Episode 2868: From the Manger to Majesty - Part 3 with Nancy

Nancy: Welcome to "From the Manger to Majesty: The Divine Plan Through Mary." I’m your host, Nancy, and today I’m joined by my co-host Walt as we explore the glorious mysteries of the Holy Rosary, focusing on the majestic role of Our Lady in God’s divine plan. Through these mysteries, we can see Mary's profound participation in salvation history from the moment of Christ's Resurrection to her Assumption and Coronation in Heaven. We’ll reflect on each mystery, draw inspiration from the lives of the saints, and marvel at the eternal significance of Mary’s yes to God.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father,
As we gather to meditate on the life of Your Son through the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, we humbly ask for the grace to follow the path of His sacred journey—from the humble manger in Bethlehem to the glory of His eternal majesty in Heaven.
Through each bead we pray, may we grow in love for the truths of our faith, in courage to proclaim them, and in hope for the promises they contain. Teach us to see in the Rosary a guide for our daily lives, leading us ever closer to the heart of Jesus through the loving hands of His Blessed Mother.
O Mary, Queen of the Rosary,
You who first cradled the King of Kings in your arms, walk with us as we contemplate His divine mysteries. May the joyful mysteries fill us with wonder, the sorrowful mysteries deepen our compassion, the glorious mysteries strengthen our hope, illuminate our path to sanctity.
Mother of Majesty, intercede for us, that we may one day behold the face of your Son in the glory of His kingdom. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Walt: It’s a beautiful journey, Nancy, as we take a deeper look at the Glorious Mysteries—those moments that connect us to the heart of the Church and to Christ’s triumph. Today, we will reflect on how Mary, from the manger to majesty, plays a central role in God's redemptive plan. We’ll draw inspiration from scripture, meditate on these key moments, and share insights from great Marian saints. Let’s begin with the first mystery: The Resurrection.
1. The Resurrection of Our Lord: Matthew 28:5-6
Nancy: Picture the scene, Walt after three days of sorrow, the stone is rolled away, and the tomb is empty. The angel tells the women, "He is not here; He is risen, as He said." What a glorious moment that must have been!
Walt: It was a moment of triumph, Nancy. Jesus, the conqueror of death, now brings hope to all. I love how Mary Magdalene encounters Jesus, not in a grand way, but in the simplicity of her tears. It’s a beautiful reminder that Jesus meets us in our sorrow and calls us to joy.
Nancy: Yes, when Mary Magdalene recognizes the risen Christ, she is filled with such joy that she runs to tell the disciples. This moment shows how faith transforms our hearts. Mary Magdalene, who once wept at the tomb, is now a joyful witness to the greatest miracle.
Walt: And isn’t it beautiful that Mary’s role in the Resurrection is reflected in the way we, too, encounter Christ in our lives often first in moments of doubt or sorrow before He reveals His glory to us? We see Mary as a model of faith here, don’t we?
Nancy: Absolutely. In reflecting on the Resurrection, we are reminded of how the joy of Christ’s victory over death extends to each of us. Just as Mary Magdalene and the disciples felt that joy, so are we invited to live in the light of His Resurrection every day.
2. The Ascension of Our Lord: Luke 24:50-51
Walt: The Ascension is such a powerful moment. Jesus, having completed His work on earth, ascends into Heaven in front of His disciples. He blesses them, and then, He departs from them.
Nancy: Imagine being there seeing Jesus, whom you loved, rise up into the sky. The disciples’ hearts must have been filled with awe and sorrow, yet He gave them a mission: to spread the Gospel to all nations. And Mary was there, too always present, always faithful.
Walt: Exactly. Mary’s unwavering faith, even as Jesus ascended, shows her deep trust in God’s plan. She had already said "yes" to the angel at the Annunciation, and now she trusts that Jesus’ departure is part of the divine plan. In a way, her Assumption into Heaven later mirrors Christ’s Ascension it’s like a foreshadowing.
Nancy: And we, too, must remember that the Ascension points us to our own mission in this world. As St. Louis de Montfort said, “Mary is the way through which Christ comes to us and the way through which we go to Christ.”
3. Pentecost: Acts 2:3-4
Walt: Now, we come to Pentecost. After Jesus ascended, the disciples waited in prayer for the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit descended like tongues of fire, everything changed. They were emboldened to proclaim the Gospel to the nations.
Nancy: And Mary, the Mother of the Church, was there in the Upper Room, praying with the apostles. Her intercession at Pentecost is so important she received the Holy Spirit, just as she had received Jesus, in a perfect openness to God’s will.
Walt: That’s right, Nancy. In a way, Pentecost is the fulfillment of the promise that Christ made to His apostles. But, I also see it as the continuation of Mary’s role as the "mediatrix" of all graces. She is the one who birthed the Church, and here, she witnesses the Holy Spirit empowering the apostles to continue the work of salvation.
Nancy: Just as Mary carried Jesus physically in her womb, she now witnesses the birth of the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. How fitting that she was there her life always intertwined with the mission of Christ.
4. The Assumption of Mary: Hebrews 11:5
Walt: The Assumption is another stunning moment in salvation history. Mary, having completed her earthly mission, is taken up body and soul into Heaven. She, the New Eve, is preserved from the corruption of death.
Nancy: It’s a powerful reminder that Mary, who carried God’s Son within her, would never experience the corruption of the tomb. She is the model for all of us her faith, her purity, her complete submission to God’s will.
Walt: And in her Assumption, Mary is a sign of the hope we have. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “We see Mary, the first fruits of the Resurrection, taken to Heaven body and soul so we know that we, too, have the hope of the resurrection.”
Nancy: Absolutely. It’s Mary who shows us the way. Her Assumption reminds us of the ultimate promise to all who follow Christ to be taken up into the glory of Heaven. And it’s through her intercession that we are assured of this.
5. The Coronation of Mary: Apocalypse 11:19-12:1
Walt: The final Glorious Mystery the Coronation of Mary reminds us that Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. As Revelation shows us, she is clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
Nancy: It’s such a beautiful image. Mary is crowned because of her complete union with God’s will. Her fiat, her yes to God, is what elevates her to this place of honor. And it’s important for us to remember that she is our Queen, not out of pride, but because of her humility and obedience to God’s will.
Walt: St. Maximilian Kolbe often spoke of Mary as the "Immaculata," the one who is most perfectly united with God. Her coronation is a symbol of that perfect union. But it’s also a reminder of her maternal care for us as we journey toward Heaven.
Nancy: And it is through her that we are brought closer to Christ. She is our mother, and as Queen, she intercedes for us with a powerful love and grace. Her coronation is our hope and a reminder that through her, we can achieve victory over sin and death. And so, from the Manger to Majesty, Mary’s role in salvation history is vital. She guides us, loves us, and intercedes for us at every moment. We hope today’s reflections have deepened your understanding of the Glorious Mysteries and drawn you closer to Our Lady and to Jesus, the King of Glory.
Walt: In 1917, Maximilian founded the Militia Immaculatae (Army of the Immaculate), a Marian movement dedicated to promoting consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the conversion of sinners, particularly those opposing the Church. His mission was to win the world for Christ through Mary, using prayer, evangelization, and modern means of communication.
Closing Prayer
Nancy:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, we thank you for guiding us through the mysteries of your Son’s life, death, and glorious Resurrection. Your unwavering faith and humility are a beacon for us all, showing us how to surrender fully to God’s plan. May we, with your intercession, be filled with the joy and grace that flows from the Glorious Mysteries.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
May the grace of the Glorious Mysteries come down into your souls and make them everlastingly joyful.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Walt: May the joy of the Glorious Mysteries fill our hearts, and may we live with the same faith and devotion that Mary showed in every moment of her life. We’ll be back next time with more reflections on the beauty of our faith. God bless you all.
Nancy: God bless you, Walt, and all our listeners. Thank you SO much for joining us in this 3-part series and I hope it helped you in some way when you meditate on the Holy Rosary.