The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) - Episodes Tagged with “Praying Together”

Day 365: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We conclude our Rosary in a Year journey with the Glorious Mysteries, thanking God for all of his gifts and blessings, both throughout Salvation history and our own lives. Fr. Mark-Mary shares his farewell message of thanks and emphasizes that while our 365 episodes of Rosary in a Year have come to an end, our journeys of prayer and drawing closer to God should continue on. We bring our “loaves and fish,” our prayer, commitment, and perseverance to Mary and Jesus today, confident that they will multiply our efforts. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 364: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We are called to remain close to Jesus in moments of sorrow, learning from His choice to meet suffering with trust in the Father rather than isolation. Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the Passion as a costly gift of love, revealing how deeply Christ desires to save and remain with us. Through perseverance in prayer, we are reminded that Jesus never stops seeking us, even when the road is heavy. At the foot of the Cross, we receive Mary as our Mother, finding consolation in her faithful and tender care. Today’s focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 363: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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 362: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Inviting us to encounter the risen Jesus, Fr. Mark-Mary focuses on the deep joy that comes from loving Christ and rejoicing in His victory, a joy meant to shape our daily lives. As we pray, we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with awe before God’s greatness and to renew our hearts. We also place our hopes and struggles into the care of Mary, our Queen and Mother, trusting in her loving intercession. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 361: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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 360: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries and enter deeply into the heart of Christ’s Passion, guided by Fr. Mark-Mary through each decade. In the Agony in the Garden, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on Jesus’ threefold cry of “My Father,” showing how Jesus faces his suffering in relationship with the Father, inviting us to bring our own agonies to God with the same trust. The Scourging at the Pillar inspires us to meditate on the irony of the crowd choosing Barabbas, the “son of the father” in name only, over the true Son. Despite the mockery of the Crowning with Thorns, Fr. Mark-Mary shows how even here Christ’s kingship is revealed and God is silently at work for our salvation. During the Carrying of the Cross, we’re guided into a moment of imaginative prayer, placing us in the role of Simon of Cyrene. Finally, as we pray with the Crucifixion, Fr. Mark-Mary draws attention to the tearing of the temple veil and Pope Benedict XVI’s insight that symbols give way to reality: God himself has opened the way to his heart through the crucified Christ. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 359: The Luminous Mysteries

Ascension — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We reflect on the moments in Jesus’ ministry that reveal his identity and invite our response of faith as we pray the Luminous mysteries. We revisit several of our Saint reflections as Fr. Mark-Mary highlights St. Ambrose’s teaching on the Father’s voice proclaiming Jesus as the beloved Son, and St. Alphonsus Liguori’s reflection on Mary’s unique intercessory role. As we continue through the mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on James Tissot’s depiction of the grateful leper as a symbol of the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the disciples’ mountaintop experience in the Transfiguration, and Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. Today's focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 358: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We begin the Glorious Mysteries, returning to St. Augustine’s reflection on the Resurrection: a doorway to new life was opened in the Resurrection, that we ourselves share in through our baptism. Just as we enter into the Resurrection through our Baptisms, the Ascension too is a promise about our future destiny, as Fr. Mark-Mary explains Jesus is giving us the promise we’re meant to join him in heaven. In the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Jesus sends us the Spirit to accompany us, and sends us another promise in the form of Mary’s Assumption. Finally, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the beautiful love of God revealed in Mary’s coronation. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 357: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary guides us in a deeply contemplative Rosary, as we walk the path of the Sorrowful Mysteries with Jesus. We encounter Christ in the Agony in the Garden, reflecting on how all of Salvation history has been leading to this moment. Reverently, we witness the Scourging and Crowning with Thorns, beholding Christ’s love and kingship. We honor the cross that became the sign of our salvation as Jesus carries it with love, and conclude in a meditation on James Tissot’s painting, What Our Lord Saw from the Cross. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 356: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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 355: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary draws us into the Glorious Mysteries, reflecting first on the Resurrection as the definitive victory over death. He then considers the Ascension as the culmination of Christ’s self-emptying, urging us to imitate his humility. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s fire becomes a source of renewal for hearts grown weary. The Assumption highlights Mary’s childlike trust, which becomes a powerful defense against evil. Finally, in the Coronation, Mary’s unique grace as Queen and Mother strengthens us to do the Father’s will. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 354: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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.

Day 353: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Guiding us through the Sorrowful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary ponders these mysteries through the lens of the Prodigal Son. In the Agony in the Garden, he highlights that just as the prodigal son demanded his inheritance, sinful humanity grasped at Christ, prompting us to consider the ways we, too, take matters into our own hands. During the Scourging and the Crowning with Thorns, he reveals both the cost of sin and the unshakable truth of our identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Father. As we arrive at the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion, Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes the Father’s relentless pursuit of us—running toward us in our weakness and answering every doubt with unwavering love. Today’s focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 352: The Luminous Mysteries

Ascension — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary shares insights on the Luminous Mysteries. In the Baptism of Jesus, he reminds us that the light of Christ shines even in the shadow of the cross, and at the Wedding at Cana, we see Mary noticing our needs and interceding with tender care. He meditates on Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom and His call to a deeper, more generous love, and on the Transfiguration as the moment when Christ reveals His radiant divinity. Finally, we are called to marvel at the “creativity of love” in the Eucharist, where Jesus remains with us in every place and circumstance. Today’s focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 351: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

For today’s Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the hidden beauty of the Resurrection, the longing for heaven stirred within us by the Ascension, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit revealed at Pentecost. He invites us to contemplate Mary’s Assumption as a sign of the glory prepared for those who trust in the Lord and her Coronation as the fruit of a life lived in humility. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 350: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

As we pray the Rosary, contemplating the sorrowful mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to draw close to Jesus. We witness the culmination of all of salvation history in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the depths of love poured out for us with his blood, and we are invited to bring our contrition and hearts to our Lord. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 349: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We return to Fra Angelico’s painting of The Annunciation and Giulio Campi’s fresco of the Presentation in the Temple as Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in meditation on the reverence and faith revealed in the Joyful Mysteries. Our prayer explores themes of humility, God’s love for us, and the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus. 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 348: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in the Rosary, centering our meditations around hope. We’re reminded of the message both Christ and the Angel share: to not be afraid, the Apostles’ assiduous prayer of hope before Pentecost, and the promise revealed in Mary’s Assumption. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 347: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Our meditations for today’s Rosary remind us of how God so often moves in unexpected ways. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us of the prophecy shared with Zechariah and Elizabeth, concurrent with the Annunciation. Instead of the Messiah coming to a priest in the Temple, the Messiah is given to a hidden, lowly woman. Similarly, the Holy Family’s journey to Bethlehem was surely difficult, yet God was working through this to fulfill Micah 5:2. 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 346: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

For today’s Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary shares meditations on Vincente Masip’s Jesus in Gethsemane, the parallels between Christ and Isaiah’s prophecy of the Suffering Servant, Fulton Sheen’s reflection on Pilate’s choices, and more. We walk with Christ through his passion, journeying from the Garden to the Cross. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 345: The Luminous Mysteries

Ascension — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Gathering in prayer, we turn to the Luminous Mysteries as Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to rediscover our identity as the Father’s beloved children in the light of Jesus’ Baptism. At the Wedding at Cana, we reflect on Mary’s courageous willingness to offer her Son for the sake of God’s plan and the good of the world. Jesus proclaims the Kingdom and calls us to open our hearts, and during the Transfiguration, He reveals a glory that draws us beyond our distractions and into deeper wonder. In the Eucharist, we encounter the burning desire of Jesus’ heart for communion with us. Today’s focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
Today's focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 344: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary prays through the Glorious Mysteries, inviting us to trust more deeply in Jesus’ nearness and mercy. While meditating on the Resurrection, we look to Caravaggio’s Incredulity of St. Thomas and see Christ meeting our doubts with tenderness. In the Ascension, He becomes even more present to us without spatial limitations. At Pentecost, Jean Restout’s depiction of Mary steady beneath the tongues of fire inspires us to welcome the Holy Spirit with renewed boldness. We contemplate Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant in her Assumption and rejoice in her loving intercession as Queen in her Coronation. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 343: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Immersing ourselves in the Sorrowful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary directs us to ponder Jesus’s final moments on earth. We see through Jesus’s eyes in the Agony in the Garden as He suffers yet continues to trust the Father. We look through Mary’s perspective during the Scourging at the Pillar, entering into her sorrow and offering our own suffering alongside hers. In the Crowning with Thorns, Jesus endures mockery and pain while reminding us of our unshakeable identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Father. As He carries His Cross, Jesus feels the weight of our sins yet reveals a hope that perseveres. And at the Crucifixion, even in His final breath, Jesus is forgiving us from the cross. Today’s focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 342: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

As we enter into today’s meditation, Fr. Mark-Mary guides us through the Joyful Mysteries with reflections on grace, trust, and the hidden beauty of God’s work in our lives. We reflect on Mary’s humble courage at the Annunciation, the transforming joy of her encounter with Elizabeth, and the gentle invitation to draw close to Christ in the Nativity. We’re called to seek Jesus with the same relentless love shown by Mary and Joseph in the Finding in the Temple. God meets us in our littleness and invites us into deeper trust and wonder. 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 341: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Together with Fr. Mark-Mary, we meditate on the Glorious Mysteries, drawing inspiration from St. Augustine and Mother Teresa. We contemplate the triumph of Christ and the joy of Heaven, reflect on what it means to hold fast to Jesus through charity, and give thanks for the “new wine” of the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts. We’re also reminded of Mary’s powerful and tender care as Queen who watches over her children. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 340: The Joyful Mysteries

Ascension — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Journeying through the Joyful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary shares meditations on Mary’s yes to a person, not a plan, the sheer joy of the Nativity, and the importance of seeking Jesus. The Joyful Mysteries can remind us of God’s faithfulness to his promises, revealed through Mary’s Visitation, Simeon and Anna in the Temple, and the finding of Jesus. 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 339: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

We return to the Sorrowful Mysteries, and Fr. Mark-Mary shares meditations on the relationship between the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden of Eden, reminding us of the relationship between sin and the Sorrowful Mysteries. As we witness Jesus crowned with thorns and carrying the cross, we’re also reminded of the glory that can be found in Christ’s passion. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.

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

Day 338: The Luminous Mysteries

Ascension — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

As we pray the Luminous mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary shares reflections on the relationship between Jesus’ baptism and ours, an encouragement to climb the mountain with Jesus, and we’re invited to greater trust and surrender to the Father. We’re reminded of the new wine offered to us at Cana, and briefly return to Rembrant’s painting, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee. Today's focus is the Luminous Mysteries.

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

Day 337: The Glorious Mysteries

Ascension — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in the Rosary, guiding our meditations on the Glorious mysteries. We’re reminded of Pope Benedict XVI’s teachings on the Resurrection, the Apostle’s experience of Pentecost, and God’s faithfulness to Mary. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries.

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

Day 336: The Sorrowful Mysteries

Ascension — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 02:15:00 -0500

Congratulations! You have arrived at the last Phase of the Rosary in a Year, Phase 6: Praying Together. As we step into this final phase, we’ll begin praying a full Rosary together, and Fr. Mark-Mary will share brief meditation prompts before each decade. We will also begin praying the mysteries on the days they are traditionally prayed, beginning with the Sorrowful mysteries for Tuesday today. Fr. Mark-Mary will walk us through the full mystery of Christ’s passion, sharing meditations on communion with the Father, Simon’s choice to help Jesus carry the cross, and what Jesus’ last words on the cross mean for us. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries.

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

Bonus: Introduction to Phase Six: “Praying Together”

Ascension — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Jackie and Bobby Angel as they discuss 54-Day Rosary Novenas, the role of the Rosary in community prayer life, and praying the Rosary as a family. Jackie shares the impact of the Rosary in her personal story, and Bobby shares insights on persevering in prayer. Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the importance of praying in community for development in the spiritual life.

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