Pride wrought the ruin of legions of angels; through pride our first parents sinned in the Garden of Happiness. By humility our salvation was achieved--the humility of the Word of God. In our pride we have disobeyed God's holy law. Through humble penance are we to regain God's favor. O Mary, humble hand-maid of the Lord, pray that we know our own unworthiness! Second Joyful Mystery: "The Visitation" "And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judea. And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb."--(St. Luke, I, 39-41.) Brotherly Love Charity prompts Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth in the hour of her need. Ah, how the loving heart of our dear Mother anticipates the words of her Divine Son: "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you have love one for another." "I was sick and in prison and you did visit Me," says our Saviour. And He calls those specially blessed of His Father who shall feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and bring comfort to those that mourn. Wheresoever we move on earth let us, by kindly word and sympathetic action, bring a warm breath of heavenly charity. O Mary, sweet Mother of charity, teach us to be kind; and for the sake of Christ to lighten the burden of Christ's least brethren! Third Joyful Mystery: "The Nativity" "And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."--(St. Luke, II, 7.) Poverty "Wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger" is Jesus on the night of His birth. The world had forgotten the richness of being poor. It was needful that Jesus should enter into the world in poverty to teach the lesson of detachment from earthly things. In the Crib of Bethlehem, as from the Mount, Christ teaches the self-same lesson: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." If we possess worldly goods, let us act as God's faithful stewards, giving liberally to the poor of Christ; if poverty be our lot, let us not murmur against God's Holy will, but rather thank God we are saved from the many temptations of riches. Mary, lover of poverty, teach us to seek first the Kingdom of God. Fourth Joyful Mystery: "The Presentation" "And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord."--(St. Luke, II, 22, 23.) Purity In obedience to the Mosaic law, to which He was not subject, Christ allowed Himself to be presented body and soul in the Temple to teach us that by purity of body and soul we are to consecrate ourselves to the service of God.