Father’s
right hand, we mean that He has entered fully into the Father’s
life of creation, as Ruler of the Universe.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Your Son, Jesus Christ, is King of the Universe,
and nothing transpires without His creating it or allowing it.
His intentions for me are all benevolent. Make me more faithful
in return. Amen.

Sunday: Gifts and Fruits
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of
you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. For the promise
is made to you and to your children and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
—Acts 2:38–39
Reflection:
Saint Paul said that the fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (see Galatians 5:22). Isaiah said that the gifts of the Spirit
are: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel
and of strength and a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord
(see Isaiah 11:2). We who have been baptized can lay claim to
all these fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit, as God sees fit to
give them to us.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I know that You are inside of me and that You want
to benefit me. Shower me with your gifts and fruits today as I
navigate all of today’s challenges and joys. Amen.

Sunday: Mary’s Faith
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
Scripture:
At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in
marriage but are like the angels in heaven. And concerning the
resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you
by God, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob”? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.
—Matthew 22:30–32
Reflection:
In the Magnificat, Mary sang, “He has helped Israel his
servant,/ remembering his mercy,/ according to his promise to
our fathers,/ to Abraham and to his descendants forever” (Luke
1:54-55). The Magnificat is a song of praise to God for all that
He has done for us—including Mary’s assumption—and for all
that He will do in the future.
Prayer:
Our lives are filled with periods of stress, sadness and darkness.
Our lives also contain moments of tranquility, joy and light.
Lord Jesus, Author of Life, please give me Mary’s deep faith in
all circumstances, which can lessen the suffering of my own
death to come someday. Amen.

Sunday: Mary’s Immaculate Heart
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he
loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then
he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that
hour the disciple took her into his home.
—John 19:26–27
Reflection:
Mary’s Immaculate Heart was open to taking us as her children;
it was open to giving up Jesus on the Cross; and, it was (and is)
open to love for all mankind, as Jesus was in love with mankind.
Mary followed in Jesus’s footsteps. That is why consecration
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary necessitates carrying one’s
cross – to follow Jesus.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Morning Star, your Immaculate Heart knows that
the world, the flesh and the devil are no match for the power
of Jesus’s salvific action on the Cross. Thank you for beckoning
to me to come nearer to you, so that you can show me the way
to Jesus. Thank you for coming close to me in the prayer of the
Rosary. Amen.