For Roman Catholics worldwide, October is the month of the Holy Rosary. Being a devotee of the Holy Mother, I have always strived to pray the Rosary daily. When I pray, I try to contemplate the Savior’s life in relation to mine. Over the years, I feel I’ve become so used to it that it sometimes becomes mundane and automatic. This article aims to collate the events of how the Joyful mysteries of the Holy Rosary came about.
I will be indicating verses from the Bible. Although you probably have read and heard them before, I recommend that you reread them to refresh your memory before sharing my insights. I am also lifting probably new information from several websites that dug deep and analyzed the historical events to further help spark our prayer life and faith anew.
The Joyful Mysteries
Prayed on Mondays and Saturdays, this mystery lets you go down to how God the Father sent his Son, through the Holy Spirit, to live among and redeem humanity from sin.
The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Holy Mary
Luke 1:26-38
Cravinggraces.com relates three assumptions on what the Holy Mother was doing when the angel Gabriel came to her. These are based on paintings and ancient manuscripts that depict the day of the Lord’s incarnation.
- Mary was reading the scripture, and the angel appeared before her.
- She was spinning a red or purple yarn.
- She was fetching water from the well.
All these are supported by research on standard practices during those times or symbolisms that explain the event by the Catholic Church. You can read more here.
When I pray the Hail Marys in this decade, I thank the Lord for all the news I have ever received. Whether good or bad, I knew they were according His Will and are for my own good. Sometimes, I also pray to get a Yes answer for something I’ve been praying for. Thinking about the Angel Gabriel, I also ask the angels for protection and guidance.
The Visitation of Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth
Luke 1: 39-45
Aleteia.org stated that Mary, even while pregnant, trekked uphill on what is believed to be 1,336 feet in elevation! She must have traveled with Joseph as the path she took was known to be lurked by bandits who surprised travelers. More notable here is the way she trusted God to protect her. You can read the entire article.
Trying to be similar, at least with Mama Mary’s little finger, I try to include my friends and relatives during this decade. I pray for the capability to help them when they need me and how they want me to assist.
The Birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Luke 2:1-7
I remember reading an article about how our Lord’s birth came about. Unfortunately, I cannot find it on the net, so I will try to retell what I recall.
There was a question of whether Mary underwent a painful labor. But it is out of the question since she is of Immaculate Conception. Full of grace and sinless, she will never know the pangs of contractions while giving birth. The article asked how about the Lord Child’s passage from her birth canal. We all know that the Guiding Star brightened Christmas Eve. It was said that when it was time for Jesus to be born, a blinding light shone in Bethlehem in that lowly inn. The light then faded with Baby Jesus in sight.
The third Joyful mystery always pushes me to be grateful for the gift of motherhood. It has been over twelve years if you include my son’s embryonic and fetal stages. I am always in awe of how the Lord has blessed me with strength and wisdom to stand as a parent, together with the husband, to our son, the center of our solar system. Along the way, I hope He continues to guide me and for Mary to pray for me so I can be even just an inch closer to how she was to Jesus.
The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple
Luke 2:22-38
40 days after the Lord’s birth, the Holy Family traveled to present (and circumcise) their firstborn at the Temple. It was also required for mothers to be purified after giving birth. On this day, Mary not only received purification, but she also accepted her second Annunciation through the old and lowly prophets, Simeon and Anna. Instead of an angel and a piece of good news, Mary’s heart was pierced by the sword of sorrow, having known what was to come for her beloved Son.
In this decade, I pray for my work and all the kids and families I work with. I know I cannot do it alone. Thanking God for a noble job, I ask him to bless my hands to make my OT kids a little better each day and for continued strength and peace for their families.
The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
Luke 2:41-52
Every year at the feast of Passover, Jesus and Mary went to Jerusalem. According to the custom, they took Jesus with them when He was 12. During that time, there was usually a caravan where people traveled together. Men and women travel separately.
It wasn’t sure whether Jesus went with his father or mother on the way to the Temple. But what probably happened was that both parents assumed Jesus was with the other on their way home. And during the trip, they found him missing!
As a parent, imagine the terror of realizing your only son is lost in a foreign land away from home! Only finding him on the third day and seeing him having fun with strangers, what could you have told your child? Read the story here.
When contemplating how Joseph and Mary got angry at the Child Jesus, I pray He won’t be lost in me. I pray to find Him every minute of every day in all my over and undertakings.
The Joyful Mystery used to be my favorite mystery of the Rosary. It has been replaced by the Luminous Mystery when I understood its decades. Prayed on Mondays and Saturdays. It is a good lift-off for the week or weekend to ask for guidance.
Thank you for reading! I hope that my little research and brief insights helped uplift your spirits in one way or another. Soon, I will be writing about the other three mysteries.
Want to know what happens to the soul after death? Here’s a scientific take.