The Five Glorious Mysteries turns our thoughts to the glorious events after His death and lead us to hope that we may share in the joys and glories of His heavenly kingdom.

The First Mystery, the Resurrection, recalls to our minds Christ’s triumph over death. This event constitutes the supreme evidence of Christ’s divinity as well as of the truth of the religions awhich He founded; it robs death of its sting and the grave of its victory.

The Second Mystery, the Ascension, brings before our minds the scene which occurred forty days after the resurrection, when Christ ascended in the presence of the Apostles into heaven.

The Third Mystery, the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, we consider the great event which occurred on Pentecost. When the Apostles were gathered together in the upper chamber of a dwelling house in Jerusalem, there came a sound as of a mighty wind, and the Holy Spirit came upon them in the form of tongues of fire. From weak timid men they were transformed into itrepid Apostles who sent forth and preached the gospel fearlessly to every creature.

In the Fourth Mystery, the Assumption of the Blesed Virgin into heaven, we recall the event, not recorded in the Scripture, but attested by authentic Catholic tradition, of the angels taking the body of the Blessed virgin after her death into heaven.

In the Fifth Mystery, the Coronation, we contemplate the Crowning of the Blessed Virgin as Queen of the Saints and Angels in heaven. As she went down with Jesus into the depths of sorrow and humiliation, so it is fitting that she should be exalted with Him before all the creatures in heaven.

Thus do the mysteries of the rosary bring before our minds a panorama of the great events in the life of Christ and of His Blessed Mother. They make us familiar with the moving events in our redemption, and intensify our love for our divine Savior and for Mary, His Mother, who prayed so intimate a role in the drama of atonement.

Cocerning the power of the Hail Mary that is recited so often in the rosary, the saintly Thomas a Kempis said, “When I recite the Hail Mary, heaven rejoices, the earth marvels, Satan withdraws, ‘hell trmbles, all sadness vanishes, joy retruns, the heart glows, the soul is filled with holy unction; hope animates my bosom and a wonderful consolation gladdens my whole being.

Antoher saintly writer says: “The ail Mary is small in extent, but great as to the effects; it is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold. It should be frequently on our lips and reecho in our hearts.”