Day 202: Scapegoat and Savior

Summary

Podcast Summary: “Day 202: Scapegoat and Savior”

Podcast: The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
Host: Ascension
Date: July 21, 2026
Episode Theme: Meditating on Jesus as the Scapegoat and Savior through the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – Jesus carrying His Cross

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames reflects on the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary, focusing on Jesus carrying His Cross. The central theme explores Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament concept of the scapegoat—taking upon Himself the sins of humanity, facing rejection, and transforming suffering into redemptive glory. The meditation also considers Simon of Cyrene’s role in carrying the cross, inviting listeners to contemplate their own suffering in light of Christ’s surrender. Fr. Mark-Mary concludes with practical steps for prayerful reflection and leads listeners through a decade of the Rosary.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Old Testament Scapegoat: Foretelling Christ’s Sacrifice

• Background: On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would lay hands on a literal scapegoat, symbolically transferring the sins of the people, before sending the animal into the wilderness.
• Connection to Jesus:
  • “We looked at Jesus as the fulfillment of the new scapegoat…taking upon himself all of the sins of humanity.” (01:04–01:35)
  • Jesus, like the scapegoat, is led outside the city (Jerusalem) to Golgotha, carrying the sins of the world.

2. Jesus’ Freely Chosen Exile and the Redemptive Purpose of Suffering

• Jesus is not a passive victim. He “freely makes this journey, freely taking upon himself the exile, the rejection, the sins of all of the people.” (02:18–02:43)
• The act of going “out into the wilderness” echoes the scapegoat’s role, but with divine purpose: suffering is embraced, not avoided.

3. Simon of Cyrene: An Icon of Sharing in Christ’s Suffering

• Simon is “compelled to help Jesus carry his cross.” (03:04)
• Although forced, Simon’s action offers a lesson:
  • He could carry it begrudgingly, focused only on his own injustice.
  • Or, he could be “open to, in this case, Jesus,” allowing suffering to draw him closer to Christ. (03:40–04:07)
• Notable Caveat: “This isn't supposed to be used to kind of manipulate us into like, not fighting injustice…But there are many crosses, sufferings that we are going to have to carry while seeking proper remedy…loss, chronic illness, etc.” (04:34–05:06)

4. Christian Response to Suffering: Surrender and Union with Christ

• In suffering, can we be open to it “bringing us close to Jesus” and pray “not my will, but your will be done”? (05:08–05:19)
• Suffering with Christ is not wasted—it has “unitive potential,” leading to transformation and grace.

5. Victory in the Cross: St. Thomas Aquinas’ Teaching

• Quote: “Jesus Christ bore his cross as a king does his scepter. His cross is the sign of his glory, which is his universal dominion over all things.” (05:46–06:01)
• “He carried his cross as a victor carries the trophy of his victory.” (06:03–06:08)
• Christ transforms the cross—an instrument of dishonor—into a “trophy” of victory. If we learn to embrace our own crosses with Him, even painful and disgraceful things can become “salvific, glorious, transformative.” (06:47–07:05)

6. Reflection: Suffering Alone vs. Suffering with Christ

• “To suffer alone, it is tragic. But to suffer with Jesus is redemptive and is salvific.” (07:11–07:27)
• Listeners are invited to reflect:
  • What grace is being offered?
  • What response is the Lord inviting?
  • What grace should be requested for this response?
  • Join in thanksgiving and rejoicing at the mystery of salvation. (07:42–08:24)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jesus as Scapegoat:
  “Jesus himself, like, freely making this journey, freely taking upon himself the exile, the rejection, the sins of all of the people, and carrying it into the wilderness or…to his place of crucifixion.” (02:18–02:46)

• On accepting suffering:
  “Can we, in the midst of this cross, have an openness to it, bringing us close to Jesus? Can we, in some way, model the prayer of Jesus: not my will, but your will be done.” (05:08–05:19)

• On the transformative power of the Cross:
  “Jesus, in embracing the cross and freely accepting the cross and carrying the cross, glorifies the cross and is glorified through the cross. And in doing so, Jesus changes that which is unholy and disgraceful and dishonorable into something royal, something victorious…a trophy, his victory.” (06:16–06:36)

• On suffering with Christ:
  “To suffer alone, it is tragic. But to suffer with Jesus is redemptive and is salvific.” (07:11–07:27)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:04–01:35 – Introducing Jesus as the fulfillment of the scapegoat.
• 02:18–02:46 – Jesus’ willing embrace of the cross and exile.
• 03:04–04:07 – Meditation on Simon of Cyrene’s role and potential openness to Jesus.
• 04:34–05:06 – The distinction between accepting suffering and passivity toward injustice.
• 05:19 – Praying “not my will, but your will be done.”
• 05:46–06:36 – St. Thomas Aquinas on the cross as a scepter and trophy.
• 07:11–07:27 – The salvific nature of suffering with Christ.

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Flow of the Episode

1. Introduction and Prayer Preparation (00:04–01:03)
2. Scriptural and Theological Reflection
   • Old Testament scapegoat and Jesus’ fulfillment
   • Meditations on suffering and Simon of Cyrene
   • The new meaning of the cross through Christ
3. Application and Invitation to Personal Prayer
   • Four-step reflection: Receive, Respond, Request, Rejoice (07:42–08:24)
4. Praying the Decade of the Rosary (10:05–14:19)
5. Closing Blessing and Encouragement (14:42–14:50)

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Takeaways

• The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery reminds Christians of Christ’s role as both scapegoat and savior, transforming suffering into redemption.
• Listeners are encouraged to model their response to suffering after Christ and Simon of Cyrene—open to the grace of uniting their crosses to Jesus’.
• Embracing suffering with and for Christ turns what is tragic into something salvific, drawing us into deeper unity with Him and with others who suffer.

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For Those Seeking More:
Download the prayer plan and find additional resources at ascensionpress.com/rosaryinayear.

“Friends, God bless y’all.” (14:50)

Transcript

[Intro Announcer]

Foreign.

[Host Friar]

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

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

a source of grace for the whole world.

[Host Friar]

The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

This is day 202.

[Host Friar]

To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.comrosaryinayear 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 this podcast 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. No matter what app you're listening in, remember to tap, follow or subscribe for your daily notifications.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Today we will be meditating upon and

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

praying with the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, Jesus

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

carrying His Cross

[Prayer Participant]

and before our time

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

of prayer, let's review what we have prayed with and meditating upon. Up to this point, a theme that we touched on in a variety of different ways was looking at Jesus as the fulfillment of the new scapegoat. And we talked about back in the Old Testament, for the Day of Atonement

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

there was a scapegoat, a literal goat

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

that the high priest would place his hands on on the Day of Atonement, and then this goat would be offered by sending it off into the wilderness. And there's many ways in which we looked at Jesus becoming the fulfillment of this, taking upon himself all of the sins of humanity. And this is a fitting reflection for the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery because, as you may recall, to be crucified, Jesus was led outside of the city, namely Jerusalem, to Golgotha. And so we can call to mind

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

this goat which, if you will, has

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

received the sins of the world, going out into the wilderness, leaving the city to be offered, and Jesus himself, like, freely making this journey, freely taking upon himself the exile, the rejection, the sins

[Prayer Participant]

of all of the people, and carrying

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

it into the wilderness or carrying it

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

to his place of crucifixion.

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

Then in a further meditation, our own meditation was met by Simon and we looked at how Simon was compelled

[Prayer Participant]

to

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

help Jesus carry his cross.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

He was forced to do so, but

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

Simon, he was compelled but still free. And Simon could have carried the cross under force, like endured his own share in this injustice, like completely keeping to himself completely, like begrudgingly like, with the constant narrative of just like rejection of what was happening

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

or There could have

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

been some openness to, in this case,

[Prayer Participant]

Jesus,

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

and looking at Jesus, conversing with Jesus, allowing the suffering that Simon was experiencing, the injustice that the Simon was experiencing, to allowing it to bring him close to Jesus. And I do believe that if Simon, like Jesus, at some point accepts

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

his

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

part, his lot accepts the cross, surrenders to what is happening. It's an opportunity for him to encounter the Lord. And we're not going to go into

[Prayer Participant]

it in a lot of detail, but

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

again, it's, I think it's an important caveat, reminder that this isn't supposed to be used to kind of manipulate us into like, not fighting injustice, etc. But there are many crosses, sufferings that we are going to have to carry while seeking like a proper remedy, while seeking proper judgment, or that we are going to be caring for our lives, such as the crosses of loss of chronic illness, etc.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

And can we in the midst of

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

this cross, have an openness to it, bringing us close to Jesus? Can we in some way model the prayer of Jesus, not my will, but

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

your will be done.

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

This act of surrender, of trust, of openness to the saving power of God and the unitive potential of suffering with our Lord.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

And lastly, for our review today, if

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

you, if you recall, St. Thomas Aquinas, he wrote this speaking of Jesus Christ bore his cross as a king does his scepter.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

His cross is the sign of his

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

glory, which is his universal dominion over all things.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

And he goes on to say, he

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

carried his cross as a victor carries

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

the trophy of his victory. And Jesus, in embracing the cross and

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

freely accepting the cross and carrying the cross, he glorifies the cross and is glorified through the cross. And in doing so, Jesus changes that which is unholy and disgraceful and dishonorable into something royal, something victorious,

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

a trophy, his victory.

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

If we too learn to carry our cross, embrace our cross with Jesus,

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

these painful, dishonorable, disgraceful things can be salvific, glorious, transformative,

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

and become trophies of our

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

share in this victory.

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

Brothers and sisters, it's true, it remains

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

true that to suffer alone, it is tragic. But to suffer with Jesus is redemptive and is salvific.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

So now let us take a moment of stillness

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

to sit with this mystery, to sit with what we have reviewed

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

and called to mind today.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

And let's go through this roadmap of prayer, these four Rs today, in this moment, what is the grace being offered, the truth being revealed, that you are invited to receive?

[Intro Announcer]

Sam,

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

How can you respond? What is the grace that you would like to request at the service of this response. And then rejoice. Give thanks to the Lord for this time of prayer, for this mystery of our salvation and for the grace given in the life of God shared. And now, together with Mary, let us pray. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

And lead us not into temptation, but.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

But deliver us from evil.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed

[Prayer Participant]

is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women and and blessed is

[Prayer Participant]

the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Intro Announcer]

Holy.

[Prayer Participant]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the Blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Amen.

[Prayer Participant]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the Blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the Blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Amen.

[Prayer Participant]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

is with the Blessed art thou among

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Prayer Participant]

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

The Lord is with the Blessed art

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

thou among women, and blessed is the

[Prayer Participant]

fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Prayer Participant]

Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

As it was in the beginning, is

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

now and ever shall be, world without end.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Amen.

[Prayer Participant]

In the name of the Father and

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

the name and of the Son and

[Prayer Participant]

of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

Thank you so much for joining me

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

and praying with me again today.

[Meditation Speaker / Friar]

I look forward to continuing this journey

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

with you again tomorrow.

[Prayer Leader / Reader]

Poco.

[Host Friar]

Poco.

[Main Speaker / Friar Leading Prayer]

Friends, God bless y' all.