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

Day 145: He Must Increase

May 25th, 2025  |  13 mins 29 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, decrease, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, glory, humility, increase, john, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, st. john the baptist, visio divina

St. John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “he must increase, I must decrease”. In today’s mosaic of the Ascension, Fr. Mark-Mary draws our attention to St. John the Baptist and Mary, who in turn direct our attention to Christ. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Ascension 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 140: His Glory Remains

May 20th, 2025  |  13 mins 10 secs

agostino ciampelli, art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fresco, glory, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, scourging, scourging at the pillar, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, strength, suffering, visio divina

St. Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us, “if God is for us, who is against us?” Reflecting on a fresco of the Scourging, Fr. Mark-Mary draws our attention to Jesus’ strength and glory shining through despite his suffering. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar 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 135: Miracles of Love

May 15th, 2025  |  11 mins 46 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, bartimaeus, catholic church, catholic faith, compassion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glory, identity, lazarus, love, miracles, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, visio divina, wedding, wedding at cana, wedding feast, wedding feast at cana

Why does Jesus perform miracles? Fr. Mark-Mary, meditating with help from a painting by Carl Bloch, says that Jesus doesn’t just do miracles as a sign or as a magician. Jesus does miracles as acts of love, motivated by true compassion. We take a moment to rest in this sign of love at the Wedding Feast with Jesus and Mary. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Wedding Feast at Cana 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 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 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 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.

Day 37: To Be Transfigured

February 6th, 2025  |  11 mins

completion, exodus, glory, heaven, historical context, journey, light, luminous, luminous mysteries, meditation, moses, old testament, pilgrimage, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, transfiguration

The mystery of the Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven, giving us an image of the home Jesus has prepared for us. Fr. Mark-Mary takes us on a journey in the book of Exodus as we explore Jesus’ fulfillment of the Old Testament. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.