Day 113: Spoiler Alert

Summary

Summary of "Day 113: Spoiler Alert" — The Rosary in a Year Podcast with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames

Release Date: April 23, 2025

Introduction

In the 113th episode of Ascension’s Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, delves into the profound intersection between storytelling techniques and spiritual revelations, using the concept of "spoiler alerts" as a metaphor to explore the revelation of Jesus's divinity during His youth. This insightful episode aims to deepen listeners' prayer lives and enhance their understanding of the Rosary through thoughtful meditation and scriptural analysis.

Main Discussion: The Spoiler Alert Analogy

Fr. Mark-Mary Ames begins the episode by drawing a parallel between modern "spoiler alerts" and the biblical narrative of Jesus's revelation of His divine nature. He states:

"We all know that Steve's the thief, right? Or, you know, like, hey, hey, hey, hey. No one mentioned anything about the game. I'm going to watch it when I get home. Like, that type of thing. Right. And why do we have these spoiler alerts?"
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (03:15)

He explains that spoiler alerts are intended to preserve the mystery and suspense of a story, ensuring that the audience remains engaged and emotionally invested. Similarly, in the Gospels, the revelation of Jesus as Lord is a pivotal moment that transforms the narrative for those present, much like the climax of a well-timed spoiler-free story.

Scriptural Insights: Saint Cyril of Alexandria

The episode transitions to a detailed meditation on the fifth joyful Mystery of the Rosary: the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Fr. Mark-Mary Ames draws from Saint Cyril of Alexandria's homily to illuminate the significance of this event. He emphasizes:

"Our author today is Saint Cyril of Alexandria. Again, he's one of the great champions of the divinity of Christ... [he] hones in on this conflict and this question when he's looking at the finding of the child Jesus in the temple."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (05:27)

Saint Cyril's interpretation highlights the tension and suspense surrounding Jesus's declaration in the temple:

"Jesus says, I must be at my Father's here. Then first he makes a more open mention of him who is truly his Father. And lays bare his own divinity."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (07:05)

Fr. Mark-Mary Ames underscores that while modern listeners are aware of Jesus's divine nature, those in the first century were confronted with this revelation in real-time, much like viewers reacting to an unexpected plot twist without prior knowledge.

Application to Prayer and Meditation

Using the spoiler alert analogy, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames encourages listeners to approach the Scriptures with fresh eyes, appreciating the moments of divine revelation as if encountering them for the first time. He advises:

"For those of us who grew up knowing the fullness of the truth, the tension, the impact of this moment might fall a bit flat. But for the 1st century Jewish man or woman, this is the type of moment that just brings you to the edge of your seat."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (07:32)

He advocates for a meditative practice that allows believers to rediscover and re-experience the mysteries of faith, fostering a deeper relationship with Jesus and Mary. This approach not only enriches personal prayer but also aligns with the Rosary’s role as a powerful Marian devotion that channels divine grace.

Conclusion and Prayer

Fr. Mark-Mary Ames concludes the episode by inviting listeners to embrace the depth of Jesus's revelation as Lord and to seek the grace to understand and treasure this truth in their hearts. The episode wraps up with a collective prayer, guiding listeners through the Our Father, Hail Marys, and Glory Be, reinforcing the themes discussed and fostering a communal spirit of faith and devotion.

Notable Quotes

• "Jesus's crucifixion wasn't able to sleep that night because of the tension, the suspense of what would happen next."
  — Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (04:11)

• "Jesus is the Son of the Heavenly Father. And for those of us who grew up knowing, the fullness of the truth... it's absolutely, like, a good thing."
  — Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (04:48)

• "Jesus lays bare his own divinity, kind of harkening back to the opening of this episode, how Jesus's life was put in deeper revelation."
  — Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (06:09)

Final Thoughts

"Day 113: Spoiler Alert" offers a rich and engaging exploration of how understanding the moments of divine revelation in the life of Jesus can transform one's prayer life. Through thoughtful analogies and deep scriptural insights, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames guides listeners to a more profound appreciation of the Rosary and its role in fostering a closer relationship with Jesus and Mary. This episode is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to enhance their spiritual journey, whether they are seasoned in their faith or just beginning to explore its depths.

Transcript

[Unknown]

Foreign.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars with.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Renewal and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast where through prayer and.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Meditation, the Rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

The Rosary in the Year is brought.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

To you by Ascension.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

This is Day 113 today on the.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Prayer plan for Rosary in a year.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Visit ascensionpress.com forward/rosary in a year or.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Text RIY to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're gonna pray each month. It's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen the Podcast.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

In the Ascension app.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

There's special features, Built justice podcast and.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Also recordings of the full rosary.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

On behalf of myself, the whole team here at Ascension, we wanna take this opportunity to thank everyone who's helped support this podcast financially. Your support is so appreciated, helps us to reach as many people as possible. If you haven't already, please consider supporting [e-mail] forward slash support. Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the fifth joyful Mystery, the.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Finding of Jesus in the Temple, with.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Help from St. Cyril of Alexandria and.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

His writing homily five from his commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And the emphasis of our meditation is.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Going to be Jesus is Lord.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

All right, we've already had a chance to introduce our author, Saint Cyril of.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Alexandria, so let's get right into the reading.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And when he was 12 years old.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

They went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. After the evangelist had said that Jesus advanced in wisdom and grace with God.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And men, he next shows that what.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

He says is true, for he carries him to Jerusalem in company with the Holy Virgin among upon the summons of the feast. And then he says that he remained behind, and was afterwards found in the temple, sitting in the midst of the.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Doctors, both asking and answering questions regarding those things, as we may feel sure, which were spoken of old by the.

[Unknown]

Law, and that he was wondered at by all.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

For his questions and answers, Thou seest.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Him advancing in wisdom and grace, by reason of his becoming known unto many as being what he was, Thy Father and I have sought thee Sorrowing, his.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Mother certainly knew that he was not the child of Joseph, but she so.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Speaks to avoid the suspicion of the.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Jews, and upon her saying, that thy.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Father and I have sought thee Sorrowing.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

The Savior answers, did ye not know.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

That I must be at my Father's here? Then first he makes more open mention of him who is truly his Father.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And lays bare his own divinity.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

The end of the reading.

[Unknown]

Thanks be to God.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Again, we're going to be focusing our meditation on Jesus is the Lord. So I'm sure most of y'all listening to this episode and this podcast are quite aware of the phenomena of spoiler alerts and the extra effort that's being made through a variety of different mediums to announce, like, when a spoiler's coming, when there's something about the story is going to be revealed.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Okay.

[Unknown]

Spoiler alert.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

We all know that Steve's the thief, right? Or, you know, like, hey, hey, hey, hey. No one mentioned anything about the game. I'm going to watch it when I get home. Like, that type of thing. Right. And why do we have these spoiler alerts?

[Unknown]

What's that all about?

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Well, obviously, if you're watching some sort of, like, mystery show and you find out who the thief is or the killer is, you know, there's going to be a bunch of debates about who it is, but you already know the answer, so it's not going to draw you in. In short, it takes out the mystery.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

The conflict, the tension, because you already know the answer.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And so the result is it just makes the rest of the show kind of fall flat. So I'm guessing. I'm guessing that 99.9% of the listeners to this podcast, not everybody, but the vast majority, grew up hearing that Jesus.

[Unknown]

Is the Lord, that he was crucified.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And he rose from the dead. So I highly doubt that anyone who heard us go through the fifth Sorrowful.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Mystery for the first time.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Our Lord's crucifixion wasn't able to sleep that night because of the tension, the suspense of what would happen next. And then when we get to the first glorious mystery, the resurrection, as they hear about it, they're blown away with surprise and joy because I just didn't know it was going to happen. Like, Jesus rises from the dead. We already know the story, of course. The fact that the truth about Jesus.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

And who he is and his story.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Like, being so widespread, it's absolutely, like, a good thing. But I do think it's helpful and advantageous for us when we're coming to the Scriptures, to remember that what we know isn't what those in the Gospels at the time of Jesus knew. Our author today is Saint Cyril of Alexandria. Again, he's one of the great champions of the divinity of Christ. And although he lived a couple hundred years after the life of Jesus, he's still very much in the midst of the debate of who Jesus is, is.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

The true Identity of Jesus as being one divine person with a human and divine nature.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And so he is so much more.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Aware than us of the intensity and the suspense and the stakes around the question, like Jesus, who are you? And it's a question that even the blessed mother and St. Joseph didn't have perfect clarity and understanding about.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And so St. Cyril kind of hones in on this conflict and this question when he's looking at the finding of.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

The child Jesus in the temple. Referring to Jesus, he notes, didn't you know that I must be in my father's house?

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

These are St. Cyril's words.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Here he makes a more open mention of him who's truly his father and.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Lays bare his own divinity, kind of harkening back to the opening of this.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Episode, how Jesus life was put in.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

A movie like this.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Deeper Revelation.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

It may not be the absolute climax of the movie, but it's a profound.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Development that I think sometimes we miss because we already knew the answer at the time.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

For some, this would be shocking.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

And for others, Jesus revealing who his father is and laying Barry's own divinity would be the answer to the deepest longing of their heart. At the moment, Mary herself isn't able.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

To fully grasp it, but she continues.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

To ponder it, to treasure it in her heart. And as I said before, there's a reason that the evangelist highlights this moment.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

In the life of Jesus. Really the only insight we have into.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

His life from the time of his.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Presentation until he's about 30 years old.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Going into his public ministry.

[Unknown]

Why?

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Because of the importance of this moment, the importance of Jesus here revealing his true identity.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

He is God.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

He is the Son of the Heavenly Father. And for those of us who grew.

[Unknown]

Up knowing the fullness of the truth.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

About Jesus, the tension, the impact of.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

This moment, it might fall a bit flat, but for the 1st century Jewish man or woman, this is the type of moment that just brings you to.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

The edge of your seat, that catches your attention, that gets your heart beating, beating faster. Jesus wasn't just, you know, some genius.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

12 year old Jesus is the longed for Messiah. Jesus is Lord. So as we pray now, let us ask for the grace to receive anew.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

The breadth and the depth of this.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Revelation as Jesus lays bare his divinity. Jesus says, I am the Lord and that God became man and dwelt among us.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

And if we're not totally capable to receive the fullness of the gift, like that's okay.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Let us continue with Mary pondering this truth in our hearts.

[Unknown]

Let us pray in the name of.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

The Father and of The Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[Unknown]

Amen.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[Unknown]

Give us this day our daily bread.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[Unknown]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

The Lord is with the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Glory be to the Father and to.

[Unknown]

The Son and to the Holy Spirit.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

As it was in the beginning, is.

[Unknown]

Now and ever shall be, world without end.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Amen.

[Unknown]

In the name of the Father and.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[Unknown]

Amen.

All right.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Thanks so much for joining me and.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Praying with me again today.

[Unknown]

I look forward to continuing this journey.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

With you again tomorrow.

[Unknown]

All right.

[Fr. Mike Schmitz]

Poco poco.

[Jackie Francois Angel]

Friends, God bless y'all.