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

Day 83: Father Forgive Them

March 24th, 2025  |  16 mins 18 secs

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, crucifixion, death, father mark mary, father mark-mary, forgive, forgiveness, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, lectio, lectio divina, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries

In the midst of the most tragic of circumstances, his crucifixion and death, what does Jesus say? Jesus prays for all of us, asking the Father to forgive. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, focusing on these words of Jesus, thanking Jesus for his mercy and incredible love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crucifixion and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 82: Simon’s Choice

March 23rd, 2025  |  15 mins 47 secs

ascension, carrying of the cross, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, cross, decisions, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, lectio, lectio divina, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, simon, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, suffering

During Jesus’ passion, the gospel tells us that a man named Simon was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. In this moment, Simon was given a decision: to fight back against this injustice, or to make the choice to carry this cross and draw close to Jesus. We are all given difficult or even unjust crosses to carry, and Fr. Mark-Mary calls us to reflect upon how we react to these in today’s lectio divina. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 81: Behold Your King

March 22nd, 2025  |  15 mins 34 secs

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, crowning, crowning with thorns, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, king, kingship, lectio, lectio divina, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacrifice, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, thorns, true king

Although the Roman soldiers mockingly hail Jesus as king, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that in this mystery we see the reality of Jesus’ true kingship and dignity. In our prayer of lectio divina, we meditate on Jesus’ incredible sacrifice for us, and we receive the good news that we worship the true king. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crowning with Thorns and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 80: His Blood For You

March 21st, 2025  |  15 mins 3 secs

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, lectio, lectio divina, love, passion, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacrifice, scourging, scourging at the pillar, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, worth

Jesus freely endured the suffering of the scourging because of his great love for us. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, meditating on the depth of Jesus’ love for us and how he wants us to receive the gift of his love. We allow ourselves to behold the sign of our worth: Jesus giving everything to save us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 79: Trust like Jesus

March 20th, 2025  |  15 mins 41 secs

agony, agony in the garden, ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fidelity, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, lectio, lectio divina, obedience, passion, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, trust

When Jesus is sorrowful in the Garden of Gethsemane, he stays in relationship with the Father, trusting in the Father’s plan. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to sit with Jesus, trusting in the Father when we are sorrowful and afraid, following the Son’s example. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Agony in the Garden and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 63: Even Unto Death

March 4th, 2025  |  11 mins 1 sec

calvary, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, crucifixion, effects of sin, faith, god’s love, love, prodigal son, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sin, sorrowful mysteries, suffering

Just as the father in the parable of the prodigal son does not merely wait to welcome his son back, but pursues to meet him on the way, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that God does not wait for us to return to him but instead pursues us, even to death on the cross. At Calvary, in the Crucifixion, we see the true nature of the heart of God, a heart filled with love for us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 62: He Meets Us

March 3rd, 2025  |  10 mins 17 secs

carrying of the cross, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, effects of sin, faith, prodigal son, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, savior, sin, sorrowful mysteries

In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father does not wait for his son to come back home, but instead descends to meet him on the way. In the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross, God our Father does not leave us to an isolated journey to death, says Fr. Mark-Mary, but instead as Jesus is ascending the mountain with the cross, God is descending to save us and bring new life. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 61: You Are Beloved

March 2nd, 2025  |  9 mins 16 secs

beloved, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, crowning with thorns, dignity, effects of sin, faith, mockery, prodigal son, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sin, sons and daughters, sorrowful mysteries, suffering

When the devil attacks, he tries to mock us and deny our dignity. Fr. Mark-Mary continues the journey of reflecting on the passion of our Lord as it reveals the true nature of sin, revealing how meditating on the Crowning with Thorns can help us reject Satan’s lies and remember our dignity as beloved sons and daughters. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crowning with Thorns and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 60: Effects of Sin

March 1st, 2025  |  7 mins 5 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, effects of sin, faith, prodigal son, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, scourging, sin, sorrowful mysteries, suffering

Sometimes we don’t fully recognize or understand the effects of sin on our soul, but the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar reveals the reality of sin to us. Fr. Mark-Mary continues the journey of reflecting on the passion of our Lord as it reveals the true nature of sin and the true nature of the heart of God. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 59: The Nature of Sin

February 28th, 2025  |  10 mins 20 secs

agony, agony in the garden, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, inheritance, parables, prodigal son, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sin, sin’s effects, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries

As we begin journeying through the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to illustrate how Jesus’ Agony in the Garden reveals humanity’s rejection of God’s gift. However, despite this rejection we find salvation in Jesus’ incredible love for us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Agony in the Garden and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.