The Mysteries of Light released on CD

Television personality Jeanne Young has left the country to join her mother, former actress Mila del Sol in the US of A. She intends to stay there for good and maybe begin a new career in American television. This is not the first time she has said goodbye and maybe it will not be the last. But while she only left behind memories of a successful career as a singer and TV host during those other times, this time around saw her leaving an important accomplishment in the field of recorded inspirational albums.

Jeanne, while she was here produced albums that combined music, prayers and reflections designed to help listeners through the day. Difficult or not, everyday and everything became lighter and easier to deal with when these inspirational CDs are playing in the machine. Even Manila’s now legendary traffic problem became bearable because it gave people more time to listen to the albums. I do not know where Jeanne got the idea but she sure gets the lion’s share of the credit for pushing, cajoling, begging, importuning and doing whatever else must be done to get these albums produced. And they were, quite successfully too.

For her final work before this trip, Jeanne came up with Mga Misteryo ng Liwanag, an album dedicated to the Year of the Rosary, which is October 2002 up to October 2003. As before, this one is made up of inspirational songs and prayers. The latter though is quite special because it is the Mysteries of Light. Titled Ang Bagong Mysteryo ng Santo Rosaryo, the 23-minute segment in the album has Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo OMI, DD, former ambassador to the Vatican Henrietta T. de Villa and pop singer Gino Padilla with his family praying the Mysteries of Light in Filipino.

Pope John Paul II based this on the Gospel accounts of the public life of Jesus and introduced the new addition to the 500-year-old Rosary prayer last October. This means that instead of reciting the usual mysteries, Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious, there is now also the Mysteries of Light. This is made up of: 1) Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan 2) Jesus’ self-revelation at the marriage feast at Cana 3) Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God with his call to conversion 4) Jesus’ Transfiguration and 5) Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery.

For those of you who recite the 15 mysteries of the Holy Rosary daily, this means that you now have to say all of the 20 mysteries. For those who do only one a day, this set is said every Thursday and the Joyful mysteries takes over that extra Glorious set that used to be said every Saturday. That means there is now no more chance for anybody to get confused as to whether it is Lent and you should do the Sorrowful set or just do the extra Glorious. The best thing about this though is that the Rosary now gives a fuller picture of Jesus Christ. The Mysteries of the Light bridges the gap between the boy Jesus of the Joyful Mysteries and the Man Sacrificed in the Sorrowful ones.

Every CD copy of the album comes with a free rosary card which is very handy to use and which can be carried everywhere because it is just the size of a credit card. The Rosary is also the main theme in the songs in the album with two beautiful cuts about the prayer and the Blessed Mother. These are the latest work by Fr. Carlo Magno Marcelo, Awit ng Ina ng Santo Rosaryo sung by Karylle and Bukas Palad which opens the set. Then there is also Aba Ginoong Maria composed by Manoling Francisco S.J. and performed by Celeste Legaspi and her daughter Waya Gallardo.

Other songs in the album are Liwanag Mo Hesus by Norlyn Cabahug, Hangad and Tex Ordonez, Janno Gibbs sings Only Hope, That’s What Love is for by Anna Fegi, Two Hearts of Love, by Marco Sison and Arnee Hidalgo, Heal our Land by Gino Padilla and Light of the World the theme for the 17th World Youth Day 2002 held in Canada by newcomer Roxanne Barcelo and the St. Anthony Choir.

So all of you who want to learn the new mysteries by heart, check out Jeanne’s new album. It will be most helpful. You will also get some inspirational sounds to boot.