Day 160: Choose Your Side

Summary

Podcast Summary: "The Rosary in a Year – Day 160: Choose Your Side" with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames

Hosted by Ascension, "The Rosary in a Year" podcast, guided by Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, offers listeners a transformative journey into deeper prayer and meditation through the Rosary. In Episode Day 160 titled "Choose Your Side," released on May 9, 2025, Fr. Ames delves into the Second Sorrowful Mystery, the Scourging of Our Lord, using Caravaggio's evocative artwork as a focal point for meditation and spiritual reflection.

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Exploring Caravaggio’s "The Flagellation of Christ"

Introduction to the Artwork

Fr. Ames begins the episode by presenting Caravaggio's "Flagellation of Christ" (1607), highlighting the artist's profound influence on Baroque painting through his realistic portrayal of human emotion and dramatic use of chiaroscuro (00:52).

"Caravaggio employed close physical observation with dramatic use of chiaroscuro that came to be known as tenebrism, and he made the technique a dominant stylistic element, transfixing subjects in bright shafts of light and darkening shadows."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [01:30]

Detailed Description and Artistic Analysis

Fr. Ames provides a vivid description of the painting, emphasizing the emotional intensity and technical mastery:

• Christ’s Struggle: Christ is depicted with a muscular form, contorting as he endures the scourging, symbolizing his resilience and suffering (02:00).

• Tormentors: Three soldiers flank Christ, each representing different facets of evil and human sin:

  • One soldier’s face contorts in anger, holding a branch and striking his hair in a display of raw vengeance (04:34).
  • Another, stripped to the waist, aggressively presses against Christ’s legs, epitomizing active cruelty (06:27).
  • The third soldier meticulously prepares his whipping gear, embodying calculated malice (07:18).

"There is a battle taking place between good and evil, light and darkness, God and Satan and his host of fallen angels."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [04:00]

Fr. Ames praises Caravaggio's ability to visually communicate the eternal struggle between light and darkness, highlighting the painting as a powerful tool for meditation on suffering and redemption.

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Symbolism and Spiritual Insights

Personification of Sin and Indifference

Fr. Ames interprets the soldiers in the painting as embodiments of various sins:

• Vengeance and Passion: The first soldier represents "sins of the flesh" and uncontrolled passions, acting purely out of a desire for vengeance without personal connection to Christ (05:00).

• Indifference and Cowardice: The second soldier symbolizes sins of indifference and cowardice, passively allowing evil without actively participating in it (06:31).

• Rebellion and Blasphemy: The third soldier stands for rebellion against divine order, consciously choosing to perpetuate evil (07:21).

"This man who is not corrupt enough to strike Jesus is also not courageous enough to intervene. He acts from vengeance, giving expression to the darkness within."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [04:44]

Choosing Sides in Spiritual Warfare

Transitioning from art analysis, Fr. Ames emphasizes the importance of recognizing the ongoing spiritual battle within and around us:

"My brothers and sisters, we cannot compromise with darkness. We cannot shake hands with sin."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [08:42]

He urges listeners to consciously choose their allegiance:

• Sons and Daughters of Darkness: Aligning with selfishness, anger, and evil intentions.
• Sons and Daughters of Light: Embracing humility, courage, and the teachings of Jesus and Mary.

"There is a war in our midst. Are we sons and daughters of the Prince of Darkness, or are we sons and daughters of the humble King, Light from light and true God from true God?"
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [08:55]

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Prayer and Reflection

Fr. Ames concludes the episode by guiding listeners through a series of prayers, inviting them to seek divine assistance in overcoming sin and embracing the light:

"Let us ask for the grace to repent of our sins, to leave the darkness and to truly live as sons and daughters of light. Now with Mary, let us pray."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [09:30]

The podcast then transitions into the recitation of the Lord's Prayer and multiple Hail Marys, fostering a meditative atmosphere for listeners to internalize the discussed themes.

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Conclusion and Invitation for Continued Journey

As the episode wraps up, Fr. Ames thanks the listeners for their participation and encourages them to continue their spiritual journey:

"Thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [13:29]

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Key Takeaways:

• Art as Meditation: Utilizing Caravaggio’s "Flagellation of Christ" to deepen understanding of Christ’s suffering and the nature of sin.
• Personal Reflection: Encouraging listeners to identify and choose their spiritual allegiance amidst the battle between good and evil.
• Spiritual Discipline: Reinforcing the importance of daily prayer and meditation in cultivating a relationship with Jesus and Mary.
• Community and Grace: Highlighting the Rosary as a communal prayer that becomes a source of grace for individuals and the world.

Resources:

For a complete prayer plan, listeners are directed to visit Ascension Press – Rosary in a Year.

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This summary encapsulates the core discussions and spiritual insights presented in Day 160 of "The Rosary in a Year" podcast, offering a comprehensive overview for those who seek to deepen their prayer life and understanding of Marian devotion.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars with 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. This is day 160. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com 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 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. No matter what app you're listening in, remember to tap, follow or subscribe for your daily notifications. Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the second sorrowful Mystery, the.

[B]

Scourging of our Lord at the pillar.

[A]

With help from a painting entitled the Flagellation of Christ by the artist Caravaggio and now introduction to our artist and artwork. Caravaggio was born in the year 1571, he died in the year 1610, and he was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of his life, he moved between Naples, Malta and Sicily until his death, and his paintings have been characterized by art critics as combining a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, which had a formative influence on Baroque painting. This painting was done in the year 1607, and just a quick note on its style, it is the style is Baroque, and Caravaggio employed close physical observation with dramatic use of chiaroscuro that came to be known as tenebrism, and he made the technique a dominant stylistic element, transfixing subjects in bright shafts of light and darkening shadows. Now a description of the painting the muscular form of Christ's body leans and twists as he pushes to remain upright. Light reflects starkly off his bare skin as three tormentors flank him. A simple white cloth is wrapped around his loin behind him. His arms are bound with ropes to a sturdy marble column that rises up and out of the frame. The painting has a striking contrast between light and dark areas, emphasizing the conflict between goodness and evil. One man holds Jesus hair in his hand, a swatch of branches in the other. His face contorts and his layers of clothing fall from his shoulder due to.

[B]

His vigor as he prepares to flog Christ.

[A]

Another man stripped down to his waist, presses his foot against Christ's legs as he reaches for Christ's bound hands. The third prepares his weapon as he binds another switch for the flogging. I am yet to see a Caravaggio painting that I didn't love. You know, I certainly haven't seen them all, but he is definitely one of my favorites and probably my favorite artist. In the next couple of episodes, we're going to come across his work a couple more times. We see here in his work entitled the Flagellation of Christ, his expert use, right, of chiaroscuro, light and darkness and contrasting of it. And I do think it's perfect for communicating visibly what is in fact happening here. There is a battle taking place between good and evil, light and darkness, God and Satan and his host of fallen angels. And I must say that what stands out to me immediately, even more so than the beautiful Lamb of God being led to the slaughter, is the darkness, the evil depicted in the anger, hatred, violence and tragic intentionality of the Roman.

[B]

Soldiers scourging the Lord.

[A]

Now firstly, notice the hatred on the face on the man to Jesus rights.

[B]

The viewers left.

[A]

This man, who almost certainly up to this point had never met Jesus. This man who most certainly does not act to protect peace or to honor Caesar, like there's no noble intention here. He acts from vengeance, giving expression to the darkness within. Just behold the depths to which humanity can fall. And I see him kind of as a personification of sins of the flesh, of the passions, right? He's vengefully acting out, seeking blood for blood's sake. On the opposite side of Jesus is a Roman soldier. And he's holding behind his back the tied hands of Jesus. Now, it doesn't look like he's necessarily acting in violence. He's not directly attacking the Lord or spitting upon him, but he is enabling it and in a very real way assenting to it. This man who is not corrupt enough to strike Jesus, is also not courageous enough to intervene. And I can see in him the sins of indifference, of cowardice, of an idolized self preservation. His goal is to save himself at all cost, but in doing so he.

[B]

Will lose his very self.

[A]

And he here ties up, right, Jesus body, Jesus hands, just as his self will and fear ties up Jesus ability to speak to him, to guide him. He is bound by cowardice and fear as Jesus hands are bound by rope. And then lastly, we have the Roman soldier at the bottom of the painting whose back is to us, but he alone like faces Jesus.

[B]

And he is slowly.

[A]

Meticulously knowingly preparing his weapon of torture while looking at Jesus dead in the face. It's almost as if he is stooping low because he wants Jesus to see him. He wants to see what he is doing. It's personal. It's intentional. Like it's not just a passive assent to evil. Again, he is intentional and he is knowing. And he can be said to not just personify like sins of weakness in the flesh, but rebellion and blasphemy and direction of truth and light and goodness and God. He himself is a proud rebel.

[B]

A.

[A]

Son of Satan himself. And then we see Jesus courageous enough, free enough, strong enough, humble enough to freely stand in their midst to receive.

[B]

Their fury and their blows.

[A]

My brothers and sisters, we cannot compromise with darkness. We cannot shake hands with sin.

[C]

Right.

[B]

There is a war in our midst.

[A]

And we must choose sides.

[B]

Are we sons and daughters of the.

[A]

Proud demon, the Prince of Darkness?

[B]

Or are we sons and daughters of the humble king, Light from light and true God from true God. Now, with Mary's help as we pray.

[A]

Let us ask for the grace to repent of our sins.

[B]

To leave the.

[A]

Darkness and to truly live as sons.

[B]

And daughters of light. Now with Mary, let us pray. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[A]

And lead us not into temptation, but.

[B]

Deliver us from evil.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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. Holy pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

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.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[C]

Amen.

[B]

All right. Thanks so much for joining me and.

[A]

Praying with me today.

[B]

I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Poco.

[A]

Poco. Friends, God bless y' all.