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Fr. Ed shares a conversion story and asks this question: Why was this man converted.  He was converted because he experienced love and joy, and the love and joy was associated with Jesus Christ.  We are all loved greatly by God, he suffered, died and rose again.  So rejoice and share with everyone that Jesus Christ has truly risen from the dead, Alleluia. 

Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.

Mary is the quickest, shortest, easiest path to Jesus. We can call her the shortcut!  We are all called to holiness—meaning to be saints. Jesus said: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” This is a command! Therefore, the Holy Mother of God, Mary most holy can help us in our joyful pursuit of holiness which ends in heaven.

THE MOST HOLY ROSARY.  One of the most efficacious tools, or we might even say spiritual weapon, that we should use to fight the good fight and run the good race so as to wind the victory and prize of eternal life is the MOST HOLY ROSARY. Over centuries the saints and popes have strongly encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary and to trust in Mary’s most powerful intercession.  The prayer of Saint Bernard encapsulates this truth in the famous Marian prayer The Memorare, with these words: Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection was left unaided.

MYSTERIES OF JOY, MYSTERIES OF LOVE.  In this short essay we will focus on how we can learn to live, and love God, and be truly happy by offering a few brief suggestions taken from the five Joyful Mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Rosary is a spiritual gold-mine for us to dig into; so let us dig in right now!

FIRST MYSTERY: THE ANNUNCIATION (Lk. 1:26-38) Mary encounters God through His angelic messenger, the Archangel Gabriel. We offer three precious pearls to glean and polish from this profound encounter.

1) LISTEN AND TALK TO GOD. Mary teaches us the importance of silence in our lives. Mary teaches us the importance of listening to God, especially through the Word of God. Mary teaches us the importance of talking to God—that means the real importance of prayer, of talking to God with fervor and devotion from the depths of our hearts. Mary teach me how to pray!

2) SAYING YES TO GOD: THE KEY TO HAPPINESS. All of us are given freedom to choose between good and bad; we can use or abuse our freedom. Mary said YES to God with these beautiful words: Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word. (Lk.1:38) This is a universal truth: we all want to be happy in this world and always! Why then is it that so many people today want to be happy but walk around with a sad face that they display to the whole world? The reason is very clear: they say NO to God. Our Lady teaches us what true freedom is and gives us the key to true joy: learning to say YES to God! Starting today, through the intercession of Mary, let us learn to say YES to God.

3) MARY TEACHES HOW TO RECEIVE JESUS IN OUR HEARTS. By saying YES to God, Mary conceived Jesus in her most pure womb and the depths of her most pure and Immaculate Heart. Saint Pope John Paul II makes a beautiful parallel between Mary’s YES to God and our AMEN when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. The end result of Mary’s YES and our AMEN in Holy Communion is the reception of Jesus into our hearts. Let us beg through the intercession of Mary to say YES to God and receive Jesus with burning love in our hearts in Holy Communion.

SECOND MYSTERY: THE VISITATION OF MARY TO ELIZABETH.  Like the Annunciation, this Mystery is rich in teaching and growth in holiness for us if we talk to Mary and try to imitate her. Let us take three lessons.

1) AVOID LAZINESS. Once Mary knew the will of God, she did not wait, or procrastinate, or put it off until tomorrow. Rather, she went quickly or in haste. Let us avoid laziness in all times, places, and circumstances. The proverb is so true: “Idleness is the workshop of the devil.”

2) GREETING WITH JOY. Let us learn from Mary not to wait for others to greet us, but to greet others FIRST and with JOY! This is humility and charity—meaning, putting others first and valuing them for their innate dignity.

3) SERVICE IS SOURCE OF JOY. Mary went to visit her elderly cousin, Saint Elizabeth, who was pregnant in her old age, so as to serve her in her needs. Saint Paul teaches us: There is more joy in giving than in receiving. (Acts: 20:35) Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said: “We must learn to give until it hurts. Starting today let us make it a firm proposal: I will look for opportunities to serve others in imitation of Mary who went to visit and serve Saint Elizabeth! If done, we will experience deep joy within our souls.

THIRD MYSTERY: THE BIRTH OF JESUS IN BETHLEHEM. In this mystery we celebrate the most important birthday in the history of the world—the birth of Jesus, that we call CHRISTMAS. The birth of Jesus marked the division of time into B.C. and A.D. The lessons that Mary can teach us are innumerable.  We will offer three!

1) LIFE IS A JOURNEY. Mary, carrying the baby Jesus in her womb, went with Saint Joseph on a long journey and arrived at their destination, Bethlehem. Our life is a journey towards heaven. Let us ask Mary, Saint Joseph, and of course Jesus, to accompany us every step along the way in our journey towards our final destination, HEAVEN!

2) ACCEPTING TRIALS AND REJECTION. When Mary experienced trials, contradictions, and sufferings in her life, she trusted God all the more! Upon arriving in Bethlehem, she and Saint Joseph experienced rejection: There was no room for them in the Inn! (Lk 2:7) When we experience trials, sufferings, and rejection in our lives we should run to Mary and seek refuge. Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are our sure refuge!

3) SPIRIT OF POVERTY. Mary and the Holy Family chose to experience and live a life of poverty. One of the biggest obstacles in modern society is that of MATERIALISM—that means, being too attached to material things. If you like: Our possessions can possess us. Jesus was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the poor, cold, damp, bad-smelling stable (refuge for animals) of Bethlehem. Mary, please teach me that true happiness does not come from possessing things, but by allowing God to possess me!

FOURTH MYSTERY: THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. When Jesus was only 40 days old, He was presented in the Temple through the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary and good Saint Joseph. Once again, we will offer three wonderful lessons from this fourth Joyful Mystery.

1) OBEDIENCE. Mary and Saint Joseph obeyed God by presenting their first born son in the Temple of Jerusalem as prescribed by the Mosaic Law. If we truly want to experience joy in the depths of our souls, then we must learn to imitate Mary in the virtue of obedience. Those in the modern world desire all too often to follow their own will, instead of God’s will, which leads to sadness and eventual destruction. Like Mary may we learn to obey the Word of God, the Church and the Magisterial teachings, and a well-formed conscience.

2) LIGHT TO ALL THE WORLD. Jesus in the arms of Mary is presented to the elderly Simeon who calls Jesus LUMEN GENTIUM—Light for the People. Mary teaches us that Jesus must be our true and overflowing Light. Mary, my Mother, give me eyes to perceive the Light of Jesus in the world, in my life, and in the circumstances of everyday!

3) THE SWORD OF SORROW. The Prophecy of Simeon entailed announcing that Jesus would be a sign of contradiction and that a sword of sorrow would penetrate the heart of Mary. The meaning may be difficult for us to understand, and possibly even more difficult to put into practice: the value of suffering. We must learn to offer our sufferings to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, then our sufferings will have infinite value! We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

FIFTH MYSTERY: THE FINDING OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. Present in this fifth and last Joyful Mystery is a hidden sorrow, but a greater joy. The sorrow of course is that Mary and Joseph lose Jesus for three long days. The joy of course is in finding Jesus. There is much for us to meditate upon in this Mystery. However, we will give three golden nuggets!

1) MANY PARENTS LOSE THEIR CHILDREN. Today many parents can identify very easily with this Mystery because they lose their children in that their children no longer want to practice their faith. This pierces their parents’ hearts. Mary teaches us not to give up hope, but to pursue our children with prayer, suffering, patience, and trust that they will find their way back to God. Saint Monica did this and her son, the wandering Prodigal Son of the 5^th century, became the great SAINT AUGUSTINE.

2) JESUS AND MARY AS OUR TEACHERS. After three long days of sorrowful search Our Lady finally found her Son, Jesus. Where was He? Jesus was found in the Temple teaching the older men. Among the numerous lessons that we can glean is the following: Jesus and Mary must be our Teachers. PERMANENT FORMATION! One of the key failures in many adults is the unwillingness to study so as to grow in their faith; thus they remain stagnant and stultified in their faith. Jesus and Mary teach us the primary obligation parents have of transmitting their faith to their children. However, you cannot give what you do not have! Let us beg our Lady for the grace to really desire to learn our faith better so as to be better teachers to our children!

3) MARY PONDERS IN HER HEART. Upon finding Jesus, Mary and Joseph rejoiced even though they did not fully understand the words of Jesus: “Did you not know that I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49) Mary for her part pondered these things in her Immaculate Heart. Mary teaches all of us the importance of praying, meditating, pondering in our hearts the Word of God, the circumstances in our life, and even the surprises and contradictions that we encounter all so often. Let us pray to Mary and beg her to attain for us a contemplative heart! Let us beg Our Lady for the grace to perceive God’s work in us always! In Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)

CONCLUSION. We hope and pray that all will understand the CALL TO JOY in our lives. This joy can be learned in the life, words, and example of the Blessed Virgin Mary and most especially through the mysteries of the Rosary, starting with the JOYFUL MYSTERIES. Our Lady teaches this lesson in her beautiful prayer that we call the Magnificat: My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR… By calling upon Mary let us learn that true joy comes through deeper and deeper union with God!

 

 

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Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr Ed’s teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.

Amidst the many distractions of life it is very easy for us to be sidetracked as to really living out the true meaning of Christmas, if you like the true “Reason for the Season.” The very focal point and meaning for the season of Christmas is the Person of Jesus. Christmas indeed is the birthday of Jesus Christ. A little more than 2000 years ago Jesus was born in Bethlehem—meaning “House of Bread” — with the purpose of saving us. Actually His name “Jesus” means “Savior”, as the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary: “He will save the people of their sins.” How then can we prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for the Birthday of our loving Redeemer? We would like to offer a few concrete suggestions that can be of paramount importance in helping us to prepare well so that Jesus will be born in our hearts this Christmas.

1. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT CARE TO BE SAVED. There is a class of persons who really do need frequent and fervent prayers. These are individuals, and there are many of them, who live never thinking of, much less talking to God. For them, living a pagan and hedonistic lifestyle—for the world and the pleasures the world offers— is the end and purpose of their existence. They are blinded to see anything beyond their momentary, fleeting and transitory plight. For them, life and the meaning of life is here and now! Let us pray for these individuals that they might become aware of their dire need for Jesus and be enlightened to see that only Jesus can give true happiness in this life as well as the life to come.

2. LET US PRAY FOR THE ANGRY, THE BITTER, THE RESENTFUL AND THOSE WITH UNFORGIVING HEARTS. This is another class of individuals who urgently need fervent and frequent prayers so that they can truly encounter Jesus when He is born and lives with us. Emmanuel means “God with us”.  These are wounded individuals who have gaping wounds from their past. Instead of these wounds healing they grow, become putrid, become infected. In a certain sense, they become cancerous. The worse thing about these individuals is the simple fact that they do not recognize that they are bitter and unforgiving. Everybody is at fault except them. May these individuals be enlightened to the reality of God’s infinite Mercy. May they have the courage to recognize that they have been mortally wounded by others but that they must forgive; if done they will be setting the captives free; indeed, they themselves are the captives who have to be set free!

3. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SLAVES OF ADDICTIONS. Never have we lived in a society with so many addictions. Drugs, drink, gambling, horses, casinos, sex, pornography, overeating, buying and accumulating—just to mention a few, are all forms of addictions. Jesus came to save all; Jesus also said that sin is slavery. Dragging the moral chains and bonds of sin is actually worse than physical slavery. Saint John the Baptist experienced the bonds and chains of imprisonment as a result of his denouncing the adulteress relationship between King Herod and his brother’s wife. However, King Herod was more a slave and prisoner than John the Baptist!  Herod indeed was a slave of his passions—his greed, lust, pride, insecurities; these were more insidious and more perilous bonds then the chains and manacles that bound the Baptist. Let us pray in a very special way for the many people in modern society who are slaves of addictions and are blind or powerless to break asunder these sinful chains. The great Saint Augustine was bound and enslaved to the addiction of lust for more than 30 years. Due to the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica and the powerful and holy example of Saint Ambrose the addiction was conquered! Then Augustine went on to become a great saint, writer, teacher, preacher, Bishop, saint and Father or the Church.

4. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE. Never have we lived in a society with so much information, but never have we lived in a society with so much ignorance, especially in the realm of religion. Let us pray for the many Catholic-Christian adults who have not studied their faith for many years, possibly decades. Possibly they were confirmed in their early teens and since then have not opened a religious book, the Bible, nor even a catechism. On a professional level maybe they are thriving, but in knowledge and love for the faith they are spiritually as dead as a door nail. The worse part in this scenario is that they have no hunger and thirst for the truth. Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life.  Nobody comes to the Father except through Him. Let us pray for these individuals that they will come to a keen awareness of their ignorance of religious truth, and hunger and thirst to dispel this cloak of ignorance. May the Holy Spirit who descended upon Mary and the Apostles that first Pentecost in fire and wind enlighten them and forcefully blow away and dispel their ignorance.

5. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERVERT THE INNOCENT. Finally, there is a very important category that we should pray for that they may encounter the Light of Jesus the Savior—those who pervert and damage the innocent! Jesus said regarding those who scandalize or pervert the innocent that it would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the depths of the sea. Very strong words from the lips of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that should be listened to and obeyed! Many who work in television, many who work in fashion and dress, many who promote indecent websites, many who publish indecent magazines— many of these fall into the category of those who pervert and scandalize the innocent, especially the minds and hearts of children.  For these we should pray fervently for their conversion and salvation.