“Give praise and thanks as a mortal man in need of God’s mercy and as one always seeking and begging it.  Though you may often fall, sin, and offend God, do not stop praying or praising him; nor are you to yield to despair; rather, you are to humble yourself and pray.”     –Venerable Thomas A Kempis (+1471)

Lord Jesus, draw me near to You, and make me an open vessel for Your Holy Spirit.

Intention:  Lord, thank You that You’re working behind the scenes.  Thank You that You’re arranging things in our favor.

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, in the Kingdom. 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.

“This is a time of testing; this is a time for those who are tested to be made known…  I beg you to protect your faith with great vigilance, to preserve harmony, to remain steadfast in prayer, to remember us unceasingly, that the Lord will deign to grant liberty to his Church, now in labor throughout the world, and that we who are oppressed may one day rejoice in freedom with you.”  –Saint Eusebius of Vercelli (+ 371)

Sometimes, in the times in which we live, it feels like it takes all I can muster to hold onto my faith, the way St. Eusebius did.  However, it doesn’t take much effort to just send up a silent “Thank You” to God, and that can relieve most of the stress!

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!

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.

“The call to leave this world, which is so full of terror for those who love it, does not alarm good people.  Those who love God are not afflicted at the thought of having to leave riches, possessions wealth, or this world’s goods.”  –Saint Alphonsus Liguori (+1787)

My life is in God’s hands.  My life is not really my own.  My life belongs to 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.

Tuesday: God’s Will
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of
Olives, and the disciples followed him.
—Luke 22:39
Reflection:
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was shown all of our sins
and pain – past, present and future – and He knew that He was
going to take on all of that sin and pain on the Cross. He was
in distress seeing all our pain, and all the pain awaiting Him.
He cried out to the Father in great agony, “Father, if you are
willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours
be done” (Luke 22:42).
Prayer:
O Lord Jesus, Your awareness in the Garden of Gethsemane
of the terrible suffering awaiting You drove You to plead with
the Father; still, You complied with His will for You. Grant me
the grace to place all my actions in God’s hands, that they may
accomplish His purposes, rather than my own. Help me to trust
always in His Providence. Amen.

Tuesday: Offer up Sufferings
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called
Messiah?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”
—Matthew 27:22
Reflection:
During the scourging at the pillar, Jesus was whipped repeatedly
and the scourges ripped the flesh from his body. He lost a lot of
blood, which severely weakened Him.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Lamb of God, You were brutally tortured at the
scourging, yet You patiently endured it for our sake. Send Your
Spirit to strengthen me when I suffer, and remind me to offer
my pain to God, for the sake of saving souls. Be there for me
with Your endurance, when I reach the end of my rope in my
suffering. Amen.

Tuesday: Stand up for Right
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
Scripture:
The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the
praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
—Mark 15:16
Reflection:
When Jesus was crowned with thorns, the soldiers were mocking
His Kingship. They drove the thorns deep into His skull, struck
Him over and over and put a reed in His hand as a mock scepter.
Prayer:
Lord, You silently endured a crown of thorns as well as the cruel
mocking and derision of the soldiers. Develop in me a courage
borne of the Holy Spirit, that I might stand up for what is right,
even in the face of ridicule or persecution. Amen.

Tuesday: Patience
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the
purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out
to crucify him.
—Mark 15:20
Reflection:
Jesus carried His Cross through the streets of Jerusalem to
Calvary. He was weak from the scourging, the beating and the
reviling of the onlookers, yet He continued carrying His Cross
patiently and resolutely.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Victim for our Sins, You trudged through the
streets of Jerusalem painfully but steadfastly. Establish in me
an abundance of patience, so that I may be forbearing in large
transgressions, as well as in smaller ones. Amen.

Tuesday: Love Enemies
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified
him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his
left.
—Luke 23:33
Reflection:
Our Lord and Savior was on the Cross for three agonizing
hours, during which time He asked the Father to forgive His
enemies.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You did what seems to be the impossible: You forgave
and loved Your enemies while they were executing You. I know
that with You, all things are possible. With Your compassion,
assist me to follow You in loving those who ridicule and judge
me, and so become a true person of love and forgiveness. Amen.

“I need to put aside everything, let go of it all, even the most beautiful and holy things, all that I could legitimately love, but which are not God.”  –Servant of God Chiara Lubich (+ 2008)

I am learning to hold onto the created things of this world — even my own dear loved ones — with a more open hand, remembering that I will have to leave them all behind when I leave this journey called life.

Intention:   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.

Monday: Humility
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man
named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name
was Mary.
—Luke 1:26–27
Reflection:
When the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary
with the news that she was to become the Mother of God, she
accepted the will of the Father by saying, “May it be done to
me according to your word.”
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Your Mother demonstrated
remarkable humility in setting aside her own life’s agenda and
accepting the Father’s will instead. Lead me into more complete
humility so that I start to view the humbling experiences of my
life as opportunities for greater holiness. Amen.

Monday: Love of Neighbor
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country
in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of
Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
—Luke 1:39–40
Reflection:
After Mary greeted Elizabeth, she said to Our Blessed Mother
that the Mother of her Lord had come to her. Then Mary said,
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices
in God my savior…” (Luke 1:46–47). This was the Magnificat!
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your Mother displayed a deep quality of love of her
neighbor in the visitation by rushing to Elizabeth’s side to aid
her. Develop this same kind of love inside of me so that I can
more easily recognize opportunities to be of charitable service
to my acquaintances. Amen.

Monday: Detachment
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because
he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with
Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
—Luke 2:4–5
Reflection:
Mary gave birth to her baby, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in a humble
stable in Bethlehem at the first Christmas. St. Joseph tenderly
cared for them, and angels sang praises to the glory of God.
Prayer:
The holy family, in leaving hearth and home and delivering
the baby Jesus in a lowly manger in Bethlehem, showed that
detachment was deep within their character. Lord, take me on
the path of detachment from worldly possessions, in imitation
of them, so that I can adopt a simpler life and put You first in
my priorities. Amen.

Monday: Obedience
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
When the days were completed for their purification according
to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present
him to the Lord.
—Luke 2:22
Reflection:
In reverence to the law of Moses, St. Joseph and Mary brought
the Baby Jesus to present Him in the temple. The prophet
Simeon took Him in his arms, looked into His eyes, and said,
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, for my
eyes have seen your salvation…” (Luke 2:29–30).
Prayer:
St. Joseph and Mary went to the temple to present Jesus, out
of submission to God. Lord, increase in me an attitude of
obedience toward You, so that I do what I ought to do, when
I ought to do it. Amen.

Monday: Piety
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to
festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were
returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his
parents did not know it.
—Luke 2:41–43
Reflection:
Although St. Joseph and Mary were sorrowful for three days
searching for their Son, they were overjoyed when they found
Him in the temple; then He submitted to Mary’s request to
return home with them.
Prayer:
The Holy Family was so devout that they made an annual
journey from Nazareth to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship
God. Lord Jesus, deepen my own piety, so that I consider my
church and prayer lives to be more important than anything else
in my life. Remind me to keep my eyes always on You. Amen.

The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus gives me the sure hope and belief that I will be carried into Heaven someday.  I find that I must pray for all my brothers and sisters to make it there too; even those with whom I disagree…  especially those with whom I disagree!  That is truly letting the Holy Spirit have His way with me.  It may not be easy to do, but it is possible — with Christ.

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.

Sunday: Help My Unbelief
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
His disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their
midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he 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.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you
have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have
believed.”
—John 20:26–29
Reflection:
St. Paul said that we who were baptized into Christ were
baptized into His death, that as Christ Jesus was raised, so too
will we all be raised into eternal life (see Romans 6:3–4).
Prayer:
We believe in the resurrection, that it will lead to each of us
having eternal life after we leave this world, not because we
have seen, as Thomas did, but because we have faith. Lord, I
do believe. Please help my unbelief, that I can have a confident
faith. Amen.

Sunday: Be Carried Into Heaven
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
Jesus answered [Nathaniel] and said to him, “Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will
see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen,
I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
—John 1:50–51
Reflection:
Christ’s ascension into heaven gives us the sure hope that we,
too, will be carried into heaven one day, following Him there.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, grant that I may be taken into heaven with as many
of my brothers and sisters here as possible. Amen.

Sunday: Share His Gifts and Fruits
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your
servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch
forth [your] hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” As they prayed,
the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all
filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of
God with boldness.
—Acts 4:29–31
Reflection:
Here, we are connected to the ascended Christ Jesus through
the Holy Spirit. Mary was connected to the Holy Spirit her
whole life, being full of grace, and then being overshadowed
by the same Spirit at the annunciation.
Prayer:
At the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Mary was the
mother of the church, assisting in praying for the Holy Spirit
for the entire group of Jesus’s followers, although the Spirit had
never left her. Dear Blessed Mother, please pray for me to allow
the Holy Spirit to have His way with me during my earthly
life, and bestow His gifts and fruits, so that I may share them
with others and do my own part in facilitating the creation of
a world at peace. Amen.

Sunday: Make it Into Heaven
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
Scripture:
Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of
the Lamb.
—Revelation 19:9
Reflection:
Although the assumption of Mary was not recorded in the
gospels, it has been celebrated back to apostolic times.
Prayer:
The assumption of Mary is an anticipation of the resurrection
of other Christians (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
No. 966). Lord Jesus, please help all my brothers and sisters to
make it into heaven; encourage them to not choose hell. Amen.

Sunday: Perfect Reflection of Jesus
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to
be holy and without blemish before him. In love, he destined
us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with
the favor of his will.
—Ephesians 1:3–5
Reflection:
The Queenship of Mary follows with the tradition of her lofty
position in the church since very early in the Christian religion;
she was the guide for the disciples in their prayer at Pentecost.
Prayer:
The Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of the Church, will assist in
guiding me to my blessed adoption by God the Father, through
her intercession. Christ Jesus, make me a perfect reflection of
You so that I can stand in Your holy presence. Amen.

“Now the exercising of the spirit is of much greater value than the exercising of the body, for this latter avails only a little.  Such meditations [exercising the spirit] purify the soul.”     –Blessed Humbert of Romans  (+ 1277)

I pray to become more pure in my soul as Mary was, who demonstrated such humility, gratitude and generous praise to Almighty God.

Intention:  Please bless us with a President and Justice Department which are non-partisan in their actions.

Saturday: Angels Minister to Me
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
God commands the angels/ to guard you in all your ways./
With their hands they shall support you,/ lest you strike your
foot against a stone./ You shall tread upon the asp and the
viper,/ trample the lion and the dragon.
—Psalm 91:11–13
Reflection:
Angels present themselves at important times in Jesus’s history:
at the annunciation, to St. Joseph to reassure him about the
Blessed Virgin Mary, to the shepherds to announce that Jesus
had been born, after Jesus was tempted in the desert for forty
days, in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was feeling
sorrowful and fearful about His forthcoming passion and at
His tomb to enlighten the holy women that He truly had been
raised from the dead.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, please ask the holy angels to minister to me whenever
I encounter difficult crises in my life, or when I haven’t a clue
of which way to turn. Amen.

Saturday: Elation
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
[Jesus] said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my
mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand
toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my
brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is
my brother, and sister, and mother.”
—Matthew 12:48–50
Reflection:
The elation that Mary and Elizabeth felt as they embraced and
shared their strikingly similar stories foreshadowed the elation
that Jesus’s followers felt, as they learned to follow His Way and
their whole lives were transformed.
Prayer:
Mary’s Magnificat, which she sings during the visitation, models
for us the themes of humility, gratitude and generous praise to
Almighty God. Lord, motivate me to model myself after Our
Wonderful, Sweet and Blessed Mother. Amen.

Saturday: Long-awaited Messiah
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you
from among your own kinsmen; to him shall you listen.
—Deuteronomy 18:15
Reflection:
When Pharaoh ordered the killing of all the little Hebrew baby
boys in Egypt, it prefigured when Herod ordered the murder of
all the little Hebrew baby boys in Bethlehem. God saved Moses,
just as He saved the Baby Jesus (the New Moses).
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I believe that You are the long-awaited Messiah who
came to lead us to the promised land of heaven. Never allow me
to sin, but always show me how to please You. Amen.

Saturday: Imitate Jesus
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for
forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he
was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he
was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had
said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word
Jesus had spoken.
—John 2:20–22
Reflection:
Because He was the fullness of God’s unceasing omnipresence,
the Baby Jesus was naturally taken to be presented at the Temple
in Jerusalem, which had been considered to be God’s dwelling
place up until that time.
Prayer:
Jesus, You raised up Your “temple” in three days, so I recognize
that You can do all things. Help me to imitate You more and
more, for the rest of my life. Amen.

Saturday: Mass
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
The feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on
the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and
said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I
told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s
name testify to me.”
—John 10:22–25
Reflection:
The mystery of the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
foreshadows the sadness of losing Him at Calvary, and also the
joy of finding Him again at the resurrection.
Prayer:
The temple was important to Jesus all throughout His short
earthly life. Lord, please remind me of this when I am tempted
to skip Mass in favor of frivolous pastimes. Amen.

“Do not think of God’s action as something extraordinary.  On the contrary, it makes itself felt in the tiny practical inspirations of every day: do this, give up that, and so on.  Live thus, knowing that you are not alone…”   –Dom Augustin Guillerand, O. Cart. (+1945)

Jesus is our constant companion in life, Who helps us to navigate our way through each day.  Thank God for His protection and guidance!

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

Friday: Heroism Over Horror
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter,
“Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one
hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The
spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
—Mark 14:37–38
Reflection:
In the agony in the garden, we see Jesus experiencing the
darkness of deep terror and dread, compounded by isolation
because His disciples were sleeping. But then we see His heroism
win out over His horror: He says “yes” to the Father’s plan just
as His mother Mary had done thirty-three-years earlier at the
annunciation.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, when I am confronted with circumstances
that call for my heroism, please ask my Guardian Angel to
strengthen and fortify me. Amen.

Friday: Angels by Our Side
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
The angel of the Lord, who encamps with them,/ delivers all
who fear God.
—Psalm 34:8
Reflection:
The Roman scourging was so intense that it incapacitated its
victims, often causing actual death all by itself. Jesus was beaten
and bleeding profusely from the scourging; His face was marred
and ghastly. Yet just on the other side of the veil were angels
watching and standing by His side.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, please ask the angels to deliver me from any
demonic influences in my life now or in my past. Amen.

Friday: Reflection of Jesus
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
—Romans 8:38–39
Reflection:
Jesus was humiliated in the cruelest of ways, by the ridicule of
His Kingship by the soldiers, which they couldn’t understand
by any stretch of their imaginations. And yet, His nobility and
honor were untouched by all that they inflicted on Him.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for always seeing in me the
reflection of Jesus’s goodness, when others around me cannot
see it, and when I cannot either. Please help me to keep my eyes
fixed only on Jesus in those times. Amen.

Friday: Our Companion
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
My heart pounds within me;/ death’s terrors fall upon me./ Fear
and trembling overwhelm me;/ shuddering sweeps over me./
Cast your care upon the Lord,/ who will give you support./
God will never allow/ the righteous to stumble.
—Psalm 55:5,6,23
Reflection:
The approach of death will probably put us on a rocky road,
because we each have such a strong survival instinct. Sometimes,
a saintly soul like Simon of Cyrene comes to ease the long trek.
But even if we are physically alone at our death, we are not really
alone – because Jesus is our companion at all times, and He will
assist us to transition through to the other side.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, as I cross the threshold of death’s door, please let
me see You, or get at least a glimpse of You, as You encourage
me to walk through Your door unafraid. Amen.

Friday: Draw Me, Lord
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
As to [Jesus’s] death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his
life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of
yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ
Jesus.
—Romans 6:10–11
Reflection:
Jesus said that He would draw all people to Himself when He
was lifted up (see John 12:32). This is at the heart of the Paschal
mystery. He has drawn us all to Himself. He is our constant
companion during life, and during our process of dying, He is
our welcoming door to eternal life.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to die to sin and live for You, and so reach up to
You, as You are drawing me to Yourself. Amen.

“Know also that holy meditations…greatly benefit the one who meditates.  First of all, they stir up in his spirit.  I meditated in the night with my own heart: and I was exercised (Ps 77:7). that is, by meditating.”    –Blessed Humbert of Romans (+1277)

As I meditate on the scriptures, I am transformed and my virtues are increased, and I become more like Jesus.

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

Thursday: Waters of Rebirth
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism
of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
—Mark 1:4
Reflection:
Jesus took on all our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual
ills when He incarnated here on Earth, and He brought that
enormously heavy burden down into the waters of the Jordan
during His Baptism, cleansing and healing it.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to partake of health of mind, body and soul,
as I turn away from sin and surrender myself to the waters of
rebirth in my baptism. Amen.

Thursday: True Wine
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana
Scripture:
Learn to savor how good the Lord is;/ happy are those who
take refuge in him.
—Psalm 34:9
Reflection:
The wine ran short at the wedding feast of Cana. Perhaps the
wine signifies all the joys of life that we thirst for, and usually
go in search of in the world, becoming disillusioned in the
process. When we seek out Jesus instead, He sates our thirst
and gives us the true wine that we seek: God’s peace, God’s
love and God’s joy.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, transform me by giving me Your true wine and
teach me to live out each of the virtues as You would live them
out, if You were me. Amen.

Thursday: Life-giving Words
3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Scripture:
Blessed are the merciful,/ for they will be shown mercy./ Blessed
are the clean of heart,/ for they will see God./ Blessed are the
peacemakers,/ for they will be called children of God./ Blessed
are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,/ for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they
insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against
you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward
will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who
were before you.
—Matthew 5:7–12
Reflection:
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, sharing His
very Self with us in each of His life-giving words of the Holy
Spirit, to express forgiveness and love to each of us. His words
transform us because His words are Him.
Prayer:
Our priests are our great treasure because they remind us of
Jesus’s words and interpret their meanings for us, and also, they
celebrate the liturgy of the Eucharist and the other Sacraments.
Jesus, please help me to glean as much as I can from my pastor’s
homilies, to aid me in living my life in accord with Your holy
way. Amen.

Thursday: Become Like Him
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot
be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a
bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all
in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that
they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
—Matthew 5:14–16
Reflection:
Jesus’s illumination during the transfiguration was meant to
demonstrate for us the luminosity that He longs to share with
us, so that we, too, will become like Him.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, please change me where I need to be changed,
that I may live out the virtues as best I can, and keep my eyes
on You, who illuminates me so. Amen.

Thursday: Creator and True Love
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
—John 6:55–56
Reflection:
Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist so that we would not forget
Him, and so that we would be aware of His astonishing presence
as our Creator and True Love when we take Him inside of us.
Prayer:
Lord, I understand how vital it is that we have priests to be
Your instruments to change bread and wine into Your Body
and Blood in the Mass. Please give us many honorable and holy
young men to answer the call to become priests. Amen.

“Do you want to know what the effect of this unification is?  It is a slow transformation into Jesus Christ.”  –Blessed Honoratius Kozminski (+ 1916)

As we seek to follow Jesus and receive Holy Communion, we will become more and more like Him.  As we do, we will experience more and more of what heaven is like, while we are still on earth.  What a wonderful, divine reward, for our small human efforts.

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

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.

“‘Yes, with my spirit and with my blood, I redeem you, my well-beloved.’  Such is our king, who dies that we might live.  He accepts humiliations and torture; a king in solidarity with those who suffer in their bodies and in their souls, those who endure all kinds of violence, disdain, oppression, threats, hunger, thirst, and poverty; in solidarity with those who believe in him as well as those who do not.”  –Father Tony El Khoury

We can be conquerors of evil, in our own little lives too, despite the negativity that might come to us.  We will leave the world a better place, for doing so.

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

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.