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

Day 163: Through His Eyes

June 12th, 2025  |  14 mins 17 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, calvary, catholic church, catholic faith, cross, crucifixion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, james tissot, mary, mother, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, sacrifice, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, visio divina, what our lord saw from the cross

What did Jesus see when He looked down from the cross? And what does He see in us now? Fr. Mark-Mary contemplates James Tissot’s painting, What Our Lord Saw from the Cross, which invites reflection on what Jesus might have seen and felt as He gave His life. Fr. Mark-Mary contrasts the indifference and mockery of some in the crowd with the sorrowful devotion of Mary, St. John, and Mary Magdalene. We are invited to place ourselves at Calvary and examine how we respond to Christ's sacrifice. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crucifixion 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.

Day 162: Carrying the Cross Together

June 11th, 2025  |  15 mins 57 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, burden, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, cross, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, gentileschi, heavy, light, rest, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, surrender, visio divina

Orazio Gentileschi’s painting, Christ Carrying the Cross, captures the profound strength and inner peace of Jesus’ suffering—His body straining beneath the weight of the cross, yet His face is calm. Fr. Mark-Mary contrasts the visible burden of the cross with Jesus’ promise of a “light burden”. He invites us to consider that what lightens the load is not its removal, but the strength that comes from perfect trust in the Father. We are encouraged to seek not just relief, but faith that rests in God’s presence and power, even when our cross feels anything but light. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross 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.

Day 134: Shadow of the Cross

May 14th, 2025  |  11 mins 24 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, baptism, baptism in the jordan, baptism of jesus, catholic church, catholic faith, church of san benedetto, cross, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fresco, hope, padua, passion, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, shadow, victory, visio divina

The first Luminous mystery is a mystery of profound joy, but a fresco of Jesus’ Baptism, featured in the Church of San Benedetto in Padua, reveals that the cross is never far from Christ. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that Jesus’ “yes” at his Baptism, is also a “yes” to his passion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism of Jesus 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 for free in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 126: Fire of Love

May 6th, 2025  |  12 mins 37 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, cross, descent of the holy spirit, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fire, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, holy spirit, kindle, love, pentecost, prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacrifice, saint, saint reflections, st. alphonsus, st. alphonsus liguori

God desires the fire of his love to burn always in our hearts, says St. Alphonsus Liguori. Fr. Mark-Mary explains that we can kindle this fire of the Holy Spirit through the  wood of the cross and the oxygen of prayer. We meditate on the Holy Spirit’s ability to transform us and growing our receptivity to his love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 122: Trophy of Victory

May 2nd, 2025  |  13 mins 29 secs

aquinas, ascension, carrying, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, cross, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorified, glory, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, st. thomas, suffering, victory,   st. thomas aquinas

Carrying the cross was meant to be a dishonor, but Jesus carried his cross as a sign of his glory, as a victory carries his trophy. Fr. Mark-Mary reveals how we too can turn our sufferings into trophies of glory, as he reads from St. Thomas Aquinas.  We may not experience the victory immediately, but we can trust that Jesus will bring victory. 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 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 82: Simon’s Choice

March 23rd, 2025  |  15 mins 47 secs

ascension, carrying of the cross, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, cross, decisions, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, lectio, lectio divina, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, simon, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, suffering

During Jesus’ passion, the gospel tells us that a man named Simon was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. In this moment, Simon was given a decision: to fight back against this injustice, or to make the choice to carry this cross and draw close to Jesus. We are all given difficult or even unjust crosses to carry, and Fr. Mark-Mary calls us to reflect upon how we react to these in today’s lectio divina. 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 43: The Veil is Torn

February 12th, 2025  |  9 mins 44 secs

cross, crucifixion, heaven, historical context, hope, old testament, pope benedict xvi, psalm 22, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, salvation, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries

Are Jesus’ last words on the cross from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” a cry of despair, or a revelation of hope? Fr. Mark-Mary shares a meditation on God’s response to Jesus in the mystery of the Crucifixion, expressing the certainty of salvation that we too can hope to share in. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crucifixion, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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

Day 42: Sent into Exile

February 11th, 2025  |  9 mins 48 secs

2 corinthians, carrying of the cross, cross, hebrews, historical context, old testament, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, scapegoat, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries

In the Old Testament, the scapegoat was led outside of the city, bearing the sins of the people. In a striking parallel, the fourth Sorrowful mystery of the Rosary features Jesus being led outside of the city, bearing the people’s sins. Fr. Mark-Mary dives into this parallel, leading us in a meditation for our Rosary. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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

Day 17: Turn On the Light

January 17th, 2025  |  10 mins 29 secs

cross, faith, how to pray, prayer, praying, psalms, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sign of the cross

Catholics may be very familiar with the Sign of the Cross, but this short prayer has deep significance. Fr. Mark-Mary shares the Biblical origins of the Sign of the Cross, reading from Matthew’s Gospel and the book of Psalms to explain how this prayer can allow us to see life as God does and proclaim our Faith as we say the Rosary. Today’s focus is “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.