Month: June 2020

Were you able to find the time to pray the Joyful Mysteries? What moments did God use to bring joy into your life? Keep praying for Jesus to open your heart and eyes to the joy that surrounds you. This week I invite you to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries with me.

On Tuesday and Friday, we walk through the Passion of Jesus. Bead by bead. We are witnesses to His agony in the garden and the scourging at the pillar. We remember the crowning with thorns and the weight of His cross. We pause in silence at His crucifixion. Take a few moments to take all of that into your soul. Breathe and try to imagine the amount of love it takes to lay down your life for the sins of others. As humans, it may be nearly impossible to fathom that kind of love, but that is what we are to nurture in our lives.  

We first encounter Jesus in the garden. He is in prayer, asking the Father to let this cup pass over him. Yet, in the next breath, he surrenders to the will of God. Is this how we pray? Do we ask God for what our heart desires and then, with great trust, acknowledge He loves us and that He will provide? I know, at times, my prayer sounds more like a frenzied litany of demands and bargain-making ideas. Peace only comes when I remember that I am not in control, that He knows the depths of my heart, and that in His great love, He will answer me. What difficulty can you surrender to God today?

The scourging at the pillar and crowning with thorns elicit strong emotions of sadness at the amount of suffering Christ endured. He withstood physical torture and emotional abuse. Each of us has suffered, and since Earth is not Heaven, potentially more is in store for us. It is hard to explain suffering and even harder to understand it, and I’m not sure there are any easy answers. Through His Passion, He suffered,  He lived the whole human experience. So when it seems pointless or too much, turn to Jesus to find love and strength. The band, Casting Crowns, has a beautiful song about the love of Jesus meeting us in our struggles. Take a listen. When did His Love Move First for you?  

After all He endured at the hands of the Roman soldiers, He picked up His cross. I can barely imagine the strength it took to move, much less carry the weight of the cross. Along the way, He falls not once, not twice, but three times. Each time He gets back up. During that long walk, He receives love from Veronica when she gently wipes His face. Simon carried the cross for Him. Friends, we are never meant to carry our burdens alone. Seek help. Talk to a friend, find a therapist, and let Jesus love and help you. Do not think for one second you have to take the long journey alone. 

These mysteries end with the ultimate act of love; the giving of oneself for another. In Jesus’s case, for the world. Specifically, He died for our sins to reconcile us back to God. What sin do you need to bring to the foot of the cross and let Jesus’s love heal? Always the teacher, Jesus’s words from the cross continue to challenge us today, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”(Luke 24:34) Who is Jesus asking you to forgive? Who can you love more fully?

These mysteries have been the most transformative for me over the last 90+ days. They have taught me humility and the peace of surrendering to the will of God. These mysteries have encouraged me to seek help in carrying the burden of my cross. Finally, they have shown me the depths of His love for me. In short, they have taught me about love. What might Jesus want to share with you this week? What can you do out of love for Jesus?

In this crazy world, take a little more time this week to love God, your family, your neighbors, and yourself. Let the Sorrowful Mysteries help you discover the love God has for you and all that His love can heal inside you.

The season of Lent calls us to fast, pray, and give alms to prepare our hearts. This year I committed to praying a daily rosary to enhance my prayer life. Some of you reading may be thinking this is no big deal. However, for me, the rosary felt like an outdated, routine prayer that wasn’t very inspiring. Therefore, it was with some indifference that I began this part of my Lenten journey. About this same time, I was able to return to running, so I incorporated the rosary into my daily run. At first, I used a podcast to guide the prayer, but before long the events of Christ’s life unfolded into a beautiful story. I no longer needed someone else to lead the journey. 

As we are all well aware, the coronavirus pandemic swept in during Lent and hung with us right through the Easter season. Suddenly finding myself with much more time on my hands, I continued to pray my daily rosary through the Easter season. Another 50 days meditating on Jesus’ life through Mary’s eyes.

As I reflect on the time spent running and praying, I wanted to share the encouragement and love in each of the mysteries of the rosary. Today’s blog is the start of a series.  This week, we will start at the beginning with the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Joyful

The Joyful Mysteries prayed on Monday and Saturday each week, begin with the annunciation to Mary and her yes, her fiat, to God. These mysteries walk us through the early life of Jesus. His first encounter with John the Baptist when Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, His birth, His presentation at the temple, and finding Him in the temple. 

When Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, and baby John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth’s womb- that is joy! Do we leap for joy when we encounter the Lord? Do we seek to visit and support our family, friends, and neighbors? How can we bring the joy of Christ to those we meet?

Many mothers reading this will certainly remember in great detail the arrival of their child(ren). Regardless of how grueling the birth was, the joy that filled your heart when you first laid eyes on this treasure is almost impossible to put into words. Every time I meditate on the birth of Jesus, I am reminded of the gift each of my sons has been to me. How they have made me a better person by challenging me to be more patient, more loving, and more generous. Certainly, there are times we all consider if returning these “gifts” is an option, but fortunately, love wins.

It is in challenging times when we most question our roles as mothers and our ability to parent. When presenting Jesus at the temple the prophet Simeon told Mary, “…and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:35) When our children suffer, we suffer. Through all of Jesus’ life, Mary was there to be mother, witness, disciple. Mary’s strength was forged through her deep trust in God. What can you entrust to God today?

How about the overwhelming joy that fills the heart of the mother that has lost her child in Target (you know…when they are “hiding” in the clothes rack)? It is a great consolation to know even Jesus gave Mary a hard time once in a while. 

The Joyful Mysteries, and all the other mysteries of the rosary, are dependent on Mary’s yes at the annunciation. Her fiat allows Jesus to come into our broken world, work miracles, and reconcile us to God. What could God do with your yes?

In case you need a little help getting started, this is a nice resource from Dynamic Catholic on how to pray the rosary. 

The Laudate App has many options to lead you in the rosary and can be found in the Apple App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Androids.

These mysteries have taught me that joy is found in everyday moments and in spectacular moments of life. Maybe you don’t want to join in the running part of this journey, but I do encourage you to join me today in praying the Joyful Mysteries! See what joy is revealed to you. 

Next up?  The Sorrowful Mysteries. Meanwhile, look to find joy in the ordinary. Savor that joy!