Prayers - The path to empowerment, intimacy and peace

A) Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation

• Luke 1:26-3 | Isaiah 7:10-15 | Genesis 49:8-10

26 Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And upon entering, the Angel said to her: “Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” 29 And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 And the Angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. 31 Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS. 32 He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity. 33 And his kingdom shall have no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the Angel, “How shall this be done, since I do not know man?” 35 And in response, the Angel said to her: “The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren. 37 For no word will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her.

Pick any one Reflection below for Meditating this Decade:

1. [Read verse 28 above] "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." The Greek word Luke used is κεχαριτωμένη (kecharitōmenē) which is a far more powerful description than that used for St Stephen in Acts 6:8 πλήρης χάριτος (plērēs charitos) where he was already described as "full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." God had imbued Mary full of grace since the point of her creation, and "is now" filled with that divine grace.

   • Meditation: Let us surrender ourselves to the richness of God's grace offered to us in our lives today, and everyday.

2. [Read verse 29 above] Mary was troubled because she did not see herself as exalted. In her humility she recognized the greatness and privilege of her calling from God. It was revealed to St Matilda that the first virtue that the Blessed Mother exercised was that of humility. St John Vianney said that humility is to the various virtues what the chain is to a rosary. Take away the chain and the beads are scattered. Remove humility and all virtues vanish.

   • Meditation: Will we be like our Blessed Mother, recognizing the greatness of our potential God calls us to through our humility?

3. [Read verse 38 above] "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." This possibly is the greatest response ever by a man (or woman) to God. In this act of sweet and complete surrender to our God, by the grace of God, the fate of man is forever changed. The doors are flung wide open for the incarnation of Jesus, and the possibility of our salvation.

   • Meditation: Mother teach us your children this day to surrender and love our Lord Jesus just a little more this day.

4. [Read verse 38 above] Mary is "The new Eve" (a term found in the writings of St Irenaeus, Bishop, born in 130 AD). Where the first Eve opened the doors to death to humankind when she succumbed to the serpent's temptation; Mary the New Eve opened the doors to new eternal spiritual life for all of us, in her complete co-operation with our Creator.

   • Meditation: Help us Mother, especially where others hurt us, to take your example of relying on God's grace to transform sin into a moment of grace in the lives of those around us. Just as Rom 5:20 says "where sin abounded, grace did more abound."

2. The Visitation

• Luke 1:39-56.

3. Birth of Jesus

• Luke 2:1-20

• Galatians 4:1-7

• Daniel 2

• Micah 5:2-4

4. Presentation at the Temple

• Luke 2:21-40

5. Finding of our Lord Jesus

• Luke 2:39-52

B) Sorrowful Mysteries

1. Christ's Agony in Gethsemane

• Matthew 26:36-56

• Mark 14:32-72

• Luke 22:39-71.

2. Scourging at the Pillar

• Matthew 27:11-26

• Mark 15:1-15

• Luke 23:1-25

• John 18:28-19:1

3. Crowning with Thorns

• Matthew 27:27-31

• Mark 15:21-23

• John 19:2-26.

4. Carrying of the Cross

• Matthew 27:32-34

• Mark 15:21-23

• Luke 23:26-33

• John 19:17

5. Crucifixion

• Matthew 27:35-61

• Mark 15:24-47

• Luke 23:34-56

• John 19:18-42

• Isaiah 53

C) Glorious Mysteries

1. Resurrection

• Matthew 28:1-20

• Mark 16:1-13

• Luke 24:1-35

• John 20:1-18

2. Ascension

• Mark 16:14-20

• Luke 24:50-53

• John 20:19-31

• Acts 1:6-11

3. Descent of the Holy Spirit

• Acts 2:1-47.

4. Assumption

• Luke 1:46-55.

5. Coronation of Mother Mary

• Revelations 12.

D) Luminous Mysteries

1. Baptism of Jesus

• John 1:29-34

• Isaiah 53.

2. Wedding at Cana

• John 2:1-12.

3. Sermon on the Mount

• Matthew 5:1-12.

4. Transfiguration

• Matthew 17:1-8

• Mark 9:2-8

• Luke 9:28-56

• 2 Peter 1:16-18

5. Eucharist

• John 6:25-69

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