Joyful Mystery Questions

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whatsthetruth

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This is a pretty general question, I am going to start praying the Rosary again but I’m unsure what thoughts to meditate on during some parts of the Joyful Mysteries.

The following are my questions and knowledge of the material (in bold)

The Third Joyful Mystery --The Nativity–
  1. Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem to comply with the decree of Caesar Augustus? What does this mean?
The Fourth Joyful Mystery --The Presentation-- I have no idea what is going on during this mystery. Could someone please tell me what it is about and what is happening?

1)Observing the law of Moses they take Jesus to the temple to present him to the Lord?

2)According to the Law the firstborn male child of every family should be consecrated to the Lord. Does this mean circumcission?

3)Mary offers her Son to the Father, then ransoms him back at the price paid by the poor. Something about 2 doves?

I would go ahead and put the other 7 but I’m sure you don’t want to read all of them for you already know them and could help me understand all of them better :tiphat: thank you!
 
re: comply with the decree, there was a census being taken. Since Joseph was of the House of David, he had to return to Bethlehem with his family in order to be counted.

re: the Presentation, yes. Normally, the temple offering for a firstborn was a lamb, but they were too poor to afford a lamb-- they had to make the poor man’s sacrifice of a pair of pigeons/turtledoves. It was a reflection on the socio-economic status to which the Christ child had willed to be born. The Circumcision, Mary’s ritual of purification after childbirth, and meeting with Anna and Simeon at the Temple, also take place during this cycle of events.

Simeon was the elder who had been promised he would not experience death before he had seen the Messiah, and he also made a prophecy about what was in store for both Christ and Mary:

“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Anna was the prophetess who also connected Jesus’ future to the redemption of Israel.

You can read more about the redemption of the firstborns in general in the Pentateuch-- it’s a bit scattered through Genesis/Deuteronomy/Numbers and builds on interconnected events in different places. 🙂
 
  1. The Annunciation to Mary of Jesus Birth by the angel - humility
  2. The Visitation of Mary with Elizabeth - charity
  3. The Nativity in Bethlehem - Glory in the highest.
  4. The Presentation of Jesus in the temple - obedience (Mary’s obedience to offer up her firstborn as Jewish law said, even tho’ Jesus was God)
  5. Finding Jesus in the temple - adoration of the Eucharist
I would say that the easiest way to really know how to answer your questions would be to read the first part of Luke. We could say what we individually meditate on, however that doesn’t allow your own heartfelt creativity to flow from His Grace.
 
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