Rosary, JOYFUL Mysteries

The First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the Annunciation, is here.

PARENTING TIP: Notice that my letter here is broken into 3 parts: painting reflection, Rosary prayers, and Advent application. You know your children best, and you have options:

• You could do all three of these activities back-to-back for a long period of time,
• or you could do all three but spread out (for example, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one before bed),
• or you can just do one of the activities and forget the other two!

The period of Advent should be peaceful, not stressful. Do what you can. Jesus knows your heart.
​Blessings,
​Mary Acevedo, Director of Religious Education

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Second Decade: The Visitation

There are four Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Let's think about St. Luke a bit today.

St. Luke is a true artist whose writings have inspired countless painters, engravers, sculptors, poets, lyricists, composers, and writers all over the world since the beginning of Christianity. St. Luke is the Evangelist who gives all the details of Jesus' boyhood starting with stories about His cousins and His mother. If you look in your Bible, you will see that Chapter 1 of Luke's Gospel is called "The Infancy Narrative" and is broken into parts called The Announcement of the Birth of John, The Announcement of the Birth of Jesus, and Mary Visits Elizabeth. This chapter also includes two canticles (songs). Chapter 2's stories include The Birth of Jesus, The Visit of the Shepherds, and The Presentation in the Temple.

​You know, if all of this sounds familiar, you just might be an almost-expert in the Gospel of St. Luke!

The Visitation
by Raphael (c.1519)
oil on wood transferred to canvas
Currently located in The Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain

I'd like you to take a book from your prayer space and open it anywhere near the middle. Just look at it. It doesn't matter what page it's open to, and it doesn't have to be perfectly in the middle -- just open it sort of in the middle and lay it on a table or the floor or your lap. Look at it. See how the pages are joined? There's probably some thread or glue there holding the book together, and the pages smoothly come up from the binding and slope beautifully downward.

Now look at our featured painting. St. Elizabeth and the Virgin Mary are the main subjects in this painting by Raphael. ​What are they doing? Think about who their children are. Why do you think these two moms are holding hands? And why in the world did I ask you to look at the way a book is joined together?! ....

St. John the Baptist is the last prophet of the Old Way. Jesus Christ, our Savior and King, is the New Way. Elizabeth's and Mary's clasped hands are symbolic of the Old Testament and the New Testament. They are joined, but they are separate. The Old Testament is the time of waiting and multiple covenants. The New Testament is the time of grace, the time of Our Lord, the ever-lasting covenant. ​The Old is giving way to the New.

​A funny thing about this painting is that the future is shown in the background. Look over Elizabeth's shoulder. Can you see a tiny painting of St. John, the child of St. Elizabeth, baptizing Jesus, the Child of Mary, and God hovering with angels in the sky above them? This event is described in Matthew 3:17. They are near the bank of the Jordan River in the Holy Land, where you may visit someday and stand in the same water that Jesus and John stood in. 

While John's work was coming to a close, Jesus' work was just beginning.
​The Old Testament has ended, and the New Testament has begun.

Like I said at the beginning, St. Luke inspired many artists, so the scene of the Visitation has been painted a lot. All of them tend to show St. Elizabeth bending or bowing toward Mary. In almost all paintings, they touch -- in our painting, they hold hands, but in some they are hugging or they are touching each other's bellies.

Sometimes Elizabeth and Mary are alone, and sometimes other women are in the room. These other women might be related to St. Joseph, Jesus' foster father, or maybe they are the mothers of some of the future Apostles.

You probably know that shells are a symbol of baptism. Can you find any in some paintings? If there are plants, look at those closely-- artists think of everything! Strawberries are a symbol of righteousness, and lilies signify the coming of Christ. Plants that look like weeds represent the humble path we walk with Christ.

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Now, with the Visitation in our imagination,
let us pray.

For families with very young children, or for families new to the Rosary, simplify by only praying the Sign of the Cross, the Lord's Prayer, and the Hail Mary. These prayers are inside the front and back covers of your child's workbook. Follow the graphic:

​For families ready to push it forward, add in one new prayer each week until you have a complete decade. Follow the outline:

Hold the Crucifix in your right hand. Make the Sign of the Cross properly, using the right hand only.

Still holding the Crucifix, state what you believe as a Catholic by saying the Creed.

Move to the first bead. Pray one Our Father.

Move to the next beads. Pray the Hail Mary three times, once on each bead.

Move to the next bead and pray one Glory Be.

Stay on the same bead. Announce the Mystery by saying these words: The Second Joyful Mystery, The Visitation. The Archangel Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was to have a little son. This was a surprise to most people because Elizabeth was already old enough to be a grandmother or even a great grandmother! Elizabeth had no children or sisters or mother to share her happiness or to help her, but she had a cousin who could. The Blessed Virgin Mary was so excited for her older cousin that she hurried over the hills to take care of her. When Elizabeth saw Mary, she cried, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb!" Mary answered by saying the Magnificat. Mary stayed with her cousin until her baby John was born. Mary was Elizabeth's nurse and maid servant. When little John was born and Elizabeth was strong again, Mary returned to her own home to wait for the birth of her own dear Son, Jesus. When Elizabeth's baby grew up, he was John the Baptist.

Stay on the same bead. Pray one Our Father.

Move through the next ten beads, praying the Hail Mary on each one.

Move to the next bead. Pray one Glory Be.

Stay on the same bead. Pray the Fatima Prayer.

Make the Sign of the Cross using the Crucifix. AMEN!

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An Advent Application

Season's Greetings, Favorite Families!

It's time to add to your Nativity scene. Last week we displayed just the Virgin Mary and Archangel Gabriel pieces to depict the Annunciation. This week, let's add any palm trees and camels. If you don't have camels, display your donkey. Make it look like Mary is traveling between towns to visit Elizabeth. If you have a large Nativity set, you may use one of the village women to signify St. Elizabeth. Gabriel is Mary's Guardian Angel, and since our Guardian Angels never leave us, he should stay in the scene. How I wish I could see your display! If you'd like to, upload a photo in the comments, or send it to my email address!

Also last week I told you that the words of the Hail Mary prayer come from St. Luke's Gospel, particularly Luke 1: 28 and Luke 1: 41. This week, the Canticle of Mary (Luke 1: 46-56), sometimes called the Magnificat, is the important Scripture passage to focus on.  ​

Have you chosen to use an Advent wreath? This week you will light two violet candles. (If you don't have an Advent wreath, light any other candles you have, even the electric ones, preferably white.)

Turn down the lights in the rest of your home. Turn on your Christmas tree lights, if they are already up.

​Hold your Rosary in your hands. Play the video below, and while you are listening, look at the crucifix. Kiss it if you are moved to.

Close your eyes and listen, or view the two paintings and see the similarities in symbolism to the one I featured. The first painting is by Domenico Ghirlandaio (c.1491) and the second is by Jacopo Pontormo (c.1528).

The words you hear so beautifully chanted are the words the Blessed Virgin Mary said; nowadays, we hear and possibly use the hashtag #blessed. Mary had so much more to say than just that. You're hearing Latin in the video; her words in English are in your Bible Luke 1: 46-55, and are copied here:

“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.”