The Glorious Mysteries and History
The First Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
The Resurrection of the Lord teaches us that the point of living in history, in this time and place, is to prepare for eternity. That is our true home; that is what we are made for. Nevertheless, as fallen humans we are so tempted to live for the now and make popularity our goal. For instance, the recent musical, Hamilton, a musical account of the life of Alexander Hamilton, involves his quest for greatness. His goal is to have others tell his story. The musical revolves around this “story-telling” definition of glory, fame and meaning. The lives of many people today seek the same goal and hope others will tell their story once they are dead.
American poet Joaquin Miller comments, “Fame lulls the fever of the soul, and makes us feel that we have grasp'd an immortality”
Isn’t it incredible how tirelessly the human soul longs for immortality but too easily settles for the acclaim of men? Lord, purify my fleeting desire for fame so that I live and act for eternity.
Glorious Mystery: Our Lord’s Ascension
Historical greatness—to live for the sake of others, if done sincerely, is noble indeed. But there is a problem: by itself, such a life will never lead to immortality.
Even for those who achieve worldly greatness, people like Julius Caesar, Alexander Hamilton, Madame Curie or Franklin Roosevelt, perhaps influenced history but will nonetheless have that influence rendered meaningless one day. Why? Because one day the universe itself will be destroyed by fire as God transforms it into a new heavens and earth. Even physicists argue this in their ‘heat death of the universe’ theory. Thus, all that glitters with cosmic glory now will vanish into nothing.
But this is only the case for matter that belongs to this universe: the human soul is not made of matter alone.
The Lord’s Ascension into heaven offers us a down payment on our own glory to come. “He laid his right hand upon me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I hold the keys of Death” Revelation 11. Is the focus of my life for worldly or heavenly glory?
Third Glorious Mystery: Descent of the Holy Spirit
Is history then merely fleeting? Should Christians even study it? Of course. But not because the secret to eternal life is found solely in this time and place. Rather, by the guidance and action of the Holy Spirit, history is the stage for a play.
The Church Fathers unanimously read the story of Israel, the history of salvation, as a reflection of each person’s relationship with God. We, like Israel, are unfaithful to His love, and He in return gives us mercy, seeking tirelessly to bring us back into communion with Him.
If, then, the story of the people of Israel should be a mirror for my own life, it should be the mirror of all life. Every human life is the drama of human cooperation or lack of therein with Divine love. History can be useful to know the context of events that make up the stage for this drama, but it is a soul’s love for God rather than one’s fame and influence that wins eternal life. Do not fall into the trap of the enemy: the drama of a life focused only on fame and influence may become an eternal tragedy. Instead, let us consider history, especially our own history, with the eyes of eternity. Come, Holy Spirit, guide the lives of your faithful servants into our everlasting abode!
The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matthew 6:33.)
Many men and women lived their earthly lives seeking to love God and others. These, who are called saints, the Church upholds as examples for the rest of us. Some had the incredible task of being great saints and great men and women of history. Saints like Pope Saint Gregory the Great, Queen St. Helena, King St. Louis, Pope Saint John Paul II, all of whom bore great earthly responsibilities and thus impacted others for the greater good. Yet there are many more, such as St. Therese, St. Mary of Egypt, or Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, and countless other martyrs and mystics whose lives were relatively unnoticed and who are not recorded by historians as having any impact on history.
Part of the blessings of this world is the result of hidden acts of charity known only to God. And as writer George Elliot noted, “the fact that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owed to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.”
We are all called to be saints. You may be called to be a great historical figure and saint, you may be called to be an unnamed martyr. Accept the task given to you, and always seek first His kingdom.
Our Lady’s Coronation
Our life is being prepared for unbelievable glory by the intercession and graces flowing from our Queen Mother. This is the true purpose of history. We have the ability to become a great saint, and lead others on the path to sainthood. We are in the midst of this adventure. All of the tension, sacrifice and heartbreak that we endure are part of the path, the story, the drama that leads to our salvation. In this last reflection, let us ask for the intercession of all those great men and women, known and unknown, who kept the Faith until the very end. We ask that one day, we, and all our loved ones may be among them in the world without end, singing the praises of Our Lady, and our Triune God!