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

Day 221: Words of an Angel

August 9th, 2025  |  12 mins 39 secs

angel gabriel, annunciation, ascension, baptism, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding in the temple, finding of jesus in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, hail full of grace, hail mary, imaginative prayer, jordan, joyful, joyful mysteries, joyful mystery, luminous, luminous mysteries, luminous mystery, mary, meditating, meditative prayer, poco a poco, prayer, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, temple, the baptism in the jordan, the baptism of jesus, two decades

By reflecting on the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary from Luke 1:28, we are guided through the opening words of the Hail Mary with renewed attentiveness. Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to enter into a practice of focused prayer, gently strengthening our capacity for meditation and contemplation. This steady, grace-filled approach helps us grow in spiritual intimacy with God. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple and Baptism of Jesus and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 211: Presence of the Holy Spirit

July 30th, 2025  |  13 mins 33 secs

ascension, baptism, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding in the temple, finding of jesus in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, holy spirit, imaginative prayer, jordan, joyful, joyful mysteries, joyful mystery, luminous, luminous mysteries, luminous mystery, meditating, meditative prayer, poco a poco, prayer, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, temple, the baptism in the jordan, the baptism of jesus, two decades

We have an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit through todays meditative prayer and the Rosary. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to personally engage with the Holy Spirit by offering areas of our hearts that need healing, courage, or comfort. He reminds us to see the Holy Spirit not merely as a symbol, but as a divine person who listens, responds, and loves. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple and Baptism of Jesus and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 193: Faith in the Silence

July 12th, 2025  |  17 mins 24 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fathers house, finding focus, finding in the temple, finding of jesus in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, independent meditation, joyful mysteries, joyful mystery, meditation, obedient, practice, prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, search, seek, temple

Our guided meditation on the fifth Joyful Mystery, the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, highlights the faith and trust of Mary and Joseph when faced with unexpected events and limited understanding. The quiet transition of leadership within the Holy Family, as Joseph’s protective role gives way to Jesus' revelation of His divine mission is also emphasized. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to seek God with love and confidence, even in times of apparent silence, viewing such moments as a call to deeper trust in God’s presence. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 173: Rooted in Identity

June 22nd, 2025  |  17 mins 7 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, father’s house, finding in the temple, finding of jesus in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, identity william holman hunt, joyful, joyful mysteries, meek, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, temple, visio divina

Fr. Mark-Mary contemplates the courage required of 12-year-old Jesus speaking in the temple, as depicted in William Holman Hunt’s vivid painting, The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple. He contrasts this with his own childhood experiences of shyness and public speaking, drawing insight into how true meekness flows from knowing one’s identity. We are empowered to speak and live truthfully even in intimidating situations by cultivating spiritual confidence rooted in God’s love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding of Jesus 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.

Day 133: Respond with Grace

May 13th, 2025  |  12 mins 43 secs

admiration, art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, grace, human, humanity, lourdes, mosaic, rejection, riy, rosary, rosary basilica, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, visio divina, wonder

How would you react if you saw 12-year old Jesus preaching in the temple? Fr. Mark-Mary points out the varied reactions of onlookers in the mosaic of the Finding in the Temple in the Rosary Basilica at Lourdes. Those surrounding Jesus react with human admiration, amazement, curiosity, and even rejection. Yet Mary looks upon him filled with divine grace. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding 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.

Day 113: Spoiler Alert

April 23rd, 2025  |  12 mins 11 secs

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Spoiler alert: Jesus is Lord! While the mystery of the Finding in the Temple is not the climax of Jesus’ story, for the first century man or woman, this is an attention grabbing moment. Fr. Mark-Mary, reading from St. Cyril of Alexandria, reminds us that this is when Jesus first begins to reveal his divinity. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple 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 53: Our Perfect Director

February 22nd, 2025  |  9 mins 1 sec

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, finding, finding in the temple, finding jesus, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust

Mary and Joseph knew that they had a special role when raising Jesus, but something unexpected happens in the mystery of the Finding in the Temple. Mary may not fully understand Jesus’ explanation that he would be “in his Father’s house”, but she continues to trust in God’s plan. We have all experienced times in which we cannot visualize God’s plan for us, but Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that we have a perfect director who will make a masterpiece out of our stories. All we have to do is trust and say yes. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 33: Lost and Found

February 2nd, 2025  |  10 mins 45 secs

filial obedience, finding in the temple, freedom, historical context, journey, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, loss, meditation, obedience, old testament, pilgrim, rebellion, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

Why does Jesus leave Mary and Joseph to remain in the temple in Jerusalem? Fr. Mark-Mary unpacks the spiritual significance of the Finding in the Temple, teaching us about filial obedience and how we can understand our own journeys through this mystery of the Rosary. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.