In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. (Lk 1:26-27)
And Gabriel came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Lk 1:28)
But she was greatly troubled at the saying and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. (Lk 1:29)
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Lk 1:30)
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” (Lk 1:31)
“He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Lk 1:32-33)
. And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” (Lk 1:34)
And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Lk 1:35)
“Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35)
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38)
The Visitation
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. (Lk 1:39-40)
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the child leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Lk 1:41)
And she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Lk 1:42)
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Lk 1:45)
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.” (Lk 1:46-48)
“For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me.” (Lk 1:48-49)
“And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” (Lk 1:49-50)
“He has shown strength with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” (Lk 1:51)
“He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree.” (Lk 1:52)
“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away.” (Lk 1:53)
The Nativity 1. And while Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to be delivered. (Lk 2:6) 2. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. (Lk 2:7) 3. And she laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. (Lk 2:7) 4. And in that region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (Lk 2:8-9) 5. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you news of a great joy which will come to all the people.” (Lk 2:10) 6. “For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Lk 2:11) 7. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:14) 8. And going into the house the Wise Men saw the child with Mary his mother. (Mt 2:1, 11) 9. And they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Mt 2:11) 10. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Lk 2:19)
The Presentation 1. And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (Lk 2:22) 2. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. (Lk 2:25) 3. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Lk 2:26) 4. And inspired by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God. (Lk 2:27-28) 5. “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word.” (Lk 2:29) 6. “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.” (Lk 2:30-31) 7. “A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Lk 2:32) 8. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against.” (Lk 2:34) 9. “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” (Lk 2:35) 10. And when they performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. (Lk 2:39-40)
The Finding in the Temple 1. Now Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when Jesus was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. (Lk 2:41-42) 2. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it. (Lk 2:43) 3. And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem seeking him. After three days, they found him in the temple. (Lk 2:45-46) 4. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. (Lk 2:46) 5. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Lk 2:47) 6. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” (Lk 2:48) 7. And he said to them,“How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49) 8. And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. (Lk 2:50) 9. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. (Lk 2:51) 10. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man. (Lk 2:52)
Luminous Mysteries
Baptism in the Jordan 1. John the Baptist said,“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Jn 1:23) 2. And John preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.” (Mk 1:7) 3. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me . . . will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Mt 3:11) 4. John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29) 5. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. (Mt 3:13) 6. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Mt 3:14) 7. But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. (Mt 3:15) 8. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. (Mt 3:16) 9. And behold, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Mt 3:17) 10. The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. (Mk 1:12-13)
Wedding at Cana 1. There was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. (Jn 2:1) 2. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” (Jn 2:3) 3. And Jesus said to her, “O Woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” (Jn 2:4) 4. His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn 2:5) 5. Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. (Jn 2:6) 6. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. (Jn 2:7) 7. He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the steward of the feast.” (Jn 2:8) 8. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from . . . the steward of the feast called the bridegroom. (Jn 2:9) 9. And the steward of the feast said to the bridegroom, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” (Jn 2:10) 10. This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (Jn 2:11)
The Proclamation of the Kingdom 1. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God (Mk 1:14) 2. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Jn 1:4-5) 3. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15) 4. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them . . . and he was preaching the word to them. (Mk 2:2) 5. And when they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. (Mk 2:4) 6. “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your pallet and walk?'” (Mk 2:9) 7. “But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he said to the paralytic. I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” (Mk 2:10-11) 8. And Jesus called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. (Mt 10:1) 9. These Twelve Jesus sent out charging them . . . to preach . . . “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (cf. Mt 10:5 & 7) 10. And when Jesus had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (Jn 20:22-23)
The Transfiguration 1. Now about eight days after these saying Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. (Lk 9:28) 2. And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. (Mt 17:2) 3. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. (Mt 17:3) 4. Moses and Elijah . . . spoke of Jesus’ exodus that he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. (Lk 9:31) 5. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Mt 17:4) 6. As Peter said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. (Lk 9:34) 7. And a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” (Lk 9:35) 8. And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. (Mk 9:8) 9. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. (Mk 9:9) 10. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. (Mk 9:10)
The Institution of the Holy Eucharist 1. Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” (Mt 26:17) 2. Jesus said, “Go into the city to a such a one, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'” (Mt 26:18) 3. And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Lk 22:14-15) 4. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” (Mt 26:21) 5. Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Is it I, Master?” (Mt 26:25) 6. Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Mt 26:26) 7. And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mt 26:27-28) 8. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the chalice, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor 11:26) 9. “I am the living bread which comes down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (Jn 6:51) 10. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him at the last day.” (Jn 6:54)
Sorrowful Mysteries
The Agony in the Garden 1. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. And he began to be sorrowful and troubled. (Mt 26:36-37) 2. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” (Mt 26:38) 3. And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed. (Lk 22:41) 4. “Father, if you are willing, remove this chalice from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.” (Lk 22:42) 5. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. (Lk 22:43) 6. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly. (Lk 22:44) 7. And his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground. (Lk 22:44) 8. And he came back to his disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?” (Mt 26:40) 9. “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Mt 26:41) 10. “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41) The Scourging at the Pillar 1. And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Mk 15:1-2) 2. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world.” (Jn 18:36) 3. Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” (Jn 18:37) 4. Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no crime in him.” (Jn 18:38) 5. “I will therefore chastise him and release him.” Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. (Lk 23:16, Jn 19:1) 6. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Is 53:3) 7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (Is 53:7) 8. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. (Is 53:5) 9. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. (Is 53:4) 10. Upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. (Is 53:5)
The Crowning With Thorns 1. And the soldiers led him away [to the Praetorium]. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him. (Mk 15:16-17, Mt 27:28) 2. And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. (Mt 27:29) 3. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” (Mt 27:29) 4. And they spat upon him and took the reed and struck him on the head. (Mt 27:30) 5. Then Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this righteous man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” (Mt 27:24) 6. So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. (Jn 19:5) 7. Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” (Jn 19:15) 8. And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” (Mk15:14) 9. “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” (Jn 19:15) 10. So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. (Mk 15:15) The Carrying of the Cross 1. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself.” (Lk 9:23) 2. “And take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23) 3. So they took Jesus, and he went out, carrying his own cross. (Jn 19:17) 4. And as the led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. (Lk 23:26) 5. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” (Mt 11:29) 6. “For I am gentle and lowly in heart.” (Mt 11:29) 7. “And you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11:29-30) 8. And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. (Lk 23:27) 9. But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Lk 23:28) 10. “For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Lk 23:31)
The Crucifixion of Jesus 1. And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him. (Lk 23:33) 2. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34) 3. One of the criminals who were crucified with him said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.” (Lk 23:39, 42; Mk 15:32) 4. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:43) 5. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother … and the disciple whom he loved. (Jn 19:25-26) 6. Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” (Jn 19:26-27) 7. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (Jn 19:27) 8. And there was darkness over the whole land. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook. (Lk 23:44; Mt 27:51) 9. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Lk 23:46) 10. And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (Jn 19:30)
The Resurrection 1. “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” (Jn 16:20) 2. “But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (Jn 16:22) 3. At the early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. (Lk 24:1) 4. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. (Mt 28:2) 5. “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here.” (Mt 28:5-6) 6. “For he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Lk 24:6) 7. “He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.” (Mt 28:7) 8. And the women went out and fled from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Mk 16:8; Mt 28:8) 9. “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (Jn 11:25) 10. “And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” (Jn 11:26)
The Ascension 1. Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. (Lk 24:50) 2. And Jesus came and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Mt 28:18) 3. “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Mt 28:19) 4. “. . . baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28:19) 5. “. . . teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:20) 6. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mk 16:16) 7. “But he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:16) 8. “And behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Mt 28:20) 9. And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. (Acts 1:9) 10. So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mk 16:19)
The Descent of the Holy Spirit 1. When the day of Pentecost day had come, they were all together in one place. (Acts 2:1) 2. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2) 3. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. (Acts 2:3) 4. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to tell the mighty works of God. (Acts 2:4, 11) 5. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. (Acts 2:5) 6. But Peter, standing with the Eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them. (Acts 2:14) 7. And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) 8. So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41) 9. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created; and you shall renew the face of the earth. (Pentecost Alleluia) 10. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful; and kindle in them the fire of your love. (Pentecost Alleluia)
The Assumption 1. “My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my dove, my fair one, and come away.” (Songs 2:10) 2. “For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.” (Songs 2:11) 3. “Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely.” (Songs 2:14) 4. Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. (Rev 11:19) 5. And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun. (Rev 12:1) 6. . . . with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rev 12:1) 7. The daughter of the king is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes; in many colored robes she is led to the king. (Psalm 45:13-14) 8. “O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all women on earth.” (Judith 13:18) 9. “Your hope will never depart from the hearts of men, as they remember the power of God.” (Judith 13:19) 10. “You are the exaltation of Jerusalem, you are the great pride of our nation!” (Judith 15:9)
The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1. Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun? (Songs 6:10) 2. Like the rainbow gleaming in glorious clouds; like roses in the days of the first fruits. (Sir. 50:7-8) 3. I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. (Songs 2:1) 4. My throne was in a pillar of cloud, and for eternity I shall not cease to exist. (Sir. 24:4,9) 5. Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce. (Sir. 24:19) 6. Like a terebinth I spread out my branches, my teaching is sweeter than honey. (Sir. 24:17,20) 7. And now, my sons, listen to me; happy are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise. (Prov 8:32-33) 8. Happy are those who keep my ways, watching daily at my gates. (Prov 8:32,34) 9. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. (Prov 8:35) 10. Hail, Queen of mercy, protect us from the enemy, and receive us at the hour of death. (Queenship of the B.V.M., Gradual)