Before we begin, let us start, as we will every week, with a reading from Scripture. Each month our Scripture passage will set the theme of the evening. Tonight's theme is "Mystery", the mystery of God. (Read Job, Chapter 38: Who has been a counselor to the Lord?)

The Catechism, the documents of the Councils, writings of the Popes and saints, and the words of the Church Fathers are full of the word “Mystery.” The Mass is called “Mystery.” The Sacraments, particularly the Holy Eucharist, are called “the Mysteries.” Lumen Gentium begins with the words “The Mystery of the Church.” And of course, the high points in the story of the life of Christ as laid out in the Rosary are called the “Mysteries” of the Rosary.

In Catholic theology, the word “mystery” has a very specific meaning. It not a vague word. It is not a poetic word. It is a technical term. It means: something that cannot be known by natural means. If you have something in your pocket that I cannot see, that is not a mystery because it can be revealed in a perfectly natural way: you can take it out of your pocket. I do not know what will happen tomorrow but that is not a mystery because it will become known to me in the natural flow of time.

Mystery, on the other hand, can never be known by natural means. God is above all a Mystery in that sense. Now, we can know from natural reason that God exists. We can know this because we see evidence of design in the universe. Wherever there is design, we can reason out that there is a Design-er. We can also know from reason that this Designer is good. How so? Because the universe is beautiful and beauty is gratuitous. But much beyond that we cannot figure God out or know Him by natural means. (CCC # 35.) There are only two ways that God can be known:

1. by God's Revelation of Himself to man

2. by Grace

And so we come to the reason for a series of retreats based on the Mysteries of the Rosary. When we try to learn about God by using our natural intellect alone, we can’t get very far. Bible study,catechism classes, spiritual reading, these are good and necessary and they are aids to Faith…but they are natural processes. Remember, mystery cannot be known by natural means. To unveil the mystery of God and attain intimacy with Him we need two supernatural things: we Divine Revelation and we need grace. The Mysteries of the Rosary provide those two things:

1. By meditating on the mysteries, Christ's life is revealed to us.

That is why the Rosary is such a powerful means of deepening our spiritual lives. We combine the study of Christ's life with the grace of prayer. (CCC#155). That pretty well sums up why we are here. And so, let us unite ourselves to Mary and plunge into the mystery of God, and the Church, and the life to come. Next month we begin this journey with the Annunciation.