The Bohemian Rhapsody Christmas Version

For each Joyful Mystery, please read the reflections slowly and then answer the two questions below.

The First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation

Journey with us this Advent with reflections on the joyful mystery of the Most Holy Rosary. Taken From 'Honoring Her Virtues' by Frances Pergamo

From and into all eternity, God chose to take on flesh in a particular moment in time.  It was a cosmic moment - a moment that changed the universe.  Yet, as God would have it, this moment was veiled from the eyes of men and played out in the bedchanber of a young Jewish girl, upon whom the fate of humanity rested. Did Mary know it?  Could she fully understand what was being asked of her?  She was probably frightened by the spendor of the Archangel Gabriel and unsure of what he was proposing, yet she was wise enough to know there would be consequences for her.  Despite her fear and bewilderment, however, Mary said, "Yes," to God's plan.

Say an Our Father...
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Annunication 1 
Mary's profound humility was the fertile soil that allowed the seed of salvation to be planted.  It is the greatest weapon against evil and the most desirable of all virtues.  Humility before God is the opposite of pride before God, which is the root of all sin.
Pray: Holy Mary, your humility is the new Garden of Eden.  In it, there is no pride before God, and He entered it willingly to reconcile man to Himself. It is in your humility that you are the fairest of our race, allowing yourself to be a new dwelling place for Yahweh - a new Ark of the Covenant. Please pray I am granted a portion of that humility so my Lord and Savior will find it pleasing to dwell in me, especially when I receive Him in the Eucharist.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...

REFLECTION FROM OUR TEENS for Annunciation 1 - Profound Humility
I try to put the needs of others before me. This time of year is very cold and there are a lot of homeless people who need blankets for warmth and food to eat. This helps me remember how lucky I am and reminds me to be humble.
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Annunication 2 
The Blessed Mother's lively faith was unsurpassed when she said, "Be it done unto me according to Thy word."  She did not understand how she was going to bear a Son.  She did not understand how she was going to face the questions and accusations, especially from her family and from her betrothed, the kind Joseph.  But God's will was clearly revealed to her, and she left the rest in His hand.
Pray: Virgin Most Faithful, help me to trust that God works all things for good.  When I am anxious about how things will work out, or when I feel I have to be in control, let me recall how willingly you placed yourself in God's service when He asked you to clothe Him in humanity at the risk of shame to yourself.  Pray I am grated the gift of faith when God's ways are beyond my grasp.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...
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Annunication 3 
Our Lady's example of blind obedience at saying 'yes' to God's plan opened the gate of His salvation for us.  In the history of mankind, it is singularly the most loving 'yes' God ever heard.  He did not need a human collaborator because He is omnipotent, but He chose to come to us through the consent of a yourng virgin.  Her beauty inside and out was hidden to all except her Creator.  Because of May's obedience, everything happened as it was supposed to happen.  She is the paragon of a free will surrendered so completely to God that He not only touched humanity but became one of us.
Pray:  Gate of Heaven, your total submission to the will of God is something to which we aspire.  As our loving Mother, help us discern His will in our lives, and teach us how to be obedient children to our loving Father in heaven.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...

REFLECTION FROM OUR TEENS for Annunciation 3 - Blind Obedience

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Annunication 4
Our Lady's piety as a young girls was so pleasing to God that He found her a worthy vessel for Himself.  Her whole life was a prayer -- an intimate personal relationship with GOd -- and so He entrusted Himself as a helpless infant to her maternal care.  Because there was so much she did not understand at the moment she agreed to become the mother of the Redeemer, she must have prayed night and day for guidance, protection and wisdom.
Pray:  Singular Vessel of Devotion, you prayed without ceasing during your life on earth.  You yearned to be in God's Presence every minute of every day.  Please draw mw to your Son and pray that I am filled with the same desire to be near Him.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...
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Annunication 5
Mary suffered shame knowing she would be with child before her marriage took place.  Yet she did not think of herself or her reputation as more important than the Divine Will, and she consented to be God's instrument, even though it meant she would be tainted in the eyes of the world.  It would benefit us to contemplate how she felt when she had to explain her mission to her parents and to Joseph.  
Pray:  Queen of Confessors, I am ashamed that I often care more about what other people think than what God thinks.  Help me to overcome my desire to please my fellow man and show me how to be pure of heart in putting God first.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...

REFLECTION FROM OUR TEENS for Annunciation 5 - Universal Mortification

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Annunciation 6
The blessed Mother's virginity and purity of body was foretold from ancient times. When the Angel told her she would bear a son, she asked, "How can this be?"  She was told, "The Holy Spirit will overshadow you."  She was not only pure in the flesh, but her virtues were close to God's own heart.  For Him, she was a fitting daughter, mother and bride.
Pray: Mother Most Pure, help me remember I am a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Set yourself as an example of physical, emotional and spiritual cleanliness for all your children, and let me call upon your name when I am tempted in the flesh.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...
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Annunciation 7
Our Lady always placed the needs of others before her own, never hesitating to do what God asked of her.  If she foresaw all that would happen to her Precious Child, and if she knew that His suffering was for the sake of but one person, she still would have consented to become His afflicted mother.  Such is the depth of her charity.
Pray: Refuge of Sinners, your Immaculate Heart burns with love for God and for us.  Help us to emulate that love in our dealins with one another.  Inflame us with a zeal for souls so we are better able to draw others to your Son. Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...

REFLECTION FROM OUR TEENS forAnnunciation 7 -  Ardent Charity

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Annunciation 8
The Word became flesh after Mary uttered her surrender to the Divine Will.  She did not demand to know what would happen one week, nine months or thirty-three years in the future.  She simply trusted.  She did not complain or become impertinent with God because He did not explain further or reveal how it would all happen.  The angel Gabriel reminded her that anything was possible with God, and she just let it play out, waiting and keeping everything in her heart.
Pray: Virgin Most Prudent, teach me the virtue of patience.  When I am tested, remind me that nothing happens without God's knowledge, and that I always need to discern what is right before taking impulsive action.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...
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Annunciation 9
Immaculate Mary is the sweetest creature God ever created.  Her nature, her disposition, her lack of guile and malice while she walked the earth made her soul shine before God and His angels.  In her sweetness, she might have been not hidden in the spiritual realm.  Gabriel, himself a glorious creature, deferred to the lowly maiden of Nazareth, saying, "Hail Mary, full of grace.  The Lord is with you."
Pray: Mother Most Amiable, how arrogant and abrasive I must appear before the throne of God.  Walk with me when I approach my Lord, so that your angelic sweetness outshines my many displeasig traits, and form me into a docile servant eager to carry out His will as you did. Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...
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Annunciation 10
God the Father infused the Mother of Jesus with a share of His own Wisdom in order to make her capable of bearing and raising the One who is our Redeemer.  This Wisdom inflamed her with an intimate knowledge and love of God's omnipotent Presence so that when He took up residence in her womb, she was worthy to be mother to the Divine Child.  At the moment of His conception, she was a vessel of all graces and wisdom, allowing the fulfillment of 
Pray: Mother Most Amiable, how arrogant and abrasive I must appear before the throne of God.  Walk with me when I approach my Lord, so that your angelic sweetness outshines my many displeasig traits, and form me into a docile servant eager to carry out His will as you did. Amen.
Say a Hail Mary...

Glory Be ...
Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
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Visitation Reflections

The Second Joyful Mystery - The Visitation
"And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" ~ Luke 1:43

We can all echo the words of Mary's cousin, Elizabeth, when we realize what a gift Christ has given us in His Blessed Mother.  She comes to each of her children, bearing her Son within her.  She is eager to have Him sanctify us as He sanctified His cousin, John the Baptist, while both were still in the womb.  John recognized the Messiah, the One he was destined to foretell, before his eyes were able to see.  It was his soul that recognized Jesus, and it was the Holy Spirit that orchestrated this meeting of the Messiah, His prophet and their holy mothers.  Elizabeth honored Mary by proclaiming that she was blessed among women, and Mary , in turn, praised God.
Say an Our Father...
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Visitation 1
Mary's humility was evident in her beautiful Magnificat, in which she praises God for blessing her in her lowliness.  As soon as her cousin pays her tribute, Mary deflects the words of praise to God, paying Him homage in the name of all creatures present and acknowledging that all is accomplished by His power.  She recognizes from her own experience and intimate relationship with God that the proud and conceited are roadblocks to God's will, and He can accomplish His greatest works with the cooperation of the most docile souls.
Pray: Mother of Divine Grace, let our voices join with uyours throghout all age as you say:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
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."
Say a Hail Mary.

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Visitation 2
The angel Gabriel told young Mary that her cousin, who was older and thought to be barren, was six months pregnant.  So Mary, set out, never doubting what she heard.  Elizabeth's own husband, Zechariah, did not believe it when the angel told him, and he was stricken mute until the day of his son's presentation in the Temple.  That is why ELizabeth told Mary, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" 
Pray: Vessel of Honor, you never doubted the extraordinary turn of events that were heralded by the angel Gabriel.  Your womb would bear a Son destined to be the Savior of the world, and the barren womb of your cousin would bear a son destined to be His prophet.  Help me to always respond as you did, even when I do not understand fully, by giving homage to God and trusting in His ways.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 3
Scripture tells us that Mary set out in haste as soon as she learned that Elizabeth was going to have a baby.  Once again, she did not hesitate to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, placing herself where she was needed and where God wanted her to be.
Pray: Mother  of our Creator, you were ready to go wherever God led you.  May I always show the same willingness to be where God wants me to be, and please pray I respond to His call quickly and joyfully. Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 4
The Blessed Mother's Magnificat is a model prayer of praise and thanksgiving.  In its strains she never asks God for a thing.  Yet this joyous Canticle doesn't flow from Mary's spirit as mere lip service.  Her actions demonstrate her total trust in God.  She could have complained to her cousin Elizabeth that God was asking her to make tremendous sacrifices, but she did not see it that way.  Instead, Mary recognized the Omnipotence that revealed Itself to her, and her humanity trembled.  Years later, Jesus taught us to begin our prayers with the same reverence by involing Our Father in heaven and hallowing His Name.
Pray: Mother of Good Councel, teach me how to pray.  Help my languishing soul rejoice in God my Savior and trust in His unfathomable plans as you did, especially when I receive Him in Hoy Communion.  Let your words ring out to Him when mine are inadequate.  Amen. 
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 5
When the young Virgin Mary traveled into the hill country of Judah to visit Elizabeth, it must have been a long and arduous journey for her.  Yet, instead of complaining or seeking comfort from those traveling with her, it is easy to imagine that she bore her trials with a noble spirit and offered them to God as yet another form of prayer. 
Pray: Comforter of the Afflicted, guide me in finding holiness in my suffering. Dispense to me from the fountain of God's grace the will and strength to bear physical pain and discomfort with a spirit of self-sacrifice so that, united to the Cross of your Son, it may be of eternal benefit to souls.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.

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Visitation 6
The angel Gabriel greeted Our Lady as one filled with grace and present to God.  It is this salutation that we use when invoking her in the Hail Mary.  Saint Elizabeth gives us the second part of that salutation when she says, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."  Mary responds in her Mangificat that all generations will call her blessed.  She is the new Ark of the Covenant, the new Temple, the New Jerusalem, because she houses the Lord of Hosts within her.  This is only possible because of her exemplary purity.
Pray: Mother Inviolate, you are the ideal of human purity.  Help each of us according ot our particular vocation, to be pure in thought, word and deed so we may be better prepared to walk with God.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 7
There are many things that could have motivated the young Mary to journey out and visit Elizabeth, and it is good to ponder them all.  She must have felt prompted by what the angel Gabriel told her, knowing that her older cousin was celebrating her own miracle.   Mary's children today have come to know and believe that she went out to serve someone in need.  Charity and service were at the heart of her journey, and Scripture tells us the Blessed Mother stayed with her cousin for three months, which means she was present at the birth of John the Baptist.
Pray: Queen of Prophets, ask your Son to inflame me with the same spirit of charity you showed toward your cousin Elizabeth.  Guide me so I learn to put others before myself, especially the members of my own family, and God grant that I show the same readiness to leave the comfort of my home to answer the call of those in need. Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 8
Surely there were times when Mary, so young and soft-spoken, was faced with challenges while tending to the needs of her older cousin.  Perhaps she was even taken for granted by those in ELizabeth's household and other neighbors who wanted to help.  It is not an easy thing to take care of the sick and debilitated, especially when dealing with different personalities and opinions.  It takes great patience.  Yet we can confidently surmise that our Blessed Mother remained focused on serving her cousin and rejoiced in her challenges to the glory of God the Father.
Pray: Health of the Sick, please pray I am granted the patience needed to care for the sick in our midst.  Help me recognize every person's dignity, recalling that they are made in God's likeness so they may experience Him in the touch of my hands and the compassion of my heart.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 9
Elizabeth told Mary, "The moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy".  What a sweet sound it must have been.  What a sweet presence filled Zechariah's house when Mary entered.  Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she was able to recognize Mary as the Mother of her Lord because Mary is His Beloved Spouse.
Pray: Cause of Our Joy, help me to be more aware of your sweet presence when I am in need of reassurance and guidance.  In the midst of turmoil, let me hear your voice so I may draw closer to your Son, the source of my comfort and salvation.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Visitation 10
In her Magnificat, the Virgin Mary declares that God has worked wonders for His chosen people throughout the ages and continues to work wonders in her very own life.  She recognizes how He intervenes in the course of human history by toppling kingdoms and empowering the lowly.  By her many endowed virtues, Mary came as close as any creature could come to knowing the mind of God.
Pray: Queen of Patriarchs, please pray for those who hold power in government and for all who are in a position to lead others.  Help them to seek the mind of God and to recognize Truth as you did.  Amen.
Say a Hail Mary.
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Glory Be ...
Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.