Vocation Rosary

These meditations on each of the twenty mysteries of the Rosary were written by Seminarian David C. Deston.

The Luminous Mysteries

Vocation is finding one's place within God's plan as it unfolds in salvation history, or more simply put, the economy. The Luminous mysteries focus on the public ministry of Our Lord up to the Last Supper. From them, we can glean what we need to do once we find our place in the economy. Therefore, for this next half-hour or so, let us put ourselves in the company of the apostles as they receive their education from the Master.

First Luminous Mystery - The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan

The scene on the banks of the Jordan was likely a busy one. John, knee-deep in the water, fed on a diet of honey and grasshoppers, wearing only a camel skin for clothing, and filled with a fiery zeal, cut an imposing figure, intensity rolling off him in waves. As John plunged people into the Jordan, Jesus arrives and asks for baptism. When Jesus emerges from the water, the Father Himself proclaims that this is His beloved Son, listen to him, and the Holy Spirit, moonlighting as a dove, descends upon him. The lesson for us here is two-fold. On the one hand, we have a very explicit command from the Father to listen to the Son. On the other, we have Jesus, who demands baptism before he begins his ministry. Jesus' desire for baptism tells us that we need to rely on the graces and gifts of our own baptism before we set out on our own vocation. As we pray this decade, let us ask God to make us more attentive to Jesus and to help us put His graces to good use.

Second Luminous Mystery - The Wedding at Cana

The wedding at Cana is where Jesus manifests himself and works his first miracle. His performance of the miracle is, at least initially, involuntary. He tells his mother Mary that his time is not yet come. Nevertheless, she is persistent and gives the servants very sage advice, "Do whatever he tells you." We learn a great deal from this brief exchange. First is that we should rely on those who are more experienced in the spiritual life as we embark on our work within the economy. Mary's prodding of Jesus is basically spiritual direction. From time to time everyone needs an outsider to challenge or push us in order that we might grow. Mary's role as spiritual director can also bee seen, although with a great deal of hindsight, in her admonition to the servants to "do whatever he tells you." Lastly, we can take from this mystery that Mary, as the mother of all Christians, should be looked to for help and advice, just as she was by that unknown wedding planner two millennia ago.

Third Luminous Mystery - The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

Throughout his three-year ministry, Our Lord proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God and the need for repentance. For all of us, regardless of what our particular vocation might be, the same imperative drives us. We need to make ourselves living examples of Jesus' love and message, proclaiming by our words and deeds both the need for repentance and the kingdom of God. However, we need to be and do more than proclaim repentance and the kingdom; we actually need to heed and live out the message. Proclaiming the kingdom is useless if we do not repent. As we pray this mystery, let us ask God for forgiveness of our sins and how we can change to avoid falling back into them, thus becoming more fitting heralds of the Gospel.

Fourth Luminous Mystery - The Transfiguration

On the summit of Mount Tabor, Peter, James, and John glimpsed Jesus in glory, and heard the voice of God proclaimed that Jesus is his beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. The Transfiguration is both a confirmation that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God, and a foretaste of what is to come in the hereafter. As we pray this mystery, let us remember that the one whose work we do is the Lord, Him do we serve, and ask him to provide the grace necessary to persevere in his work so that we might be with him and the Father in heavenly glory forever.

Fifth Luminous Mystery - The Institution of the Eucharist

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave the Church a great gift, one that would sustain her for the duration of her pilgrimage on earth. The Eucharist is the very source of our life. Through it, innumerable graces are poured upon us to do the Lord's work, to sustain us, to bring us to eternal life. It is by our feeding at the Lord's table that we mark ourselves as members of his body and draw closer to him. The celebration of the Eucharist is the source and summit of all Christian worship. To live out our vocation requires that we eat the Lord's body and drink his blood. As we pray this mystery, let us thank God for giving this supreme gift to his Church and ask Him to help us appreciate it more and grow in devotion to it.