By Eddie MacDonald
The 3rd Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. The term refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, REJOICE! The rose candle is lit and reminds us that Christmas is near! I have decided to write my reflection on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, as it looks at the early years of our Lord and our Mother Mary’s joy-filled experience. I try to use my imagination and my personal experience to reflect upon each mystery. I can walk my way through as a mother and see through the eyes of experience what is happening, I can tap into the feelings of Mary and those around her. I feel a deep connection with our Blessed Mother and the love and joy she is experiencing.
Firstly though, we should give praise to God for the blessing of women! We get to carry for nine months a new human being! How special are we?! How trusted by God to serve. He created in us the capacity to bring life forward, the feminine genius. As women we assist the Lord our God by carrying His precious ones. Wow!! This innate ability to assist Him with the moving of humanity forward.
The first Joyful Mystery is the Annunciation. Imagine an Angel appears, and you hear “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you.” I know I wouldn’t hear that as I am not pure without sin, but Mary was born protected by God’s grace to be without sin. She is perfect! She may have had God’s grace upon her birth, but she still had to say no to temptation throughout her young life. So, there she is trusting and saying, “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”. Her womb was to be the new Tabernacle.
In the second mystery Mary meets her cousin Elizabeth who exclaims “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Elizabeth is carrying Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist who will go first to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. In prayer I can feel the baby leap in my womb because when I was pregnant with my first son, I felt that joy when he happened to move in a big way when I greeted my late sister-in-law as she carried my nephew. I will never forget that feeling as I always tie it to the second mystery.
The third joyful mystery is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. As many women can attest, giving birth is the closest we ever get to dying. Physically dying, all for the life we are carrying. Our blood pressure drops, our heart rate skyrockets, systems slow down as we push or have this baby lifted out of us. Mary, our mother went through delivering Jesus. Birth is truly miraculous! It is the miracle of life!
The fourth joyful mystery is the presenting of the child Jesus in the temple. We can remember the joy of baptizing our child here at the church. The white garment, the Godparents being present, the family brought together, the congregation there to witness this child entering the faith! We did not hear what Mary heard, though, that a sword will pierce her heart! When we think of some of the sad events of our children’s life then yes, we can empathize with Mary. It hits our hearts hard whenever our child is hurt or in trouble. We feel their pain!
The fifth joyful mystery, the finding of the child Jesus in the temple. Well, I would have loved to experience that, but I usually found my kids at the hockey arena. But again, using your imagination, can you see Jesus at 12 years old teaching in “His Father’s house”? Would it not be wonderful to see your children wanting to be at church and be a part of parish life?
Let us pray in thanksgiving for Mary’s yes and let us pray for all the moms who have said yes as well. This gift of life is precious, and the little ones will continue to need us to lead them to Christ. Let this Christmas be the opportunity to share with Joy the love within our families, and through our faith may the Joy in Christ be seen like a light in the darkness for all those around us.