5th Nov 2020

Holy ROSARY
Thursday- Luminous Mysteries
(Family Rosary)

Instructions:

1. Prepare a place (if possible, decorate) to keep the statute of Mother Mary.
Prepare a vase of flowers and light two candles.
2. Light candles on your family Altar.
3. The above-mentioned points could be made use of keeping in mind your
situation/circumstances. If it causes great difficult you can omit it.
4. Distribute the prayers among your family members so that all participate
in the rosary.
5. Hymns have been typed for your ready reference; one can also refer to
the hymn books.
6. After every mystery please sing the chorus mentioned.
7. We request each family to follow this rosary pattern that has been
specially prepared to help families to pray during the month of October.
Please don’t gather 2-3 families and start this pray, due to Covid’19
pandemic we are not supposed to gather, so please do the same in your
family itself.

The Sign of the Cross

Introductory hymn: Just like a child (WJL - A.74)

Just like a child who trusts his father dear

And who delights to feel his presence near
Just like a child whose mind has not a doubt
And whose heart is never proud.

Here I come, oh lord

Here I come just like a child. (2)

The I Believe

1 Our Father, 3 Hail Mary, Glory be …

Introduction: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). Jesus is the light for all
people of all times. God guided the Hebrews in the desert by means of a
luminous cloud. He guides us through his Son; whoever follows Jesus will not
walk in darkness. Light means good things: the welcoming light of dawn after a
night of darkness; the electric lights which illumine our homes while darkness
reigns outside; the street lights which shine for everyone, poor and rich alike;
the light that triumphs over the dark forces of evil and ignorance. Christ is all
that and more for whoever follows him. He is the light by which we live with
wholeness and integrity, and through whom we learn to attribute to material
things and human activities their proper value. By the light of Christ, a person
triumphs over all inner darkness. If we live in the light of Christ, the light will
gradually illumine our innermost being. We need to remember that neither
darkness, nor pandemics, nor disease, nor war, nor anything bad can overcome
Jesus’ light. Today as we contemplate on the luminous Mysteries let us pray for
the grace to follow Jesus and be guiding light to others.

The First Mystery: The Baptism of Jesus

Word of God: As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At
that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my
Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Mt 3: 16-17)

Reflection/Prayer: The Baptism of Jesus reminds us of our baptism. We

became a new creation and part of God’s family at our baptism. We too have
God’s life and Sprit within us; nothing can take that away from us. God’s plan
that the life of the Spirit we receive at baptism, should grow and develop within
us. In doing so, it follows a pattern similar to the way bodily life grows. In the
life of the Spirit too, God wants us to pass from mere babies into children, from
children into spiritually young people, and finally, “into full stature in Christ”,
the way St. Paul calls spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:13). Lord strengthen us with
your Holy Spirit so that Jesus’ victory may be our victory. Amen.

1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary, Glory be …

Hymn: Great indeed are your works O lord now and evermore (2)

The Second Mystery: The Miracle at Cana

Word of God: On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’
mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the
wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no
more wine.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn
2:1-3. 5)
Reflection/Prayer: It is worth noting that John relates only seven miracles of
Jesus, and sometimes he calls them works, sometimes signs. They are works of
the Son of God in which he manifests his power. They are signs, that is to say,
visible things adapted for us by which he enables us to understand his true work
– that of bringing life and renewal to the world. When the wine ran out at the
wedding in Cana, Mary was the first one to notice. Many families today have
also run out of “wine” due to loneliness, unemployment, illness, and other
difficulties. It was thus Jesus manifested his glory to those who were beginning
to discover him. Mary brought grace to John the Baptist (Lk 1:39); again, she
intervenes to hasten the beginnings of the Gospel. She will not speak again in
the Gospel, and her last words are: Do whatever he tells you (v.5).

1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary, Glory be …

Hymn: Great indeed are your works O lord now and evermore (2)

The Third Mystery: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

Word of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;
repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:15)

Reflection/Prayer: The Proclamation of the Kingdom is the foundational call to

conversion – ‘repent and believe’. Our sins have led us away from God. Just as
a sick person cannot be healed unless they admit their frailty and visit the
doctor, so we cannot be forgiven without acknowledging our sins. Jesus came to
set us free so that we are not burdened with our misery and sins. Sadly, many
people do not understand the enormity of God’s mercy. The Sacrament of
Reconciliation is where, as Jesus said, we experience the miracle of God’s Love
and Mercy. Every time one goes to talk with Jesus in the Sacrament of
Confession, Jesus is there to give us His Mercy. In this Sacrament, we hear
Jesus say those earth-shattering words spoken through His chosen priests: I
absolve you from your sins. An awesome moment of joy! Let us go to Jesus
often in Confession and encounter Mercy and Love.

1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary, Glory be …

Hymn: Great indeed are your works O lord now and evermore (2)
The Fourth Mystery: The Transfiguration
Word of God: After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the
brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he
was transfigured before them. (Mt 17: 1-2)

Reflection/Prayer: Jesus with tender love prepares Peter, James and John for
his bitter Passion and Death. He takes these three beloved followers to Mount
Tabor and is transfigured before their eyes. They see the glory of God’s Son
Jesus. They hear the voice of the heavenly Father tell them to listen to Jesus,
who is his beloved Son. Each of us also has our sorrowful times during our
lives. It is inescapable. Jesus wants to strengthen us along our journey of life.
He gives us many sources of strength and help. Jesus through the Holy Rosary
you reveal yourself to us as the Son of the Father, the Beloved. You tell us not
to be afraid. You are perfect love and love drives out all fear. Transfigure my
heart and my intelligence so that I trust you completely, in my life and in my
death. Mary, my Mother, help me to imitate your faithfulness by giving my time
generously each day to be apart with Jesus in prayer and intimate friendship.

1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary, Glory be …

Hymn: Great indeed are your works O lord now and evermore (2)

The Fifth Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist

Word of God: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and
I will raise them up at the last day. (Jn 6: 54)

Reflection: The Eucharist is God’s greatest gift to us. In Eucharist, we

remember with deep gratitude, all that God has done for us in Jesus Christ,
through his life, suffering, death, resurrection and God’s love, forgiveness at
work in our daily lives. When we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus
welcomes us, he speaks to us and through his Body and Blood we are nourished
and healed. It is a gift given to us and not our right and we cannot demand it. As
Pope Francis says, ‘the Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful
medicine and nourishment for the weak’ and that is each one of us. When we
share in the gift of Jesus’ Body and Blood, we also need to share It with others
when we leave the church through our actions and words.
1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary, Glory be …

Hymn: Great indeed are your works O lord now and evermore (2)

Hail Holy Queen

V: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Concluding Prayer: Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through water and the
Holy Spirit, you have freed us from sin and given us divine life. Send now the
Holy Spirit upon us to be our helper and our guide. May the Holy Spirit give to
us light to understand your plans of love, strength to confess our faith,
gentleness to guide our brothers/sisters to your, trust to speak to you in prayer
and the Joy of feeling your child at all times. We ask this through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

Concluding Hymn: There shall be showers of blessing

1. There shall be showers of blessings:

This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Ch: Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

Shelby D’Souza
Diocesan Family Service Centre, Goa