Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary: The Resurrection

Luke 24:38-39

Happy Easter! In the Catholic Church we celebrate Easter for longer than just 1 day. There are 8 days in what is called the octave of Easter, and then the Easter “season” lasts until Pentecost Sunday, May 23rd. So I still get to say, Happy Easter! 

The Resurrection of Jesus is the first in 5 mysteries of the Glorious mysteries of the rosary. The story of the Resurrection to some, appears to be a fairytale. I think we have honestly been jaded by so much cynicism and hard life experiences, that it is nearly impossible for us to believe in real miracles. 

The Resurrection reminds me, we have a God of the impossible, and He enjoys surprising us when things look bleak and as dark as can be. One of my favorite passages surrounding the resurrection is when Jesus appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem. They were afraid and thought He was a ghost. 

(Luke 24:38-42) 

“Then He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”’

First of all, they were incredulous (still couldn’t believe it) for joy. I love that phrase! That is where God wants us to be in our lives. And He intends to take us there. Not the unbelieving part, but so blown away by His power, we are incredulous for joy. 2nd of all, I love that Our Lord’s last resort after appearing to them and still dealing with unbelief, is to eat food in front of them! He is literally trying every possible way to say to them “I’m real! I’m here! I’m alive!” 

And He’s saying that to you now. Meet your savior, maybe for the first time, at the Resurrection, go to the tomb with Mary Magdalene, kneel before Him and dump all the impossibilities of your life out at His feet. Tell Him “I’m ready to see your power in my life.” Ask Mary his mother, to take your hand and lead you in that step of faith, to her glorious Son. That His miraculous grace, will flood your life. 

For more meditations on the mysteries of the rosary, click on the link in my bio/fb page and go to the menu tab “Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary” at the top. 

May the hope of the Resurrection fill your heart! 

Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary: The Crucifixion

Isaiah 53:4 

The 5th Sorrowful mystery of the rosary, is the Crucifixion. There is one reason Christ Jesus is on the cross. Perfect love.  You may be tempted to look at a crucifix and only feel guilt. Or horror that the human race is capable of such a thing. But consider, He had the power to end it at any moment, and to destroy those inflicting pain upon Himself, but love kept Him there. 

All consuming love that He could not contain, and the desire to save our soul so He could be with us, overcame all fear, sorrow, exhaustion, and pain He was enduring. But not only for Himself. 

This is what has me in awe. He took on all of OUR fear, exhaustion, sorrow and pain. He took on the worst of what life had to give us and wanted to experience it, for love of us. When you look up at the cross and see His arms outstretched, see them extended to you in desperate love. When you see them overextended, see how much He has in His hands. All your suffering in this life, He says to you “I have taken it upon myself. Come and rest in my love.” 

If we were to ask our Lady, what she saw on His face and in His eyes when she gazed up at Him hanging there on the cross, herself desperate for His relief, desperate even to take some of His suffering upon herself (as all mothers do when watching their child suffer) she would say “All I saw was love. Uncontrollable, unrelenting love, for you.” 

And so I stand at the foot of the cross with Mary His mother, Mary Magdalene and John, and as I pray this decade, I gaze up at the face of love. 

He is in the tomb today friends, but Easter is coming. God bless you. 

 

Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary: The Carrying of the Cross

 

(Matthew 11:28-30)

God speaks to me most often through what is true, beautiful. and good. Classical art in particular, can leave such a deep impression in my soul. This is a close-up of the painting “Christ and the Cyrenian” by Titian, an artist from the late 15th, 16th centuries, and is what I most often remember when meditating on the 4th Sorrowful mystery of the rosary, the Carrying of the Cross. It conveys to me, the strength of my Savior to suffer, for love of me. 

And He is not looking at us, with such a determined look as to procure feelings of guilt, but rather to say “Whatever it is, whatever heavy burdens you are carrying, I carried them. And I am here now, to carry them with you. I am here in the middle of your mess. In the blood, sweat, and tears, I am holding up this cross for you. I will continue to hold it but we must go together, on this way of the Cross, to get through to Easter. Your Easter is coming, my beloved. See the strength of my cross. And be not afraid of your own. For I am here with you.”

I then think of what tremendous faith Mary herself had to have, to see her beloved son, suffer so horribly, walk the way of the cross with Him, all the while having to hope, that somehow, God would make things right. I ask for the same faith. For the same grace to believe when the cross seems too heavy, and the grace to lean on Him when I want to give up. 

For more meditations on the mysteries of the rosary and a brief explanation of the rosary, look on the page I created in the menu bar above “Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary”. God bless you. 

“I Wait For You”

 

I used to write a lot of songs when I was younger. Often they would come to me in prayer time, as a word for me. This song “I Wait For You” is written as a dialogue, between me and the Lord, the Holy Spirit calling me to prayer, me making excuses, Him continuing to call me to prayer. 

It’s been a long time since I’ve played the song, and I felt some unexpected emotion singing it here, but I was feeling the heart of Our Lord singing xthe words, for all of us. He desperately longs for us. He is relentless in His pursuit of us. He is always waiting to fill us with His own life. But will never force Himself upon us. We have to go to Him. Make the time. He is always waiting. 

Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary: The Crowning of Thorns

 

The third sorrowful mystery of the rosary, the Crowning of Thorns, has me simply, on my knees. With Mary, together before Him, I watch as her Son, deserving of all honor and glory and adoration, is mocked in the very essence of who He is, Lord and King. With great humility snd self control, He receives it all, out of love for us, the spitting, jeers, blows, and piercing thorns in His sacred head. 

I kneel before Him and as I watch, I say, “I’m sorry Lord! for all the times you have not been king in all areas of my life. I’m sorry also Lord, for the many times your name is taken in vain, for the many times things that are holy pertaining to you, and your sacrifice for us, are made light of, or not reverenced as deserved.” I make reparation for these, because I am in fact, my brother’s keeper, and I ask forgiveness for those that do not. I worship and adore Him and ask Him for even an inkling of the level of humility He has in this beautiful act of love. King Jesus, may your name be praised, today and forever. 

For more simple meditations on the mysteries of the rosary, and a brief introduction to the rosary, please check out the tab titled “Meditations on the mysteries of the Rosary” in the menu bar. A very blessed Palm Sunday to you all!