
As we begin journeying through the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to illustrate how Jesus’ Agony in the Garden reveals humanity’s rejection of God’s gift. However, despite this rejection we find salvation in Jesus’ incredible love for us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Agony in the Garden and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.
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Foreign Mark Mary with the 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 59. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com rosary in a year or text R YES 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. I encourage you to pick up a copy of the Rosary in a Year Prayer Guide, a book published by Ascension that was designed to complement this podcast. You'll find all the daily readings from Scripture, Saint reflections and beautiful full page images of the sacred arts will be reflecting on the first Sorrowful Mystery is the Agony in the garden Matthew chapter 26, verses 3646 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with me. And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, my Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, so could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again, for the second time he went away and prayed, my Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.
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If I can go ahead and set the vision from the beginning, I'm going to treat our movement through the five Sorrowful Mysteries as kind of one series. As one series, they're not going to be standalone episodes. And I'm going to ask you to trust me with it a little bit, because what I'm going to be doing is I'm going to be looking at the Passion of Jesus as Jesus, though being the innocent lamb, taking upon himself sin and also the journey, like the consequences of the sinner. And we're comparing contrast that as well to the journey made by the Prodigal Son and the parable of the Prodigal Son. As I believe the parable offers us a privileged insight into the sinner's journey. Who. Who asks for his inheritance, who goes to a faraway land, who experiences the consequences of sin, who hits rock bottom and starts to return to the Father. And it'll make sense as Jesus, beginning in the garden, takes upon himself not the inheritance of the Son, but the inheritance of the sinner. He takes upon himself the consequences, the burden of sin and its effects, and will ultimately then reveal to us the truth and the reality and the effects of sin and its ultimate fruit, which is death.
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All right, and so we've had the reading from the Lord's Agony in the garden, and we'll go back to that. But here's an introductory reading from the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This is the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, starting at verse 11. And he said, There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, father, give me the share of property that falls to me. And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country. And my brothers and sisters, this is what sin does like. As the son goes to the Father and says, give me my inheritance. Give me my part of the property. I didn't earn it, it's yours, but give it to me so that I can leave you. I can break this relationship. And with all that you have given me, with all of my inheritance, I can do what I want with it. This is sin. We take all of the gifts that the Lord has given us. We look him in the eye and we say, I am going to do what I want with this, apart from you. And then this son, right, he's going to go, left to his own devices, the Father's going to give it to him. He's going to respect his freedom. Then the son is going to go squander it and waste it. What we'll see playing out in the Passion is the way in which this is playing out in the life of Christ Jesus. Christ is our inheritance. He is the Father's gift to us to give us the Son who reveals to us the fullness of the mysteries and brings us into relationship with the Father who comes to save us. And what do we do? We say, deliver him into our hands. Give him to us that we may do what we want with him without you. And then we see Jesus in this right, knowing Jesus, knowing what happens, knowing that he is the kingdom in his person, that he is our inheritance in his person. He comes to the Father and freely says, father, not my will be done, but your will be done. I freely say yes to your plan, Father. And now it's going to play out in this journey to Gethsemane and ultimately at the cross, as the younger brother squanders waste destroys the inheritance. This is what humanity is going to do to our inheritance. We're going to look the Father in the eye and say, we do not need you, we do not want you. We will take our inheritance, your beloved son, and we will do with him what we will. My brothers and sisters, let us reflect on these two realities. This is what sin is. This is the ugliness. This is the nature of sin. But also let us look at the innocent Lamb. Let us look at our Savior, Jesus Christ, who says yes to this. Why? Because he comes to save us while remaining as innocent and gentle as the babe in Bethlehem.
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In our first reflection on the baptism of the Lord, we saw how Jesus entered into the water, takes upon himself sin as fulfillment of the Old Testament scapegoat as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Lamb of God. And what we see here in the agony of the garden is that the hour has arrived for the Lamb of God to be led to the slaughter. Jesus, the Lamb of God, who has freely said yes, freely taken upon himself the burden of sin, the consequence of sin, the debt of sin and the sinner's journey. The hour has come for the people.
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Of God to be saved by the.
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Blood of this Lamb, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
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My brothers and sisters, 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. 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, my brothers and sisters, thank you for joining me and praying with me again today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. All right, God bless.
Summary of "The Rosary in a Year" Podcast Episode
Title: Day 59: The Nature of Sin
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Release Date: February 28, 2025
In the 59th episode of Ascension’s "The Rosary in a Year" podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames delves into the profound theme of sin, exploring its nature, consequences, and the redemptive role of Jesus Christ. This episode intertwines biblical narratives with deep theological insights, guiding listeners toward a richer understanding of their spiritual journey through the Rosary.
1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46)
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames opens the episode with a poignant reading from the Gospel of Matthew, recounting Jesus’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He emphasizes the emotional turmoil Jesus experienced as he faced impending crucifixion:
“Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with me.”
(00:00)
This passage sets the stage for understanding the depth of Jesus’s sacrifice and his unwavering commitment to God’s will, despite the immense personal cost.
2. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
Transitioning to the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Fr. Ames draws parallels between the young son's journey and humanity's relationship with God:
“This son is going to go, left to his own devices, the Father's going to give it to him. He’s going to respect his freedom.”
(04:06)
He interprets the younger son's request for his inheritance as a symbolic act of rejecting God's provisions, embodying the essence of sin through rebellion and misuse of divine gifts.
Fr. Ames, alongside his co-speaker, elaborates on the interconnectedness of Jesus’s Passion and the Prodigal Son parable. He posits that just as the Prodigal Son demands his inheritance and subsequently squanders it, humanity often rejects God’s grace and misuses the blessings bestowed upon it.
“Christ is our inheritance. He is the Father’s gift to us... And what do we do? We say, deliver him into our hands.”
(04:06)
This analogy underscores the destructive nature of sin, portraying humanity's tendency to reject and misuse divine gifts, leading to spiritual desolation akin to the Prodigal Son's downfall.
Exploring the intrinsic characteristics of sin, Fr. Ames contrasts the selfishness depicted in the Prodigal Son with Jesus’s selfless acceptance of suffering:
“This is what sin does... We take all of the gifts that the Lord has given us... I am going to do what I want with this, apart from you.”
(04:06)
He highlights sin as an act of rebellion against God, where individuals prioritize personal desires over divine will, resulting in the fragmentation of their relationship with the Creator.
Fr. Ames delves into the theological significance of Jesus’s role as the Lamb of God, drawing connections between the Old Testament sacrificial system and the Passion of Christ:
“Jesus entered into the water, takes upon himself sin as fulfillment of the Old Testament scapegoat... the Lamb of God, freely taken upon himself the burden of sin.”
(07:45)
By willingly accepting the consequences of sin, Jesus embodies the ultimate sacrifice, bridging the gap between humanity and salvation. This act not only redeems but also exemplifies unparalleled obedience and love.
As the episode culminates, Fr. Ames reinforces the duality of sin and redemption. While sin represents humanity’s estrangement from God, Jesus’s sacrificial love offers a path to reconciliation and grace. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own spiritual journeys, recognizing the transformative power of the Rosary in fostering a deeper relationship with Jesus and Mary.
“...look at our Savior, Jesus Christ, who says yes to this. Why? Because he comes to save us while remaining as innocent and gentle as the babe in Bethlehem.”
(04:06)
Through this reflection, the podcast imparts a message of hope and restoration, inviting believers to embrace the Rosary as a means to overcome sin and grow in spiritual intimacy.
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames:
“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with me.”
(00:00)
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames:
“This is what sin does... I am going to do what I want with this, apart from you.”
(04:06)
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames:
“Christ is our inheritance. He is the Father’s gift to us...”
(04:06)
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames:
“Jesus entered into the water, takes upon himself sin as fulfillment of the Old Testament scapegoat...”
(07:45)
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames:
“...look at our Savior, Jesus Christ, who says yes to this. Why? Because he comes to save us while remaining as innocent and gentle as the babe in Bethlehem.”
(04:06)
This episode of "The Rosary in a Year" offers a comprehensive exploration of sin's nature and its impact on the human soul, juxtaposed with the redemptive love of Jesus. Through scriptural analysis and theological reflection, Fr. Ames provides listeners with profound insights, encouraging a deeper commitment to prayer and spiritual growth.