“Open your soul completely, without any fear of appearing wretched, and you will see how Jesus will make you happy and will make you understand many more things than you know now.”  –Venerable Mary Magdalen of Jesus in the Eucharist, C.P. (+ 1960)

When I do my best in life, and trust in Jesus for that and everything else as well, it is easier for me to find inner peace and happiness.

Intention:  I’m shaking off every setback, in Jesus’ name.  I have my trust and confidence in Almighty God.  He is my source.

Wednesday: Beginning
of New Eternal Life
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also
live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies
no more; death no longer has power over him.
—Romans 6:8–9
Reflection:
On Easter Sunday, Jesus broke the bonds of transgression and
illuminated the darkness that covered the Earth. He replaced
our ties to sin and death with a connection to a new life in
the Spirit, where we can all live together in a deep, abiding
relationship with Him.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, Your resurrection gives me certain hope that the
end of my earthly life is only the beginning of a new, eternal
life with You, if only I believe in You and try to live Your
teachings. In the meantime, assist me to live in Your charity
and love until I come home to You. Amen.

Wednesday: Taste the Sweetness
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd
them/ and lead them to springs of life-giving water,/ and God
will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
—Revelation 7:17
Reflection:
Jesus is the Lamb on the grand throne of heaven, sitting at the
right hand of the Father, where, in union with each other, they
exchange joyful love between Them, forevermore. There in
the heart of heaven, there is no more need or want, no more
loss or isolation.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, give me the gift of spiritual communion with
You, that I may taste the sweetness of heaven while I am still
on Earth. Amen.

Wednesday: Adopted Children
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry,
“Abba, Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs
of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.
—Romans 8:14–17
Reflection:
The Holy Spirit abides inside each of us who are baptized as a
living flame, that is fanned by the Sacraments of the church,
and that witnesses to us our blessed adoption as children of the
Most High God.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, please bestow upon me the fruits of the Holy
Spirit, so that others might not see me anymore, but only You in
me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Amen.

Wednesday: Doorway of Love
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most
pitiable people of all. But now Christ has been raised from the
dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
—1 Corinthians 15:19–20
Reflection:
Death is a door that God opens for us with His love. As we
enter the doorway, He transforms our lives here into eternal
lives. Blessed Mother Mary, because of her purity and her deep
connection to Jesus, the Son of God, prays that we would be
blessed during our transition of death.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother Mary, please intercede for me to present myself
to others with your purity, love and generosity. Amen.

Wednesday: Cling to Mary
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
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 4:7–8
Reflection:
Because Mary also suffered with her Son Jesus when He was
tortured and crucified, she fully understands what we go
through down here in this valley of tears, as we take up our
crosses and follow Him.
Prayer:
Lord, I cling to Mary as my mother in heaven, because she is
Queen of all the angels and saints, and will love me, intercede
for me and guide me more directly toward You. Amen.

“God abandons no one who is faithful to him, and he will not abandon you if you rely on him.”   –Blessed Nikolaus Gross (+ 1943)

We are conquerors if we rely on God, Who loves us so — no matter what happens.  Jesus, I trust in You!

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

Tuesday: Alone With His Thoughts
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,/ my God, my rock
of refuge!
—2 Samuel 22:2–3
Reflection:
The Lord Jesus, while in the garden for those few hours, was
subjected to the anxiety-laden expectation of what was to come:
the scourging, the ridicule, the blows, the crucifixion. He was
alone with His anticipation, thoughts and fear of all the disaster
that was about to befall Him. And yet, He still complied with
the Father’s will for Him and accepted His Cross.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I am not as strong as You in the face of
temptation. Please forgive me for all the times when I have been
fickle in my choice of whether to follow You or to follow the
ways of the world. Amen.

Tuesday: Conqueror
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
the sword? As it is written: “For your sake we are being slain
all the day;/ we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through
him who loved us.
—Romans 8:35–37
Reflection:
The hostile contempt with which Jesus’s torturers did their
cruel scourging must have also bruised His heart. But He still
conquered sin and death through what He suffered.
Prayer:
My Supremely Sensitive Jesus, You were subjected to terrible
hatred and scorn during Your scourging. Please help me not to
take personally any words of derision that may come my way,
recognizing that they are irrelevant, and that You are with me.
Amen.

Tuesday: Cause of Justice and Blessing
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh
I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on
behalf of his body, which is the church.
—Colossians 1:24
Reflection:
Jesus spent His entire life thinking godly thoughts toward
His brothers and sisters and acting accordingly. Yet, He was
imprisoned on false charges, tortured and put to death on a
Cross. He suffered terribly for the sake of those same brothers
and sisters, including those close to Him who had turned
on Him.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Bruised for our Offenses, help me when I am
being judged to offer my suffering up to You, realizing that I
am helping Your cause of justice and blessing upon this planet.
Amen.

Tuesday: Pick Up Our Cross
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the
world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must
know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has
commanded me.
—John 14:30–31
Reflection:
The Father commanded His Son to carry His Cross, and in so
doing to redeem the world. No matter how He had to shuffle
and stumble along the way to Calvary, and no matter whether
the crowds expressed pity or taunts, Our Lord pressed on toward
His goal: the crucifixion, followed by the resurrection.
Prayer:
My precious Jesus, You told us that to be Your disciple, we
must pick up our cross and follow You. Oh, how often I have
wandered off that path, not knowing that I was moving further
and further from Your love. Grant to me the obedience to never
again stray far from Your footfalls, but stay close to You for the
rest of my life. Amen.

Tuesday: Pour Your Dew
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into
his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
—John 19:33–34
Reflection:
It is such a mystery that Jesus’s crucifixion and death allowed us
to be redeemed and to enter into eternal life, and also freed all
those holy souls who had gone before Him in the land of the
dead. We may never truly comprehend such a mystery, but it is
valuable to ponder it in our hearts.
Prayer:
Precious Blood of Christ, Stream of Mercy, please comfort and
encourage me during times of desolation or discouragement.
On my dryness, pour Your dew. Amen.

“It is possible, in other words, to begin to live here and now the way will live in the definitive establishment of the kingdom, where earthly good will no longer have any value but where God will be all in all.”  — Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M., CAP.

If Jesus humbled Himself to experience death on a cross, even, we must be able to live in simplicity and poverty, and still find the Kingdom of Heaven.

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

Monday: Trust in Holy Spirit
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
He is the image of the invisible God,/ the firstborn of all
creation.
—Colossians 1:15
Reflection:
Mary gave her fiat to God in a pure way; she did not question
or laugh at the angel when he asked her to become the mother
of God. From her, we learn how important it is to surrender to
God’s desire for us in an uncomplicated and trusting manner,
free of doubts and anxieties.
Prayer:
Jesus, please help me to enter into the unfamiliar territory to
which You lead me in life. Help me to trust in the grace of my
baptism into the Holy Spirit, knowing that that same Spirit will
be there for me to aid me in all my needs. Amen.

Monday: Praise From Holy Spirit
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
God mounts the throne amid shouts of joy;/ the Lord, amid
trumpet blasts./ Sing praise to God, sing praise;/ sing praise to
our king, sing praise.
—Psalm 47:6–7
Reflection:
Elizabeth and Mary, with their as-yet-unborn children John
and Jesus, came together to form an association of joy that
was fueled by a burst of praise from the Holy Spirit. This was
expressed with holiness in Mary’s Magnificat.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You give us Your love, joy and light every day, and
we can be aware of these blessings when we take the time to
pray and listen to You. Assist me in letting go of any guilt that
may linger after my sin has been confessed and I have received
absolution. Amen.

Monday: Empty Ourselves
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in
Christ Jesus,/ Who, though he was in the form of God,/ did not
regard equality with God/ something to be grasped./ Rather,
he emptied himself,/ taking the form of a slave,/ coming in
human likeness;/ and found human in appearance,/ he humbled
himself,/ becoming obedient to death,/ even death on a cross.
—Philippians 2:5–8
Reflection:
The Child Jesus was born in a lowly stable amongst the animals,
yet Mary and Joseph realized that He was the Son of God.
They teach us that no situation is a cause for feelings of gloom,
because God is still in control, even when we cannot see it.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, help me to empty myself of pride and self-interest,
and embrace the power of Your gospel message, that I may live
it out and share it always. Amen.

Monday: God is Love
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
[The Lord] said: They are indeed my people,/ children who
are not disloyal;/ So he became their savior/ in their every
affliction./ It was not a messenger or an angel,/ but he himself
who saved them./ Because of his love and pity/ he redeemed
them himself,/ Lifting them and carrying them/ all the days
of old.
—Isaiah 63:8–9
Reflection:
Mary accepted Simeon’s foreboding message without cringing,
because it came through him from God—Who is Love. She
seemed to understand that Divine Love would always find a
way to make joy out of sorrow and hope out of despair.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, King and Center of All Hearts, please inspire me
to dedicate myself to Your redeeming purpose in the world, so
that I may be Your arms, hands and legs in carrying out Your
grand plan of salvation for my brothers, my sisters and myself.
Amen.

Monday: God’s Mysterious Ways
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a
wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing
away. Rather we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and
which none of the rulers of this age knew, for if they had known
it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
—1 Corinthians 2:6–8
Reflection:
Mary and Joseph must have been on an emotional roller coaster
for the three days searching for Jesus and then finally finding
Him in the temple. Yet still, they managed to keep saying “yes”
to God in all His unusual and incomprehensible ways.
Prayer:
Dear God, You are mysterious in the way You permit or allow
things to happen in our lives, and in how Your wisdom unfolds
in our lives. Please give me the strength to hang onto the
emotional roller coaster of life while trusting in You—trusting
that You are accomplishing something incomprehensibly
worthwhile in my life. Amen.

“Missionary cooperation is rooted and lived, above all, in personal union with Christ.  Only if we are united to him as the branches to the vine can we produce good fruit.”  –Saint John Paul II (+ 2005)

The Holy Spirit will help us to maintain a good relationship with Jesus.  Jesus, I trust in You!

Intention:  Thank You, Lord, for arranging things in our favor.

Sunday: Heavenly Place
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
As they approached the village to which they were going, he
gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they
urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is
almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened
that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the
blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were
opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their
sight.
—Luke 24:28–31
Reflection:
Jesus explained to the disciples on the road to Emmaus about
the Messiah and the revelations of the prophets, as it related to
Himself. Up until that point, they only recognized the human
side of Him. But then at table that night, He used expressions
and actions that reminded them of how He had acted before
the crucifixion (giving thanks, breaking bread and giving it to
them), and something in this opened their eyes to His Divine
Self as well. At that point, they realized that it had been Him
all along.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus—You who care for me so – thank You for preparing
a heavenly place for me for all eternity. I love You. Amen.

Sunday: Believe in Ascension
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I
am leaving the world and going back to the Father.
—John 16:28
Reflection:
After Jesus had been resurrected and appeared to Mary
Magdalene, He spoke of His approaching ascension (when she
clung to Him). He said He was ascending to His Father and our
Father. Then, in Mark 16:19, we read the eyewitness accounts
of His ascension by the apostles: “After he had spoken to them,
he was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand
of God.”
Prayer:
Accordingly, we believe in the ascension and affirm it in our
Apostles’ Creed when we say, “On the third day He rose
again from the dead, He ascended into heaven, and is seated
at the right hand of God, the Father almighty.” Dear Jesus, I
believe that You have ascended and sit at the right hand of the
Father. I ask You to intercede for me in the following matter:
________________________. Amen.

Sunday: Assimilate Faith
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
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.
—Matthew 28:19
Reflection:
While at the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples about the Holy
Spirit, Whom He promised to send them after He returned
to the Father. He said that the Holy Spirit would explain all
truth to them at such time as they were sufficiently ready to
receive it. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would take what was
His, and declare it to them. Not only that, but He said that
all that the Father had was His (Jesus’s). Therefore, we see the
full reciprocation that exists between the three Persons of the
Trinity.
Prayer:
For this reason, again, we can see how what we profess in
church directly reflects what Jesus taught us about the Holy
Trinity. In the Nicene Creed we say, “I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the Lord the Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father
and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son is adored and
glorified; Who has spoken through the prophets.” Dear Father,
assist me to assimilate the faith of Your church. Amen.

Sunday: Soar to Heaven
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
Scripture:
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes
in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to
condemnation, but has passed from death to life.
—John 5:24
Reflection:
We believe that Mary was exempted from original sin from the
moment she was conceived, and also, of course, spared from any
punishment because she never committed any sin. Part of why
we believe this is because it is only reasonable to believe that
God could never have united Himself to any human who had
the blemish of sin on their soul. When she passed away, she was
taken up body and soul into heaven to be with her Son, Jesus
Christ, forever.
Prayer:
When Jesus said to Martha, “I am the Resurrection and the
life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and
whoever lives and believes in me shall never die,” in John 11:25–
26, He was affirming that we will soar up to heaven someday,
if we believe and do our best to live His commandments. Dear
Jesus, God of Peace, please lift all the dearly departed faithful
into Your Heavenly Kingdom if they are not yet already there.
Amen.

Sunday: Clothed With the Sun
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Daughters of kings are your lovely wives;/ a princess arrayed in
Ophir’s gold/ comes to stand at your right hand.
—Psalm 45:10
Reflection:
Mary was Mother of God and Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and
thus, perhaps it is only right that we call her Queen of the Angels
and the Saints. But, adding to this reasoning, we have the book
of Revelation, where John the Evangelist wrote that He saw “a
woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1) –
immediately following his seeing the Ark of the Covenant –
inferring that they were one in the same things. This woman
gave birth to a baby boy, a little bit later in Chapter 12 of the
book of Revelation. The church naturally sees Mary in her and
believes that she was crowned Queen, having the crown of stars
above her head.
Prayer:
We see how we profess this when we say the Hail Holy Queen
prayer, “Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our
sweetness, and our hope…” composed during the Middle Ages.
Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven, please pray for me in the
following urgent matter: _______________. Amen.

“You will tell me that you are carrying the cross; this is a good sign, for this is what the Lord wants of you.  Afterward will come the time of consolation.”  –Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (+ 1862)

Obedience is so crucial.  If it is time for us to carry our cross, we should be obedient and carry it with as much Holy Spirit as we can receive.

Intention:  Thank You God that You’re in control.  Thank You that You’re working behind the scenes.  Thank You that You’re arranging things in our favor.

Saturday: Anger and Bitterness
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwells in you?
—1 Corinthians 3:16
Reflection:
If Mary had contained some blemish of sin in her, the angel
could not have told her that she was “full of grace.” Mary had
the Spirit of God within her, or else the angel could not have
told her, “The Lord is with you.” This is the same woman who
Jesus gave to us on the Cross. How blessed we are!
Prayer:
If we live with of the merits of Jesus who gives us forgiveness
and mercy, and live a virtuous life and have the benefit of the
grace of God, we will be living examples of the scripture,
“[My Father] will give you another counselor, to be with you
forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for
he dwells with you, and will be in you” (John 14:15–17). Holy
Spirit, come heal us of all anger and bitterness as a result of our
political differences. Amen.

Saturday: Living Sanctuary
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace.
—John 1:16
Reflection:
This encounter between Our Lady and her cousin Elizabeth at
the visitation reveals to us Mary’s strong belief in God and her
profound humility: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of
his handmaiden” (Luke 1:46–48). It is the most superb hymn
of glory to God, Who gave her grace.
Prayer:
Mary is the living sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, where divinity
abounds. Dearest Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us
to be saved from our petty desires and demands, which get in
the way of our living together in peace on this planet. Amen.

Saturday: Believe, Adore,
Hope and Love
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
When [the shepherds] saw this, they made known the message
that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were
amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.
—Luke 2:17–18
Reflection:
Christ Jesus came from God because He is God; He came down
from heaven and became a man, yet still retained His divinity.
He shined His light into the shadows of our dark world. He
can still be found in His words, in the Sacraments of the church
and inside of men, women and children across the earth. We
can look into the faces of one another, and see His face, if we
have the eyes to see.
Prayer:
After Jesus was born, the angel appeared to the shepherds,
who then came to Jesus and adored and believed in God. In
like manner, we can say to God, “My God, I believe, I adore,
I hope and I love Thee, and I beg pardon for all those who do
not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.”
Amen.

Saturday: Faithful to God
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was
named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was
conceived in the womb.
—Luke 2:21
Reflection:
By offering Jesus in the temple, Mary was fulfilling the Old
Law, and yet at the same time, she was fulfilling her role as
Co-Redemptrix of humanity.
Prayer:
Our Blessed Mother gives us a model of obedience to follow
in her compliance to the Old Law. Heart of Jesus, In Whom
the Father Was Well Pleased, inspire me to also follow Mary
by honoring and being faithful to God in His church. Amen.

Saturday: Add Prayers
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of
some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you
see the day drawing near.
—Hebrews 10:25
Reflection:
Joseph, Mary and Jesus provide a wonderful model of Christian
devotion. It mattered not the long distance, nor the lack of
transport to Jerusalem. They were eager to add their prayers
to the prayers of all the other people who had gathered there.
Prayer:
We are so fortunate to have a church to which we can go—a
church that feeds us with the word of God and the Body and
Blood of Christ. Lord Jesus, Our God, lead me to Your church
every Sunday, that I can worship You together with my brothers
and sisters in Christ. Amen.

“In us, reclining at his wedding banquet, the Father comes looking for the face of his eternal Word that he etched into our souls at the creation, the Christ-likeness that we put on like a garment at our baptism — that is, when we accepted the king’s invitation to share in the joy of his festal table.”  –Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis (aka “Father Simeon”)

One drop of Jesus’ Precious Blood is more than enough for us.

Intention:   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!

Friday: Your Will Be Done
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not
provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of
angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which
say that it must come to pass in this way?
—Matthew 26:53–54
Reflection:
Jesus was true God and true man and, on account of His
humanness, He chose to prepare for His passion through intense
prayer—which we know of as His agony in the Garden of
Gethsemane. His Father needed Him to be a sacrificial victim
to atone for human sins. Although it was abhorrent to His
human nature, He chose to sacrifice Himself for us, to make
satisfaction for the sins that we had committed.
Prayer:
Even if my distress is at its highest possible level, it could never
be as extreme as Jesus’s anguish, because He took on the sins
of all humanity in His sacrifice on the Cross. Heavenly Father,
help me to remember to pray Jesus’s prayer to You when I am
suffering and in distress: “Father, if you are willing, take this
cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Luke
22:42). Amen.

Friday: Infinite Value
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Pilate questioned him, “Are you king of the Jews?” He said
to him in reply, “You say so.” The chief priests accused him
of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no
answer? See how many things they accuse you of.” Jesus gave
him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
—Mark 15:2–5
Reflection:
Jesus took on our human nature so that He could sacrifice
Himself at the pillar and on the Cross to make amends for
our sins, and thus accomplish our Redemption. The animals
sacrificed under the Old Law had only been of partial merit.
But Jesus, being wholly divine, as well as wholly human, had
infinite value in His sacrifice.
Prayer:
Jesus predicted what was going to happen to Him and could
have avoided it if He had wanted to. We can see this, because
He spoke of His passion a few times before it happened. Dear
Father, when I am facing a tough situation and doing the right
thing seems difficult, give me Your strength to follow Jesus’s
example and do Your will anyway. Amen.

Friday: Last Drop of Cup
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
All who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
—2 Timothy 3:12
Reflection:
The soldiers ridiculed, scourged, and pierced Jesus with thorns.
And Pontius Pilate, though he thought Jesus was innocent,
submitted Him to all this and also to the ultimate suffering of
the crucifixion.
Prayer:
Even though the soldiers left Jesus in a pathetic state, and
Pilate proclaimed His innocence, the crowd insisted on Jesus’s
crucifixion, and Pilate capitulated. Lord Jesus, Angel of Great
Counsel, if I am ever persecuted by unjust powers-that-be, give
me Your tenacity and poise to endure until I drink every last
drop from the cup. Amen.

Friday: Faith, Hope and Love
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these
is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:13
Reflection:
After Pilate handed Jesus over to carry His Cross, the soldiers
forced Him to trudge down the road to Golgotha. All the
while, in His weakened state, He had to endure the abusive
name-calling of the people who had lined the road to jeer
at Him.
Prayer:
Jesus dragged His Cross for our sake with the infinite faith, hope
and love of His divinity. Father, assist me in following in His
footsteps by giving me some of His faith, hope and love while I
carry my own cross in life, blessing anyone who disparages me
along the way and ignoring their detractions. Amen.

Friday: Heal Hearts
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among
themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the
cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified
with him also kept abusing him.
—Mark 15:31–32
Reflection:
Jesus’s suffering and death were foretold by the prophet Isaiah
who said, “He was like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and
like a sheep that before its shearer is dumb and opened not his
mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus came, partly, to fulfill the scriptures.
Prayer:
Isaiah also foretold that Jesus would come to make reparation
for the sins of the people when he said, “He poured out his soul
to death, bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the
transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). And then He forgave those who
had wounded and killed Him, too. Holy Spirit, come into our
land and heal those who have been wounded by people in the
church. Heal their hearts, Holy Spirit. Amen.

“You alone, O Jesus, could satisfy a soul that needed to love even to the infinite.”  –Saint Therese of Lisieux (+1897)

Thank God for Jesus’ love, His listening ear and His understanding heart.  Where would we be without Him…

Intention:   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.

Thursday: Baptism
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
I prayed to the Lord, my God, and confessed, “Ah, Lord, great
and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant
toward those who love you and observe your commandments!”
—Daniel 9:4
Reflection:
Our gracious God accepts us just as we are, and through the
Sacrament of Baptism, affirms His merciful covenant with us.
The Father professes His love for us (His children) in baptism.
Prayer:
We each yearn to hear from the Father the same words He said
to Jesus at His baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you I
am well pleased” (see Matthew 3:17). Lord, heal me all of my
childhood wounds, from any time I felt unwanted, abused or
neglected when I was a youngster. Amen.

Thursday: Generosity and Kindness
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana
Scripture:
Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who
are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. For I was… thirsty and you
gave me drink.”
—Matthew 25:34–35
Reflection:
Giving a drink to those who are thirsty was one of Jesus’s
directives in Matthew 25 – a corporal work of mercy. Blessed
Mother Mary seemed to recognize this instantly at the wedding
feast of Cana when the wine ran short there.
Prayer:
Those who have asked Blessed Mother Mary to go to her
Son on their behalf are aware of how much generosity and
kindness she has for us all, because they have experienced such
a blessing as a result. Lord Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, may
Your Blessed Mother once again become loved and cherished
throughout the world. Amen.

Thursday: Listen
3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Scripture:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,/ because he has anointed
me/ to bring glad tidings to the poor./ He has sent me to
proclaim liberty to captives/ and recovery of sight to the blind,/
to let the oppressed go free,/ and to proclaim a year acceptable
to the Lord.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the
attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue
looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture
passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
—Luke 4:18–21
Reflection:
When we counsel the uncertain and educate the ignorant with
gentleness and kindness, we are performing spiritual works of
mercy. In this, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to use us as a
tool of the divine in diminishing the cloud of darkness that
surrounds the world.
Prayer:
When we listen to others faithfully and sincerely, we are giving
them the gift of Jesus’s ear and Jesus’s heart. Dear Jesus, True
Light, inspire the leaders of large corporations to listen with
Your heart to the needs of those affected by their business
activities in the world. Amen.

Thursday: Vessels of Hope and Love
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we
will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the
last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
—1 Corinthians 15:51–52
Reflection:
The transfiguration teaches us that everything and everyone is
adaptable to grand and holy change. Divine mercy desires our
transformation into vessels of hope and love for one another.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, bless all the holy souls in Purgatory with the
enlightenment of the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thursday: Remember Him
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who
are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you
gave me food.”
—Matthew 25:34–35
Reflection:
While His sacrifice on the Cross was imminently near, Jesus
instituted the Holy Eucharist, that by the memorial of His
suffering, death and resurrection, we would remember Him
and stay close to Him. It was a corporal work of mercy, as well
as a spiritual one, for us.
Prayer:
There is no telling how much our lives have been extended and
how much disaster has been averted, because of Jesus’s generosity
in providing the Holy Eucharist to us. Lord Heavenly Father,
cause the Blessed Sacrament to be more and more loved and
adored throughout the world, so that people may live lives that
are more joyful, more productive and more protected against
evil. Amen.

“When you know how much God is in love with you, then you can only live your life, radiating that love.”  –Saint Teresa of Calcutta (aka Mother Teresa (+ 1997)

When God’s love touches us, we become changed, and more generous toward others.

Intention:  I pray for fair and honest elections, in Jesus’ name.

Wednesday: New Possibilities
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for
you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to
a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
—1 Peter 1:3–5
Reflection:
Because of Jesus’s resurrection, divine mercy comes into our
world, and our sins, inadequacies, mistakes and misgivings
do not have the power to remain within our beings, if we so
choose. Because of divine action, the unmanifest world of new
possibilities comes into the manifest world.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, because of the resurrection of Your Son,
divine grace replaces the past with the new possibility of a future
filled with love and fellowship. Strengthen our political leaders
to view one another with new eyes that see beyond political
parties, and encourage dialogue, harmony and reconciliation
with one another. Amen.

Wednesday: Holy and
Beautiful Blemishes
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
May your kindness, Lord, be upon us;/ we have put our hope
in you.
—Psalm 33:22
Reflection:
When Jesus rose into heaven through His ascension, He took
with Him the wounds from His torture on the Cross as holy and
beautiful blemishes, which symbolized the fact that kindness
and charity had won out over vengeful justice.
Prayer:
Divine mercy frees society from its blind addiction to instinctive
greed and opens up the potential for positive contributions to
one another. Heart of Jesus, Abode of Justice and Love, inspire
the wealthy of the world to freely give of their surplus treasure
to people and organizations who desperately need it. Amen.

Wednesday: Holy Spirit
Transforms Us
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
[Peter said,] “God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the
holy Spirit from the Father and poured it forth, as you [both]
see and hear.”
—Acts 2:32–33
Reflection:
Divine love and benevolence flow down from the Heavenly
Father, through Jesus, and then connects us to the Divine
Person of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
The Holy Spirit approaches us and transforms us, and in so
doing, makes us more merciful ourselves. Dear Jesus, send Your
Spirit to all the peoples of the Earth, to make us kinder and
more merciful, one to another, and turn us from destruction
and war to make our planet a place of peace. Amen.

Wednesday: Caress Us
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
And when this which is corruptible clothes itself with
incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with
immortality, then the word that is written shall come about:
“Death is swallowed up in victory./ Where, O death, is your
victory?/ Where, O death, is your sting?”
—1 Corinthians 15:54–55
Reflection:
The hands of the Blessed Mother nestled Jesus as a Babe and
embraced Him tenderly after He died. These same hands will
also caress us someday, in heaven. We can hope for that – and
immortal life in paradise—with those who love us dearly.
Prayer:
Our Blessed Mother is in heaven awaiting us, which is a favor
provided for us by the Heavenly Father. Dearest Jesus, Lover of
Chastity, please make our Earth more merciful by abolishing
abortion. Amen.

Wednesday: Comfort and Console
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
His mercy is from age to age/ to those who fear him./ He has
shown might with his arm,/ dispersed the arrogant of mind and
heart./ He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones/ but
lifted up the lowly.
—Luke 1:50–52
Reflection:
In her Queenly function as Co-Mediatrix of Graces, Our
Blessed Mother dispenses the divine mercy that comes from
Jesus to those of us who are wholly undeserving of it, but who
are hopefully thankful for it.
Prayer:
We lowly humans so often feel remorse and anxiety, but we
can be sure that Our Blessed Mother and Queen is always
there to comfort and console us. Dear Blessed Mother, Queen
of all Saints, please pray for all those who are struggling with
addiction of any kind, that they may be released from their
struggle. Amen.

“If the soul longs for nothing else than to love its God then don’t worry and be quite sure that this soul possesses everything, that it possesses God himself.”  –Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (+ 1968)

As we make our way to the “finish line” of life, we can be yoked to Christ and He will help us, if only we will love Him.

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.

Tuesday: God’s Gentleness is Grace
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?” And one of them struck
the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said
in reply, “Stop, no more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s
ear and healed him.
—Luke 22:49–51
Reflection:
When we suffer cruelty, our best recourse is to throw ourselves
into God’s arms and into His benevolence. His gentleness is
grace.
Prayer:
Guardian Angel, let me know if there is anyone in my
environment who is suffering, so that I may comfort them for
a little while, and help them endure it. Amen.

Tuesday: Refuse to Whip
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
For [Pilate] knew that it was out of envy that they had handed
him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent
him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man.
I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”
—Matthew 27:18–19
Reflection:
Jesus endured a scourging, which was a vicious punishment
that was invented by those who enjoyed inflicting harm upon
others.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, Eternal Wisdom, for all the times that I refuse
to whip others with my tongue, please use it for the sake of
peace on earth. Amen.

Tuesday: Teach Through Silence
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
Once more Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am
bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no
guilt in him.”
—John 19:4
Reflection:
It sometimes takes some wee little suffering on our part – such
as to bear a little disrespect – in order to teach others who
are ignorant of God’s laws. In our silence, we can sometimes
instruct more than words could ever do. For example, the
centurion and guards who were keeping watch over Jesus said,
“Truly, this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54) after He
bore His passion with such silent suffering.
Prayer:
“King of the Jews” was the ironic truism that Pontius Pilate
had inscribed above Jesus’s head on the Cross. Jesus, You are the
legitimate King of Heaven and Earth! Inspire in me how I can
help to bring others to You. Amen.

Tuesday: Yoke Me to Jesus
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and
humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.
—Matthew 11:29
Reflection:
Jesus’s fervor while carrying His Cross seems to be almost a
crime; why would He adore it so much? It seems that no matter
what His torturers did to Him, He still yearned to complete
His mission.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, You went to Your death for the benefit of sinners.
Enlighten those who despise Your Cross as mere folly. Yo k e
me to Yourself as I carry my cross to the finish line. Amen.

Tuesday: Divine Mercy
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
“Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three
days, save yourself by coming down from the cross.”
—Mark 15:28–30
Reflection:
Everything that Jesus did on the Cross, such as absolving His
executioners, promising heaven to the “good thief” and giving
His mother to us as our mother, reveals a divine mercy inside of
Him that is hard for mortal men to fathom. Jesus quotes Psalm
22, which at its end praises God and declares that all the ends of
the earth will turn to Him – even while He is in the throes of
His most agonizing passion. There was never a truer devotion;
nor, a more divine mercy!
Prayer:
Jesus Christ, out of Your pierced side came the Blood and
Water of Your divine tenderness. Pour out Your goodwill over
everyone who thinks only of themselves, their occupations and
their daily lives, so that they may be converted, repent, receive
Your Holy Spirit and come to faith in You. Amen.

“May your faith be increased so as to realize the fact that you are never alone, wheresoever you may be, that the great God is with you, in you.”  –Saint Katharine Drexel (+ 1955)

The quantum leap in human evolution was when we realized that we have the Kingdom of Heaven inside of us, of which Jesus Christ is the King.

Intention:   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.

Monday: Quantum Leap
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up
a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to
another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
—Daniel 2:44
Reflection:
When the angel came to Mary, it was like a quantum leap
forward in human evolution, inserted into a previously grim
world experience. The angel announced a new Kingdom that
would never end. Human evil has been transformed little by
little ever since, into human virtue.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, no matter what I may have done that was sinful in
my past, help me to come to Your forgiveness with repentance,
but also with determination and assurance, and bestow upon
me Your compassion, which endures forever. Amen.

Monday: Merciful
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful.
—Luke 6:36
Reflection:
Mercy lives in Mary and in her Divine Babe, which we can see
reflected in her merciful action at the visitation of Elizabeth.
Mary’s charity was a divine connection between God and the
human race.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Fountain of Life and Holiness, thank You for
Your forgiveness. Please give me Your love, to become more
merciful toward others and myself. Amen.

Monday: Visit the Imprisoned
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who
are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. For I was… in prison and
you visited me.”
—Matthew 25:34–36
Reflection:
For humanity, which was caged in its sin, Jesus’s birth was
one of the labors of mercy that He talked about in Matthew
25: visiting the imprisoned. We were imprisoned in our sins
before Jesus came. With God incarnate visiting us, we came
to experience His love and forgiveness in a way that we could
never have fathomed, had He not come down to meet us in
the flesh.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, without You I can do nothing. Break me out of
the jail of sin and death, and give me the grace to follow You.
Amen.

Monday: See You in Me
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
As to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will
be clean for you.
—Luke 11:41
Reflection:
Just as Jesus’s parents presented Him to the temple in an act of
mercy, we participate in this hallowed action by offering our
acts of mercy to the underprivileged and destitute. Just as we
have received Jesus, we should give back to Him—in the faces
of the poor.
Prayer:
Lord, Our Lover, give me the ability to present every charity
that I give to others as a representation of Yourself. Let them
see only You in me. Amen.

Monday: Comfort of His Presence
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work
or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the
field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
—Matthew 6:28–30
Reflection:
As St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary anxiously searched
for Jesus, they were afflicted with the loss of His comforting
presence.
Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, as I seek Jesus every day, remind me to reach
out to others in kindness, who may be afflicted and seeking
Him too (whether they realize it or not). Amen.