For this October, we are releasing reflections on the mysteries of the rosary. This week we will be reflecting on the joyful mysteries.
The joyful mysteries give us an opportunity to meditate on the goodness and joy of God’s creation. As I wrote these reflections, I discovered each step God took in creating the world was paralleled in the joyful mysteries where we see God beginning to remake the world through Christ.
I would also like to thank Fr. Thomas Crean for looking over and giving feedback on these reflections.
1 – The Annunciation
The Father and Son work in the world through the Holy Spirit. When God created the world, the Spirit hovered over the waters to shape and bless the creation. When God began to remake the world through Christ, the Spirit hovered over the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this mystery, let us meditate upon the work of the Holy Spirit in hovering over Our Lady and ask Him to hover over us.
2 – The Visitation to Elizabeth
The good is diffusive of itself. God has been good from eternity, and since He desired to share this goodness, He created the world so He would have people to share His goodness with. When the Virgin Mary was blessed to be able to carry Christ in her womb, she went to share this goodness with her cousin Elizabeth. In this mystery, let us meditate upon how Our Lady always sought to share the goodness given to her and ask Her to help us share the goodness we have been given.
3 – The Nativity
God always uses a pure source to create something new from. When God created the first Adam, He drew him from the untilled virgin Earth. When God created the human nature of the second Adam, Our Lord Jesus Christ, He drew Him from the Virgin Mary. In this mystery, let us meditate upon the purity of Our Lady and ask Her to help us be pure so that we too can be used by God.
4 – The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
God desires us to dwell in His presence. After God created Adam, He placed him into the garden so they could dwell together. After Our Lady gave birth to Christ, she brought Him into God’s temple. In this mystery, let us meditate on how Mary desired to bring her son into His Father’s temple in Jerusalem and ask her to help bring us into His temple in Heaven.
5 – The Losing and Finding of Jesus in the Temple
At times in life it feels like we are lost and cannot experience God. When the first Adam and Eve fell in the garden, they felt distant from God and hid from Him. However, when the second Eve became separated from God-incarnate, she sought after Him rather than fleeing. In this mystery, let us meditate on how Mary sought after Christ when she lost Him, and ask her to help us also seek after Christ even when it feels like we have lost Him.
