The Glorious Mysteries - The Way Through the Heart
The Resurrection
The Miracle Worker and Master died so tormented; those closest to Him could not save Him, most left Him alone, unable to bear such a terrible situation that broke their hearts. His persevering Mother, a faithful Virgin with a strong Heart, had few close people with Her; fidelity was also unexpectedly shown by two Pharisees who were able to acknowledge the already dead Master and pay for His worthy burial.
However, the covenant with the Father proved to be the most important for Jesus. The trust of the Son, who always wanted to be about the Father's business, whom He trusted in the most difficult time, despite everything that happened, which could break and crush all strength. The Father showed His fidelity, power, and love, raised from the dead the Sweetest Heart in which He was well pleased. The Heart full of majesty, most worthy of all praise, the true temple of the Lord, the dwelling place of the Most High, could not remain in the tomb. The covenant of the Father and the Son proved stronger than all pain and suffering, stronger than death.
The Virgin also believed in this covenant, treasuring in Her Heart the words of the angel of the annunciation. She remembered that this was the Son of God, given to Her by the Father's will, who came because He was to show great power. So She endured everything that happened in the light of those words. In every situation of life, even though often unclear and incomprehensible to Her, also in recent times, despite the great pain of Her Heart, She repeated Her consent to the will of God, to God's plan of salvation for the whole world. Now the covenant of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit with Her Immaculate Heart is fulfilled - the Risen Son shines in glory, power, strength, and beauty. The Most Holy Virgin experiences a new mystery of Her life as a mystery also of the whole Church, of all believers. Her Son, the Lord of the entire community of believers, showed everyone their destiny - following in His footsteps, uniting with Him with all their heart, spirit, and mind, all are to proceed toward heaven, toward God's light, toward glory with Him.
Let us pray for ourselves, that we may, like Jesus and Mary, entrust our hearts boundlessly in covenant with God. Let us look at the mysteries of the rosary as a map of life leading toward the resurrection.
The Ascension
Jesus' mission is ending. Jesus is not to remain with us forever; He cannot be in every era and every place in His earthly form. God is eternal, and the incarnation of His Son has its beginning and end of earthly presence among us. The great mystery that we will meditate on and carry in our hearts all our lives will never cease to be the most important for our salvation. The Apostles and disciples, however, might have been disappointed when the Risen One departs to the Father, to heaven, irrevocably. Everything happened so fast, and from their point of view, it could still continue - they would still have much to ask and clarify, they would still want to talk with Christ and learn from Him.
However, the Master considers that everything that was to be accomplished has been accomplished, that He has already spoken enough, that they have seen everything that needed to be shown to them. The Apostles rather did not have this conviction. Their questions and doubts, dreams and fears show this clearly; they still need their Teacher. Jesus, however, firmly considers that He can leave them alone, along with the Immaculate Heart of His Mother. A strong, wise Mother who survived so much suffering, so many crises, is left alone with the disciples who often abandoned, betrayed, and failed Her Son. The Son of God returns to the Father.
Astonishment, delight of the disciples, but also anxiety and indecision were remembered by the evangelists, since angels were needed to calm them and remind them of the Master's promises. One must wait for the promised Comforter, the Divine Spirit, who will only then add strength and wisdom, bringing gifts to hearts so uncertain and helpless, even though three years of closeness to Jesus, His words and deeds could have taught them much. And so it happened. However, only the Holy Spirit will allow the Apostles to understand their vocation, tasks, and path.
We too sometimes feel lost. The faith that Jesus is in heaven can help us, yet we lack strength, even though we know so much. Together with the Apostles and the wise Mother, let us wait and pray for the gifts of the Divine Spirit that will allow us to undertake all that our hearts have already received; let us ask for the power of the covenant with the Heart of Jesus, with the Heart of Mary, for the wisdom of a heart united with Their Hearts.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
What actually did the descent of the Divine Spirit bring? How are we to understand it? What did the descent mean for the Most Holy, Full of Grace? What does it mean for ourselves? Spiritual gifts are sometimes spoken of as if they were attractions to be admired in the community, a striking way of showing one's piety and divine election... However, the Acts of the Apostles teach us very clearly and unambiguously about the descent of the Spirit, the Comforter.
What purpose do spiritual gifts serve? First of all, they unite the Apostles themselves. Those who failed, who fled, were frightened, and forgot everything Jesus had taught and forewarned them about, full of regret and conflicting feelings, now stand as one community of the sent and called. If someone receives the gifts of the Divine Spirit, they are able to accept other believers as well, to move past their own hurts and disappointments. The outpouring of the Comforter's gifts serves not only to strengthen the Apostles themselves; on the contrary, it leads them to speak of Jesus and the history of salvation in a way understandable to others. At the same time, according to the will of Jesus, together with the Apostles we are encouraged to constantly ask the Divine Spirit for gifts.
Let us look once more at Mary, bound all her life by covenant with God Himself. She most fully, most beautifully displays the fullness of the gifts of the Divine Spirit. The Most Holy Virgin, full of the gifts of the Spirit of Sweet Joy of Hearts, already at the annunciation receives also a new, generous outpouring of further graces. Let us ask that we may grow in grace, let us ask for the gifts of the Comforter to strengthen our heart, to purify it, let us ask that He make of us a temple of God and a dwelling place for Jesus Himself.
The Assumption of Mary
The Most Holy Virgin remained on earth, although it would not surprise us if She had preferred to leave already with Her Son. God the Father designated Her time, as He does ours, in a mysterious and incomprehensible way. Many legends designate various times for the life of the Mother of God, but we know that the Gospel did not hand down any details to us. We can guess that She spoke and prayed with the Apostles in peace and love, showing no impatience or resentment toward anyone, speaking of Jesus.
We too would sometimes like to determine the duration of human life, including our own, to dispose of time, to plan the final moments. God alone knows how and when it will be; we can prepare through prayer, confession, penance, and reparation. Ordering thoughts, heart, and often many small matters can prepare us for the end of our life, the path to the Heart of God. The Mother of God also spent Her entire life seeking closeness to the Sweetest Heart of the Savior and therefore found It in Her last moments on earth. She was born for Jesus, lived for Him, close to Him, and finishing Her earthly life, with Her whole Heart She opened herself to Her Son and Master. The Assumption does not really appear here as something new - Mary in Her Immaculate Heart opened a home and dwelling for the Son of God, in Her life She arranged everything around Him, and to Him at the end of life She hastens. The Assumption emphasizes the covenant of two Hearts and fulfills it - the Virgin is taken up into heaven, to Her Savior.
Let us also pray that, meditating on the life of Jesus and Mary, we may daily draw closer to heaven in covenant with a heart full of love and grace.
The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Many people would like to achieve some success, prosperity, and recognition. These feelings sometimes lead to greater work on oneself, to study, practice, effort, to very persistent training in order to achieve a visible, clear success for others. Sometimes intentions are purified for a long time, sometimes a heart must endure much to reach its desires. Yet usually people agree to many sacrifices, knowing that a dream goal does not come by itself or without effort. Many proverbs can confirm this; we say that without work there is no reward, and that Rome wasn't built in a day. Success comes up steep stairs. Saint Paul recognized his way of life as a race that required effort to finish at all. We also see this truth in the Mother of God - so many gifts, so many graces, but in Her too the evangelists noticed the toil of the road, the toil of the darkness of faith. The Most Holy sees Her life and vocation crowned right now, after completing Her earthly pilgrimage.
And let us also wait for the evaluations or results of our life. Our efforts will be appreciated by the Father in heaven at the right time.
Let us pray for patience and perseverance, so that we do not grow weak on this path and sit down on the roadside waiting for the end. Let us undertake another effort, another step on the way, believing that each of them will be appreciated in heaven, to the joy of the Sweetest Heart of Jesus, the Purest Heart of the Virgin Mary, of all the saints, and of ourselves.