LIVING AND GROWING: The joyful mysteries
Published 5:30 am Saturday, June 6, 2026
“N eed a miracle? Pray the Holy Rosary!” These words are printed on a sign I picked up years ago at the ‘freebies’ table at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. I still have it on my wall reminding me to pray the Rosary daily.
Most of us have heard “Mother knows best.” As our Spiritual Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary has given to us the Rosary – the best and most powerful sword to protect us from all temptations of the evil one, to strengthen us spiritually during our daily battle between good and evil, to give us peace in our heart, in our home, our family, our society. She wants to make sure that all of us – Her Spiritual children – come back home to Heaven at the end of our pilgrimage on earth! The Rosary, when prayed with the heart, helps us so that God wins in us – in our heart – every single day.
There are four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious. All these Mysteries focus on the life of Jesus Christ, our Savior who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
In all the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparitions around the world, She encourages all people to pray the Rosary every day. The Catholic Church tradition dedicates days of the week to pray these mysteries: Joyful on Monday and Saturday, Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, Luminous on Thursday, and Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday. However, in Medjugorje, where the Blessed Virgin Mary has been appearing daily since June 1981, She is requesting all her children – regardless of religion – to pray all these Mysteries every day. She said, “If you knew how much I love you, you’d cry of joy.”
When we pray the Rosary, I invite us to be present in every mystery. For example, when we pray the third Joyful Mystery – the birth of Jesus- contemplate on the birth of Jesus, be present in the cave of the Nativity, feel the joy of seeing the Savior as a baby in the manger, the joy of Mary and Joseph, the joy of God the Father as He brings closer to His people His only begotten Son, the humility of Jesus as He obeys His Father as a baby. Hear the angels singing, feel the breath of the animals in the manger, be present there, fill your heart with the baby Jesus. Imagine the joy of the shepherds when they visited the baby Jesus. Let each Hail Mary be like background music in your heart helping you to focus on the mystery. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your heart in contemplation.
Praying the Rosary works wonders to our soul!
Saint Pope John Paul II puts it like this: “The Rosary mystically transports us to Mary’s side as she is busy watching over the human growth of Christ in the home of Nazareth. This enables her to train us and to mold us with the same care.”
Let us take a closer look at the JOYFUL MYSTERIES: At each Mystery, Pray Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, Glory Be, followed by the Fatima Prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven especially those most in need of Thy mercy. This Fatima Prayer was given by our Holy Mother during her apparition in Fatima in 1917.
1. First Joyful Mystery: THE ANNUNCIATION
And when the angel had come to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28)
Fruit of the mystery: HUMILTY
2. Second Joyful Mystery: THE VISITATION
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” (Luke 1:41-42)
Fruit of the Mystery: LOVE OF NEIGHBOR
3. Third Joyful Mystery: THE BIRTH OF JESUS
She gave birth to her first-born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the place where travelers lodged (Luke 2:7) Fruit of the Mystery: POVERTY IN SPIRIT
4. Fourth Joyful Mystery: THE PRESENTATION
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” (Luke 2:22-23)
Fruit of the Mystery: OBEDIENCE
5. Fifth Joyful Mystery: FINDING THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
On the third day they came upon Him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions (Luke 2:46)
Fruit of the Mystery: JOY IN FINDING JESUS
If you need help on how to pray the Rosary, please visit https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/how-to-pray-13648.
If you need a Rosary, I will send you one, please email your name and address at delrosariogynlyn@gmail.com.
I am 59 years old and have been praying the Rosary since 3rd grade – I am testifying that Mama Mary indeed knows best!
O Holy Mother Mary, I am begging you to please inspire at least one person who reads this article to pray the Rosary every day. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Gina Del Rosario is a Roman Catholic who was born and raised in the Philippines, and is a parishioner at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Juneau. “Living and Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders. It appears every Saturday on the Juneau Empire’s Faith page
