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

Day 37: To Be Transfigured (2026)

February 6th, 2026  |  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.

Day 36: The Kingdom and the Gospel (2026)

February 5th, 2026  |  10 mins 9 secs

conversion, good news, gospel, historical context, kingdom, luminous, luminous mysteries, meditation, old testament, proclamation, proclamation of the kingdom and the call to conversion, repentance, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

The Lord is here and he is at work! Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that we don’t have to save ourselves: Jesus is proclaiming the Good News and acting for good in our lives, just as he acts in this third Luminous Mystery of the Rosary. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 35: Divine Bridegroom (2026)

February 4th, 2026  |  12 mins 2 secs

bride, bridegroom, historical context, hosea, luminous, luminous mysteries, miracle, miracles, new covenant, new creation, old testament, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, seven, wedding, wedding at cana, wedding feast

Sometimes we can feel like we’ve run out of wine, we’ve run out of sweetness in our lives. However, as the Divine Bridegroom, Jesus will provide the wine. Fr. Mark-Mary explains the spiritual significance of the miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana and meditates on the depth of Jesus’ love. 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.

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

Day 34: The Anointed One (2026)

February 3rd, 2026  |  13 mins 28 secs

baptism, day of atonement, historical context, jordan river, lamb, lamb of god, luminous, luminous mysteries, meditation, messiah, old testament, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacrifice, scapegoat, sin

Each of the Luminous mysteries reveal an aspect of Jesus’ nature and mission. Fr. Mark-Mary draws on the history of the Jordan River and the Jewish Day of Atonement, historical details that reveal Jesus as Messiah and sacrifice in this mystery of the Rosary. Today’s focus is the mystery of The Baptism of Jesus and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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 143: Fulfillment of the Promise

May 23rd, 2025  |  12 mins 10 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, covenant, crucifixion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fresco, genesis, noah, old testament, pietro gagliardi, promise, rainbow, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, visio divina

In the Old Testament, God sent Noah the sign of the rainbow to promise he would never flood the earth again. Pietro Gagliardi’s fresco of the Crucifixion also depicts a rainbow above this sorrowful scene, signifying that this is the fulfillment of God’s promise. As we meditate, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that this symbolism can remind us that death will not have the last word. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crucifixion 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 47: Mary’s Return Home

February 16th, 2025  |  12 mins 36 secs

ark of the covenant, assumption, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, historical context, mary, mother of god, old testament, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

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.