Day 185: Proclaiming Christ

Speaker 1 I'm Father Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and this is the Rosary in the 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.

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Speaker 8 This is day 185.

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Speaker 15 Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the second glorious mystery, the ascension,

Speaker 18 with help from painting entitled Appearance on the Mountain in Galilee by the artist Duccio.

Speaker 12 Okay, now a brief introduction to our artist and our artwork.

Speaker 1 Duccio di Buonensegna was born in the year 1255 and he died around the year 1318 or 1319.

Speaker 16 He was the founder of the Sienese school and a pivotal figure transitioning transitioning Italian art from Byzantine formalism to Gothic expressiveness.

Speaker 13 Active primarily in Siena, he blended Byzantine iconography with Gothic elegance and nascent naturalism.

Speaker 18 So our painting today, again, entitled Appearance on the Mountain in Galilee, was done by Duccio between the years 1308 and about 1311.

Speaker 20 And some of the styles that we'll see of Duccio here are the Byzantine tradition.

Speaker 11 We see this, for example, with the gold backgrounds, Gothic refinement, the delicate drapery, rhythmic lines, and emotional nuance in faces, and early spatial depth, though less naturalistic than Giotto Tuccio experiments with rudimentary perspectives, as seen in, for example, the receding mountain.

Speaker 2 And now, a description of our painting.

Speaker 2 Against a gleaming background of gold leaf, the risen Jesus gazes intently at his group of disciples.

Speaker 2 His hands are extended towards them, one palm facing upward, the other downward in a gesture of both teaching and blessing.

Speaker 23 He stands upon a stylized mountain, his ledge slightly elevated above the gathered apostles.

Speaker 2 Christ is clothed in a deep crimson tunic beneath a flowing mantle of rich blue. Both garments are edged with delicate gold lines that catch the

Speaker 2 The eleven apostles cluster before him on the craggy, earth-toned mountain. Each disciple has a carefully rendered and distinct face.

Speaker 2 They are depicted in a range of ages, from youthful to elderly, and each in their own color of clothing.

Speaker 7 Together, they express solemn reverence and wonder as they carefully absorb the words of Christ.

Speaker 25 All right, friends, you and I, I,

Speaker 26 we have a mission.

Speaker 4 We have a mission.

Speaker 19 We have a job to do

Speaker 8 and

Speaker 18 an obligation to do it.

Speaker 26 In our painting today, we have Jesus after his resurrection, but before his ascension, meeting with the apostles on the mountain in Galilee, where he gives them what is popularly known as the Great Commission.

Speaker 4 And this is Matthew chapter 28, starting at verse 18.

Speaker 22 And this is what the gospel says.

Speaker 18 And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Speaker 13 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Speaker 2 And behold, I am with you always to the close of the age.

Speaker 23 Like Jesus is about to ascend to the Father.

Speaker 27 And first, there's the reminder, right, that the ascension will not be a lack of him being present to us or being at work with us or through us, but a new way of being present to us, as we've previously discussed, and is affirmed by the last words of St.

Speaker 22 Matthew's gospel, behold, I am with you always to the close of the age.

Speaker 18 Also, his mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God and evangelizing the world, it's not brought to a conclusion, but it takes on a new form.

Speaker 4 Here we see the risen Lord, like the divine king, gives to his apostles a share in his own authority and the mandate to proclaim Jesus throughout the world,

Speaker 13 entrusting this mission that Jesus lived during his early life to the church.

Speaker 19 He will continue to be at work establishing his kingdom and calling men and women to repentance, but it will be through the church founded upon the apostles, but also including you and me.

Speaker 10 Following Jesus

Speaker 4 and being a good Christian,

Speaker 5 it cannot be reduced to saying our prayers,

Speaker 5 to going to mass on Sunday,

Speaker 13 perhaps reading books or listening to podcasts for our own personal edification,

Speaker 5 donating to charity here and there.

Speaker 18 Like all of this is important.

Speaker 29 That's true.

Speaker 19 But for something to be essential, doesn't mean that it is exhaustive, right?

Speaker 26 Praying, going to mass, growing in knowledge of the faith, tithing like yeah they're all necessary

Speaker 26 but we can't reduce christianity to something that is me centric where it's just about me and my relationship with jesus jesus called the disciples and he called them to be with him and he formed them and he taught them and he empowered them but then like he sends them out on a mission It's like both and both our relationship, but also mission.

Speaker 19 And of course, like he first fished them,

Speaker 4 but he also sent them out to be fishers of men.

Speaker 5 We have a duty to nourish and foster our own relationship with Jesus, but we also have a duty

Speaker 7 to bring Jesus to the world and the world to Jesus.

Speaker 12 to tell people about Jesus and to introduce people to Jesus through our words, our witness, our hope, our service, and our prayers.

Speaker 13 And the form that this takes for each of us will be unique, but no one is excluded from this call.

Speaker 16 For some, it may be just through the offerings of sufferings and prayers, but still, like no one is exempt.

Speaker 19 And for today, just two practicals.

Speaker 8 I wanted just to think about, like, when was the last time that you mentioned Jesus to someone or took the opportunity?

Speaker 4 to share something about your faith with another person, especially someone who may not be a practicing Christian.

Speaker 20 Jesus wants to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth, but the gospel,

Speaker 5 the good news,

Speaker 20 it will remain silent if we do not speak it.

Speaker 5 And secondly, like, let's trust God with this.

Speaker 31 Like, he is with us, and we don't go forward alone.

Speaker 4 So this is what I'm going to ask you to do.

Speaker 12 Like, I'm going to encourage you in a moment of prayer and to really say this to jesus jesus

Speaker 18 who do you want to send me to

Speaker 2 who do you want me to love

Speaker 10 with your love and to speak to with your truth

Speaker 10 and wait on the lord

Speaker 17 and see if any particular person comes to mind or or you can also prayerfully like say this Hey, Jesus, like if you open the door, if you open the door to a conversation about you, I'll enter it.

Speaker 13 But I'm going to need you to open the door, and I'm going to need your grace to give me the courage to actually enter it.

Speaker 5 Like, I want to be obedient to my mission, Jesus, but I can't do it without you.

Speaker 13 We bring this openness, the awareness of our mission.

Speaker 22 But part of the beauty of the ascension is that

Speaker 26 When he sends us, he actually goes with us.

Speaker 22 So we can find our confidence in Jesus being with us, but also just this openness to who he's bringing to our lives and any opportunities, any open doors in which we can help to share his good news, proclaim his kingdom, so that we can be obedient to this great commission and making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Speaker 32 Amen.

Speaker 12 So asking for courage, asking for the eyes to see the open doors, the words to speak.

Speaker 20 Let us, with Mary, now pray.

Speaker 13 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Speaker 32 Amen.

Speaker 10 Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Speaker 3 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Speaker 22 Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Speaker 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Speaker 29 Amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 24 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Speaker 32 Amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

Speaker 25 Now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 30 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

Speaker 25 Now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 7 Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Speaker 29 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Speaker 27 Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Speaker 29 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 amen

Speaker 30 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

Speaker 30 in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen.

Speaker 8 All right. Thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today.
I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow.

Speaker 10 Poco, Poco, friends. God bless y'all.