The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Day 102: Carried with Love

April 12th, 2025  |  12 mins 4 secs

ascension, carrying, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, cross, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, king, king of love, love, passion, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, throne,  st. josemaría escrivá

On the day of the crucifixion, three crosses were carried. Yet, there’s only one cross that we honor, only one cross that is featured as a mystery of the Rosary. Fr. Mark-Mary reads from St. Josemaría Escrivá, meditating on how Jesus’ cross was carried freely with love, making it the throne of the King of love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 101: Glory and Indignity

April 11th, 2025  |  13 mins 9 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, crowning, crowning with thorns, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glory, indignity, justice, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, trust,  st. thomas aquinas

 Instead of a crown of glory, they imposed on him a crown of indignity, St. Thomas Aquinas writes of the Crowning with Thorns. Fr. Mark-Mary recalls a learning experience on a trip to Nebraska, explaining the true nature of indignity, and relating it to Jesus’ experience during his passion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crowning with Thorns and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 100: Always Her Son

April 10th, 2025  |  13 mins 14 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fulfillment, mary, prophecy, revelations, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, scourging, scourging at the pillar, sorrow, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries,  st. bridget

Drawing upon St. Bridget of Sweden’s work, Revelations, we meditate on the Scourging at the Pillar from Mary’s perspective. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that this is the fulfillment of Simeon’s prophecy to Mary, as she witnesses her son undergo his Passion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 99: Stay in Dialogue

April 9th, 2025  |  12 mins 54 secs

agony, agony in the garden, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, climbing, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fear, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, heights, rappelling, relationship, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, suffering,  st. alphonsus,  st. alphonsus liguori

When we experience  real, deep, human fear and anguish, we can draw hope from the fact that Jesus has experienced these things before us. Fr. Mark-Mary shares a story of one of his fellow friars guiding new friars through their fear of heights, highlighting that by staying in dialogue with the Father, we find our hope beyond fear. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Agony in the Garden and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 98: An Abyss of Love

April 8th, 2025  |  11 mins 49 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, christian mysticism, communion, eucharist, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, institution of the eucharist, last supper, love, luminous, luminous mysteries, mysticism, passover, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. catherine, st. catherine of siena

Aided by a meditation from St. Catherine of Siena’s Dialogue, we reflect on the profound gift of the Eucharist. Jesus tells each and every one of us how deeply he loves us as he says,  ”I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you,” a love we partake of each time we approach the Eucharist. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Institution of the Eucharist and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 97: Climb the Mountain

April 7th, 2025  |  13 mins 56 secs

In the mystery of the Transfiguration, there’s an invitation to climb the mountain with Jesus. However, in our vocations and states of life, it can be hard to drop everything and go climb a mountain to witness God. Fr. Mark-Mary offers an answer, drawing from  St. Anastasius of Sinai, reminding us that we don’t have to climb the whole mountain today. We can just take the next step. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy

Day 96: A New Love

April 6th, 2025  |  12 mins 30 secs

ascension, augustine, call to conversion, call to repentance, catholic church, catholic faith, conversion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, luminous, luminous mysteries, new kingdom, new law, new love, proclamation, proclamation of the kingdom, repentance, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, sermon on the mount, st. augustine

Jesus is raising the stakes during his ministry and proclamation of the kingdom. St. Augustine tells us that there’s a new kingdom, a new law, and a new love. Fr. Mark-Mary explains what these new teachings mean, how they impact us, and how we can respond with our new love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Conversion and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 95: Moms are Special

April 5th, 2025  |  11 mins 30 secs

ascension, cana, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, luminous, luminous mysteries, mary, mom, moms, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. alphonsus, st. alphonsus liguori, wedding, wedding feast at cana

Would Jesus have turned the water into wine if someone other than Mary had asked him? Fr. Mark-Mary, reading from  St. Alphonsus Liguori, reflects on the point that Jesus’ initial words to Mary at the Wedding at Cana have special symbolism. This short conversation tells us that Mary is special to Jesus, and her requests are special too. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Wedding Feast at Cana and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 94: No Doubt

April 4th, 2025  |  10 mins 51 secs

ascension, baptism, baptism in the jordan, belief, catholic church, catholic faith, doubt, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, luminous, luminous mysteries, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. ambrose, trust, truth

Is there any room left for doubt in the mystery of the Baptism? No, say Fr. Mark-Mary and St. Ambrose, as we meditate on the confidence with which we can believe in God’s revelation. We step into the waters of the Jordan with Jesus, resting in the truth of his divine sonship. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism in the Jordan and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 93: Look Like You Love Him

April 3rd, 2025  |  12 mins 44 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, dryness, dryness in prayer, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, hunting, joyful, joyful mysteries, love, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, searching,  st. augustine

When Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus was missing, they searched everywhere, stopping at nothing to find him. This is how love searches, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us, drawing from a reading by St. Augustine. When we feel as though Jesus is missing, we can be like Mary and Joseph, looking for him like we love him. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 92: Waiting in the Temple

April 2nd, 2025  |  14 mins 50 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, distractions, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joyful, joyful mysteries, prayer, presentation, presentation in the temple, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, simeon, temple, waiting,  st. cyril,  st. cyril of alexandria

When Jesus was presented in the Temple, Simeon was ready to receive the long desired savior. With a reading from  St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fr. Mark-Mary asks us how we’ve been preparing to receive our savior: are we waiting in our metaphorical temples, or have we become distracted by the world? To help us place ourselves in the fourth joyful mystery, Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in imaginative prayer, setting the scene for a place of prayer we can always return to. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 91: Cause For Joy

April 1st, 2025  |  11 mins 1 sec

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, christmas, conversion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. leo, st. leo the great

Is the Nativity a cause for joy in your life? Reflecting on a sermon from St. Leo the Great, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that sometimes when we don’t feel the joy of the Nativity, we’re actually being called deeper into our relationship with God. We meditate on the Nativity’s personal impact on our lives as we lean into deeper conversion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 90: Consoling Mother

March 31st, 2025  |  13 mins 58 secs

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, consolation, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, mother, mother teresa, motherhood, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. alphonsus, st. alphonsus liguori, st. mother theresa, visitation

We read from St. Alphonsus Liguori’s On the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, recognizing that Mary’s office as Mother means that she will console us. Fr. Mark-Mary shares a prayer from St. Mother Theresa, and guides us through a reflection on Mary’s motherhood. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Visitation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 89: Long Desired

March 30th, 2025  |  15 mins 51 secs

annunciation, ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fiat, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. bernard, st. bernard of clairvaux

We move into our Saint Reflections section of Phase 3 with a reading from St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s Four Homilies in Praise of the Virgin Mother. Fr. Mark-Mary focuses on St. Bernard’s explanation of all humanity waiting on Mary’s long desired fiat. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Annunciation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 88: The Road of Humility

March 29th, 2025  |  16 mins 33 secs

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, coronation, coronation of mary, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, humble, humility, lectio, lectio divina, mary, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust

Mary chose humility, waiting with confidence in the Lord and his goodness. For this, Fr. Mark-Mary says, she has been made queen of heaven and earth. In our lectio divina today, we’re encouraged to not look down upon the humble road, but to follow in Mary’s example, trusting in the goodness of God. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 87: It’s All True

March 28th, 2025  |  14 mins 45 secs

ascension, assumption, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, elizabeth, faithfulness, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, glory, lectio, lectio divina, magnificat, mary, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, salvation, trust

The mystery of the Assumption reveals that everything God promised to Mary was fulfilled. Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes that we can place our hope in this: if God’s faithfulness was true for Mary, God’s faithfulness will be true for us. We, like Mary, are invited to share in the blessedness of salvation as heirs of the works of God. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.