Podcast Summary: The Rosary in a Year – Day 24: Still, Small Voice

Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Podcast: The Rosary in a Year (Ascension)
Episode Title: Still, Small Voice (Day 24)
Date: January 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames meditates on the theme of God’s presence in the “still, small voice.” Drawing inspiration from the story of Elijah in 1 Kings and the words from the Apostles’ Creed, "who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary," he guides listeners to recognize the profound, yet often hidden, ways in which the Holy Spirit works in salvation history and in our everyday lives. The episode invites a greater reverence for ordinary moments and encourages building intimacy and gratitude for God's imperceptible actions within us.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Biblical Foundation: God’s Subtle Presence

• Reading from 1 Kings 19:11 (01:36): Fr. Mark-Mary revisits Elijah’s encounter with God, highlighting that God was not found in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in the "still, small voice.”

  “The Lord was not in the great wind. He was not in the earthquake. He was not in the fire. He chose to be. And he came in the still, small voice.” (02:20)

• Reflection:
  Fr. Mark-Mary suggests that the Holy Spirit delights in coming in “simple and small, often hidden and silent” ways, both historically and in our individual journeys.

2. The Annunciation: Hidden Glory

• The Incarnation as an Example (03:10):
  He draws a connection to the Annunciation—where the angel Gabriel appears to Mary in Nazareth and the Holy Spirit comes upon her.

  “The incarnation happens. The Word becomes flesh and dwells among us. The Eternal Word, through whom all things were made, becomes a baby in the womb of the Virgin Mother. In a way which was so simple, almost certainly silent, imperceptible to the senses of those around.” (03:35)

• Parallel to Elijah’s Story:
  Just as God’s presence was quiet for Elijah, the greatest mystery—God becoming man—unfolds quietly and hidden in Mary.

3. The Sacraments: Silent Transformations

Fr. Mark-Mary underscores how God’s action in the sacraments echoes this gentle pattern:

• Baptism (05:10):

  “What was the most powerful work of the Holy Spirit, the most powerful work of God in your life for all of us? ... Look how simple it is. ... Water is poured and these simple words are spoken. ... And the most Holy Trinity comes to dwell within us.”

• Holy Mass (06:10):
  The transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ happens through humble words and gestures, not visible spectacle.

  “Simple, ordinary words to the senses that it’s imperceptible what is happening, what has changed to the substance of the bread and the wine. … God is truly present again.”

• Confession (07:25):
  The sacrament of reconciliation works quietly and hiddenly through the words of absolution.

  “We confess our sins to a simple priest … and the priest says these: ‘I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son. And of the Holy Spirit.’ And through the power of the Holy Spirit, our sins are forgiven.”

• Takeaway:
  God's power is most evident not in the grand and obvious, but in the ordinary, humble, and quietly transformative moments.

4. Invitation to Intimacy and Reverence

• Trust in the Imperceptible (08:10):
  The episode calls listeners to greater trust, gratitude, and reverence for the ongoing, unseen work of the Holy Spirit.

  “Let us be reminded of our great dignity that though in the eyes of the world we are small and insignificant, God has freely willed to reveal his glory by taking up hidden residence in our souls.”

• Analogy of Pregnancy (08:40):
  Fr. Mark-Mary likens God’s hidden presence in our souls to the hidden presence of an unborn child in the mother’s womb—inviting listeners to reflect on their own “hidden intimacy” with God.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s Chosen Manner:

  “The Spirit again and again comes and reveals his glory in the silent, in the hidden, in the small, in the simple.” (04:15)

• On the Christian Dignity:

  “Let us be reminded of our great dignity that though in the eyes of the world we are small and insignificant, God has freely willed to reveal his glory by taking up hidden residence in our souls.” (09:17)

• On Prayerful Intimacy:

  “Let us take a moment and enter into this intimacy. Let us love him. Let us be loved by Him.” (09:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:36] First Kings reading: God’s still, small voice
• [03:35] The Annunciation and Incarnation as simple, silent glory
• [05:10] Baptism: God’s powerful, yet humble, transformation
• [06:10] The Holy Mass: Transubstantiation through quiet words
• [07:25] Confession: Forgiveness in the hidden sphere
• [08:40] Analogy of pregnancy and God’s hidden presence
• [09:17] Call to recognize our dignity and God’s chosen manner of indwelling

Conclusion

Fr. Mark-Mary closes with an invitation to grow in trust and gratitude for the Holy Spirit’s unseen yet profound work within us, through prayer and daily faithfulness. He leaves listeners with a sense of wonder for the ordinary and an encouragement to recognize the sacred in the simple.

Tone: Gentle, reflective, encouraging
Recommended Action: Spend a few moments today in gratitude for God’s quiet and hidden work in your life—recognizing that the Spirit’s most powerful actions are often imperceptible but truly transformative.