The Luminous Mysteries

(Thursdays)

1. The Baptism of Jesus
(Receptive to the Spirit of God)

[Matthew 3:1-17] 1: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 3: For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." 4: Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5: Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, 6: and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8: Bear fruit that befits repentance, 9: and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10: Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11: "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 13: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14: John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15: But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he consented. 16: And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17: and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

2. The Wedding Feast at Cana
(Jesus Through Mary)

[John 2:1-12] 1: On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2: Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. 3: When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4: And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5: His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6: Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7: Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8: He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. 9: When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom 10: and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." 11: This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12: After this he went down to Caper'na-um, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.

3. Invitation to the Kingdom of God
(Repent & Believe)

[Matthew 5:1-20] 1: Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. 2: And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11: "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13: "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. 14: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15: Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 17: "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18: For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19: Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20: For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

[Matthew 10:7-8] 7: And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

[Matthew 28:19-20] 18: And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20: teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

[Mark 1:14-15] 14: Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15: and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."

[Luke 9:1-2] 1: And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2: and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal.

[Luke 18:9-27] 9: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: 10: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12: I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' 13: But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." 15: Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16: But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17: Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 18: And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 19: And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20: You know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" 21: And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." 22: And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 23: But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24: Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25: For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26: Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" 27: But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

4. The Transfiguration
(Hunger for Holiness & Conversion)

[Luke 9:28-36] 28: Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29: And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. 30: And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli'jah, 31: who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32: Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33: And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah" -- not knowing what he said. 34: As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35: And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36: And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

5. The Holy Eucharist
(Divine Adoration)

[Matthew 26:18-30] 18: He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19: And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the passover. 20: When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; 21: and as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22: And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" 23: He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. 24: The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." 25: Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." 26: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; 28: for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29: I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." 30: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

[Luke 22:12-30] 12: And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready." 13: And they went, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover. 14: And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. 15: And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16: for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves; 18: for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19: And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 20: And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21: But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22: For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" 23: And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this. 24: A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25: And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26: But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27: For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28: "You are those who have continued with me in my trials; 29: and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30: that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

[John 6:27-69] 27: Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." 28: Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29: Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30: So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? 31: Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32: Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33: For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world." 34: They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. 36: But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37: All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. 38: For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39: and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. 40: For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." 41: The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42: They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, `I have come down from heaven'?" 43: Jesus answered them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. 44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45: It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46: Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48: I am the bread of life. 49: Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50: This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51: I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52: The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53: So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54: he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55: For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57: As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58: This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." 59: This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper'na-um. 60: Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61: But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62: Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63: It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64: But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65: And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." 66: After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67: Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68: Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69: and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

[1 Corinthians 10:16-17] 16: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17: Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

[1 Corinthians 11:17-34] 17: But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18: For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it, 19: for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20: When you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21: For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22: What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 23: For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24: and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25: In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26: For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27: Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28: Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29: For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30: That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31: But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged. 32: But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33: So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another -- 34: if any one is hungry, let him eat at home -- lest you come together to be condemned. About the other things I will give directions when I come.