The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) - Day 132: Eyes on Jesus

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

Giulio Campi’s fresco of The Presentation in the Temple, is filled with people and commotion. Two women converse, a child looks towards the viewer, Simeon leans backwards, his eyes closed. Yet in all this chaos, Fr. Mark-Mary notices, Mary’s eyes remain focused on the child Jesus. We meditate on fixing our own eyes on Jesus. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary. All of the Sacred Art we’ll be meditating with can be found in the Rosary in a Year Prayer Guide, for free linked in the complete prayer plan, or for free in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

I'm Father Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast, where through prayer and meditation, the rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. This is day 132. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a Year, visit ascensionpress.com forward slash rosaryinayear or text R-I-Y to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're going to pray each month and it's a great way to track your progress.

The best place to listen to podcasts is in the Ascension app. There are special features built just for this podcast and also recordings of the full rosary with myself and other friars. I encourage you to pick up a copy of the Rosary in a Year Prayer Guide, a book published by Ascension that was designed to complement this podcast. You'll find all the daily readings from scripture, saint reflections, and beautiful images of the sacred art we'll be reflecting on. Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the fourth joyful mystery, the presentation of Jesus in the temple, with help from Efresco of the presentation in the temple by Giulio Campi. And this painting is in the Church of St. Rita. It was painted in the year 1547. Just a brief word on our artist before we get into a description of the painting itself.

Giulio Campi was an Italian painter who was known for his frescoes and altarpieces, and he came from a family of artists and ended up training his own sons in the craft. He lived from the years 1502 to 1572 in Cremona, Italy. And now to begin our time of reflection and prayer description of the fresco of the presentation itself. So we come to the painting, what we encounter is a cluster of adults gathered around an altar in an imposing marble building.

gathered around an altar in an imposing marble building. The Virgin Mary, she leans over with the child Jesus, who's fixed in her gaze and in her hands. And she's in the act of setting him on the altar. Jesus is depicted as a tiny naked newborn, who she sets forth before the crowd. An attendant holds two turtle doves faces in the background are observing what's happening.

Simeon is depicted as a gray skinned old man stands at the center of the piece with his face giving a very strong reaction to the child. To his left, a dignified elderly woman focused on the crushed child with her index finger pointing to Jesus. Shoulder to the action, St. Joseph looks on from the side. Now today, the presentation of Jesus in the temple, today in fulfillment of the law, Jesus is presented in the temple.

And the peace, the intimacy of the nativity scene we contemplated yesterday has given way to the commotion of the temple. Right, no longer is there just simply this intimacy, this warmth, the worship. Now there is the fullness of human complexity and diversity. Keeping for a moment with the theme of eyes, like notice here in the temple,

notice with our fresco, how many different directions the eyes are going. Simeon and his strong reaction draws the majority of attention. As we ourselves are kind of pulled in with the movement of the painting to Simeon, what we notice are that his eyes are shut. Perhaps his eyes are shut because he is overwhelmed

by the drama, the emotion of encountering the promised Messiah. A link to that, I guess, perhaps his eyes being shut is a tool being used by artists to communicate that Simeon's eyes, in seeing Jesus, they have completed their purpose. This is a visual representation of the canticle of Simeon, his words that we find in the Gospel of Luke. Lord, now let your servant depart in peace. According to your word for my eyes, I have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. Yet in the midst of the commotion and the chaos, Mary's eyes are focused. And Mary's eyes are focused on Jesus. While exteriorly everything has changed from the manger to the temple, Mary's interior hasn't at all. She remains at rest in adoration and love. She remains at rest in adoration and love. And perhaps what we could add here, being communicated in the temple, is also this interior disposition of offering.

Mary adores, Mary loves, and Mary offers Jesus to the Father. She listens. So in the midst of this, this is her anchor. This is her resting place, adoration, love, offering. But she continues to listen. She continues to receive. She continues to ponder. But as all of this is happening, she remains focused.

She remains anchored. She loves him. She worships him. Simeon in this moment, right, he announces that a sword will one day pierce her own soul. And what does Mary do? She keeps her eyes on Jesus. She receives it. She's going to pray with it.

She's going to contemplate it. She accepts it. Right. Be it done unto me according to your word. But she remains focused, her eyes on Jesus, her love, her adoration, her worship, her hope are on Jesus. And as we find her one day at Calvary, where this prophecy is being fulfilled and the sword is in fact piercing her heart and her soul. We'll find Mary still in this same disposition. Adoration, love, and offering.

When you encounter these moments of commotion and chaos, ask yourself, how can you turn your disposition to that of Mary's adoration, love and offering? Where can you find your anchor in your offering to the Father? As we pray today, let us ask for Mary's help as our lives become chaotic. Right? May we like Mary and with her help, just remain anchored, anchored in worship, anchored in our offering to the Father.

Jesus, we worship you. Jesus, we love you. Jesus, we have received all good things from you and we offer them back to you. Jesus, let your holy will be done unto us according to your word. Together with Mary, let us pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners. Now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary full of grace.

The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace

the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee Amen. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Alright, thanks so much for joining me and praying with me again today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow.

Alright, poco a poco, friends. God bless y'all.