The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
Pray the Rosary Like Never Before
Displaying Episode 1 - 10 of 13 in total of The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) with the tag “nativity”.
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Day 254: The Joyful Mysteries
September 11th, 2025 | 13 mins 20 secs
annunciation, ascension, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditating, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, three decades, visitation
The Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity are at the heart of today’s prayer. Together, they tell the story of God’s saving love entering the world through Mary’s faithful “yes” and the birth of Jesus. They reveal the humility of God becoming man, the joy that His presence brings, and the hope fulfilled in His coming. In these Joyful Mysteries, we are invited to meditate on Mary’s openness to God’s will, her loving service to others, and her joy in the gift of Christ. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Annunciation, the Visitation, and the Nativity. We will be praying three decades of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
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Day 248: The Joyful Mysteries
September 5th, 2025 | 13 mins
ascension, 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, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, presentation, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, three decades
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.
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Day 240: The Nativity and the Presentation
August 28th, 2025 | 11 mins 44 secs
ascension, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, distracted, distraction, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditating, meditative prayer, mental archive, mental library, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, prayer tips, presentation, relational prayer, revisiting, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, two decades
We dive back into the joyful mysteries of the Nativity and the Presentation, drawing upon our mental archive and praying with Fr. Mark-Mary. Fr. Mark-Mary also explores distraction in prayer and how we can handle distractions while praying the rosary. With simplicity and encouragement, we return to the basics: surrendering, refocusing, and letting the repetition of prayer shape us from the inside out. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Nativity and the Presentation and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
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Day 220: Lingering in the Words
August 8th, 2025 | 11 mins 50 secs
ascension, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, daily bread, decades, deliver us, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, kingdom, meditating, meditative prayer, nativity, our father, poco a poco, prayer, presentation, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, thy will, two decades, words
Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to pray with attentiveness to the words of the prayers and let the repetition become a space for deeper reverence, presence, and meditation. Resting in the words, we discover how they can carry us, form us, and lead us into a quiet intimacy with the mysteries of Christ. We focus on the intentions within the Our Father: our father, God’s revelation of himself as Father, thy will be done, thy kingdom come, daily bread, and deliver us. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Nativity and the Presentation, and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
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Day 191: Unworthy Yet Welcomed
July 10th, 2025 | 15 mins 2 secs
adoration, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding focus, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, independent meditation, joy, joyful mysteries, joyful mystery, meditation, nativity, practice, prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, unworthy, worship
Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the Nativity, emphasizing the overwhelming joy and sense of unworthiness that can accompany encountering the gift of Jesus. We are invited to contemplate the transformative love offered through the birth of Christ. Using Scripture, sacred imagery, and prayer, we are drawn into an intimate encounter with Jesus, who offers not only salvation but also warmth and affection. 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.
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Day 171: Worship the Newborn King
June 20th, 2025 | 11 mins 59 secs
art, art meditations, ascension, born, caravaggio, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joyful, joyful mysteries, manger, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, st. francis, st. lawrence, the praises of god, visio divina
Caravaggio’s Nativity with Saint Francis and Saint Lawrence offers a tender and grounded depiction of Christ’s birth, surrounded not only by the Holy Family but also by saints known for their deep love of poverty. Fr. Mark-Mary uses this scene to lead into the Praises of God by St. Francis, lifting our gaze from the humble manger to the majesty of the One who was born there. We’re invited into deeper awe, love, and surrender by recognizing the greatness of God who chose such lowliness. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity 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.
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Day 151: St. Joseph’s Protection
May 31st, 2025 | 12 mins 13 secs
adoration, art, art meditations, ascension, care, catholic church, catholic faith, christmas, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joyful, joyful mysteries, magic, nativity, paternal, providence, provision, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, shepherds, st. joseph, visio divina
If St. Joseph had not been present at the Nativity, could the adoration of the shepherds have happened? Fr. Mark-Mary continues our focus on St. Joseph’s role, highlighting the goodness of God in bringing Mary and Joseph together to raise the Savior. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity 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.
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Day 131: Worship and Warmth
May 11th, 2025 | 12 mins 17 secs
adoration, angels, art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, christmas, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, giovanni antonio pellegrini, joseph, love, mary, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, visio divina, visitation, warmth, worship
What will be true in heaven is already true in the manger at Bethlehem. Already, heaven and earth bend the knee in worship of Jesus to the glory of God the Father. Fr. Mark-Mary draws our attention to the gaze of Mary, Joseph, and the angels, fixed on Jesus, in Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini’s painting of the Nativity. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity 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.
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Day 111: Manifest in Humility
April 21st, 2025 | 12 mins 22 secs
ascension, bethlehem, catholic church, catholic faith, christmas, creation, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, humility, joyful, joyful mysteries, nativity, outer space, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, space, st. bernard, sun
God so profoundly wants us to have confidence to approach him, that he veils his glory and clothes himself in humble humanity, saying, “Come to Me.” Fr. Mark-Mary meditates on a reading from St. Bernard, observing the grandeur of God’s creation and the humility of his Incarnation. 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.
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Day 91: Cause For Joy
April 1st, 2025 | 11 mins 1 sec
ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, christmas, conversion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. leo, st. leo the great
Is the Nativity a cause for joy in your life? Reflecting on a sermon from St. Leo the Great, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that sometimes when we don’t feel the joy of the Nativity, we’re actually being called deeper into our relationship with God. We meditate on the Nativity’s personal impact on our lives as we lean into deeper conversion. 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.