“It is also surprising that these Innocents were allowed to suffer such a terrible persecution from Herod…. Surely God was able to defend these innocents from the fury and power of Herod. Why is it, then, that he allowed such a horrendous crime, such inhumanity, such a monstrous deed of savage cruelty? We need to remember that in addition to temporal goods and evils, God has also created eternal goods as a reward for virtue, and eternal pains as a punishment for evil. Now these Holy Innocents are basking in eternal blessings with the holy angels in Paradise, whereas Herod like that rich feaster is tormented by eternal punishments (Lk 16:19-31)….”  –Saint Lawrence of Brindisi (+ 1619)

Intention:   Lord, please give us a society that becomes more religious again, and has a Christian revival. I thank You God for the revival that is already started.

Saturday: Move Forward
in God’s Will
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell
among you, says the Lord.
—Zechariah 2:14
Reflection:
Mary had doubts about how Jesus’s conception would take place
after the angel announced it, and so she asked how. This was not
an indication that her faith was in any weak, but just something
that faith-filled people do because they are careful and diligent.
The angel’s answer was simply that God would handle it, and
so Mary agreed to go ahead, despite her doubts.
Prayer:
Dearest Mother, Virgin Most Wise, please encourage me to
follow your example of moving forward in God’s will for my
life—in spite of my doubts and insecurities—aware that if I do,
God can do beneficial things through me. Amen.

Saturday: Love of God and Neighbor
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all
your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” [Jesus] replied to
him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”
—Luke 10:27–28
Reflection:
This mystery makes us reflect on the importance to Mary of
her loved ones—her family members, such as Elizabeth—even
though she had just had the most amazing personal experience
of her young life (in the annunciation).
Prayer:
Blessed Mother, Mother of our Savior, you are an example of
someone who always loved God and neighbor in a deep and
abiding way, which was the central message that your Son
grew up to declare, to the ends of the earth. Help me, by your
intercession, to follow your example. Amen.

Saturday: Ponder the Mysteries
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
—Luke 2:19
Reflection:
Jesus was born in poverty, totally unacknowledged as the King
of the world. How Mary must have pondered the curiosity of
her Baby, who would have the throne of David, being born in
a lowly stable with nothing. God is such a mystery!
Prayer:
Dear Father, as I ponder the mysteries in my life, such as why
I was born into a particular family rather than another family,
please assist me in trusting in Your divine plan for my salvation
and the salvation of others. Amen.

Saturday: Leads Me to Christ
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
Many nations shall come, and say,/ “Come, let us climb the
mount of the Lord,/ to the house of the God of Jacob,/ That he
may instruct us in his ways,/ that we may walk in his paths.”/
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,/ and the word of the
Lord from Jerusalem.
—Micah 4:2
Reflection:
The most important aspect of the presentation in the temple
are the words of Simeon when he looked at the Baby Jesus and
said, “My eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared
in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel” (Luke 2:30–32).
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, the Blessed Mother continually leads me to
Christ, who presents me to You—just as she offered Jesus to
You in the temple so long ago. I thank You for the blessing of
her intercession, and for Your watching over me and shielding
me from harm. Amen.

Saturday: Balance Responsibilities
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
I rejoiced when they said to me,/ “Let us go to the house of
the Lord.”/ And now our feet are standing/ within your gates,
Jerusalem.
—Psalm 122:1–2
Reflection:
Blessed Mother Mary and St. Joseph did not understand Jesus’s
response to them about why He had stayed behind in the
temple. Perhaps they thought that He was being disrespectful
or thoughtless about their feelings. To us in hindsight, it simply
seems that He wanted to be in the house of the Lord, because of
the high calling on His life. However, He obediently returned
home with His parents, after they found Him.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, assist me to find a balance between my everyday
responsibilities and my life of prayer, service and devotion to
God. Amen.

“The most intimate movements of the heart of Jesus always found their echo in the heart of John. So Jesus gave him his Mother. He confided her to his care. John believed that he was loved—and this was the secret of his love.”  –Father Jean du Cœur de Jésus d’Elbée (+ 1982)

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

Friday: Jesus is Model
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it
is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your
will be done!” Then he returned once more and found them
asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open.
—Matthew 26:42–43
Reflection:
The gospel writers make it clear that Jesus experienced enormous
emotional pain while praying in Gethsemane. However, He
bravely told the Father that He preferred the Father’s will over
His own will, trusting that the Father would look after Him
no matter what.
Prayer:
Jesus is my model of how to deal with difficult situations.
Father, I trust You to take care of these concerns and anxieties
that I have in my life today: __________________. Amen.

Friday: Jesus’s Severe Torture
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed!
What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard
the blasphemy; what is your opinion?” They said in reply, “He
deserves to die!” Then they spat in his face and struck him,
while some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy for us, Messiah:
who is it that struck you?”
—Matthew 26:65–68
Reflection:
The gospels make no mention of a pillar with regard to Jesus’s
scourging; however, artists back through history have painted
this mystery with Jesus being tied to a pillar, and so it has
become recognized as the Scourging at the Pillar.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, the Scourging at the Pillar is separated from the
Crowning with Thorns in the Rosary to help us to recognize
the genuine physical torture that You received at the hands
of those who scourged You. Help me to remember that You
suffered before me when I face the challenge of illness or pain.
Amen.

Friday: Emotional and
Mental Suffering
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
In [Jesus Christ] we have redemption by his blood, the
forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his
grace that he lavished upon us.
—Ephesians 1:7–8
Reflection:
The torture that Jesus experienced while being crowned with
thorns was not just physical; it was also emotional and mental.
Our emotional and mental sufferings can also be offered up as
redemptive suffering, in union with Jesus’s suffering, during this
third sorrowful mystery.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, I offer up to You this emotional or mental
suffering that I have experienced, in union with Your sufferings:
___________________. Amen.

Friday: Keep Moving
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling
around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour.
Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers
throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God
of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ
[Jesus] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish
you after you have suffered a little.
—1 Peter 5:8–10
Reflection:
Jesus offers us an example of how to undergo suffering in
this mystery by continuing to move forward, no matter how
painfully, no matter how slowly, resisting the devil, while
having faith in the Father’s love for Him.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I am steadfast in the faith that You are loving me
through whatever situation I am in at the moment – even if
I cannot feel Your love. I will keep moving and resisting the
devil’s temptations, and keep uniting my cross to the Cross of
Christ. Amen.

Friday: Painkiller
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means
Place of the Skull), they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with
gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
—Matthew 27:33–34
Reflection:
In the Gospel of Mark, we read that Jesus was offered a mild
painkiller, a mixture of wine and myrrh; we don’t know if
perhaps this was some small move of compassion by the soldiers
or not. However, He refused the concoction.
Prayer:
Lord, I sometimes resort to unhealthy habits to numb my senses
when I am suffering. Grant that I might be strengthened and
delivered from these temptations. Amen.

“If the blessed Stephen, facing that shower of stones, had not thought about the rewards to come, how could he have borne that terrible hailstorm? But he was bearing in mind the instruction of the one whose presence he could observe in heaven; and reaching out to him with the most ardent love, he longed to leave the flesh behind as soon as possible, and to fly off to him.”  –Saint Augustine (+ 430)

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.

Thursday: Renewal of
Baptismal Promises
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
Jesus said to [John the Baptist] in reply, “Allow it now, for thus
it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
—Matthew 3:15
Reflection:
The Bible says that we should be baptized just as Jesus was and
that we would receive the Holy Spirit and sanctifying grace in
baptism.
Prayer (Renewal of Baptismal Promises):
I reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises. I
believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and
earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who
was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and was
buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand
of the Father. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic
Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body and life everlasting. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has given us a new
birth by water and the Holy Spirit and forgiven all our sins.
May He also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ forever
and ever. Amen.

Thursday: Into Jesus’s Hands
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana
Scripture:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of
things not seen.
—Hebrews 11:1
Reflection:
Jesus revealed that He was the Son of God by bringing forth
miracles that people could see, to increase their faith in Him.
In this first miracle at Cana, Mary did not direct Jesus to do
anything; she merely told Him what the problem was, and left
Him to decide what to do and how to do it, while telling the
servers to “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).
Prayer:
Blessed Mother, House of Gold, I have faith in Jesus. Please put
the following petition into His gentle hands, so that He can
decide what to do with it: _______________. Amen.

Thursday: Reading Scripture
3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Scripture:
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my
Father in heaven.
—Matthew 7:21
Reflection:
Jesus traveled around the Holy Land for three years teaching
the disciples. It is important to study the teachings of Jesus and
to do our best to follow in His footsteps.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, please guide me in reading and contemplating the
scriptures. Help me to get the deeper meaning out of them.
Amen.

Thursday: Put Jesus First
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
Whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss
because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything
as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus
my Lord.
—Philippians 3:7–8
Reflection:
When Jesus Christ showed Himself in transfigured glory to
Peter, James and John, He was showing them that He was not
only a human man, but that He was also the Son of God.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, King of Glory, I know that You are the Son of God.
Grant me the grace that I would always put You first in my life,
above all other people and things. Amen.

Thursday: Attending Mass
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the
desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from
heaven so that one may eat it and not die.
—John 6:48–50
Reflection:
Jesus told the disciples to take bread and wine and consecrate
them so that we could receive Him (Body, Blood, Soul and
Divinity) in Communion. He said to do this in remembrance
of Him. The consecration of the Holy Eucharist is a miracle in
which we can participate at every Mass.
Prayer:
Father, I am certain that Jesus is the Bread of Life. I know that
partaking of the Blessed Sacrament is healing and helpful for
me. Help me to be diligent about attending Mass and receiving
Communion as often as possible. Amen.

“It is in this dark place of our heart that Christ wants the light of the world to begin to burn and from its burning to radiate, until it shines back from the face of humanity. Here it is that he wants the light to begin to shine in darkness and the life of the world to begin again…. It is easy to see that the world is wounded, hard to see that its healing begins in our own heart”.  –Caryll Houselander (+ 1954)

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.

Wednesday: All Things
Work for Good
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord
Scripture:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
—Romans 8:28
Reflection:
Jesus died on the Cross. Then afterward, on the third day, He
rose again in bodily form. Just as He came back to life, we will
also rise again in physical form, on the last day.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I understand that everything I experience can work
for good if I love You and try my best to do Your will. Speak to
me Your heavenly words of love and wisdom, that I may hear
them above the din of the busy world. Amen.

Wednesday: Suffering Will End
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord
Scripture:
The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man,
from heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly
one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.
—1 Corinthians 15:47,49
Reflection:
Jesus appeared to the disciples for forty days after the resurrection,
and then He ascended to heaven to prepare a place for them. “If
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take
you to myself, so that where I am you also may be” (John 14:3).
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, when Jesus died, He stopped suffering.
My suffering will end with my death also, because if I obey
Jesus’s commands, I will go to heaven, to a place prepared by
Him. I pray to live a virtuous life as best as I can, and to come
to You in heaven when I die. Amen.

Wednesday: Direction and Guidance
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle
you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the Lord. I
have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.
—Ezekiel 37:14
Reflection:
“…Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as
once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.” (Catechism
of the Catholic Church #1302.)
Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, reveal to me Your direction and guidance all
the days of my life. Show me the way in which I should go –
to the right or to the left, straight ahead or backwards. Amen.

Wednesday: Following
Mary’s Example
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
of Our Blessed Mother
Scripture:
While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out
and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the
breasts at which you nursed.”
—Luke 11:27
Reflection:
Our Blessed Mother was blessed with the gift of being received
into heaven body and soul, where all souls are eternally happy.
Thus, she is an excellent example to follow, if we want to be
blessed like she was.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, Burning Furnace of Charity, inspire us to do
small works of pure love in the world—following Mary’s
example—creating a covering of true sanctity around the whole
church. Amen.

Wednesday: Asking for Prayers
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
We do not cease praying for you and asking that you may
be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual
wisdom and understanding.
—Colossians 1:9
Reflection:
Jesus is called a King in the book of Revelation in the Bible.
Mary was crowned as a Queen in heaven because she is Jesus’s
mother, who reflects the brilliant light of her Son. We are
taught by the church to honor and venerate her, but never to
worship her (because she is a creature like ourselves).
Prayer:
Guardian Angel, as I ask my relatives and friends to pray for me,
I also ask you, Our Lady and the other saints, to pray for me
as well – for my good health, financial stability and uplifting
relationships with all my friends and family members. Amen.

“Pious souls, cultivate the duties of family life. Be friends, Christian women, as Mary and Elizabeth were. Let your friendship be a work of piety and your conversations full of God; then Jesus will be in your midst and you will feel his presence. Men, you too should imitate these pious women. O God! Sanctify our conversations, remove from them curiosity, dissipation, anxiety, dissimulation, and trickery. Allow cordiality and good examples to reign in them.”  –Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (+ 1704)

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

Tuesday: Offer to God
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said
to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
—Matthew 26:40–41
Reflection:
Jesus became acutely aware of the torture He was about to
undergo while He was alone in the garden. And so, He prayed
to His Father to take the cup of suffering away from Him, but
also that not His will, but that His Father’s will, be done. He
understood that God would work everything out for the good,
if He loved Him and was called according to His purposes (see
Romans 8:28).
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, Splendor of the Father, Your sacrifice was the
most valuable example ever of submission to God’s will and the
offering up of suffering. Lord, I offer the following suffering of
mine up to You: _________________. Amen.

Tuesday: Made up for Sin
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain
false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but
they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally, two came forward who stated, “This man said, ‘I can
destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.’”
The high priest rose and addressed him, “Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?” But Jesus was silent.
—Matthew 26:59–63
Reflection:
Jesus suffered terribly when He was scourged at the pillar,
because of the false testimony against Him. But in His suffering,
He made up for the sins of all people since the beginning of
time. Sin is such a terrible thing, in God’s order, that Jesus had
to undergo excruciating agony to atone for it.
Prayer:
Perjury is a terrible sin because it kills a person’s good name.
Lord Jesus, please reveal the truth about every person who has
been hurt by false testimony. Amen.

Tuesday: Pray for the Cruel
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who
persecute you.
—Matthew 5:44
Reflection:
Jesus also suffered when He was crowned with thorns, because
the soldiers treated Him with the terrible cruelty of ridicule,
shouting taunts and scornful barbs at him, in addition to beating
Him. However, He prayed for them—returning blessing for
evil—as He had taught His disciples to do.
Prayer:
Guardian Angel, pray for me to pray for those who have been
cruel in my life, even though it may feel unnatural to do so.
Guide me, until I learn how to do this better on my own.
Amen.

Tuesday: Offer Up the Cross
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and
take up his cross daily and follow me.
—Luke 9:23
Reflection:
Jesus carried His Cross on the way to Calvary. He fell down
under the weight of His Cross three times, and so we can
deduce that it was very heavy, and that He was very weak.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus offered up to You the suffering
of carrying the heavy Cross to Calvary. Motivate me to make
a morning offering every day, to offer up my cross to You as
well. Amen.

Tuesday: Cover Any Sin
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order
that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.”
—John 19:28
Reflection:
Jesus was crucified and died as a sacrifice to compensate for our
sins, because He loves us very much and thirsts for us to love
Him and to go to heaven with Him. His offering is so powerful
that it can cover any sin we have committed, no matter how
terrible – if we repent.
Prayer:
Jesus, I appreciate that You want to forgive me and that you
want me to accept Your blessing. Please bring to mind the
sins and vices that I need to confess at my next Sacrament of
Reconciliation. Amen.

“What is baptism? It is the first and most necessary sacrament of the New Law, by which we are enrolled among the heirs of eternal life, because once it is conferred in water, by which we are spiritually reborn, and gain a full remission of sins, we are adopted into the sons of God….”  –Saint Peter Canisius (+ 1597)

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

Monday: Yes, to God
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin
shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
—Isaiah 7:14
Reflection:
As prophesied by Isaiah, the Virgin Mary did indeed deliver a
Son, Who was Jesus Christ, the Son of God—the second Person
of the Trinity.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Mary was given the gift of becoming the
mother of God because she loved You so much and because she
said “yes” to You. Hear my prayer as I say “yes” to You with
all my love, also. Amen.

Monday: As I Would Be Treated
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
—Luke 6:31
Reflection:
Mary made the trek to Zachariah’s house to visit Elizabeth,
who was going to have a baby in her old age—a baby boy, John,
who would grow up to become John the Baptist. Mary went
out of deep charity to help her.
Prayer:
Dearest Holy Spirit, Spirit of Holiness and Justice, mirror back
to me how well I treat others as I would want to be treated, how
well I forgive others when they have harmed me and how I can
improve on these intentions, in the future. Amen.

Monday: Clothe with love
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of
a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption.
—Galatians 4:4–5
Reflection:
Jesus was born as a human being, yet He was also the Son of
God. Being the Son of God, He was able to ransom us from
sin’s bondage and be with us always, even to the end of time.
Prayer:
Jesus, I recognize that You are right beside me and that I can
talk to You anytime. Please clothe me with Your love. Amen.

Monday: Obeying Authorities
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
Lo, I am sending my messenger/ to prepare the way before
me;/ And suddenly there will come to the temple/ the Lord
whom you seek,/ And the messenger of the covenant whom
you desire.
—Malachi 3:1
Reflection:
Simeon waited a long time for the Lord to come to the temple,
and finally, He did come when Simeon was a very old man.
Mother Mary and St. Joseph presented Jesus there because
they were following the laws of that time; they were obeying
authority.
Prayer:
Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven, please assist
me to obey the authorities in my life with cooperation and
willingness. Amen.

Monday: Relate to Father
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
O God, within your temple/ we ponder your steadfast love.
—Psalm 48:10
Reflection:
Jesus was twelve years old when He stayed in the temple for
three days to talk with the doctors there about God’s teachings
for us. He called the temple His Father’s house, because He was
speaking of His Father in heaven as His real Father, meaning
that He was God’s Son.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Your Son taught us to call You “Father,” as
we do when we pray the “Our Father” prayer. Please show me
how I can relate to You better, as my dear Abba—my Papa, my
Daddy. Amen.

“As the Father saw Eve disappoint him, he saw Mary prefer him; she was truly his obedient daughter. As our union with God must be with all three Persons, so Mary’s union progressed from Daughter of the Father, to Spouse of the Holy Spirit, to Mother of the Son. The new Eve renewed what the old Eve had lost—union with the Trinity.”  –Mother Angelica of the Annunciation, P.C.P.A. (+ 2016) (Mother Angelica of EWTN)

Intention:  Dear Lord, 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.

Sunday: New Life of Glory
1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Scripture:
I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even
if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me
will never die.
—John 11:25–26
Reflection:
In Jesus’s resurrection, we see that sin and death do not have
the final word anymore. We see the stunning possibility of a
new life of glory, and of our preciousness in the sight of God.
Because of Jesus’s resurrection, we will never die, but, please
God, we will have everlasting friendship with Him and all His
angels and saints in heaven.
Prayer:
Lord, in place of my egocentricities, fill me with Your love for
all creation, Your joy and Your peace. Amen.

Sunday: Reconciliation
2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension
Scripture:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
—Hebrews 4:14
Reflection:
When Jesus Christ ascended, the Father exalted Him in heaven,
in grandeur and glory. At the same time, He gave us the honor
of participating in Jesus’s work of reconciliation.
Prayer:
Jesus, when you ascended, You gave us the responsibility of
spreading Your gospel, in word and deed, thus aiding You in
redeeming all peoples of the world. Show me how to do Your
work of reconciliation. Amen.

Sunday: Live in Spirit
3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the
Holy Spirit on Our Lady and the Apostles
Scripture:
Indeed, upon my servants and my handmaids/ I will pour out
a portion of my spirit in those days,/ and they shall prophesy.
—Acts 2:18
Reflection:
The church is the vehicle that the Holy Spirit uses to anoint and
transform all believers, and to help transform the world into a
blissful place of peace and justice, love and truth.
Prayer:
Lord, support me in learning to live in the Holy Spirit and
express love to others, as I become transformed through the
same Spirit, Who operates through the church’s Sacraments.
Amen.

Sunday: Holiness and Virtue
4th Glorious Mystery: The Assumption
Scripture:
If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if
the root is holy, so are the branches.
—Romans 11:16
Reflection:
Because she said “yes” to God in such a complete and holy way
throughout her life, Our Blessed Mother Mary was allowed the
honor of being assumed into heaven by the power of Christ.
Prayer:
Dear Mary, Sinless Mother, you experienced the restoration
of your body and soul in the assumption; I pray, with your
intercession, to follow your example of holiness and virtue and
to be close to Jesus in heaven, someday. Amen.

Sunday: Lord Shining
5th Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of our
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Scripture:
Rise up in splendor! Your light has come,/ the glory of the Lord
shines upon you.
—Isaiah 60:1
Reflection:
Mary was subjected to her own type of injustice and hatred as
Jesus was, although it was mostly through having to watch Him
suffer so. But she absorbed it all into her Immaculate Heart
instead of seeking revenge, and thus allowed humility to be
victorious within her.
Prayer:
I honor you Mary, Glory of Israel, because by your exemplary
humility and submission to God’s will, you will always have
the glory of the Lord shining on you in an unmatchable and
effective way. Through your intercession, please comfort all
those who suffer humiliation and degradation. Amen.

“And then the same Power that said to nothingness, Be made, enveloped the Woman like a shadow—elevated her to a state of union with God unheard of before and unthought of since. The beginning of the new kingdom had come. As the ‘No’ of one woman brought misery and darkness upon the world, so the ‘Yes’ of another Woman brought grace and peace to mankind.”  –Mother Angelica of the Annunciation, P.C.P.A. (+ 2016) (Mother Angelica of EWTN)

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

Saturday: Trust the Lord’s Call
1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Scripture:
I wait for you, O Lord;/ I lift up my soul/ to my God./ In you
I trust; do not let me be disgraced.
—Psalm 25:1–2
Reflection:
Mary was the only human person who cooperated with God’s
plan so fully and completely. Her cooperation was vital in
allowing God’s plan to come forth. She lifted up her soul to
God, and God responded with a calling for her. She trusted
that God’s plan was best and that there was nothing to fear in it.
Prayer:
Dear Blessed Mother, Tower of Ivory, through your intercession,
assist me in following in your footsteps, lifting my soul up to
God and trusting in His call for me, too. Amen.

Saturday: Bear Fruit
2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
Scripture:
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed
you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you
ask the Father in my name he may give you.
—John 15:16
Reflection:
In the visitation, we see that Mary hurries to share her love and
charity with Elizabeth, because her holiness calls her to do so.
True love always involves an action of loving someone else, to
witness to our brothers and sisters the love and kindness that
God has shown to us.
Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, I may never see what the results of my loving
actions will be. Help me to bear fruit that will transform the
world somehow, even just a tiny bit. Amen.

Saturday: Everyone Helps Jesus
3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
Scripture:
But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,/ and from
his roots a bud shall blossom./ The spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him:/ a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,/ A spirit
of counsel and of strength,/ a spirit of knowledge and of fear
of the Lord.
—Isaiah 11:1–2
Reflection:
When Jesus was born, God granted the human race the
wondrous honor of participating it its own redemption, through
its cooperation in God’s plan. Jesus was the promised One
foretold by Isaiah, who would make all this possible.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, every human baby born on earth has a vocation:
following in Your footsteps, to help You with Your ongoing
work of redemption of the entire world. Please lead me so that
I may do my part. Amen.

Saturday: Produce Blessed Fruit
4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
Scripture:
The Lord has made his victory known;/ has revealed his
triumph for the nations to see,/ Has remembered faithful love/
toward the house of Israel./ All the ends of the earth have seen/
the victory of our God.
—Psalm 98:2–3
Reflection:
St. Joseph and Mother Mary exemplify submission to God’s
laws in their presentation of Jesus at the temple. As a result of
their sincere obedience, Christ was consecrated to God in Israel,
making possible His victory to all the ends of the earth.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, everyone who yields to the laws of God, and
practices their faith in the church to the best of their ability,
will produce blessed fruit on the earth. Please breathe Your
holy breath across the land to all peoples, to inspire them to do
this. Amen.

Saturday: Unique Calling
5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of
the Child Jesus in the Temple
Scripture:
I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner
worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through
love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the
bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called
to the one hope of your call.
—Ephesians 4:1–4
Reflection:
Mother Mary and St. Joseph demonstrate that children should
be loved unconditionally and guided gently, but also that parents
should give them up to God’s purposes in their unique lives.
The life of the Child Jesus shows that children have a special
call from God that parents need to honor and nurture as they
grow and as they learn.
Prayer:
Lord, whether we are parents, friends or acquaintances, we
must remember to honor each other’s unique calling on our
lives. Keep me from ever dishonoring another’s special vocation
from You. Amen.

“The reason prayer is not easy or spontaneous to us is that prayer makes us conscious that we are limited…. [Prayer] is ‘the great pedagogy of God’ by teaching us our limitation and our need of God, to obtain from him what is lacking to us….”  –Sister Mary David Totah, O.S.B. (+ 2017)

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

Friday: Embraced Our Humanity
1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture:
While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front
was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus
to kiss him. Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son
of Man with a kiss?”
—Luke 22:47–48
Reflection:
When Jesus was in His agony, He confronted the powers of
darkness, and the human tendencies to do evil such as lying,
cheating, betraying pure love, lusting after others and other
tendencies of the “all me” ego. Against all this, He stood up for
Our Father’s practice of honoring the little one, and of forgiving
and loving unconditionally.
Prayer:
Jesus Christ, You suffered the betrayal of one of Your most
trusted disciples. In Your heart, You embraced our entire
humanity—including our tendency toward evil, that it would
always and forever be altered by Your divine love. Please assist
all policemen and policewomen to do their jobs well, stay safe
and keep the peace. Please send angels to protect them. Amen.

Friday: Scapegoat
2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture:
Laying both hands on [the scapegoat’s] head, he shall confess
over it all the sinful faults and transgressions of the Israelites,
and so put them on the goat’s head. He shall then have it led
into the desert by an attendant.
—Leviticus 16:21
Reflection:
Jesus was scourged as a scapegoat, Who replaced us in all
our evils: original sin, detraction, theft, violence, torture,
adultery, etc.
Prayer:
Jesus Christ, You are the innocent victim who was accused
of our crimes and scourged for our sins, in order that “by his
stripes we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5). In place of our deserts of
hate, fill the world with Your love. Amen.

Friday: Suffer in Solidarity
3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns
Scripture:
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, “Prophesy!
Who is it that struck you?” And they reviled him in saying
many other things against him.
—Luke 22:64–65
Reflection:
Christ witnessed to the truth, and said, “I am the way and the
truth and the life” (John 14:6). He received a crown of thorns
as He became the victim for all those who would lie against
the truth. All those who suffer ridicule, torture and murder for
witnessing to the truth suffer in solidarity with Him.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Sun of Justice, You promised everlasting life to
everyone who witnesses to Your truth and stands with You. I
pray to be one of those. Amen.

Friday: Expressway to
Father’s Blessing
4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture:
Even when I walk through a dark valley,/ I fear no harm for
you are at my side;/ your rod and staff give me courage.
—Psalm 23:4
Reflection:
In His journey to carry all our sins to the Cross, Jesus was
crushed by the weight of the Cross and fell several times, just
as He was crushed by the weight of our sins. But He kept
getting back up and moving toward His final goal—despite
the weight, despite the ridicule of the crowd—so determined
was He to save us from our sins. He could tell that the Father
was with Him.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, You changed the Way of the Cross into an
expressway to the Father’s blessing. Assist me to remember the
extraordinary value in carrying my cross, and to learn to even
cherish it. Amen.

Friday: God-shaped Hole
5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
Scripture:
When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to
myself.
—John 12:32
Reflection:
Because of original sin, we lost the bliss of solidarity with the
Father, creating a God-shaped hole inside of us. This hole
causes us to betray and abandon one another habitually. Jesus
filled up this hole, soothed our feelings of abandonment and
unworthiness and transformed it all on the Cross.
Prayer:
For our sake, Dear Jesus, You absorbed all our sufferings, even
to the point of feeling disconnected from the Father’s love while
You were on the Cross. In so doing, You drew us upward to
the Father with You, when You died. Help me to understand
this awe-inspiring mystery. Amen.

“Have confidence and trust in the call of God. It’s not something that happened once and for all in the past, but continues to make itself felt throughout our life. Nor is our calling given all at once…. It’s important to keep the attitude of one who is called anew each day, of one who tries to be led by God at each moment.” –Sister Mary David Totah, O.S.B. (+ 2017)

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

Thursday: Receive Me
1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism
of Jesus in the Jordan
Scripture:
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
—Romans 6:4
Reflection:
In our baptism, we have been plunged into the waters of the
death of Christ, so that we are no longer in the grip of sin, but
are alive in Christ Jesus, as a new human being.
Prayer:
Jesus, as You died and rose again, our gift of eternal life was
realized through You. Our Risen Savior, bring me to everlasting
life as I ask You to receive me. Amen.

Thursday: Aim for Harmony
2nd Luminous Mystery: The Wedding Feast at Cana
Scripture:
Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them
to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take
it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.
—John 2:7–8
Reflection:
In marriage or any other type of human relationship, the key is
not to attain a certain amount of materiality, or a certain level
of comfort, but to have a deep and abiding harmony with each
other. This is the presence of the Holy Spirit at work between
and within each of us.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, encourage me to aim for the harmony that includes
patience and love for others, whether we agree or disagree.
Amen.

Thursday: Fringes of Society
3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Scripture:
Then Jesus straightened up and said to [the woman caught in
adultery], “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned
you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do
I condemn you. Go, [and] from now on do not sin any more.”
—John 8:10–11
Reflection:
Jesus brings us the gospel of the love of God for all human
beings, no matter what their race, religion, political affiliation,
financial status, social status or gender. No one is denied the
salvation of God.
Prayer:
Jesus, I understand that I am called to reach out to the fringes of
society with the gospel message of love and forgiveness. Please
show me how I can do this, given my vocation and state in life.
Amen.

Thursday: Becoming Transfigured
4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
Scripture:
“Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man
will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory
of the Father and of the holy angels. Truly I say to you, there
are some standing here who will not taste death until they see
the kingdom of God.” About eight days after he said this, he
took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his
clothing became dazzling white.
—Luke 9:26–29
Reflection:
We follow in Jesus’s footsteps by becoming transfigured gradually
throughout our lives through the Sacraments. Consuming the
Holy Eucharist, for example, transforms us to be more and more
like Jesus each time we partake of It. Because of this, we will
rise with and through Him, and our bodies will be transformed
into glorified bodies, also.
Prayer:
O Lord, You are Friendship, Unity and Love. In countries
ripped apart by war, bring Your healing balm of peace. Amen.

Thursday: Foretaste of
the Heavenly Banquet
5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution
of the Holy Eucharist
Scripture:
“Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the
Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because
of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike
your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread
will live forever.” These things he said while teaching in the
synagogue in Capernaum.
—John 6:57–59
Reflection:
Each time we partake of the Blessed Sacrament, we have new
life—the mercy and love of Jesus poured out upon us as His
Body and Blood, given for our sake. This new life renews our
lives and helps us to relate better with our brothers and sisters.
Prayer:
Dearest Father, I understand that the reason we call receiving
the Holy Eucharist “receiving Communion” is that, with the
Holy Spirit’s action within us, it is a foretaste of the heavenly
banquet—where we will love God and all our brothers and
sisters, face to face. For their faithfulness, generosity, self-sacrifice
and genuine spirituality, please reward all priests. Amen.