I'm Father Mark Mary with Franciscan friars with Renewan.

This is the Rosary in Year podcast.

We're 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 the Year is brought to you by Ascension.

This is Day 151. To download the prayer plan for rosary in a year, visit

ascensionpress.com forward slash rosary in a year or text R-I-Y 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 the podcast 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 will be meditating upon and praying with the third joyful mystery, the nativity, with help from a painting entitled Adoration of the Shepard

Van Honthorst. Now a brief introduction to our artist and the artwork. Gerard van Honthorst was born in the

year 1592. He died in the year 1656, and he was a Dutch painter who studied in Rome.

He was influenced by Carvaggio's style early in his career and enjoyed success as a portrait painter later in his career.

This particular painting was done in the year 1622.

And now our description of the painting.

Lumincent and bright, the Christ child laying on a manger covered in pure white cloth

and straw radiates a gleaming shine into the face of his mother Mary,

who is wearing red dress and blue hood and places her arms on either side of the manger,

and beams herself a look of peaceful contentment of sweetness and delight to her child

as her face shines with a warm smile,

as she tenderly gazes at the baby in her arms. Her right hand holds up the cloth he lies on.

Around them, in varying degrees of shadow, six men gather round, including St. Joseph, also with joy and expectation,

...