Joyful Mysteries

Joyful Mysteries

Prayed Mondays and Saturdays, or Sundays of Advent, and Sundays from Epiphany until Lent

Christians are in the “Joy” business. The Joyful Mysteries invite us to peek into the hidden life of Jesus of Nazareth. They are marked by the joy radiating from the reality of God’s affirmative “yes” to Man. “To meditate upon the “joyful” mysteries, then, is to enter into the ultimate causes and deepest meaning of Christian joy. It is to focus on the realism of the mystery of the Incarnation and on the obscure foreshadowing of the mystery of the saving passion. Mary leads us to discover the secret of Christian joy, reminding us that Christianity is, first and foremost, euangelion, “good news”, which has as its heart and its whole content the person of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, the one Savior of the World. “

Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II, “On the Most Holy Rosary”- “Rosarium Virginis Mariae”, October 16, 2002 at 22-23.  

First Joyful Mystery The Annunciation

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! the Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” … Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Mary it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed her.” (Lk 1:26-38).

“The Annunciation to Mary inaugurates the ‘fullness of time’ (Gal 4:4), the time of the fulfilment of God’s promises and preparations” (CCC, 484).

Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation

“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Lk 1:39-42).

“Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth thus became a visit from God to his people” (CCC, 717)

Third Joyful Mystery: The Birth of Our Lord

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born so and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Lk 2:1-7)

“Jesus was born in a humble stable, into a poor family. Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest” (CCC, 525).

Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple

“And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be call holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons'” (Lk 2:21-24).

“Jesus’ circumcision, on the eight day after his birth, is the sign of his incorporation into Abraham’s descendants, into the people of the covenant. It is the sign of his submission to the Law” (CCC, 527).

Fifth Joyful Mystery: The finding of Jesus in the temple

“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it…

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Lk 2:41-47).

“The finding of Jesus in the temple is the only event that breaks the silence of the Gospels about the hidden years of Jesus. Here Jesus lets us catch a glimpse of the mystery of his total consecration to a mission that follows from his divine sonship: ‘Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s work?’ (Lk 2:49)” (CCC, 534).