THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
1. JESUS IS BAPTIZED IN THE JORDAN.
My Jesus… You are God! Yet You chose the simplest way to get to us. You chose to become a Human. To really get onto our level. You take the most amazing things and do the most wonderful, jaw-dropping thing to get us to sit up and say, ‘There’s something here!’ Though baptism is special and by no means just an ordinary action, You took the ordinary and made it extraordinary. You, the King and Creator of all, used that to show us, ‘I’m where you are.’ You took a simple profession of fidelity and made it marvellous.
My Beloved King! What an amazing expression of love for us, Your children, to want to meet us where we are! To relate to us in everything! You are the only One, before or since, to do this. You didn’t get baptized to set an example, but to get on our level. Meeting us in the lowest so to raise us to the highest of places, to set us on Your solid foundation. Such a wonderful expression of Your love for us.
2. THE WEDDING AT CANA.
Mama, you’re wonderful. You knew the need of your friends, and you went to your wonderful Son, our Beloved Jesus. You asked Him for help, and because of your beautiful intercession, He came through. You’re always looking out for us, Mama. You never hesitate to intercede for us to your Son. You went to Jesus and He addressed you as she who fulfils.
Your purpose of not just Mother of God, but as our intercessor and mother, it never ceases to amaze me. Jesus hadn’t yet entered into His Passion, but He still answered your request.
His first Miracle.
The one that set the whole thing in motion for Jesus to begin His Ministry.
You never stopped praying. Even now, you‘ve got our backs. ‘Son, You’re needed!’
You remind Him of His Love and Mercy for us each time you’re asked to pray for our situations, even our eternal souls. This first miracle was the beginning of really getting His Ministry underway, to prove His Divinity and show people Who He is.
People experienced the wine of the miracle and understood Jesus wasn’t just a simple Nazarene Carpenter. He was so much more than that and their eyes in faith were opened wide, their belief grew in Him.
3. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM.
My Jesus! Your journey to Galilee was busy with so much teaching about how we can get to Heaven. You wanted all of Your children to repent, be pardoned, and to be with You in Heaven. Your love for us really knows no boundaries. It’s so recklessly all-encompassing and full, rich in joy and peace.
Why would anyone pass You by? Why would You offer an empty gift?
That isn’t Your style.
My Jesus, this gift is free for everyone, just reach out and grab it. Yet only a few accept. You are so patient, You just present Your offer and let us come to the end of ourselves. Not unlike the drowning man in the lake and the lifeguard waits to dive in, You wait, patiently so we can realize Yours is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Open and freely offered to all who accept. You aren’t a bully. You offer an if, then - a quid pro quo. ‘If you accept Me and what I am offering you, then you will experience joy and peace like you’ll never know anywhere else. Your sins will be forgiven and you’ll have eternal life. So... interested?’
4. THE TRANSFIGURATION.
My Beloved Jesus... You never will leave us to fend for ourselves, will You... Even in Your earthly Ministry, You were trying to tell Your disciples what You - and subsequently we, as Your followers – would endure. As a way to reassure that the suffering would be but temporary, You showed Your Glory to Your core three.
You wanted to give these men – and by extension, us – strength for sufferings that awaited. When You did this, it was a beautiful way to say, ‘I know it’s not going to be easy, but you’re going to have so much joy waiting for you at the end of the seemingly bleak journey.’ Your way of gently reassuring us there is joy and love waiting for us, that grace is not meant for us to fixate solely on that but the light at the end of that very dark tunnel.
When the Father said, ‘Listen to Him!’ He wasn’t making an idle recommendation, nor was He offering a subtle urging to lend You an ear. He meant every syllable of it. You were warning Your disciples, ‘Guys, I’m being serious. This whole thing about My Death, it’s going to happen. You need to listen to Me. You need to pay attention. When I told you to follow Me, I meant the whole way. But, don’t be discouraged. The suffering is but a temporary thing. The infinite joy, the unspeakable peace that awaits you will make this whole experience absolutely worth everything you’re going to face for My sake.’
This whole experience, it’s not just meant to strengthen the disciples’ faith, but ours, too. A consolation for what was to come.
I can’t even begin to wrap my own head around this wonderful experience You chose to share with them, even the grace that You give Your faithful – however not all of us and not all of the time to those You do share Your grace with – that though there’s something seemingly scary on the horizon that we’ll face, You’re right there reminding us, in Your gentle way, that You haven’t left us, and when we get through that dark valley, it isn’t permanent. That You will be waiting, Arms stretched wide, waiting to embrace us with that wonderful statement, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! Welcome Home!’
Your glorious Face is what we are striving to see. We keep looking to the Transfiguration to remember this is only for a short time, that unspeakable peace and comfort await us at the end of our journey.
5. The Institution of the Eucharist.
The Last Supper. It’s almost time for You to enter into Your Passion, my Jesus. You offered Yourself to us in Your Body and Your Blood for our Redemption. This was almost the end of Your earthly ministry, but You weren’t done teaching us even more of what You want for us. You also want to still draw us to You in Communion, one of the most intimate experiences we could have with You. You did this all out of love for us. You want so fiercely to be with us, You have made everything move and arrange in perfect succession to make that happen. You make our hearts Your Holy Temples so long as we keep Your Commandments and love You by embracing You in the prayer of reception of Your Body and most Precious Blood. All You ask of us, in return is to allow You into our lives to love us, rescue us, and help us grow, learn, and mature in You.
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