The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) - Episodes Tagged with “Finding In The Temple”

Day 53: Our Perfect Director (2026)

Ascension — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 03:15:00 -0500

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.

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

Day 33: Lost and Found (2026)

Ascension — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 03:15:00 -0500

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.

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

Day 363: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

As we come together to pray the Joyful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary calls us to place our lives before the Lord with the same trust and openness shown by Mary. He reflects on how God brings life to what feels empty or lifeless, choosing humble hearts as His dwelling place. We are encouraged to persevere in prayer, to seek Jesus with renewed desire, and to allow Him to gather our scattered hearts into a deeper love for the Father. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 361: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Today, Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to bring our worries, our smallness, and our longing into God’s presence with confidence that nothing is impossible for Him. He reflects on the way God is drawn to humility, lifting us where we cannot lift ourselves, and in the quiet peace that comes from beholding Christ with a childlike heart. Even moments of spiritual dryness, he notes, can lead us into deeper relationship as we seek the Lord anew. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 356: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We journey again through the Joyful Mysteries, stopping to meditate with Jan van Eyck’s depiction of the Annunciation and its reminder to keep in conversation with God. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us of St. Joseph’s essential role in the Nativity. We meditate on Mary’s sacrifice revealed in the Presentation in the Temple, and the call to turn to God in the Finding in the Temple. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 354: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Today, Fr. Mark-Mary prays with the Joyful Mysteries, beginning with the Annunciation and the beautiful tension St. Bernard describes as all of heaven awaiting Mary’s “yes.” In the Visitation, he reminds us that although we don’t know every detail of our future, God gives enough light for each step. At the Nativity, he encourages us to bring our whole hearts—joys and sorrows alike—to the newborn Christ. He then reflects on the Presentation through Anna’s long waiting and God’s tender gaze. Finally, in the Finding in the Temple, we learn from Mary’s calm, confident pondering as she receives everything in love. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 349: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We return to Fra Angelico’s painting of The Annunciation and Giulio Campi’s fresco of the Presentation in the Temple as Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in meditation on the reverence and faith revealed in the Joyful Mysteries. Our prayer explores themes of humility, God’s love for us, and the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 347: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Our meditations for today’s Rosary remind us of how God so often moves in unexpected ways. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us of the prophecy shared with Zechariah and Elizabeth, concurrent with the Annunciation. Instead of the Messiah coming to a priest in the Temple, the Messiah is given to a hidden, lowly woman. Similarly, the Holy Family’s journey to Bethlehem was surely difficult, yet God was working through this to fulfill Micah 5:2. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 342: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

As we enter into today’s meditation, Fr. Mark-Mary guides us through the Joyful Mysteries with reflections on grace, trust, and the hidden beauty of God’s work in our lives. We reflect on Mary’s humble courage at the Annunciation, the transforming joy of her encounter with Elizabeth, and the gentle invitation to draw close to Christ in the Nativity. We’re called to seek Jesus with the same relentless love shown by Mary and Joseph in the Finding in the Temple. God meets us in our littleness and invites us into deeper trust and wonder. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 340: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Journeying through the Joyful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary shares meditations on Mary’s yes to a person, not a plan, the sheer joy of the Nativity, and the importance of seeking Jesus. The Joyful Mysteries can remind us of God’s faithfulness to his promises, revealed through Mary’s Visitation, Simeon and Anna in the Temple, and the finding of Jesus. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 332: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in prayer with five decades of the Rosary, as we utilize the meditation "muscles" we've built up in each phase of the Rosary in a Year. You can find more resources for meditation on each of the mysteries, including Sacred Art, Saint Reflections, and Bible Verses under each episode in the Ascension App, to aid in your meditation. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, and the Finding in the Temple.

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

Day 328: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 324: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 320: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 316: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 312: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 308: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 304: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Today we begin praying five mysteries, our final step of building up the decades before we move to the full rosary. As we walk through each set of mysteries, we use our now-strengthened meditation muscles, moving from one mystery to the next, following the story of Jesus’ childhood and Mary’s fiat. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries. We will be praying five decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 300: The Joyful and Luminous Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 03:15:00 -0400

The flow from the Finding in the Temple into the Luminous mysteries puts emphasis on Jesus’ identity and mission as the Son of God. We begin with the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, where his wisdom and obedience to the Father are made clear even in his youth. Moving to his Baptism in the Jordan, Jesus is revealed as the beloved Son and then begins his public ministry at the Wedding at Cana, where we witness his first miracle. Finally, we meditate on the Proclamation of the Kingdom, where Jesus’ actions as God, ministering to his people, are revealed. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Finding in the Temple, the Baptism in the Jordan, the Wedding at Cana, and the Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Conversion. We will be praying four decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 290: The Joyful and Luminous Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Fr. Mark-Mary offers a reflection on the ordinary and hidden nature of the beginning of Jesus’ life. As we pray today, there is an eighteen year gap between the Finding in the Temple, and the Baptism of Jesus. We’re encouraged to ponder and pray with those hidden, quiet years of the holy family. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Finding in the Temple, the Baptism in the Jordan, the Wedding Feast at Cana, and the Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Conversion. We will be praying four decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 268: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Concluding the Joyful mysteries, we witness the complexity of joy in the Christian life. The Nativity brings us the joy of the Incarnation, as God becomes man, born to bring us salvation. In the Presentation and Finding in the Temple, we see the price of salvation foreshadowed, as Mary is told Simeon’s prophecy, and as Jesus is lost for three days, to be found in his father’s house. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Nativity, the Presentation, and the Finding in the Temple. We will be praying three decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 248: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 03:15:00 -0400

We continue to immerse ourselves in the Joyful Mysteries. Today, we meditate on the birth and early life of Jesus through three mysteries: the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. These mysteries draw us into the wonder of the Incarnation and the humble, hidden years of Christ’s life, while foreshadowing his Passion. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Nativity, the Presentation, and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. We will be praying three decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 241: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple and Baptism of Jesus

Ascension — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Many of us struggle with distraction in prayer. Fr. Mark-Mary offers encouragement for cultivating a more focused and peaceful prayer life by examining the noise we allow into our daily routines. He shares a quote from St. Charles Borromeo to illustrate how a distracted life often leads to distracted prayer, suggesting practical ways to foster inner stillness and effective meditative prayer. 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 231: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple and Baptism of Jesus

Ascension — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in prayer by drawing our hearts to two powerful scenes in the life of Christ. We are invited to ponder the mystery of Jesus being found in the temple and His baptism at the Jordan, both moments filled with identity, purpose, and divine love. As we meditate on these events, we are reminded of our own call to draw near to the Father and live in the light of His presence. 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 221: Words of an Angel

Ascension — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Ascension — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 03:15:00 -0400

We have an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit through today's 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

Ascension — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Ascension — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Ascension — Tue, 13 May 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Ascension — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Ascension — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Ascension — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 33: Lost and Found

Ascension — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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