...And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" (Luke 2:113-14)
Some insight into the Joyful Mysteries by Oscar Lukefahr !!.
Christ came to bring joy to the world, as the angels announced at his birth (Luke 2:10). This joy is not to be confused with fun. It is rather the inner peace and happiness (ataraxia) that flow from the Holy Spirit and the knowledge that we are God’s children because we belong to Christ (Galatians 5:22-23)
Perfect joy, can come only in heaven. The joyful Mysteries of the Rosary show that joy on earth is not limitless. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) brought Mary happiness of Christ’s presence, and the awesome responsibility of caring for him. The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56) gave Mary the joy of Elisabeth’s company, but was followed the problem of explaining her pregnancy to Joseph. The birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-21) summoned the joy of angels’ song from heaven and the terror of Herod’s wrath from hell. With Simeon’s praise at the Presentation (Luke 2:22-40) came his warning of a sword to pierce Mary’s heart. The joy of finding Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) came at the cost of three days of anxious searching. These mysteries teach us on one hand not to be surprised that our lives are imperfect, and on the other that joy is possible even in the midst of affliction.
In the litany of Loreto, Mary is invoked as “cause of our joy”. She is certainly that because she gave birth to Christ, turning the darkness of night into the brightness of God’s glory (Luke 2:9). Her life stands as testimony to the truth of what Jesus promised: ‘Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you’ (John 16:22).
The rosary is "the Bible translated into prayer", then into the book of our lives. For almost a thousand years, Catholics and some non-Catholics have entered into the mysteries of the Bible through the Rosary. We see how joys of Mary and Jesus can touch lives and the lives of those for whom we pray.
To Be Continued…
Mary, Cause of Our Joy, Pray for us!!
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