Please join our community around the world in praying this novena for your family and all families. We do this for the nine days leading up to Venerable Patrick Peyton's anniversary of birth on January 9 in gratitude for his memory and timeless message to all families, "The Family That Prays Together Stays Together."
Joyful Mysteries
Today is Monday, so we will pray the Joyful Mysteries. As you begin, pray the Daily Opening Prayer, read today's opening meditation, and then proceed to the reflections and prayers for each mystery. Read one mystery and reflection at each Our Father and spend a few quiet moments reflecting on it.
Today's prayers and meditations are included below. You can also access a PDF version of the full text of the novena in our Prayer Resources Library:
Opening Prayer
O Jesus, as Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, You entrusted Her to us as our Mother.
The Holy Spirit inspired Mary’s faithful servant, Father Patrick Peyton, to proclaim throughout the world the power and promise of family prayer. He believed and testified that “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together.”
Through Mary and Father Peyton’s intercession, we ask this favor for our family ____________________. Lord Jesus, we beseech You to help our praying of the Rosary unite our family in love and joy. Amen.
Meditation
In the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, we meet Mary, who was free from sin and plunged into the heart of God since the first moments of Her existence. Mary's unique relationship with God meant that She was already deeply familiar with the God of Israel at the time of the Annunciation. She knew Him as Father who loved His children so extravagantly that He received them with joy each time they turned away from their sins. This same God now wanted to become a little child in order to save His people! Consequently, Mary could respond with a joyful “yes” to God’s request. Her heart could say “yes” without fear, because it had placed its confidence in the One who is unfailingly trustworthy.
The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to Me according to Your word.” And the angel departed from Her. (Luke 1:38)
Blessed Mother, teach our family to place our trust in the extravagant love of God the Father, and to respond to His love by saying "yes" to Him in our daily lives.
The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
"Blessed is She who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to Her from the Lord." (Luke 1:45)
Blessed Mother, give our family the grace to make everything we do in service to each other and to our neighbors in need an act of praise and thanksgiving to God.
The Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
And [the shepherds] went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. (Luke 2:16)
Blessed Mother, God became man in poverty and hiddenness. He even made Himself a little Child, totally dependent on His parents. Teach our family to seek joy in little things, to be grateful for what God has given us, and to find Him in everything that we do.
The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation in the Temple
"Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce Your own soul also)..." (Luke 2:34-35)
Blessed Mother, the joy of gazing upon Your Son was mixed from the beginning with the knowledge that many hearts would reject Him. Awaken our family to receive the love He wishes to give us.
The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
"How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)
Blessed Mother, Jesus reveals to us the identity of the Father. Inspire our family, and especially all fathers, to seek Jesus with urgency and zeal as You and Saint Joseph sought Him, so that we might become witnesses of the Father's love to each other.
Prayer for the Beatification of Venerable Patrick Peyton
Dear Jesus, Father Peyton devoted his priestly life to strengthening the families of the world by calling them to pray together every day, especially the Rosary. His message is as important for us now as it was during his life on earth. We beg You, therefore, to hasten the day of his beatification so that Your faithful people everywhere will remember his message that The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, will imitate him in his devotion to Your Mother and ours, and will be inspired by his holy life to draw ever closer to You with childlike confidence and love. Amen.
Thank you for praying with us!