BAGUIA
October is the month of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
For those who are interested in praying more and deliberately for the Philippines, our nation and people’s various needs can be raised in petition while contemplating through the eyes of Mary each of the 20 mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ.
The first joyful mystery is the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We ask for the grace of working so that we can bring to one another more good news, just as Saint Gabriel the Archangel brought to Mary the good news of the Christ’s Incarnation.
The second joyful mystery is the Visitation of the Virgin to Saint Elizabeth. We ask for grace to be prompt in responding to the needs of others, especially the ones going through hard times, just as Mary rushed to her cousin Elizabeth’s aid in her time of need.
The third joyful mystery is the Nativity of our Lord. We ask for grace to welcome all lives, including the lives of society’s outcasts, just as the shepherds and magi welcomed God the Son of Mary.
The fourth joyful mystery is the Presentation of our Lord in the temple. We ask for the grace to remember that every life is blessed by God and should be revered just as the Christ-child occasioned a canticle from Simeon, not taken violently.
The fifth joyful mystery is the losing and finding of the Child Jesus. We ask for the grace to trust in God’s providential care instead of relying on false messiahs who promise a progress premised on disrespecting laws and destroying enemies.
The first sorrowful mystery is the agony of Jesus in Gethsemane. We ask for strength to make difficult decisions wisely and to fulfill our commitments to the common good even if they should entail sacrifice.
The second sorrowful mystery is the scourging of our Lord at the pillar. We ask for the grace of a forgiving heart, so that we do not lash out at those who are doing wrong but still have the peace of mind to pray for them and bless them.
The third sorrowful mystery is the crowing of our Lord with thorns. We remember and pray for those who suffer mental health issues, that Christ may grant them his peace that surpasses all understanding.
The fourth sorrowful mystery is our Lord’s carrying of the cross to Calvary. We pray that those who suffer various forms of addiction may stick to the ways that lead them to rehabilitation and freedom.
The fifth sorrowful mystery is the crucifixion and death of Jesus. We pray for the eternal repose of those who have been killed amid crimes or amid the so-called war against drugs. May they find eternal repose and may perpetrators of killings choose repentance and conversion.
The first glorious mystery is the resurrection of Jesus. We pray for the grace of a better life for those who suffer grinding material poverty and the grace of reconciliation for those who spiritually impoverished by sin.
The second glorious mystery is the ascension of Jesus into heaven. We pray that we and our leaders may find the wisdom and courage needed to stem the tide of environmental degradation, conscious that we will one day have to account for the quality of our stewardship of the earth before its Maker.
The third glorious mystery is the descent of the Holy Spirit. We pray for the grace to rebuild our nationhood, reversing our descent into squabbling and lies within a divisive politics.
The fourth glorious mystery is the assumption of Mary into heaven. May we find the grace to work for a just world where no one is deprived of bodily needs, remembering that our Lord entrusted us to one another’s care to prepare in charity on earth for the communion without tears in heaven.
The fifth glorious mystery is the coronation of Mary as queen of heaven and earth and the glory of the saints.
The first luminous mystery is the baptism of our Lord in the Jordan. May we face with serenity attacks against the faith into which we were baptized and perform the spiritual work of mercy that is admonishing those who blaspheme.
The second luminous mystery is the self-revelation of our Lord in the wedding at Cana. May we have a renewed appreciation of the sacrament of holy matrimony and the gift of friendship and resist efforts to demolish divinely ordained marriage.
The third luminous mystery is the proclamation of the kingdom by our Lord with an invitation to conversion. May we see that the kingdom is first of all Jesus himself, without whom all prosperity is nothing.
The fourth luminous mystery is the transfiguration of Jesus. May we nurture hope in the face of difficulty, knowing that what we endure out of love prepares us for a deep experience of the glory of salvation.
The fifth luminous mystery is the institution of the Eucharist. May we be inspired by our Lord who gave us his Body to eat and his Blood to drink. In response to his command — “Do this in memory of me” — may we also find the grace to give ourselves like bread to one another, out of love.
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