S2, E6 - The Ascension Decade Meditation

The mission of the Ponder and Magnify Podcast is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. In this episode, listeners are invited to pray with their imaginations through a decade meditation on the account of the Ascension from Mark 16: 14-20. Praise be to God!

Transcript

Jessica: 0:05

Hello and welcome to the Ponder and Magnify podcast, where our mission is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the Rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. I am so happy that you are here. In this episode we will meditate on Jesus' Ascension as we pray a decade of the Rosary. Before we start, let's just take a moment to pause and reflect on what we're bringing to prayer. What are your joys in this moment right now? What is weighing heavy right now? Is there anything you feel afraid of? Is there anything you're strongly desiring? Whom do you wish to pray for? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Jesus, we ask you to speak directly into our circumstances. Mary, thank you for praying with us and for us now. Holy Spirit, anoint the gift of our imagination so that we might come to encounter Jesus more deeply through it. The second glorious mystery is Jesus' Ascension, a reading from the Gospel of Mark. But later, as the eleven were at table, Jesus appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe In my name. They will drive out demons. They will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. So then, the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. 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. As the apostles watched Jesus ascend to heaven, the Father left his throne to stand at the gate of heaven and wait there, for he was so eager for Jesus' arrival. 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. When Jesus arrived, the Father threw his arms around Jesus, holding him so tight With tears of joy streaming down his face, the Father whispered in Jesus' ear my son, welcome home. 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.

Jessica: 3:55

Jesus rested in the comfort and peace of being held by his Father. 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. The Father took Jesus' hands where Jesus' wounds were and held them up to his cheek. The Father's tears poured into Jesus' wounds and the Father spoke to Jesus my son, you did it. 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, Jesus responded. Father, we did it together. Thank you for staying with me. Thank you for providing all I needed. It was all possible because of you. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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. The Father, being one with the Son, felt the pang on Jesus' heart and acknowledged it. You miss them, my Son, don't you? 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, Jesus responded, Father, I do miss them. I long for them to be here with us. I cannot help but be moved to compassion for them in their fragile state. I want them to be healed and experience fullness of life. I know this is your will. 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. The Father replied. Yes, my son, I long for each one of them to come home, just as I longed for you to come home. Each one of them is so precious to me. 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. The Father went on speaking to Jesus. We will not stop working to bring them home here, where they belong. My son, it is my will that you would now be seated here at my right hand, but at the same time, I will make it possible for you to accompany those on earth at every moment. I wish to continue to heal, provide for and draw all of humanity home through you, working with them. With the help of the Spirit, they will learn union with us and will become the witnesses to our love, as you were. 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. And Jesus wept tears of thanksgiving. Father, thank you for your great love for me and for them. Thank you for this gift of being able to be here with you and there with them all at once. You are a good, good Father to us all. 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, 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, o my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. Hail, holy Queen, mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor, banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, o clement, o loving, o sweet Virgin Mary, pray for us, o Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen, what a gift to pray with you. Count on our continued prayers for you to come into deeper encounter with the Lord's love for you, and please, please, pray for us. Praise be to God.