There is Something About Mary Series – The Mystery of Faith

Ponder:  Christ loves us, and his love changes the world. 

Pause for a few moments of silence, recite the prayers as indicated in chart below if you wish to prepare for today’s mystery.  You might offer a prayer request for each decade or a Hail Mary for a specific person. 

Pray:  The First Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection.  Three Days after His death, Jesus rises, glorious and immortal.  Fruit of the Mystery: Faith

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who is risen from the dead. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Pray for us Mary, gate of Heaven, that faith in the risen Christ may permeate our lives. 

Amen

Reflect:  The Resurrection. It must have been an astonishing Sunday morning with the city drowning in gossip and emotion. But few, if any, would have recognized that this was the main event of human history, Jesus rose from the dead.  On that day there was no doubt many who ignored it, and many others who doubted it, rejected it, were skeptical or cynical. These people have existed in every age and exist today, but you see them wandering through their lives confused. Christ’s Resurrection is a real event that was historically verified and it is simply impossible to make sense of life and history without acknowledging it.  The hope that comes from the Resurrection is the victory over our own fear of suffering and death.  When we follow Jesus, we follow in His steps through this world and into the next. We are changed.  The Roman soldiers witnessed the Resurrection without being changed by it.  Are we allowing the Resurrection to change us, or are we resisting God’s will and thus dulled to the reality of His presence, power, and redemption? 

Act:   Today I will take action to create a society grounded in forgiveness, love, and redemption.