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

Day 71: Behold God

March 12th, 2025  |  16 mins 27 secs

ascension, baby jesus, bethlehem, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joseph, joyful, joyful mysteries, lectio, lectio divina, mary, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, savior

What was the experience of the shepherds, called by angels to the birth of God? How would we react to seeing the newborn Christ? Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in Lectio Divina, drawing us into the experience of the Nativity, as we behold the innocence and humility of the baby Jesus. We ask for the grace to not be afraid to draw close to God. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 70: The Faith of Mary

March 11th, 2025  |  14 mins 38 secs

ascension, belief, blessed is she, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, elizabeth, faith, faithfulness, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, god’s faithfulness, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, promises, receive, rejoice, request, respond, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, visitation

In the Visitation, God is revealing that he keeps his promises. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, meditating on finding blessedness in our faith in God, like Mary who believed in God’s promises. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Visitation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 69: Nothing is Impossible

March 10th, 2025  |  19 mins 22 secs

annunciation, ascension, belief, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, faith, faithfulness, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fiat, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, god’s faithfulness, impossible, joyful, joyful mysteries, lectio, lectio divina, mary, promises, receive, rejoice, request, respond, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust, yes

Congratulations! You have made it to Phase 3 of the Rosary in a Year: Meditating on the Mysteries. We begin lectio divina with Fr. Mark-Mary, meditating on Mary’s yes to a person, not a plan. We’re reminded that even if we don’t understand God’s plan, we can fully trust in his goodness. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Annunciation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 68: Fancy Friends

March 9th, 2025  |  10 mins 40 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, coronation of mary, faith, friendship, glorious, glorious mysteries, mary, mary as queen, mother, mother of god, queen, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

Many of us have “fancy” friends in our lives, and sometimes we are the “fancy” friend: someone whose role, talents, or connections are able to help us out. However, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that we all have the best “fancy” friend in Mary, our Mother and Queen. Reading from the book of Revelation, he explores how we can have total confidence in Mary as we bring our petitions to her. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 67: He Has Promised

March 8th, 2025  |  12 mins 1 sec

assumption, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, doubt, faith, fulfillment, glorious, glorious mysteries, god’s plan, mary, promise, promises, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust

Sometimes God asks us to do things that are unexpected or difficult. However, these times are often an opportunity for God to bless us: although we might have planned good things for ourselves, God asks us to trust that he has the best planned for us. Fr. Mark-Mary shows how Mary is the perfect example of this trust in God, and how God’s promises of goodness are fulfilled in the Assumption. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption of Mary and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 55: Water Into Wine

February 24th, 2025  |  12 mins 16 secs

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In the Wedding Feast at Cana, we see Mary taking a new role: that of the initiator, asking Jesus to perform his first miracle. Fr. Mark-Mary unpacks this mystery, revealing the depth of Mary’s actions. By initiating Jesus’ public ministry, Mary is freely giving her son away, out of her great love for all of us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Wedding Feast at Cana and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 50: Rejoice in the Beauty

February 19th, 2025  |  9 mins 33 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. elizabeth, visitation

God takes our ordinary and turns it into the extraordinary. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us through a meditation on the mystery of the Visitation, focusing on the Magnificat, describing how Elizabeth’s words of joy turn into song in Mary. Similarily, God enters the narratives of our lives, turning our prose into poetry and song, making our lives into something beautiful. 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 49: How Can This Be?

February 18th, 2025  |  11 mins 17 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, homily, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditation annunciation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust, trust in god, understanding

How do we move forward when we can’t see God’s plan ahead of us? Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in a meditation on the mystery of the Annunciation, explaining how Mary can show us the way. She may not have had perfect understanding, but she had perfect faith, and can teach us this faith through the Rosary. 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 48: Mother and Queen

February 17th, 2025  |  10 mins 52 secs

coronation, glorious, glorious mysteries, historical context, hyperdulia, intercessory prayer, latria, mary, mother of god, queen, queen mother, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

How should we venerate Mary as the Queen of Heaven, and what does being Queen of Heaven mean? Fr. Mark-Mary explains that far from detracting from our worship of God, giving due veneration to Mary actually honors Jesus, her son and our Lord. In turn, Mary has a special role as our mother and queen, and can specially intercede for us to Jesus. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary, 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 47: Mary’s Return Home

February 16th, 2025  |  12 mins 36 secs

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What are the Biblical roots of the Assumption? Fr. Mark-Mary draws from both the Old and New Testament to explain the Biblical basis of Mary’s Assumption. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, and so just as David ensured the first Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, Jesus would ensure that his mother was brought home to heaven, body and soul. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption of Mary, 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.