THE JOYFUL Mysteries of the Holy Rosary allow us to meditate on the early life of Jesus Christ. Let us remember that the Holy Rosary is Mary’s testimony of Jesus: her experiences of His life, His ministry, and the Gospel.
It is traditional to pray the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays, Saturdays, and the Sundays of Advent. Also, the Catholic Church has attached specific graces that we can receive through the meditation of the mysteries of the Rosary and applying them to our lives.
Below I provide the Joyful Mysteries following the method of Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, the Apostle of the Rosary. I also include passages of Scripture and images to help us meditate on each Mystery. I pray that this resource may be of great help to you along your Road to Righteousness.
Introductory Prayers:
Make the Sign of the Cross while praying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Pray:
I unite with all the saints in Heaven, with all the just on earth, and with all the faithful here present. I unite with Thee, O my Jesus, in order to praise worthily Thy holy Mother and to praise Thee in her and through her.
I renounce all the distractions I may have during this Rosary, which I wish to say with modesty, attention, and devotion, just as if it were to be the last of my life.
We offer Thee; O most Holy Trinity, this Creed in honor of all the mysteries of our Faith; this Our Father and these three Hail Mary in honor of the unity of Thy Essence and the Trinity of Thy Persons.
We ask of Thee a lively faith, a firm hope, and an ardent charity.
Amen
Pray the Apostles Creed
The First Joyful Mystery – The Annunciation
Spiritual Grace: Humility
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Incarnation in Mary’s womb, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, a profound humility.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Annunciation come down into our souls.
Amen
The Second Joyful Mystery – The Visitation
Spiritual Grace: Charity
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the visitation of Thy holy Mother to her cousin St. Elisabeth and the sanctification of St. John the Baptist in the womb, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, charity toward our neighbor.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 1:39-56
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Pray ten Hail Mary
Pray the Glory Be
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Visitation come down into our souls.
Amen
The Third Joyful Mystery – The Nativity
Spiritual Grace: Detachment of the World
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy nativity in the stable of Bethlehem, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, detachment from the things of the world, contempt of riches, and love of holy poverty.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 2:1-7
1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Nativity come down into our souls.
Amen
The Fourth Joyful Mystery – The Presentation in the Temple
Spiritual Grace: Purity
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy presentation in the temple and the purification of Mary, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, purity of body and soul.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 2:22-38
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Presentation in the Temple come down into our souls.
Amen
The Fifth Joyful Mystery – The Finding of the Christ Child in the Temple
Spiritual Grace: Obedience to the will of God
Pray:
We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Mary’s finding Thee in the temple, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, the gift of true wisdom.
Amen
Contemplative Image
Scripture NRSV – Luke 2:41-52
41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” 49 He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
Pray the Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Pray:
May the grace of the Mystery of the Finding of the Christ Child come down into our souls.
Amen
Concluding Prayer
Hail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father; admirable Mother of the Son; faithful Spouse of the Holy Ghost; august Temple of the Most Holy Trinity.
Hail Sovereign Princess, to whom all owe subjection in Heaven and on Earth!
Hail sure refuge of sinners, Our Lady of Mercy, who hast never refused any request.
All sinful though I am, I cast myself at thy feet and beseech thee to obtain from Jesus, thy beloved Son, contrition, and pardon for all my sins, as well as the gift of divine wisdom.
I consecrate myself entirely to Jesus, through thee, with all that I have. I choose thee today for my Mother and Mistress. Treat me then, as the least of thy children, and the most obedient of thy servants.
Listen, my princess, listen to the sighs of a heart that desires to love and serve thee faithfully. Let it never be said that of all who have had recourse to thee, I was the first to be abandoned.
O my hope, O my life, O my faithful and Immaculate Virgin Mary, defend me, nourish me, hear me, teach me, and save me.
Amen
One Comment
Kimberlee gooshaw
Thank you. I love St. Louis