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

Day 99: Stay in Dialogue

Ascension — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:15:00 -0400

When we experience real, deep, human fear and anguish, we can draw hope from the fact that Jesus has experienced these things before us. Fr. Mark-Mary shares a story of one of his fellow friars guiding new friars through their fear of heights, highlighting that by staying in dialogue with the Father, we find our hope beyond fear. 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 82: Simon’s Choice

Ascension — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 03:15:00 -0400

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 63: Even Unto Death

Ascension — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:15:00 -0500

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.

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

Day 61: You Are Beloved

Ascension — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 03:15:00 -0500

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.

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

Day 60: Effects of Sin

Ascension — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 03:15:00 -0500

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.

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

Day 41: The Victorious King (2026)

Ascension — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:15:00 -0500

In the mystery of the Crowing with Thorns, we see both the effects of sin on the world, but also the truth that Jesus is conquering death. Fr. Mark-Mary continues drawing connections between the prophecy of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. 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.

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

Day 40: Suffering Servant (2026)

Ascension — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 03:15:00 -0500

Fr. Mark-Mary explains the historical context behind the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar, and reveals how this mystery fulfills prophecies within the Old Testament book of Isaiah. 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.

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

Day 19: Valley of Tears (2026)

Ascension — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 03:15:00 -0500

We may be in a valley of tears, but we are never alone. Fr. Mark-Mary reads from the Gospel of John, revealing that the Blessed Mother has shared in our sufferings, and in the Rosary, is always with us. We are blessed to have Mary, who knew both suffering and the hope of God’s promises, as a perfect mother who will always love us. Today’s focus is “To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears,,” and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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 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 236: The Crucifixion and the Resurrection

Ascension — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 03:15:00 -0400

We pray with the fifth Sorrowful Mystery, the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus, and the first Glorious Mystery, his Resurrection. At the Cross, we witness Christ’s total self-gift, his mercy toward the repentant thief, and the sorrow of Mary who remains faithfully at His side. Then we move to the empty tomb, where light bursts from darkness and Jesus, risen and still bearing his wounds, offers hope that God is working for good even through suffering. These mysteries invite us to deeper trust in Jesus’ victory over death. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 202: Scapegoat and Savior

Ascension — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Fr. Mark-Mary connects Jesus carrying His cross to Christ as the new scapegoat, freely taking on the exile, rejection, and sins of all humanity and carrying them to His place of crucifixion. Simon of Cyrene had the opportunity to let his suffering draw him closer to Jesus—an invitation extended to each of us in our own crosses of loss, illness, or pain. When we unite our suffering with His, our crosses too can become salvific, glorified, and trophies of shared victory in Christ. 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 201: Thorns for Love

Ascension — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Mocked and spat upon, Christ crowned with thorns fulfills the image of the suffering servant—humble in agony, yet still the King, still victorious. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to behold Him, as Pilate once did, and examine our own heart. Are we offering our worship and loyalty to the Lord or to the world? Are we burdened by sins of indifference or misplaced priorities? Let us respond with renewed fidelity, offering our whole selves to the 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 181: Grace Amid Thorns

Ascension — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Witnessing Christ crowned with thorns reveals a striking contrast between worldly might and divine strength and humility. Through the lens of Anthony van Dyck’s dramatic painting and the words of scripture and Pope John Paul II, Fr. Mark-Mary’s meditation unveils the redemptive power found in suffering. We are invited to see our own suffering as a means to draw nearer to Christ and receive His transforming grace. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crowning with Thorns 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.

Day 180: The God Who Bleeds

Ascension — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Fr. Mark-Mary draws us in to an overwhelming realization while meditating on The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ by William-Adolphe Bouguereau: our God is a God who bleeds. We observe Jesus in his pain and suffering, reflecting on the incredible amount of love he has to pursue our souls regardless of his suffering. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar 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.

Day 159: Surrender Your Suffering

Ascension — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 03:15:00 -0400

As we meditate with the painting entitled Prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane Garden by Alessandro Maganza, Fr. Mark-Mary notices that all of the movement, lines, and action in the painting points towards Jesus. Sharing a story about one of his fellow friars, Fr. Mark-Mary explains how we can direct ourselves to Jesus and surrender our fears, worries, and pain. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Agony in the Garden and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

Day 140: His Glory Remains

Ascension — Tue, 20 May 2025 03:15:00 -0400

St. Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us, “if God is for us, who is against us?” Reflecting on a fresco of the Scourging, Fr. Mark-Mary draws our attention to Jesus’ strength and glory shining through despite his suffering. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar 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 122: Trophy of Victory

Ascension — Fri, 02 May 2025 03:15:00 -0400

Carrying the cross was meant to be a dishonor, but Jesus carried his cross as a sign of his glory, as a victory carries his trophy. Fr. Mark-Mary reveals how we too can turn our sufferings into trophies of glory, as he reads from St. Thomas Aquinas. We may not experience the victory immediately, but we can trust that Jesus will bring victory. 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 99: Stay in Dialogue

Ascension — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Day 82: Simon’s Choice

Ascension — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 03:15:00 -0400

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

Day 63: Even Unto Death

Ascension — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 61: You Are Beloved

Ascension — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 60: Effects of Sin

Ascension — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 41: The Victorious King

Ascension — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 40: Suffering Servant

Ascension — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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

Day 19: Valley of Tears

Ascension — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 03:15:00 -0500

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