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

Day 33: Lost and Found (2026)

February 2nd, 2026  |  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.

Day 32: A Total Offering (2026)

February 1st, 2026  |  14 mins 14 secs

anna, historical context, isaiah, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, jp2, meditation, old testament, pope john paul 2, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, simeon

The Mystery of Jesus’ Presentation signifies an important moment of fulfillment between the Old and New Covenant. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us through this mystery, pointing out parallels between Simeon’s words to Mary and Old Testament prophecies in Isaiah, giving us a meditation on entrusting our lives to God through the Rosary. 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 31: No Other Savior (2026)

January 31st, 2026  |  12 mins 54 secs

caesar augustus, christmas, historical context, joseph, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditation, nativity, old testament, providence, riy, roman empire, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

Sometimes it’s difficult to see how God can work through the hard situations in our lives. In the Mystery of the Nativity, the Holy Family was faced with an incredibly hard situation: traveling 90 miles to participate in a Roman census right before Jesus’ birth. However, Fr. Mark-Mary explains how God was working with these struggles to fulfill an Old Testament prophecy, reading from the book of Micah. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 30: The New Ark (2026)

January 30th, 2026  |  12 mins 44 secs

arc of the covenant, covenant, elizabeth, historical context, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditation, old testament, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, visitation

In the Old Testament, God met his people, dwelt with them, and brought them victory through the Arc of the Covenant. As we explore the Biblical roots of the Mysteries of the Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary reveals how Mary is the new Arc of the Covenant, drawing parallels between the Visitation and the book of 2 Samuel. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Visitation and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 29: Something Unexpected (2026)

January 29th, 2026  |  13 mins 33 secs

faith, historical context, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditation annunciation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

All of Jesus’ story was unexpected, as a very different Messiah than the people anticipated. Fr. Mark-Mary walks us through the historical and Biblical context of the mystery of the Annunciation, revealing how this mystery of the Rosary is something new, different, and deeper than we might expect. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Annunciation and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 28: Be Joyful, Be Free (2026)

January 28th, 2026  |  9 mins 38 secs

apostles creed, creed, eternal life, faith, forgiveness, freedom, glorious mysteries, incarnation, joy, joyful, life everlasting, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust

Do you fully believe in the forgiveness of sins professed in the Creed? Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that so often we receive forgiveness but continue to carry the internal burden of sin. Drawing from the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to recall that we have been freed from sin. In praying the Rosary, we can set down our burdens as the Father accepts us into his home. Today’s focus is “The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen,” and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 363: The Joyful Mysteries

December 29th, 2025  |  28 mins 28 secs

annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fiat. st. elizabeth, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, manger, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, monstrance, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, simeon, visitation

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

December 27th, 2025  |  30 mins 35 secs

ana, angel gabriel, annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, dryness, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, magnificat, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, persevering, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, savior, seek, simeon, visitation

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

December 22nd, 2025  |  30 mins 59 secs

annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, conversation, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, jan van eyck, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. joseph, trust, visitation

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

December 20th, 2025  |  31 mins 30 secs

anna, annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, rembrandt, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. bernard of clarivaux, st. leto the great, visitation

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.