The Luminous Mysteries 1. 1st Luminous Mystery The Baptism in the Jordan a. A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! (Isaiah 40:3*) b. Now I am sending my messenger he will prepare the way before me; And the lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple; The messenger of the covenant whom you desire see, he is coming! says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1*) c. He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said. (John 1:23*) d. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:10-11*) e. And this is what he proclaimed: One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. (Mark 1:7*) f. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as
they acknowledged their sins. (Mark 1:5*) g. And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, (Luke 1:76-77*) h. I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will cleanse you. (Ezekiel 36:25*) i. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance. (Wisdom 11:23*) j. You taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are righteous must be kind; And you gave your children reason to hope that you would allow them to repent for their sins. (Wisdom 12:19*) k. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. (Matthew 3:7-8*) l. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11*) m. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. (Matthew 3:5-6*) n. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29*)
o. He is the one of whom I said, A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me. (John 1:30*) p. I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel. (John 1:31*) q. John testified further, saying, I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. (John 1:32*) r. I will pour out water upon the thirsty ground, streams upon the dry land; I will pour out my spirit upon your offspring, my blessing upon your descendants. (Isaiah 44:3*) s. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit. (John 1:33*) t. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5*) u. Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God. (John 1:34*) v. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me? (Matthew 3:13-14*) w. Jesus said to him in reply, Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him. (Matthew 3:15*) x. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. (Matthew 3:16*)
y. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17*) z. Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. (John 3:5*) aa. I will no longer hide my face from them once I pour out my spirit upon the house of Israel oracle of the Lord God. (Ezekiel 39:29*) bb. Peter [said] to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38*) 2. 2nd Luminous Mystery The Wedding Feast at Cana a. The word of the Lord came to me: Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear! I remember the devotion of your youth, how you loved me as a bride, Following me in the wilderness, in a land unsown. (Jeremiah 2:1-2*) b. On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. (John 2:1-2*) c. For your husband is your Maker; the Lord of hosts is his name, Your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, called God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5*) d. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. (John 2:3*) e. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce; Then will your barns be filled with plenty, with new wine your vats will overflow. (Proverbs 3:9-10*)
f. [And] Jesus said to her, Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come. (John 2:4*) g. His mother said to the servers, Do whatever he tells you. (John 2:5*) h. all the people answered together, Everything the Lord has said, we will do. Then Moses brought back to the Lord the response of the people. (Exodus 19:8*) i. Then the people promised Joshua, We will serve the Lord, our God, and will listen to his voice. (Joshua 24:24*) j. Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. (John 2:6*) k. The Lord then spoke to Moses: Speak to Aaron: Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt its streams, its canals, its ponds, and all its supplies of water that they may become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the wooden pails and stone jars. (Exodus 7:19*) l. Jesus told them, Fill the jars with water. So they filled them to the brim. (John 2:7*) m. But the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord s glory, just as the water covers the sea. ( Habakkuk 2:14*) n. And if they do not believe even these two signs and do not listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry land. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry land. (Exodus 4:9*) o. Then he told them, Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter. So they took it. (John 2:8) p. As they were going up the path to the city, they met some young women
coming out to draw water and they asked them, Is the seer in town? (1 Samuel 9:11*) q. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom (John 2:9*) r. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2*) s. and said to him, Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now. (John 2:10*) t. Do not wrangle with your neighbor when wine is served, nor despise him while he is having a good time; Say no harsh words to him nor distress him by making demands. (Ben Sira 31:31*) u. I will restore my people Israel, they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, Plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits. (Amos 9:14*) v. I will betroth you to me forever: I will betroth you to me with justice and with judgment, with loyalty and with compassion; I will betroth you to me with fidelity, and you shall know the Lord. (Hosea 2:21-22) w. Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. (John 2:11*) 3. 3rd Luminous Mystery The Proclamation of the Kingdom a. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15*) b. Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12*) c. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:3b-5*) d. So do not worry and say, What are we to eat? or What are we to drink? or What are we to wear? All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (Matthew 6:31-32) e. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. (Matthew 6:33*) f. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. (Matthew 13:45-46*) g. Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. (Matthew 9:35) h. through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5*) i. Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. (John 3:5*) j. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3*)
k. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10*) l. Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32*) m. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44*) n. The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. (Matthew 13:23-25*) o. He proposed another parable to them. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.it is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches. (Matthew 13:30-32*) p. He spoke to them another parable. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened. (Matthew 13:32-34*) q. The disciples approached him and said, Why do you speak to them in parables? He said to them in reply, Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. (Matthew 13:10-11*) r. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these
commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19*) s. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20*) t. He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2-3*) u. The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! (Mark 10:24*) v. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21*) w. But he said to them, To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent. (Luke 4:43*) x. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. (Matthew 8:11-12*) y. Jesus answered, My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants [would] be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here. (John 18:36*) z. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. (Mark 2:2*)
aa. He said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it [again] until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God. (Luke 22:15-16*) bb. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 10:6-7*) cc. In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea [and] saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:1-2*) dd. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. (Matthew 11:12)* ee. Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, Humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:8-10*) ff. Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me; your throne shall be firmly established forever. In accordance with all these words and this whole vision Nathan spoke to David. (2 Samuel 7:16-17*) gg. In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:44*) hh. He received dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14*)
ii. Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High, Whose kingship shall be an everlasting kingship, whom all dominions shall serve and obey. (Daniel 7:27*) jj. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. There were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world now belongs to our Lord and to his Anointed, and he will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 11:15*) kk. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10*) ll. When they had gathered together they asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6*) 4. 4th Luminous Mystery The Transfiguration of our Lord a. As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he spoke with the Lord. When Aaron, then, and the other Israelites saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him. (Exodus 34:29-30*) b. But while Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they turned in the direction of the wilderness, and there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud! (Exodus 16:10*) c. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34*)
d. Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:27*) e. About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. (Luke 9:28*) f. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. (Luke 9:29*) g. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30*) h. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:2*) i. In his right hand he held seven stars. A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face shone like the sun at its brightest. (Revelation 1:16*) j. For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of [Jesus] Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6*) k. Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and splendor, robed in light as with a cloak. You spread out the heavens like a tent; (Psalm 104:1-2*) l. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. (Luke 9:30-31*) m. As they walked on still conversing, a fiery chariot and fiery horses came between the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind, (2 Kings 2:11*) n. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I
will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (Matthew 17:4*) o. Remember the law of Moses my servant, whom I charged at Horeb With statutes and ordinances for all Israel. Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day; (Malachi 3:22-23*) p. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. (Matthew 17:5*) q. With a column of cloud you led them by day, and by night with a column of fire, To light the way of their journey, the way in which they must travel. (Nehemiah 9:12*) r. When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. (Matthew 17:6*) s. Just like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day so was the appearance of brilliance that surrounded him. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speak. (Ezekiel 1:28*) t. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, Rise, and do not be afraid. (Matthew 17:7*) u. When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. He touched me with his right hand and said, Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, (Revelation 1:17*) v. And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. (Matthew 17:8*) w. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate
what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9*) x. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant. (Mark 9:10*) 5. 5th Luminous Mystery The Institution of the Eucharist a. When the day of the feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover. (Luke 22:7-8*) b. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover? (Matthew 26:17*) c. He said, Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, The teacher says, My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples. (Matthew 26:18*) d. When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, (Luke 22:14-15*) e. but the angel of the Lord came back a second time, touched him, and said, Get up and eat or the journey will be too much for you! He got up, ate, and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb. (1 Kings 19:7-8*) f. Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you [that] from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. (Luke 22:17-18*)
g. since the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement on the altar for yourselves, because it is the blood as life that makes atonement. (Leviticus 17:11*) h. Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me. (Luke 22:19*) i. You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened; nor shall the fat of my feast be kept overnight till the next day. (Exodus 23:18*) j. And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you. (Luke 22:20*) k. Jesus said to them, Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. (John 6:53-54*) l. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. (John 6:55-56*) m. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16*) n. He brings peace to your borders, and satisfies you with finest wheat.(psalm 147:14*) o. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:8*)
p. Once he had completed the service at the altar and arranged the sacrificial hearth for the Most High, And had stretched forth his hand for the cup, to offer blood of the grape, And poured it out at the foot of the altar, a sweetsmelling odor to God the Most High, (Ben Sira 50:14-15*) q. And while they were eating, he said, Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me. (Matthew 26:21*) r. Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, Surely it is not I, Rabbi? He answered, You have said so. (Matthew 26:25*) s. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, Take and eat; this is my body. (Matthew 26:26*) t. Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28*) u. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26*) v. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. (John 6:51*) w. Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. (1 Corinthians 10:17*) x. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. (Genesis 14:18*) y. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. (1 Corinthians 11:28*)
z. Keep, then, the custom of the unleavened bread, since it was on this very day that I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. You must observe this day throughout your generations as a statute forever. (Exodus 12:17*) aa. On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, What is this? for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. (Exodus 16:15*) bb. They cry out to their mothers, Where is bread and wine? As they faint away like the wounded in the streets of the city, As their life is poured out in their mothers arms. (Lamentations 2:12-14*) cc. Regularly on each sabbath day the bread shall be set out before the Lord on behalf of the Israelites by an everlasting covenant. (Leviticus 24:8*) dd. it was not bread that you ate, nor wine or beer that you drank so that you might know that I, the Lord, am your God. (Deuteronomy 29:5*) ee. We have straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for myself and for your maidservant and the young man who is with your servant; there is nothing else we need. (Judges 19:19*) ff. They will greet you and offer you two elevated offerings of bread, which you should accept from them. (1 Samuel 10:4*) gg. Man ate the bread of the angels; food he sent in abundance. (Psalm 78:25*) hh. wine to gladden their hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread to sustain the human heart. (Psalm 104:15*) ii. And gives bread to all flesh, for his mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:25*) jj. Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart, because it is now that God favors your works. (Ecclesiastes 9:7*)
kk. Instead of this, you nourished your people with food of angels and furnished them bread from heaven, ready to hand, untoiled-for, endowed with all delights and conforming to every taste. (Wisdom 16:20*) ll. until I arrive and take you to a land like your own, A land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. (Isaiah 36:17*) mm. Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what does not satisfy? Only listen to me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. (Isaiah 55:2*) *New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE) Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.