“O Holy Trinity, whom I adore, whom I love, whose eternal praises I am to sing! In me you are light, you are grace, you are love! Plunge me into yourself and I plunge deeply into the love of your Being.”  –Venerable Lucia of Fatima, O.C.D. (+ 2005)

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

Wednesday: Emanate the Kindness
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices
they had prepared and went to the tomb.
—Luke 24:1
Reflection:
For two days, the precious Body of Jesus laid on a cool slab of
stone, cold and lifeless Itself. Then all of a sudden on the third
day Jesus came to life again, with all the radiance of the sun.
Prayer:
Just as Christ rose and radiated the majesty of His Glorified
Body, so I am called to emanate the kindness of the Holy Spirit
within me. Dearest Holy Spirit, please shine Your love and joy
through me to everyone I meet. Amen.

Wednesday: Jesus Asked Me
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
According to [the Lord’s] promise we await new heavens and a
new earth in which righteousness dwells.
—2 Peter 3:13
Reflection:
The apostles accompanied Jesus to His ascension, and watched
Him fade from their sight, with joy in their hearts. As the
radiance of His being continued to resonate inside of them,
they were in reverie, until angels came to remind them to keep
focused on the task at hand—that of proclaiming the gospel to
a broken world.
Prayer:
The angels sent the apostles back to the world, back to the cross
and back to their lives of hard work and rejection from the
powers-that-be. They understood that that was the path they
needed to walk, to receive their crowns of glory in heaven.
Heavenly Father, boost my confidence so that I, too, will be
able to do the challenging work of living as Jesus asked me to
live. Amen.

Wednesday: Enlighten Me
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak
in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
—Acts 2:4
Reflection:
To begin with, Jesus’s apostles were not men of superior
willpower, humility or intuition. But by the power of the
Holy Spirit, the weak became strong and courageous; the proud
became humble. And, the ones who didn’t quite comprehend
Jesus’s divine Sonship turned into those who were absolutely
convinced of it.
Prayer:
I am weak, sometimes proud and often don’t quite understand
the Christian mysteries either. Holy Spirit, enlighten me with
the gifts of Your strength, humility and knowledge. Give me
the right words to share with others that will inspire and benefit
them in their lives. Amen.

Wednesday: Be a Model
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe
those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you
have in us.
—Philippians 3:17
Reflection:
The Blessed Virgin Mary was Jesus’s first and best disciple; she
survived the death of her Divine Child because she understood
that He was present to her with His love, always.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, Throne of Wisdom, I pray that you will be a
model of sure faith for me, and that I will be able to survive
any trial or tribulation that might come my way through my
friendship and relationship with your Son. Amen.

Wednesday: Wash Their Feet
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he
has been proved he will receive the crown of life that [the Lord]
promised to those who love him.
—James 1:12
Reflection:
Jesus gave His disciples two important duties to perform just
before He went to the Cross. The first was to change bread
and wine into His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. The
second was to wash one another’s feet in humble service to one
another. He was modeling humility for us, since humility is the
path towards receiving a crown of glory in heaven.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven, Model of Humility and Service,
pray for me to be inspired to receive the Blessed Sacrament
often, and to act out of humility toward my neighbor—in
opposition to the world, which encourages me to act out of
pride and arrogance. I pray to become a star student of yours.
Amen.

“Acknowledge, Man, what you have been, where you have been, under whom you have been. You were a straying sheep, in a trackless and waterless desert, feeding on thorns and thistles. Placed under a hireling, you had no security when the wolf came. Now, however, the true shepherd has come looking for you, you have been lovingly hoisted onto his shoulders and brought back to the sheepfold, that is to the house of God, which is the Church, where Christ is your shepherd, and the sheep stay together in one flock….” –Saint Augustine (+ 430)

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

Tuesday: Generous
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest’s
servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them in reply, “Have
you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to
seize me? Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple
area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the scriptures may be
fulfilled.” And [the disciples] all left him and fled.
—Mark 14:47-50
Reflection:
Jesus had the opportunity to be crowned king during His
public ministry, such as after multiplying the loaves and fishes
and feeding the multitudes. But He resisted efforts to make
Him King, knowing that His Kingship was not here on earth.
However, in Gethsemane, realizing that it was the Father’s will
for Him to be sacrificed for our sins, He did let the crowd have
its ugly way with Him.
Prayer:
Jesus taught that success in this material world should not be our
ultimate goal in life. He taught us to go beyond any considerations
of materiality and comparison with others, and instead to become
generous and close to God, where our true fulfillment lies. Jesus,
please encourage me to offer kindheartedness to others, and
to seek the footprints of God, which I can only find with the
guidance of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tuesday: Protection from Satan
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you
like wheat.
—Luke 22:31
Reflection:
Peter denied Our Lord three times, and yet Jesus had told him,
“You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church”
(Matthew 16:18). Peter might have been a conundrum to Jesus
and to himself. How could he be such a faithless man, with
such weak courage, and yet have the keys to the Kingdom of
Heaven?
Prayer:
Satan will try to cause me to deny Christ also. Jesus, I ask for
Your protection from his evil plans for me. Please send heavenly
angels to guard me and keep me safe from all harm. Amen.

Tuesday: Stand Firm
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
Scripture:
So he released the man who had been imprisoned for rebellion
and murder, for whom they asked, and he handed Jesus over to
them to deal with as they wished.
—Luke 23:25
Reflection:
Jesus often warned the disciples that the same thing that would
happen to Him would happen to them also, as the price of being
His disciple. This world was not ready for what Jesus brought –
His heavenly Kingship. He was ridiculed as a mock king, spat
at and crowned with tortuous thorns.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, Most Obedient, I know that I must stand firm when
I am ridiculed, just as You did, and ask for Your help to weather
the storm. Assist me in facing the future with confidence, and
in knowing that You are with me. Amen.

Tuesday: Turn the Tide
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not
weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children,
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed
are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that
never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are
done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?”
—Luke 23:28–31
Reflection:
It seemed as though all the evil that could be done was done
to Jesus. But He warned the women on the Via Dolorosa that
a time would come when they and their offspring would suffer
even more from evil.
Prayer:
Sin abounds in our society as it never has before. But the Blessed
Mother said at Fatima that praying the Rosary could turn the
tide from evil to goodness and create peace on earth. Heavenly
Father, put an end to all the wars and bring peace to our world.
Amen.

Tuesday: Apparent Failure
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon.
—Mark 15:33
Reflection:
Jesus was a failure by the world’s standards. He was crucified
as a criminal, mocked, scourged, beaten, spat at and even His
clothes were torn from Him. And yet, through this apparent
failure, He redeemed all of the people in the world.
Prayer:
Jesus, when I am going through a time of suffering alone, and
I feel abandoned by my friends, I believe that You are with me.
I am sure that You love me. Thank You for making blessings
come out of it all, in the end. Remind me that I don’t have to
be successful; I only need to be faithful. Amen.

“Even when he leads along rough ways, it is always the good pasture that he has in sight for us at last. But not ‘good’ in an earthly sense; Christ has brought no paradise on earth, but peace and everlasting life for the soul. The wild beasts, hatred, anger, envy, and every kind of sin, lie defeated in us beneath the powerful arm of the Shepherd….”  –Sister Aemiliana Löhr, O.S.B. (+ 1972)

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

Monday: We Have Help
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and
you shall name him Jesus.
—Luke 1:31
Reflection:
When Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, most of the established world was controlled by Rome,
including the Holy Land. It was a pagan culture, far from God.
However, in a little home in Nazareth, Mary and St. Joseph
were leading God-filled lives and preparing for the holiest birth
of all time.
Prayer:
We live in a world that is quite secularized in our times, too.
Fortunately, though, we have Mary’s example of how to live
a God-centered life, and we have Jesus, the Father, the Holy
Spirit, the angels, the saints and the Catholic Church. Jesus,
Mary and St. Joseph, pray for me to be motivated to do my
best in life, so that I naturally want to do things in an excellent,
patient and helpful way. Amen.

Monday: Gift of Knowledge
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
Live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
—Ephesians 5:2
Reflection:
The angel never suggested that Mary go to Elizabeth to aid her
in her time of need; Mary intuited it herself, because she was
so willing to lend a hand where she was needed.
Prayer:
All it takes for me to be like Mary is to perceive the needs
around me, and then offer assistance without being asked. Holy
Spirit, entrust me with Your gift of knowledge, that I may
discern more easily the necessities of others. Give me Your holy
wisdom. Amen.

Monday: Offer My Fiat
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the
whole world should be enrolled.
—Luke 2:1
Reflection:
Because Caesar required them to go to Bethlehem to be
enrolled, Mary and St. Joseph had to take the long tiring trip
while she was nine-months’ pregnant. The trek was arduous,
but it resulted in Our Lord’s being born in Bethlehem, as was
predicted in sacred scripture. God is always in control, which
we hardly ever understand at the time.
Prayer:
I can imitate Mary by performing the duties of my state in
life, focusing on the present moment and—when required by
charity—maybe taking some long detours. All I have to do is
give these diversions my fiat—my “yes”. Dear God, I say “yes”
to Your will. Please work through me. Amen.

Monday: Minimize Any Damage
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold,
this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and
to be a sign that will be contradicted.”
—Luke 2:34
Reflection:
Mary was thankful for her healthy Divine Baby Boy, and she
was happy to present Him to God in the temple. She pondered
the ominous prophecy of Simeon long afterward.
Prayer:
Sometimes I get a feeling of foreboding in my life. This is
a feeling that Mary must have gotten, too, when Simeon
prophesied over her divine Son. Lord, please minimize any
damage that may be coming into my life when I feel such
apprehension, and write straight with crooked lines as only You
can. Amen.

Monday: God’s Plan
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
Trust in God at all times, my people!/ Pour out your hearts to
God our refuge!
—Psalm 62:9
Reflection:
St. Joseph was obedient by taking his little family to Jerusalem
for the Passover. Jesus was obedient to His Heavenly Father by
staying at the temple, learning, teaching and conversing with
the doctors of the law.
Prayer:
Mother Mary and St. Joseph, you understood how to trust God,
despite the appearance of a disaster looming upon you. Please
pray for me to trust in God’s plan as I live my own little life,
too. Amen.

“Let us thank him for all his mercies and prepare ourselves to receive the favors that still remain to be bestowed on us. With hearts raised on high, let us celebrate the feasts of heaven, so that from temporal joys we may pass to those which are eternal.”  –Saint John De Avila (+ 1569)

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

Sunday: Follow in His Footsteps
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple
whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord
from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
—John 20:2
Reflection:
Even though Jesus had told His disciples that He would suffer
and be killed at the hands of men and would rise again, when
they discovered the empty tomb, they were dumbfounded,
because their faith was so weak and empty.
Prayer:
Jesus, I understand that through Your resurrection from the
dead, You promised eternal life to all of us, too, who would
follow in Your footsteps. Thank You for preparing a place for
me. Amen.

Sunday: Jesus Had to Leave
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up
into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they
went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked
with them and confirmed the word through accompanying
signs.
—Mark 16:19–20
Reflection:
When Jesus ascended into heaven, His disciples were filled with
joy even though their Friend had gone away. They saw that God
had a purpose, that He was truly present with them and that He
was going to send the Advocate to assist them.
Prayer:
Jesus had to leave this world so that He could send the Holy
Spirit to be with us. Heart of Jesus, Salvation of Those Who
Trust in Thee, I do love You, above all other things and people.
Bestow upon me eternal life with You, after I die. Amen.

Sunday: Elation
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
—Jeremiah 31:33
Reflection:
Pentecost made all the difference to the apostles. They were
filled with the Holy Spirit, as Jesus had promised they would be.
The Holy Spirit filled them with many gifts, including courage
and boldness, to preach and prophecy.
Prayer:
Having been through the desolation of Good Friday, the apostles
understood their utter dependence on Jesus; and on Pentecost,
they believed that He was with them in the Holy Spirit, and
their hearts soared with elation. Dearest Jesus, please fill me
with the sure knowledge that You are unquestionably with me,
and that I am no longer alone. Amen.

Sunday: Singular Grace
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Quote:
“By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s
redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit,
the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity.”
—Catechism, no. 967
Reflection:
Mary was the one chosen to carry the exalted responsibility of
bearing the Christ-Child. Still, though, she was just a creature,
and as unable to transport herself to heaven as any one of us
would be. It was a singular grace of God that accomplished her
assumption, because of her complete devotion to God for her
entire life.
Prayer:
Mary was assumed into heaven because she was so much like
Jesus; she loved God very deeply, like Jesus did. Dear Mary,
Mother of Christ, intercede for me, to inspire me to model
myself after you, a creature like myself, whom I can imitate.
Amen.

Sunday: Obedience and Faithfulness
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Quote:
“She is ‘clearly the mother of the members of Christ’… since she
has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers
in the Church.”
—Catechism, no. 963
Reflection:
Mary cooperated so obediently and faithfully with God’s plan
to save us that she helped to restore our souls to everlasting life
through her human efforts, which is why she is a mother to all
of us.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Mother of Divine Grace, pray for me to become
obedient and faithful to God, as you were, and make me pure
of heart, and quick to do God’s will in my life. Amen.

“The reception of the Eucharist has the effect in a prayerful soul of drawing forth a desire for our own sacrificial offering. Our soul senses that somehow over a lifetime we can be united to the passionate offering of Christ himself. The sacrament compels a drive in the soul to be enmeshed mysteriously with Christ’s sacrifice.”  –Father Donald Haggerty

Intention:  Please bless all my loved ones on the other side with love and joy, and may they rest in peace, and come into heaven to be with You forever and ever, if they’re not already there.

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

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

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

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

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

“The prayer that is required of us is first and foremost a sacrifice. It is time that we requisition for no other purpose than to present it entirely to God…. Seen from this angle prayer is preferring God….”  –Venerable Madeleine Delbrêl (+ 1964)

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Ask that in every free moment you may think of your God whom you hold in your soul…. Remember that you are his little home.”  –Saint Teresa of the Andes (+1920)

Intention:  Lord, send favor now!  Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

“Let’s listen to him, for he is Truth. Let’s gaze upon him, for he is the image of the Father. Let’s love him, for he is the love who gives himself for his creatures. He comes to our souls that they may be lost, deified in him. What union, however great it may be, can be compared with this one?”  –Saint Teresa of the Andes (+ 1920)

Intention:   I pray for Your help, Lord, today in carrying out the work that You have given me to do.

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

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

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

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

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

“As God, Jesus suffered human hatred, persecution, betrayal, hypocrisy. And don’t think that because he was God he didn’t feel the suffering that this implied for him. He was a man like us, the most perfect man, and yet his heart was more noble, more tender, more sensitive than anyone else’s, for everything human in him was divine, infinite.”  –Saint Teresa of the Andes (+ 1920)

Intention:  I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me.

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

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

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

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

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

“While respecting the beliefs and sensitivities of all, we must first clearly affirm our faith in Christ, the one Savior of mankind, a faith we have received as a gift from on high, not as a result of any merit of our own.”  –Saint John Paul II (+ 2005)

Intention:  Lord, thank You for blessing America.  Thank You for blessing America!

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

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

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

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

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