February 1, 1995

Joyful Mysteries

The Annunciation

1. R.  The Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and asked her to be the mother of Jesus.

2. Mary always complied with the Will of the Father. She said, "…let it happen to me as you have said." (Lk 1:38)

3. R.  Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Word became flesh.

4. R.  There was always great intimacy between Jesus and His mother. From the first moment of conception she felt the life of Jesus, Son of God, grow within her womb.

5. R.  The child Jesus is with us this day. He is in our brothers. He is in our children. If the child Jesus were here and we were to hold Him, to talk to and be with Him, we would treat Him with such joy and such kindness! Jesus is in our brothers. Jesus is in our children. Jesus is here this day. Do we treat our brothers, our children, one another, with the same kindness that we would the child Jesus?

6. R.  The invisible Jesus was inside of Mary's womb. He was there in His divinity and His humanity. He was God from the first moment of conception. The invisible Jesus remains with us today in the tabernacle. He is present there in His divinity and humanity. We do not see Him, but He is no less present in the tabernacle than the day Mary carried Him in her womb.

7. R.  God is Love! He calls out to us to come to Him, to be close to Him. He truly waits for us in the tabernacle. He is a prisoner awaiting those He loves, the precious souls. So many forget Him day after day while He, the Son of God, waits and waits to share His love with the precious souls that He came to this earth to save.

8. R.  He calls out to us, "Do you not have one hour to watch with Me, the Son of God? I, God, Who came to this earth and was born a human for love of you! I call out to you this day. Take Me seriously! I am truly here, no less present than on the day that Mary carried Me in her womb, and I wait for you with a Heart that is overflowing with divine love and divine life. Can you say no to this divine love that I want to outpour to you?"

9. R.  It was in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary that the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was formed. Jesus took on our human nature out of great love for us.

10. R.  Jesus was carried in Mary's womb. Her womb was a temple to hold the precious Child. She is the Mother of God!

Song between decades: Ave, ave, ave, Maria. Ave, ave, ave, Maria.

 

The Visitation

1. R.  The angel had told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth had conceived a child. Mary made haste to the hill country to visit her.

2. Upon Mary's arrival at Elizabeth's house, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out with a loud voice, "Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." (Lk 1:42)

3. "Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?" (Lk 1:43) Usually the servant goes to the master. But Mary, with the Almighty God within her womb, went to visit Elizabeth.

4. R.  Jesus waits for us this day. He is God and He waits in the tabernacle for us to come and be with Him. He comes to us in the Eucharist. He is the Almighty God and He waits for mere humans to come and share His love.

5. R.  We receive so much love from God! The Father loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son into this world so that we might be saved. Jesus waits this very day for us to come and be with Him. It is out of great love that the Master waits for us.

6. R.  When Mary and Jesus arrived at Elizabeth's house, the child in Elizabeth's womb leapt for joy. John, who was to announce the good news that Jesus had come to this earth, even before his birth leapt with joy in the womb of his mother at the presence of Jesus in Mary's womb.

7. R.  Should we not leap for joy? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, waits for us this day, no less present than the day He was carried in Mary's womb to the home of her cousin Elizabeth. We take His presence so lightly! We do not see, so we do not realize that God, in His humanity and divinity, is truly present in the tabernacle and waiting for us this very day.

8. R.  Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out, with a loud voice, her Magnificat:
   "My soul proclaims
       the greatness of the Lord
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;" (Lk 1:46,47)

9. "…because he has looked upon
       the humiliation of his servant.
   Yes, from now onwards
       all generations will call me blessed," (Lk 1:48)

10. "…for the Almighty
        has done great things for me.
    Holy is his name,"

Song between decades: Ave, ave, ave Maria....

 

The Birth of Jesus

1. R.  The Father bridges the gap between divinity and humanity in the person of Jesus Christ.

2. R.  Jesus came into this world. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, equal in every way to the Father, came into this world as a little baby, a helpless little baby. If we realized the true majesty of God, if we saw Him in all His majesty, we could not even stand to look at Him. But Jesus, clothed in flesh, comes as a helpless little baby, born in a little crib in a stable in Bethlehem!

3. R.  Do we realize the immense love that the Father has for us that He sent His only begotten Son into this world as a human in the person of Jesus Christ?

4. R.  Jesus, a divine Person, unites His human nature and His divine nature in His Person.

5. R.  Who are we that God loves us so much that He would take on a human nature!

6. R.  We become brothers of God!

7. R.  He comes, the Son of God, in such quiet and such poverty! There is not a roll of drums or a blare of trumpets. He comes in such quiet and a star shines on Him. Is this not how it is when we receive Him in the Eucharist? We ascend the altar. There is not a roll of drums. There is not a blare of trumpets. Quietly we approach the altar and we truly receive God! He comes to us and enters our body in such love! Who are we that God remains with us this day in such love and comes to us to be so closely united to us!?

8. R.  We see the consecrated Host. But within the consecrated Host is truly God, in His divinity and His humanity.

9. R.  We look for those things that are visible. But are not the true treasures found in those things that are invisible? The reality is that this is God's world! We see the things in front of our face and we do not realize how the world of Jesus and Mary truly is. We do not realize how they are with us this very day. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, remains with us this day in His divinity and humanity in the Eucharist. We are surrounded by His presence in one another. He dwells and lives in each one of us when we are in the state of grace. In every blade of grass, the life that is there comes from God. Yet we are so blind! We see so little! Holy Spirit, open up our eyes. Where we are blind, let us see. Let us see more and more the invisible world. Let us know more and more the presence of God as it is all around us. Help us to see Jesus in each other. Help us to be more aware of Jesus Christ, who is truly present with us in the tabernacle.

10. R.  Open our eyes to see beyond what is visible, Lord. Holy Spirit, help us to see beyond the consecrated Host and see Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Song between decades: Ave, ave, ave, Maria...

 

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

1. R.  The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would not die until He saw the child of God. The Holy Spirit led Him into the Temple. Jesus, Mary and Joseph came to the Temple and the old man was overjoyed at the sight of the child Jesus. He held Him with such joy in his arms and said that now he was ready to die for he had seen God.

2. R.  Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of Your love so we may see more clearly Jesus Christ, Who is with us this very day. So that we may see that He is God and, out of great love for each one of us, remains with us, waits for us, longs for us, and wants us to open our hearts wide so that He may enter in. Remove the blinders from our eyes, dear Holy Spirit, and lead us ever closer to intimacy with Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior.

3. Song: Come Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up Thy rest. Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made, to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

4. Simeon told Joseph and Mary of the great sufferings that Mary and Jesus would have to undergo and he said to Mary, "and a sword will pierce your soul too..." (Lk 2:35)

5. R.  Think of how it would be for Mary to look at her small child Jesus and know that He would experience great suffering. From this point on a sword pierced Mary's Heart. Each time that she beheld her child she remembered the prophecy of Simeon and she suffered.

6. R.  And how Mary suffered! The swords that pierced her Heart so many times through Jesus' life! The sword that pierced her Heart on the way to Calvary as she peered into the eyes of her beloved Son, that gaze that shows to us the great intimacy between the Son and His mother, that Heart that knew her Son so well!

7. Her Heart was pierced with a sword as she stood beneath His cross and watched Him suffer in such anguish for three agonizing hours. The precious Child that she had held in her arms in the Temple when Simeon told her, "and a sword will pierce your soul too..." (Lk 2:35)

8. Song: I rocked Him as a baby, I fed Him as a child. I heard Him call my name out in the night. I helped Him take His first step, and I cried when I heard His first words. I wish they all could see through a mother's eyes.

9. R.  Mary, just as you presented the child Jesus in your arms in the temple, tuck us into the Heart of Jesus and present us to our loving Father so that we may be ever closer and closer to the Heart of Jesus and the Father. And lead us closer to your beloved Spouse, the Holy Spirit.

10. R.  Holy Spirit, the more we unite with Mary, our mother, transform us more and more into the image of Jesus and lead us ever closer to the Father.

Song between decades: Ave, ave, ave, Maria…

 

The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

1. R.  When Jesus was twelve years old, He was taken up to the Temple for the feast of Passover.

2. R.  When it was over, Mary and Joseph left Jerusalem but the child Jesus remained there.

3. R.  They had gone a day's journey before they realized that the child Jesus had been left behind.

4. R.  With great sorrow in their hearts they returned and searched for the child Jesus.

5. R.  They found Him in the temple where He was teaching the doctors.

6. R.  Jesus, as you taught the doctors in the temple, teach us Your divine truths. Holy Spirit, open our hearts so that we may more and more receive Your gifts to know, love and understand God so that we might grow in greater love and knowledge of our beloved God!

7. R.  And the Holy Spirit came upon them and filled their hearts full of wisdom and knowledge and joy to know more and more the divine truths that the Savior came to give us. His ever burning Heart remains with us this day, this Heart that wants to give to us such love, such life! He imparts this life to us abundantly in the Eucharist whereby He feeds our life. When we come to the Eucharist, He outpours this life, this life of grace. He wants to give us His very life, His Body, His Blood, to nurture and feed our life, and we balk! We stumble. We wander around and complain! And this good God, Who came to this earth and was born a human, gave His flesh and blood and died for us and rose on the third day to give us His life, remains with us this day with His very own flesh and blood to feed this life! He gives us His Word to feed us and we take it so lightly! He calls out ever so gently in His tender voice and with His burning Heart. He calls out to us and says, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest!" But in our blindness we turn away and we do not realize the true treasure that is here! This is the Son of God Who remains with us this day, truly present, the same as the day He was in the Temple, the same as the day He hung on the cross, the same as the day He rose from the tomb and ascended into heaven! And He calls out in a gentle voice, with a burning Heart, "My dear children, I long for your love. Open up your hearts to Me. I am the Son of God! I have all the power! You cannot in your foolish ways do anything without Me!"

8. Song: I come to you with greatest love. I am your loving Savior. I am your God, I died for you. I come to you this day.

9. R.  Dear Mary, if we ever lose our way from the Most Sacred Heart of your Son, lead us back quickly.
   Song: O burning Heart, O Love divine. How sweet You are to me. I see the Host, I know You are here to love and care for me

10. Song: Give me Your Heart, O Jesus. Give me a heart like Yours. Teach me to love You with this new heart. Oh, I know little of how to love You. Create in me, O precious Savior, this loving heart!

  

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1.  The Prophecy of Simeon.   R.  Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus went to the temple and Simeon the Prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, met them and told Joseph and Mary of the great sufferings of Jesus and Mary. He told Mary that a sword would pierce her heart. And from that point on, Mary ever remembered the prophecy of Simeon when she beheld her child. When she looked at His little body she knew He would suffer. As an infant, she knew He would suffer. Every time she clothed Him and watched Him at play, her heart was torn in her chest as she knew what He would suffer. And a sword, too, shall pierce your Heart, O Mary!

2.  The Flight Into Egypt.   R.  Joseph was told by the angel to flee. In the night, Joseph and Mary and the child Jesus had to flee because of what might happen to Jesus. They had to pack for a long stay. The child Jesus was so small. They left on their journey, hearts full of fear, trying to protect Jesus. They were forced to flee into Egypt. And a sword, too, shall pierce your Heart, O Mary!

3.  Jesus Was Lost in the Temple.   R.  Imagine the sufferings to Mary's heart when she realized the child Jesus was not with them. Think of how it would be to lose your child and not know where He was or if anything happened to Him. With such sorrow in their hearts, Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to look for the child Jesus. And a sword, too, shall pierce your heart, O Mary!

4.  Jesus and Mary Meet on the Way to the Cross.    Song:  See the Eyes that Look at Mary

R.  See the eyes of Jesus and Mary as They peered into one another's eyes on Calvary. Mary's Heart knew Jesus' Heart so well! From the first moment of conception through His life, Mary was so connected with Jesus and now she peers into His eyes. The crown of thorns adorned His Head! Blood ran down His face! A heavy cross on His back! Wounded! His whole body wounded with bleeding wounds! And her whole life flashed before her, the life that she had spent with Jesus. This was the beloved child that she held in her arms when Simeon told Mary that a sword, too, shall pierce your Heart, O Mary!

5.  Jesus Dies on the Cross.  R.  Mary stood under Jesus' cross as He was put to death. The child that she held in her arms as Simeon prophesied! And a sword, too, shall pierce your Heart, O Mary! (Mary loves us to meditate silently on the crucifixion of her Beloved Son) Now Jesus, dead on the cross! He gave His flesh, He gave His blood so that we may be with Him forever in Heaven. He held not back. He gave His all. He calls out to us this day to see through the eyes of His Mother as she appears and calls out with a Heart of greatest love: 

Mary:  Return to the love of my Son! He is with you this day. He remains with you no less present than the day that He hung on the cross in the Eucharist. He longs for you to come and be with Him. He is in your brother. How can you not love your brother when Jesus died for your brother?

R.  Her Heart was pierced with a sword. His Heart was pierced with a lance. What came forth was blood and water — the sacramental life of the Church. He lives with us this day in the Church. He gives to us His sacraments. He outpours His grace when we go to the sacraments. He gives to us the Sacrament of Penance whereby any sin that we commit can be taken away through the priest. He wants us to be so close to Him. He gives us everything to be close to Him. But we see with such limited vision those things that are just before our face, when the true reality are those things that we don't see with our eyes. Jesus is truly present in the tabernacle. This is reality! This is God! And a sword, too, shall pierce your Heart, O Mary!

6.  Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross and Laid In Mary's Arms.  If we ever doubted for one second that we were loved, we could visualize the picture of Mary as she sat beneath the cross with the lifeless, battered, bruised, and bloodied body of her Son in her arms. The same child that she held when Simeon prophesied her suffering. He gave His last breath. He gave the last beat of His Heart. He gave His all! This is the way He complied to the Will of the Father. He comes to show us the way. He died in perfect peace. To His death He was in peace because He knew the Father's love. The Father loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for love of us! The Spirit came upon the Virgin Mary and the Word was made Flesh! The love of the Two Hearts! Such immense love beating for us! In all love there is suffering. Her Heart was pierced with a sword. His Heart was pierced with a lance. And a sword, too, shall pierce your Heart, O Mary!

7.  The Burial of Jesus.   R.  And now Jesus, His lifeless body, is locked in a tomb! The stone that separated her from her Son! He gave His last breath! He gave the last beat of His Heart for love of each one of us! And she comes to us this day with her sweet, beautiful voice and she asks us to go to her Son and love Him! How can we refuse Jesus who spread His arms and gave His life for us? How can we not trust Him when He loved us so much that He allowed them to tear His flesh, to crown Him with piercing thorns and lastly to hang Him on a cross? He truly gave His life for us! He truly, God, is with us this day, the same as the day He died on the cross in the Tabernacle! And we take it so lightly! Death has no power over Him! As He was locked in the tomb for three days, through the power of the Holy Spirit He rose triumphant on the third day as He foretold. He comes to give us life. He gives us the Sacrament of Baptism whereby we are made children of God and heirs of Heaven. He asks us two things: Love of God and love of one another! He came to show us they way and His way is Love. To His death on the cross! He gave His flesh and blood for love of us! He calls out to each one of us here today to be His soldiers, to march on a world that has forgotten God, that has forgotten what it is like to love! It is a battle to live in this world. But the battle is won with hearts that are filled with His love, empowered by His grace and might that He outpours in the Eucharist. He calls out to come to the Eucharist and to the Tabernacle and be fed with His very flesh and blood. To feed on the Eucharist. He gives us Himself, His Body and Blood,  the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God! This is the love He gives. This is the love He asks us to share.

Song:  From the Day You Were Born.

Jesus:  I watched you, My precious child, as you struggled through such struggles that you thought that a tomorrow would never come. And I was right by your side. I never abandoned you. As you breathe, I am a Burning Heart of Love waiting for you to come to Me — waiting and waiting. And I call out so gently, for My Heart is burning, and I ask you to come. For I am waiting for you this day to come closer and share My Love — My Divine Love — I want to outpour My grace to you, My beloved ones!

Sing:  From the Day You Were Born

Jesus:  Satan will press down and press down and try to take you from your work and lead you from My Heart, but I am waiting for you and your strength is in Me, My beloved ones. Come and let Me feed you with My Love. I gave you My Life that you might have life and have it to the full. And life is not life, if it is not rooted in Me. You are My soldiers. Spread this life throughout this world. Be strong soldiers for I am calling you this day to love your brothers. For it is in your love that you will do My work.

This rosary was prayed before the Tabernacle in the Holy Spirit Chapel. It was audio taped by a man. Rita, Cathy, Joe, Marty and many others were present.