The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) - Day 173: Rooted in Identity

Episode Date: June 22, 2025

Fr. Mark-Mary contemplates the courage required of 12-year-old Jesus speaking in the temple, as depicted in William Holman Hunt’s vivid painting, The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple. He contrasts this with his own childhood experiences of shyness and public speaking, drawing insight into how true meekness flows from knowing one’s identity. We are empowered to speak and live truthfully even in intimidating situations by cultivating spiritual confidence rooted in God’s love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding of Jesus 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 in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Father Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars 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 173. 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 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 has helped support this podcast financially. Your generosity 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 fifth joyful mystery, the finding of the child Jesus in the temple with help from a painting by the artist William Holman Hunt entitled The Finding of the Savior in the Temple. A brief note on our artist and artwork. William Holman Hunt was born in the year 1827. He died in 1910, and he was an English painter and one of the founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood,

a movement that sought to revitalize art by rejecting academic conventions and embracing realism, vivid color, and symbolism inspired by early Renaissance art. Hunt remained one of the most consistent adherents to pre-Raphaelite ideals through his career, and he traveled extensively, especially to Palestine and Jerusalem, seeking authentic settings for his religious artworks.

Our painting today entitled The Finding of the Savior in the Temple was done in the year 1855. And it's an example of this pre-Raphaelite art style, though it also incorporates elements of romanticism and orientalism. Now a description of our painting. We have a vibrant view of the temple adorned with colorful glass, patterned stonework, rich textiles and golden accents. A group of expressive bearded men, Pharisees and rabbis are seated on the floor,

dressed in finely embroidered robes. Some lean in with intense focus. Others hold scrolls or raise their hands in animated discussion. At the center stands the 12-year-old Jesus, barefoot and poised, wearing a blue patterned tunic. His white eyes are bright and serene. His white eyes are bright and serene. To his side, Mary is portrayed as a beautiful young woman veiled and clothed in a modest blue cloak. She whispers tenderly to Jesus, her arms wrapped around him.

His hand gently clasps her wrist as she draws him towards the doorway. Her expression a blend of concern, reverence and relief. Behind her stands Joseph, protective yet restrained, his gaze steady and quietly supportive. From the open doorway, birds fly in and beyond, a sunlit vista of ancient Jerusalem stretches into the distance. So I'm naturally shy and I actually have a pretty deep natural inclination to avoid the attentions of a group and the spotlight. And this begins early on in my life. And this is where I think artwork is like really awesome and I've really enjoyed my own journey with it. Because today right in our painting we're looking at Jesus being a 12 year old boy in the temple.

And what's communicated and portrayed so well that I hadn't really wrapped my head around before is just that group of the leaders and the teachers of the law that are there that he's speaking to. And as I look at that group, like they're an intimidating group. And yet, that is who the 12-year-old Jesus went and was asking questions of and speaking with.

And I wanted us to kind of like dive in a little bit to the experience of like a 12-year-old boy using one of my own stories. I think it's fitting that one of my personal earliest, the most noteworthy public speaking experiences happened when I was also 12 years old. Starting seventh grade, I went to a new school and so I was the new kid. And in the first half of my seventh grade year,

I was still 12 years old, but probably looked 10 because I was a very, very late bloomer, we had a public speaking class. And the assignment was to memorize and then recite in front of the class a poem. And I don't remember the exact title of the poem I chose, but I know it was about baseball. So anyway, it was my turn. And I went up in front of the class and And I went up in front of the class and I don't know, like interiorly I felt kind of okay, but actually I was so nervous that during the entire recitation of this little poem, my own little right leg was like shaking

and it shook like the whole time. And I remember actually, as I sat down before the next student went up, the teacher said something to the whole class about, hey, let's be good listeners because we don't want to make the other students who are presenting feel nervous. So it was obvious that this was perceptible to others. Now, as I go back there and I kind of place myself in the scene, maybe in the place of the teacher, and I see this little 12 year old who I would see as like a little kid up there

like speaking with his legs shaking. Like I'm pretty moved, right? But also I could get it, I mean, he's so young and it makes sense for him to be afraid to be up here public speaking, even if it's just to his peers. And not to be fair, like now I do give homilies or I give talks and sometimes they're in front

of large crowds or congregations. Or maybe, you know, I have the experience regularly of presenting to a smaller audience, but maybe people of authority or my peers, such as like a homily and a friary, and I'm still pretty shy and drawn toward timidity. Like I'd rather not be in that situation, but I have to push through, right? I have to be at least courageous enough

to speak what needs to be spoken. And I can't let fear be the, you know, the bushel basket from the Gospels, which hides and ultimately snuffs out the light of what God is doing in my life. So let's go back now to Jesus in the temple, right? Because there he is, like, he's so young. He's 12 years old. of what God is doing in my life. So let's go back now to Jesus in the temple, right? Because there he is, like he's so young.

He's 12 years old. He's like me in that seventh grade class, the same age. But look at him, look at the difference. Like he has such confidence and courage and self-possession to speak to, to ask questions of and to even teach the authority figures in the temple. Now, did he experience some shyness? Perhaps, but if he did, it didn't hold him back. But I honestly, I don't think he did. I don't think he was shy.

And I think this is like the end or the reason. Jesus is the truly meek one. And meekness, you see, it isn't shyness or a lack of self-esteem or self-confidence. It is, in fact, the opposite. It's a confidence, but also with like a patience and a tenderness and a tenderness and an authority which comes from knowing who you are. Jesus knew he was the beloved son of the father and that this was his father's house. So this meekness, it's the fruits of being so rooted in your identity. And what really matters that you're not easily insulted or angered by the slights or perhaps the doubts of others. And then you're not controlled by the opinion of other people, including even possible rejection.

So Jesus is truly meek, and we encounter him here in the temple being the meek one. And he's not here trying to show up or overpower his listeners, but also like he's not afraid of them. He knows he is the son of the father, and he knows he must be in his Father's house. Like what matters to him is doing the Father's will. So there we find him. Like already now, again, asking questions and speaking with authority. But it's not pride or arrogance,

right? We know he's about to go return to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph, or he'll be obedient to them. He wasn't arrogant, he was meek. He's just not going through life trying to make a name for himself. He is going through life receiving all things from the Father and going wherever the Father sends him, even if he may be misunderstood or rejected. Because his strength and his authority and his identity and courage,

they are fruit of his relationship and his authority and his identity and encourage, they are fruits of his relationship with his father. They are fruits of him knowing his identity. Jesus knows who he is. And so he does what is right and speaks what is true. And one last little anecdote, again, like going back to myself at 12 years old. I was 12 years old still in the sixth grade at this point.

I remember going to sleep over at a birthday party for a friend of mine and there was five or six boys there and we were gonna watch a movie. And there were three options to choose from. And the one that was chosen was rated R. I think it was Terminator. But at this point in my life, I wasn't allowed to watch R rated movies.

But at this point in my life, I wasn't allowed to watch R-rated movies. And so, totally innocently and meekly and freely, I went up to the mom at the house and I told her, okay, I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to watch R-rated movies, but it's okay. I can just go upstairs and I'll play video games while they watch it and I'll come down when it's done. And I was 100% sincere and 100% free. Because why? Like I knew this is true. I just knew my parents loved me and they were great parents and I trusted them. And so quite naturally and like freely and organically like out of the fullness of this security, I did the right thing. The mom ended up calling my mom and telling her what happened and got some guidance,

what movie would be okay for me to watch. And then she had us all watch something that wasn't rated R so that, you know, I could be included. But I share this because again, at the same age now in a different way, I also recognize how the 12 year old Jesus here is able to go and to speak in the temple. Like, yeah, it's a scary thing for a 12 year old to do,

but also, I don't know, I have that experience even as that young of being totally free and so rooted in my identity and like the love of my parents that I could act like without even worrying about it. Almost not taking into account at all like the possible concern or rejection of others. My brothers and sisters, it is a really beautiful way to live. And so for us today, I think it's an invitation to reflect and pray. And firstly, perhaps there are some intimidating spaces

in your life where it's hard to speak and to choose the truth. And when we do it, like we want to do it from a place of charity and of meekness and even gentleness, not anger or accusation. But you know, it could be, for example, like just a group at work and they always gossip and you don't want to gossip, but you always go there and you get caught up in it. And maybe the right thing to do is, you know what, like to say something good about the

person being gossiped about and kind of like pop the bubble. And while we experience perhaps like timidity or fear in those circumstances, like let's ask for the grace of God for a holy confidence and boldness and authority. And may we even look to the 12-year-old Jesus in the temple before such like an intimidating audience for encouragement. But also, like let's set our sights on getting to a place where we are so rooted in our identity in Christ that like Jesus, we can always and everywhere through both our words and actions give a testimony to His truth and His love.

Now with Mary, let us ask for this grace as we 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 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 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 you all.