The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) - Day 134: Shadow of the Cross

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

The first Luminous mystery is a mystery of profound joy, but a fresco of Jesus’ Baptism, featured in the Church of San Benedetto in Padua, reveals that the cross is never far from Christ. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that Jesus’ “yes” at his Baptism, is also a “yes” to his passion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism of Jesus 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 134. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a Year, visit ascensionpress.com forward slash rosary in a year 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 the podcast 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 on behalf of myself and the whole team here at Ascension. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's helped support this podcast financially. Your support is so appreciated and helps us to reach as many people as possible.

And if you haven't already, please consider supporting us at ascensionpress.com forward slash support. Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the first Luminous mystery, the baptism of Jesus, with help from a piece of art known as Baptism of Christ Seen in San Benedetto, Padua. And we don't have a ton of information on our artist or our piece of art today. It is a fresco that was painted in the 16th century and is in the Church of San Benedetto in Padua,

but the artist is unknown. And now an explanation of our fresco. Against dark and rocky stones, Jesus, wearing only a white cloth around his waist, kneels on jagged rock with one foot in the water. His hands are clasped and his eyes downcast. Standing on the shore, St. John the Baptist draped in a red tunic and leaning on a wooden staff with a cross on it, leans over the river and pours water from a wooden bowl

down onto the head of Jesus. Hovering in the dark sky above them are a group of cherubs and boys looking on from above and holding a cross, a chalice, a crown of thorns, and a hammer and nails. In the distance are shadowed figures including men approaching the scene and a mother nursing an infant. A figure in blue kneels just behind Jesus holding a garment. At the top of the painting in a burst of yellow and golden light, through the dark clouds a dove majestically spreads its wings, soaring above Jesus and John the Baptist. Through the dark clouds, a dove majestically spreads its wings,

Soaring above Jesus and John the Baptist, And right towards us, the viewer. Today, our artist and his depiction of the baptism of Christ reveal the drama and the depth of our Lord's baptism in the Jordan. Certainly John's baptism of Jesus wasn't as simple and ordinary as his baptism of the hundreds or perhaps thousands of baptisms he had done in the same spot previously. The scriptures attest to the heavens being opened, the dove descending and the Father's voice proclaiming, this is my beloved Son.

The baptism of Jesus was unique and it was particular. The baptism of Jesus was a manifestation of God. It was a theophany in which that which was previously invisible or inaudible was at least for a moment made visible and heard loud and clear. Jesus is the beloved son. What our artist does today is paint a highly dramatic scene. And the scene is evocative of the deep meaning

and the emotional consequence of the event with a particular focus, which I think is part of the beauty and the genius of praying with art. Right? It's receiving the fruit of another's meditation. Right? Like an artist and his art, he shares from his own riches in a way which becomes like all of our riches. And Jesus' baptism, it was unlike others in its extraordinariness, as we noted, but also in its meaning, right,

particularly for Him who was baptized for Jesus. We discussed this previously, that for those who came before Jesus to the waters of baptism, it was a baptism of repentance. In other words, they entered into the water to somewhat be symbolically or ritually cleansed by the water of their sins. But Jesus' baptism was different. To quote St. Paul in his second letter, the Corinthians, right, for our sake, he made him to be sinned who knew no sin,

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus took upon himself the fruit or the consequence of sin, namely death, which we see depicted here in the painting. Notice the small details the artist has integrated. The delicate cross John is holding, extended away from Christ but still present. The encroaching darkness and yet the light beaming down from heaven, highlighting Christ as the

center of this painting. The chalice held by an angel above his head, the cherub holding a crown of thorns and another holding the hammer and nails which would pierce his hands and affix him to the cross. Finally, Christ's countenance is downcast, looking perhaps as though he may contemplate the cross. These striking details, so unique in a portrayal of the baptism, remind us of the cross. Now, the first luminous mystery, it is certainly a mystery of profound light, of joy, even glory as we encounter open heavens in the Father's blessing of the beloved Son. But also, we see throughout Jesus' life, including the joyful mysteries that we just prayed with, that during His earthly life, the light of Christ is never far from the shadow of the cross.

But what conquers, what is victorious, which is permanent, is the light. Even here, even now. So today as we pray, let us place ourselves at the shores of the Jordan. Let us see the heavens rent, the dove descend, and the Father proclaim. But also let's keep our eyes on Jesus, who in this moment, He says yes to the Father. He says yes to us. So He says yes to his passion because he trusts the Father, the Father who sees him, who knows

him and who delights in him. But let us also remember the words of St. Paul from his letter to the Corinthians, Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? May we who long to share in his resurrection May we who long to share in his resurrection, we who long to share in his own relationship with the Father, ask for the courage to freely and willingly share in his cross,

but always like Jesus, always rooted in our identity as beloved sons and daughters of the best of fathers. And now 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 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.

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. 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. All right. Thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Poco Poco, friends. God bless y'all.