The Luminous Mysteries

ryan101

One of my favour Mysteries of the Rosary is The Luminous Mysteries :

The Luminous Mysteries

1. The Baptism of Jesus
'The Spirit descended like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; and with you I am well pleased."' - Mark 1:10

2. The Miracle at Cana
'What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.' - John 2:11

3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news' - Mark 1:15

4. The Transfiguration
'And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white' - Matthew 17:2

5. Institution of the Eucharist
'He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' - Luke 22:19

tommy2bad

Are these new, I didn't get the memo.
I remember the sorrowful, joyful and glorious, where do the luminous come from?

ryan101

They were introduced in 2002 by John Paul II, to help focus on the public ministry of Christ.

He wrote an excellent encyclical letter on the Rosary

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae_en.html

Extracts :

The Rosary of the Virgin Mary, which gradually took form in the second millennium under the guidance of the Spirit of God, is a prayer loved by countless Saints and encouraged by the Magisterium. Simple yet profound, it still remains, at the dawn of this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness

The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium.

Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace.

In a word, by focusing our eyes on Christ, the Rosary also makes us peacemakers in the world. By its nature as an insistent choral petition in harmony with Christ's invitation to “pray ceaselessly” (Lk 18:1), the Rosary allows us to hope that, even today, the difficult “battle” for peace can be won.

the richness of this traditional prayer, which has the simplicity of a popular devotion but also the theological depth of a prayer suited to those who feel the need for deeper contemplation.

Dear brothers and sisters! A prayer so easy and yet so rich truly deserves to be rediscovered by the Christian community

Consequently, for the Rosary to become more fully a “compendium of the Gospel”, it is fitting to add, following reflection on the Incarnation and the hidden life of Christ (the joyful mysteries) and before focusing on the sufferings of his Passion (the sorrowful mysteries) and the triumph of his Resurrection (the glorious mysteries), a meditation on certain particularly significant moments in his public ministry (the mysteries of light). This addition of these new mysteries, without prejudice to any essential aspect of the prayer's traditional format, is meant to give it fresh life and to enkindle renewed interest in the Rosary's place within Christian spirituality as a true doorway to the depths of the Heart of Christ, ocean of joy and of light, of suffering and of glory.