Day 131: Worship and Warmth - The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Day 131: Worship and Warmth

Sun May 11 2025

What will be true in heaven is already true in the manger at Bethlehem. Already, heaven and earth bend the knee in worship of Jesus to the glory of God the Father. Fr. Mark-Mary draws our attention to the gaze of Mary, Joseph, and the angels, fixed on Jesus, in Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini’s painting of the Nativity. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity 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.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Rosary in a Year (Day 131: Worship and Warmth)

Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Episode Title: Day 131: Worship and Warmth
Release Date: May 11, 2025
Publisher: Ascension

Introduction

In Day 131 of Ascension’s Rosary in a Year podcast series, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames delves into the profound themes of worship and warmth as depicted in a Nativity painting by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini. This episode invites listeners to deepen their prayer life through meditation on sacred art, fostering a closer relationship with Jesus and Mary.

Overview of the Nativity Painting

Fr. Ames begins by providing historical context about the artist and the artwork under reflection.

Artist Background:
"Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini was a Venetian painter who was commissioned to paint the interiors of many churches in Europe in the early 1700s" (00:45). His expertise lay in depicting historical scenes from the Old Testament, with a particular talent for painting ceilings and domes.
Creation and Technique:
The Nativity painting, created between 1725 and 1727, was commissioned by an Empress of Austria for a church in Vienna. Pellegrini employed a unique technique, applying oil paint to dry plaster instead of traditional fresco methods, resulting in a distinctive color, tone, and texture (02:10).
Visual Description:
At the center of the painting is the infant Jesus in a wooden manger, surrounded by Mary, St. Joseph, and two angels. Mary is depicted in flowing pink and blue garments, exuding serenity, while St. Joseph’s brown attire blends with the rustic surroundings, symbolizing protection and reverence (04:30). The angels on either side provide symmetry, and the bright white clouds above frame the scene, highlighting Jesus's divine presence.

Reflection on Worship and Warmth

Fr. Ames transitions to a theological reflection, tying the visual elements of the painting to deeper spiritual themes.

Worship at the Nativity:
"At the Nativity, we encounter the worship proper of creatures to their Creator" (06:15). Fr. Ames references St. Paul's letter to the Philippians, emphasizing that both heaven and earth bow in worship of Jesus, a reality visible even in the humble setting of Bethlehem.
Profound Warmth of Love:
Beyond worship, the painting captures the genuine warmth and tender love between Mary, Joseph, and the newborn Jesus. This mutual love is portrayed as both profound and enduring, highlighting the human aspect of divine worship (09:00).
Fulfillment of Divine Will:
The scene illustrates the fulfillment of God's prayer, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The Nativity embodies this prayer through the perfect union of adoration and love, showcasing the realization of divine will in human history (11:30).

Applying the Reflection to Personal Prayer

Fr. Ames encourages listeners to internalize the themes of worship and warmth in their own lives.

Joining the Holy Family in Prayer:
"Let us place ourselves with Mary and Joseph and all of the holy angels before Jesus in the manger of Bethlehem" (14:00). By doing so, believers can emulate the worship and love depicted in the painting, fostering a personal connection with the Savior.
Receiving Divine Love:
As one prays, the invitation is to both worship Christ and receive His tender love, mirroring the reciprocal relationship shown between Jesus and His earthly parents (16:45).

Conclusion and Prayer

The episode culminates in a communal prayer, uniting listeners in the themes discussed.

Closing Prayer:
Fr. Ames leads the prayer, invoking the Holy Trinity and reciting the Our Father, Hail Marys, and Glory Be, embodying the worship and warmth that were central to the day's reflection (20:30).
Final Blessing:
"Friends, God bless y' all," concludes the episode, reinforcing the sense of community and shared spiritual journey (22:00).

Notable Quotes

"At the Nativity, we encounter the worship proper of creatures to their Creator." – Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (06:15)
"The perfect union of adoration and love. The perfect union of worship and warmth." – Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (12:00)
"As we pray in turn, let us receive the warm and tender love that he has for us." – Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (17:10)

Key Takeaways

Integration of Art and Prayer:
Utilizing sacred art as a focal point for meditation enhances the depth and engagement of one's prayer life.
Dual Themes of Worship and Love:
The Nativity scene serves as a powerful reminder of the balance between reverent worship and the profound love that God has for humanity.
Embodied Theology:
The podcast emphasizes living out theological principles through daily prayer practices, encouraging listeners to embody the worship and love depicted in the Holy Family.

For those interested in following the complete prayer plan and engaging further with the Rosary in a Year journey, visit Ascension Press.

Transcript

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Foreign 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 131. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com forward/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 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. 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@ascensionpress.com support today we will be meditating upon and praying with the third joyful mystery, the Nativity, with help from a Nativity painting in the presbytery of a church in Vienna by the artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini. Okay, first some notes about the artist and the painting. So the artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini was a Venetian painter who was commissioned to paint the interiors of many churches in Europe in the early 1700s. He specialized in historical scenes from the Old Testament and excelled at painting ceilings and domes. He himself lived from 1675 to 1741. The painting we are praying with today was painted somewhere between the years 1725 and 1727. The painting itself was commissioned by an Empress of Austria who commissioned Pellegrini to paint the inside of a church in Vienna, and this is one of the scenes he painted. Instead of using like traditional frescoes where paint is applied to wet plaster, Pellegrini created this painting by applying oil paint dry plaster. This lends the scene a unique color, tone and texture. And now a bit of a description of the painting itself. At the center of this painting is the infant Christ Child in a wooden manger wrapped in soft white clothes. Four figures surround the manger to the right of the Christ Child. To the viewer's left is his mother, bending tenderly and serenely towards Jesus. She kneels in adoration, clothed in flowing pink and blue garments that contrast with the earthly tones of the manger to her right. St. Joseph in Brown actively leans over, protectively perched, as if ready to spring into action, his brown garments blending into the warm, rustic surroundings. His expression is one of quiet reverence, his gaze fixed lovingly on the Christ child. The two figures to Jesus left to the viewer's right, are winged angels, the one near wearing pink, and the exterior angel wearing brown, providing a symmetry to Mary and Joseph. And above the figures is a bright white scene of clouds. Mary pulls upon the corner of the white cloth Jesus lays upon, making a triangular shape, framing Jesus, revealing his identity in the most Holy Trinity and Mary's role in pointing us to it. Jesus's tiny hands are outstretched, as if already offering himself to the world. His face radiates a gentle glow, casting light upon the surrounding figures. So let's go ahead and reflect on this painting in a way that's going to be helpful for our prayer. My theme for today is that in the manger and in the holy family, there is worship and there is warmth. A couple days ago, in our reflection on the Annunciation, we noted the eyes of the angel Gabriel and how they were downcast as his head and body were bowing in reverence to Mary, and how Mary responded right, with her own head, respectfully and humbly tilted, with her eyes also downcast, both taking a disposition of reverence between one another and before the plan of Almighty God. Yesterday at the visitation, we noted the eyes of Elizabeth and Mary locked together, right? Two women who really knew each other and who really saw each other and were sharing in each other's joy as mothers and also sharing in each other's joys that as faithful Jewish women rejoicing in the light of the presence of the promised Messiah. Today, our painting of the Nativity has all eyes. The eyes of men and the eyes of the angels, all on Jesus, right? Joseph, Mary and the two angels. They're gazing upon the newborn Savior in contemplation and adoration. Today we see more than reverence or veneration. Today we see more than simply human love. Today at the Nativity, we encounter the worship proper of creatures to their Creator. In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul writes, at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And what I believe is this is like what will be true in heaven is already true in the manger at Bethlehem, as at the manger in Bethlehem, in the stable already heaven and earth bend the knee in worship of Jesus to the glory of God the Father. Secondly, what we perceive on the countenances on the faces of Mary and Joseph is the profound warmth of love. The one they worship, they also love with the most profound and tender of loves. The one they worship here, newborn in the manger. As he grows, will himself return this love. And he will come to love them with the most profound and tender of loves. What we encounter in the manger of Bethlehem today and what we will encounter in the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth is the answer in history, is the answer in time to the prayer that Jesus would one day teach his disciples. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Here at the Nativity, we see what that looks like. We see its fulfillment and the nature of its fulfillment. The perfect union of adoration and love. The perfect union of worship and warmth. In this moment, how can we join in this worship and warmth? How can we step into the mystery of the Nativity, worshiping him both as we pray now and as we walk through our lives, turning our gaze to him as we pray today, let us place ourselves with Mary and Joseph and all of the holy angels before Jesus in the manger of Bethlehem. And as we pray, let us worship him. As we pray, let us love him. And as we pray in turn, let us receive the warm and tender love that he has for us. And now with Mary and Joseph and all of the angels, 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 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. 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.