Day 172: Heart of Prayer
6/21/202612 min
Meditating on Mary’s presence in the Presentation scene, painted by Aert de Gelder, reveals a woman who prays not only with words, but with her entire being. In the glow of the Christ Child, she models how to receive mystery, pain, and promise with unwavering faith. Her example reminds us that holiness begins not with full understanding, but with trustful reception of all things in and through Christ. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
All of the Sacred Art we’ll be meditating with can be found in the Rosary in a Year Prayer Guide, for free linked in the complete prayer plan, or in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMark-Mary Ames· Host0:00
[gentle music] I'm Father 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 a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. This is day 172. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a Year, visit ascensionpress.com/rosaryinayear or text R-I-Y to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're gonna pray each month, and it's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen to the 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. Today, we'll be meditating upon and praying with the fourth Joyful Mystery, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, with help from a painting by the artist Arent de Gelder, entitled Simeon's Song of Praise. Now, a brief introduction to our artist and artwork. Arent de Gelder was born in the year 1645. He died in the year 1727, and he was a Dutch Baroque painter renowned for his devotion to Biblical themes and his distinctive continuation of Rembrandt's late style. So he was, in fact, a, a student, a follower of Rembrandt, and in fact, he was one of Rembrandt's last pupils,