The First Joyful Mystery

The Annunciation

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

The First Sorrowful Mystery

The Agony in the Garden

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered. Judas his betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray. Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”
He advanced about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, fell prostrate and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. If it is possible, let this cup pass from me; still, not my will but your will be done.”
When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep from grief. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!” Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again.
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.

The First Glorious Mystery

The Resurrection

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
When the women looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. But when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He has been raised just as he said; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day. But go quickly and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’ Behold, I have told you.”

The First Luminous Mystery

The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were torn open, and he saw the Spirit of God descending upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Second Joyful Mystery

The Visitation

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

The Second Sorrowful Mystery

The Scourging at the Pillar

With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their voices prevailed. The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted. So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them, who had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked, and after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to them to deal with as they wished.

The Second Glorious Mystery

The Ascension

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God. They went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

The Second Luminous Mystery

The Wedding Feast at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

The Third Joyful Mystery

The Nativity

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Third Sorrowful Mystery

The Crowning with Thorns

The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. They began to salute him and kneeling before him in homage, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck him repeatedly. They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.

The Third Glorious Mystery

The Descent of the Holy Spirit

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

The Third Luminous Mystery

Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God

When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

The Fourth Joyful Mystery

The Presentation in the Temple

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord,

“Every male that opens the womb
be consecrated to the Lord,”

and to offer the sacrifice of

“a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,”

in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery

The Carrying of the Cross

As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him.

The Fourth Glorious Mystery

The Assumption

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

The Fourth Luminous Mystery

The Transfiguration

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves to pray. And he was transfigured before them; his face changed in appearance and shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white as light, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And behold two men, Moses and Elijah appeared in glory, conversing with him and they spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, they no longer saw anyone else but Jesus alone with them.

The Fifth Joyful Mystery

The Finding in the Temple

Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery

The Crucifixion

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull), they gave Jesus wine drugged with myrrh to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
It was nine o’clock in the morning. There they crucified him, and with him two revolutionaries, one on his right, the other on his left, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had an inscription written of the charge against him and put on the cross. It read,

“JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS.”

Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled:

“They divided my garments among them,
for my vesture they cast lots.”

This is what the soldiers did; then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!”
Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him among themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
Now one of the criminals crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.”
After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine. Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a sprig of hyssop, put it up to his mouth to drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.”
Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this, bowing his head, he breathed his last, and gave up his spirit.

The Fifth Glorious Mystery

The Coronation of Mary

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

The Fifth Luminous Mystery

The Institution of the Eucharist

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you that from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.”
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins."