Day 146: My Soul Thirsts

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Rosary in a Year – Day 146: "My Soul Thirsts"

Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Publisher: Ascension Press
Release Date: May 26, 2025

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Introduction

In Day 146 of The Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames delves into the profound spiritual experience of Pentecost, emphasizing the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the unique role of the Virgin Mary in this sacred event. This episode, titled "My Soul Thirsts," invites listeners to deepen their prayer life and relationship with Jesus and Mary through meditation, art, and scripture.

Meditation on the Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Fr. Mark-Mary begins by guiding listeners through the third Glorious Mystery of the Rosary—the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. He introduces a captivating piece of sacred art to anchor the meditation:

“Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the third Glorious mystery, the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost with a painting called Pentecost by the artist Jean Restaud.” ([00:22])

Artistic Reflection: Jean Restaud’s "Pentecost"

Fr. Mark-Mary provides an insightful description of Jean Restaud’s 1732 Baroque painting, highlighting its dramatic portrayal of the Holy Spirit's descent:

“In a grand classical colonnade, the Virgin Mary stands atop a white marble platform, raising her eyes confidently towards heaven, draped in red and blue. Beams of light cascade down from heavenly light, leaving a flame on her head and the dozens that surround her.” ([01:48])

He contrasts Mary's composed and confident demeanor with the disciples’ varied reactions of fear and awe, underscoring her unique spiritual maturity.

Mary’s Unique Response: A Veteran of Faith

Fr. Mark-Mary draws a parallel between Mary's response and the behavior of someone seasoned versus a novice in facing intense experiences:

“Notice how the disciples, like so many of them, they're shocked and they're shaken and they're afraid at the coming of the Holy Spirit… Yet Mary's response is quite different. Mary experiences the same external phenomena but with confidence and boldness.” ([03:17])

He elaborates that Mary's prior experience of being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit during the Annunciation has equipped her with a discerned and peaceful response during Pentecost.

Spiritual Thirst: Psalm 63 and Mary’s Fulfillment

Connecting the meditation to scripture, Fr. Mark-Mary introduces Psalm 63, reflecting Mary’s deep yearning for God:

“Here is Psalm 63: 'Oh, God, you are my God. I seek you; my soul thirsts for you...'" ([07:50])

He interprets Mary’s experience at Pentecost as a fulfillment of her spiritual thirst, encouraging listeners to emulate her desire for the Holy Spirit:

“Mary at Pentecost drinks deeply of a living God… today she wants us all to drink deeply of the new wine, the new wine that is the Holy Spirit.” ([08:08])

Invitation to Prayer: Embracing the Holy Spirit

Fr. Mark-Mary leads the congregation in a heartfelt invocation to the Holy Spirit, urging a deeper connection and receptivity:

“Come, Holy Spirit, Come. More of you. God, we want more of you. Always more of you. Fill us, Lord, with your light, with your power, your fire, your peace, your glory.” ([09:40])

This invitation sets the tone for the ensuing Rosary prayer, fostering an environment of spiritual openness and transformation.

The Rosary: A Pathway to Grace

Throughout the prayer, Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes the Rosary as a conduit for grace and a tool for deepening one's relationship with Jesus and Mary. The episode features a full recitation of the Rosary, allowing listeners to join in communal prayer and meditation.

Conclusion

Fr. Mark-Mary concludes the episode with a blessing and a heartfelt farewell:

“Thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Friends, God bless you all.” ([13:48])

He encourages listeners to continue their Rosary journey, promising ongoing spiritual enrichment and deeper connections with the Divine.

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Key Takeaways

• Mary’s Spiritual Maturity: Unlike the disciples, Mary responds to the Holy Spirit with unwavering confidence, illustrating the profound depth of her faith.

• Psalm 63 as a Spiritual Mirror: Mary’s soul thirsts for God, serving as an example for believers to seek and embrace the Holy Spirit fully.

• The Rosary as Transformation: Engaging in the Rosary fosters a deeper relationship with Jesus and Mary, becoming a source of grace and peace.

Notable Quotes

• “Mary experiences the same external phenomena but with confidence and boldness.” – Fr. Mark-Mary Ames ([03:17])

• “Mary at Pentecost drinks deeply of a living God… today she wants us all to drink deeply of the new wine, the Holy Spirit.” – Fr. Mark-Mary Ames ([08:08])

• “Come, Holy Spirit, Come. More of you. God, we want more of you.” – Fr. Mark-Mary Ames ([09:40])

Further Resources

For a complete prayer plan and to track your Rosary journey, visit Ascension Press – Rosary in a Year. You can also text "RIY" to 33777 to receive your prayer outline.

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This episode of The Rosary in a Year offers a profound exploration of faith, art, and scripture, guiding listeners toward a more intimate and transformative prayer life through the Rosary.

Transcript

[Unknown]

Foreign.

[Mark Mary]

Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars, the Renewal and this is the Rosary in 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.

[Unknown]

This is day 146.

[Mark Mary]

To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com rosary in a year or text RIY 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 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 generosity is so appreciated and helps us to reach as many people as possible. And if you haven't already, please consider supporting [e-mail] support.

[Unknown]

Today we will be.

Meditating upon and praying with the third.

Glorious mystery, the Descent of the Holy.

Spirit on Pentecost with a painting called Pentecost by the artist Jean Restaurant all right, again, brief introduction to our artists.

In art for today.

The painting is called Pentecost and it was done in the year 1732 by the artist Jean Restaud. Restaud was born in 1692 and he died in the year 1768. He was a prominent French painter and.

Draftsman of the 18th century.

Born in Normandy, he came from a family of artists.

His father was Jean Restaud the Elder.

A church painter, and his mother was also an artist. Today's painting was done in the year 1732 and the style is of Baroque influences. And now our visual description of the painting. In a grand classical colonnade, the Virgin Mary stands atop a white marble platform.

Raising her eyes confidently towards heaven, draped in red and blue. As beams of light cascade down from.

Heavenly light, leaving a flame on the head of her and the dozens that surround her, each figure that accompanies the Blessed Mother reacts uniquely to the celestial flames, some in terror and reverence, some wonder, fear, shock. In the chaos, a woman deeply bows to Mary. A man in the foreground prostrates and clasps his hands above his head in fearful prayer. Okay, so with today's painting, I am both fascinated and captivated by Mary's disposition and response to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, particularly in contrast to that of the other disciples Depicted. And today I'd like us to pray.

With two themes regarding Mary here.

Firstly, there's a fairly common phenomena, right, that is expressed in a wide variety of situations in which those who are veterans of a given situation react radically different from those who are experiencing something for the first time. A couple brief examples to make the point. I think it's common that if you notice the way, you know, like first time parents react to their only child versus like a family who has a child of equal age, but it's say their sixth, seventh, eighth child, right? The veteran parent might see a situation or hear some crying, some tears, and not immediately run like, as if it's an emergency. And it's not that they don't care, but because they've learned to discern clearly like what is an emergency and what isn't, they can have a certain confidence or even peace even when you know they're hearing tears, for example. A couple other sort of quick examples like, you know, cue the response of a, like a first time adult passenger on a flight when encountering turbulence versus a person who's been flying their whole life or, or the pilot or a flight attendant. Or perhaps like a young child hearing thunder for the first time versus an adult. I think of, you know, perhaps a farmer with a young child. The young child hears the thunder and the storm outside and they get afraid. Like they're afraid the parent knows everything's gonna be okay. And the fact that they're a farmer is like, actually this isn't something to be feared. This is something to be rejoiced in. Because this water, like it's feeding our crop like this can provide not actually danger, but sustenance. And so the point is this, like when something new is experienced, especially if it comes with thunder or turbulence or something potentially scary to the senses, there's a natural response which we see from the person experiencing it for the first time of caution, of alarm, maybe even fear. But for the one who's familiar with the phenomena, who's been there before, the response, which is a well discerned response as opposed to like a naive one, it's able to remain calm, confident, at peace, even when surrounded by thunder, lightning and fire. And so we get to the disciples response here in this painting by Jean Restaud. Notice how the disciples, like so many of them, they're shocked and they're shaken and they're afraid at the coming of the Holy Spirit. This theophany of God, which like makes the room tremble and it fills it with fire. And to be Fair, like, I think their response is reasonable, like fear before thunder and fire. Right? It is reasonable fear before the glory and power of God. It's a reasonable response in a sense. Yet Mary's response is quite different. Mary experiences the same external phenomena, but with confidence and boldness. And remember, like Mary has been overshadowed by the Holy Spirit before, call to.

Mind the words of the angel Gabriel.

Announcing that she will be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. Now I understand, like, there's no reason to believe that there was thunder and fire as she was overshadowed by the.

Holy Spirit and the Word became flesh in her womb.

It's possible, certainly, but I posit probably unlikely.

However, as the Holy Spirit descends at.

Pentecost, as she's overshadowed anew at Pentecost, she may not have recognized the phenomena, but she recognized the person, the person of the Holy Spirit, the one she loves, one who is to be worshiped with awe, but not one whose power.

Is to be hidden from, but one.

Whose power is to be drunken of deeply. And so that that's what Mary does. And this leads me to my second point of reflection. Here is.

I see Mary here experiencing the fulfillment.

Of the promise and the beatitude. Blessed are who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. How Mary thirsted for the living God.

And now here, right, she is being filled anew.

And I kind of want us to place this psalm upon Mary's heart, upon her lips, here at this time of Pentecost.

This is Psalm 63.

I'm using Psalm 63 is what I have in the Ascension Bible, but in some it might be 62.

Oh, God, you are my God. I seek you.

My soul thirsts for you. My flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where no water is. I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory, because your merciful love is better than life. My lips will praise you, so I.

Will bless you as long as I live.

I lift up my hands and call on your name. My soul thirsts for you in the sanctuary. I behold your power and glory again. This is Psalm 63, if you want to go and pray with it. Mary at Pentecost drinks deeply of a living God. And as she was sure to make sure everyone received the wine back at the wedding feast of Cana, like at Pentecost. And today she wants us all to drink deeply of the new wine, the new wine that is the Holy Spirit. So, as we pray today, I'll invite.

You to drink deeply of the living.

God, the Holy Spirit. As we pray.

Come, Holy Spirit, Come. More of you. God, we want more of you.

Always more of you.

Fill us, Lord, with your light, with your power, your fire, your peace, your glory.

May we always hunger and thirst for you alone. Come, Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit.

May we drink deeply of you. 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 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 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.

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. All right. Poco Poco. Friends, God bless you all.