In this month of the Rosary, I challenge all parents and grandparents to take the time to reflect on the key moments of their own parenthood to help them enter more fully into the mysteries of this great prayer that has been given to us by God’s own mother.
As a mom, my “favourite” mysteries are the Joyful Mysteries: Jesus’ conception at the Annunciation, the first revelation of his identity at the Visitation, his Nativity, Presentation, and, finally, the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. While the focus here is offering a parent’s perspective, it’s important to remember that praying the rosary is not about us. Praying this rich prayer while meditating on scenes from the life of Christ is all about contemplating our Lord’s life on this earth and deepening our relationship with him.
We start with the Mystery of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she is to be the Mother of God. He tells her to be not afraid. What parent cannot identify with this moment of finding out they are expecting a baby, especially that first baby? There certainly can be fear, but also immense joy, excitement, and gratitude for the incredible gift of human life. Mary must have felt all those things, too, even though her circumstances were so unique. If we moms and dads can recall the thoughts and emotions of that moment when we first found out about a new pregnancy, we can perhaps capture a little fraction of what Mary felt in that unprecedented and intimate moment with the Holy Spirit when Christ was created in her womb.
Carrying the theme a little further, do you remember what it was like to announce your pregnancy to family and friends? If ever there was a gender reveal worthy of a million likes and shares, the Visitation was it. Here we have the first public confirmation of the identity of that little baby in Mary’s womb. Mary, in a pure act of charity, goes to her cousin Elizabeth who is carrying St. John the Baptist in her own unexpected pregnancy. The two holy women share a moment of mutual wonder and awe, first at their unexpected motherhoods, and then in praise and gratitude to God for the gift of their sons — one who will prepare the way for the other, who will bring salvation to the world. Think about that moment when you shared your own special news with a parent, sibling or friend and magnify it by a thousand to just get a glimpse what this moment was like between these two holy women.
Never was meditating on the Nativity easier than when I was cradling newborns at Christmas. Newborn cuddles at any time of year remind can us that while Mary gave birth to the Son of God, she was also a mother cherishing those newborn moments, like other parent does. Recall the moments when you’ve gazed at the trusting little face of an infant and think about Our Blessed Mother doing the same with Jesus in those first days and weeks after His birth. Meditate further on the fact that God became this precious, tiny child who was completely dependent on Mary and Joseph for everything. The humility of our Lord is staggering in this light.
The Fourth Joyful Mystery, the Presentation of the Child Jesus, is one of my favourite moments to contemplate. In this mystery, we are asked to focus on the spirit of obedience and humility as Mary presents herself for ritual purification according to Jewish law, even though she remained sinless. Also, in obedience to the law, Mary and Joseph present their first-born son and dedicate him to the Lord, with only Anna and Simeon recognizing the child’s true identity as the Lord himself. As I pray this mystery, I think about all the times I’ve readied our babies for baptism, bathing them and dressing them in the delicate baptismal gown that’s been in my family for more than 80 years. I think about heading to the Church, surrounded by family and community, welcoming another soul into the fold. I think about how Christ showed us, even in his infancy, the importance of ritual and of dedicating each child to God.
The final Joyful Mystery, the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, is another moment with which all parents can identify. Who hasn’t experienced a moment of panic when a child can’t be found, even momentarily? Or the sinking feeling when you think your child is in some kind of danger? Take that moment and amplify it by the fact your son is the long-awaited Messiah, whom you’ve been told is going to suffer and bring salvation to all, but you don’t know when or where that mission will begin. Surely, Mary and Joseph were asking themselves if this is that moment when they couldn’t find their 12-year-old son. And when they did find him, finally, in the Temple teaching the rabbis, it was another confirmation for them of his purpose on this earth.
The Rosary is all about Jesus becoming human in order to bring salvation to the human race. He speaks to us in our human experiences and memories, and particularly in the Joyful Mysteries, he speaks to us through parenthood. It is in these ordinary moments that we can meet Him (and his mother) there and get to know him better.
