The Joyful Mysteries

1.The Annunciation.

Is 1:18 Come now, let us set things right-
Ps 50 Too high is the price to redeem ones life; he would never have enough.
Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God.
Is 6:7 Then I heard the voice of the Lord say, "Whom shall I send You? Who will go for us?" "Here I am." I said, "Send me!"
Is 7:11 Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God, let it be as deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!" Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emanuel.
Lk 1 The virgin's name was Mary.
1Sm 3 "Here I am. You called me."
Is 12:6 Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!
Ps 139 Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made…Your eyes have seen my actions, in your book they are all written…before one of them existed.
Ps 40 Sacrifice or oblation you wished not but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin offerings you sought not; than said I. "Behold I come; in the scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is written in my heart!"
Lk 1:26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galiee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. Upon arriving, the angel said to her: "Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." She was deeply troubled by his words, and wondered what his greeting meant. The angel went on to say to her: "Do not fear, Mary. You have found favor with God. You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. Great will be his dignity and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over the house of Jacob forever and his reign shall be without end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I do not know man?" The angel answered her: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence, the holy offspring to be born will be called Son of God. Know that Elizabeth your kinswoman has conceived a son in her old age; she who was thought to be sterile is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible with God." Mary said: "I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say." With that the angel left her.
Mt 1: 18 When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, an upright man unwilling to expose her to the law, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said to him: "Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son and you will name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins." All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they shall call him Emanuel, "a name which means "God is with us."

2. The Visitation.

Mt 25:35 "…I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me…I assure you as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me!"
1 Cor 13:1 If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing…There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.
Lk 1:39 Thereupon Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: "Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy. Best is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled."
Then Mary said: "My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior, For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed. God who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is his name; His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry he has given every good thing, while the rich he has sent empty away. He has upheld Israel his servant, ever mindful of his mercy; Even as he promised our fathers, promised Abraham and his descendants forever."
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.
Lk 7:36 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon: "You see this woman? I came to your home and you provided me with no water for my feet. She has washed my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. I tell you, that is why her sins are forgiven –because of her great love. Little is forgiven the one whose love is small." He said to her then, "Your sins are forgiven…Your faith has been your salvation. Now go in peace."

3. The Nativity.

Is 52:14 Even as many were amazed at him– so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals- So shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless…
Lk 9:58 "The foxes have lairs, the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
Mt 5:8 "Blest are the single-hearted for they shall see God."
Mt 19:29 "…everyone who has given up home, brothers or sisters, father or mother, wife or children or property for my sake will receive many times as much and inherit everlasting life."
Mt 13:16 "…blest are your eyes because they see and blest are your ears because they hear. I assure you, many a prophet and many a saint longed to see what you see but did not see it, to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
Lk 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus published a decree ordering a census of the whole world…Everyone went to register, each to his own town. And so Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to David's town of Bethlehem-because he was of the house and lineage of David-to register with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. While they were there the days of her confinement were completed. She gave birth to her first-born son and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the place where travelers lodged. There were shepherds in that region, living in the fields and keeping night watch by turns over their flocks. The angel of the Lord appeared to them as the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very much afraid. The angel said to them; "You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim good news to you-tidings of great joy to be shared by the whole people. This day in David's city a savior has been born to you, the Messiah and Lord. Let this be a sign to you: in a manger you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes." Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in high heaven, peace on earth to those on whom his favor rests." When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another: "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this event the Lord has made known to us." They went in haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger; once they saw, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. All who heard of it were astonished at the report given them by the shepherds. Mary treasured all these things in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, in accord with what had been told them.
Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God. He was present to God in the beginning. Through him all things came into being, and apart from him nothing came to be. Jn 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we have seen his glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love…Of his fullness we have all had a share- love following upon love.

4. The Presentation.

Mt 3:13 Later Jesus, coming from Galilee, appeared before John at the Jordon to be baptized by him. John tried to refuse him with the protest, "I should be baptized by you, yet you come to me!"
Phil 2:6 Though he was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather he emptied himself and took the form of a slave; being born in the likeness of men. He was known to be of human estate, and thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross!
Lk 2:21 When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, the couple brought him up to Jerusalem so that he could be presented to the Lord, for it is written in the law of the Lord, "every first-born male shall be consecrated to the Lord. There lived in Jerusalem at the time a certain man named Simeon. He was just and pious, and awaited the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not experience death until he had seen the Anointed of the Lord. He came to the temple now, inspired by the Spirit, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him the customary ritual of the law, he took him in his arms and blessed God in these words: "Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace; you have fulfilled your word. For my eyes have witnessed your saving deed displayed for all the people to see: a revealing light to the Gentiles, the glory of your people Israel." The child's father and mother were marveling at what was being said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: "This child is destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed-and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword-so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare."
Mk 2:36 There was also a certain prophetess, Anna by name…She had seen many days, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She was constantly in the temple, worshipping day and night in fasting and prayer. Coming on the scene at this moment, she gave thanks to God and talked about the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When the pair had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee and their own town of Nazareth. The child grew in size and strength, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Mt 3:17…"This is my beloved Son. My favor rests on him."

5. The Finding in the Temple.

Ps 45:3 Fairer in beauty are you than the sons of men; grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever.
Jn 7:45 When the temple guards came back, the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, "Why did you not bring him in?" "No man ever spoke like that before," the guards replied. "Do not tell us you too have been taken in!" the Pharisees retorted.
Jn 12:19 "The whole world has run after him."
Jn 1:29 "Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!"
Mk 6:34 Jesus saw a vast crowd. He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Mt 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light.
Lk 19:47 He was teaching in the temple area from day to day. The chief priests and scribes meanwhile were looking for a way to destroy him, as were the leaders of the people, but they had no idea how to achieve it, for indeed the entire populace was listening to him and hanging on his words.
Lk 2:41 His parents used to go every year to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve they went up for the celebration as was their custom. As they were returning at the end of the feast, the child Jesus remained behind unknown to his parents. Thinking he was in the party, they continued their journey for a day, looking for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
Not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him. On the third day they came upon him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening and asking them questions. All who heard were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him: "Son, why have you done this to us? You see that your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow." He said to them: "Why did you search for me? Did you not know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not grasp what he said to them.
He went down with them then, and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother meanwhile kept all these things in memory. Jesus, for his part, progressed steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.