Rosary Meditation -- The Fourth Glorious Mystery

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr

In the Fourth Glorious Mystery of the holy rosary we meditate and pray on Mary’s Assumption into Heaven. Having accepted God’s plan in the Annunciation, Mary was honored by being assumed, body and soul, into God’s kingdom. However, Her work was far from over as She now takes the role of our guide and spiritual mentor. She is always trying to bring us closer to Her son, Jesus Christ. She has a difficult challenge since She needs to not only fight the forces of evil, but also fight against our own weaknesses to live as one of God’s children.

Mary has appeared to many different people over the centuries and reiterated the ways we can live in God’s grace and ultimately live in His kingdom of Heaven. Her messages can be narrowed down to five simple behaviors that She wants all of us to do:

Pray: How can you have a meaningful relationship with God unless you talk to Him? It doesn’t matter whether you recite prayers, meditate, or just have a free-form prayer session. You need to talk to God and more importantly, listen to what He tells you.
Bible: Again, how can you love God if you do not know Him or His Church? Read the Bible, the Catechism, and the writings of saints and scholars. Know your faith so that you can live it with every thought, word, and action.
Fast: The key is to detach yourself from the bonds of this world and leave room in your soul for God’s grace. Mary’s messages at Medjugorje always talk about leaving room for Jesus’ love and mercy and fasting makes you more receptive to God’s truth.
Confession: You need to free yourself from the bonds of sin by receiving absolution. Like a shower for your soul, the Sacrament of Confession cleans away the damage sin inflicts on you and strengthens your resolve to remain in a state of grace.
Eucharist: You need to receive Jesus’ Body and Blood regularly because it is your spiritual fuel that will give you the strength and resolve to do God’s will.

Mary wants only the best for us. She wants us to be close to Her son, Jesus Christ. That is why She was assumed into Heaven so that She can be our guide and protector from evil. What She asks of us is not terribly difficult. She asks us to recognize God in our lives through prayer and act according to His Word. Taking the time to listen to Mary and following Her guidance will lead to something far greater than anything in this world — God’s kingdom. So, when we pray this mystery we should ask ourselves, “Are we listening to our Heavenly Mother?”