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

Day 213: Advocate, Queen, and Mother

August 1st, 2025  |  13 mins 49 secs

ascension, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, eucharist, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, institution of the eucharist, love, luminous, luminous mysteries, luminous mystery, mary, meditating, meditative prayer, mother, poco a poco, prayer, queen, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, transfiguration, two decades

Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to build a personal, relational prayer life by connecting intimately with the Blessed Virgin Mary. He invites us to imagine ourselves stepping into St. John’s home, sitting at a simple table with Mary, and resting in a space filled with love, comfort, and open conversation. Mary is not a distant or silent figure, but a present and responsive mother who offers encouragement, guidance, and compassion through God's grace. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 197: Mystery of Light

July 16th, 2025  |  15 mins 18 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding focus, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, independent meditation, jesus, light, luminous, luminous mysteries, meditation, mountain, mountain top, practice, prayer, return, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sinai, st. anastasius, transfiguration

We’re invited to faithfulness in prayer and a journey to the mountaintop in the Transfiguration. Returning to this mystery, Fr. Mark-Mary meditates on the theme of Jesus’ revelation of himself, our contemplation on the mountaintop, and our reading from St. Anastasius of Sinai. As we pray our decade of the rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary leads us into a mountaintop experience, and then as we descend, invites us to bring this grace to the world. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 177: Earthen Vessels

June 26th, 2025  |  15 mins 13 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, consolation, desolation, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, icon, luminous, luminous mysteries, mountain, peter, redemption, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, transfiguration, transformation, valley, visio divina

Fr. Mark-Mary introduces us to the spiritual background of icons as we pray with an icon of the Transfiguration. We consider how our transformation in Christ takes a lifetime, revealed through Peter’s journey from the mountain, through shadows and valleys, and back to Jesus’ mercy and love. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration 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 157: We Have Authority

June 6th, 2025  |  14 mins 9 secs

apostles, art, art meditations, ascension, authority, catholic church, catholic faith, exorcism, faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, healing, luminous, luminous mysteries, matthew, power, raphael, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, transfiguration, visio divina

Fr. Mark-Mary notices that The Transfiguration, painted by Raphael, contains a very interesting Biblical reference. Raphael has chosen to depict the beginning of Jesus’ exorcism of a demon in Matthew 17 alongside the Transfiguration. This parallel reveals the truth that Jesus can give us all spiritual authority to resist temptation, through our faith in him. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration 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 137: Medium Reveals Meaning

May 17th, 2025  |  11 mins 2 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, elijah, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, illumination, light, luminous, luminous mysteries, moses, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, son, stained glass, sun, transfiguration, visio divina, votive church

Jesus is the light of the world, shown so clearly through the mystery of the Transfiguration. Fr. Mark-Mary draws on the symbolism found in today’s art medium, stained glass, to meditate on Jesus who illuminates the world for us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration 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 117: Come Down, Peter

April 27th, 2025  |  16 mins 5 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, charity, contemplation, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, luminous, luminous mysteries, mother theresa, mountain, peter, prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. francis, transfiguration, world,   st.  augustine

The mystery of the Transfiguration begins with ascent to the heavenly mountain, but ends with descent, back to the world. As much as Peter would like to remain atop the mountain, Jesus calls him to persevere in  life of charity, a holy life in the world. Fr. Mark-Mary, with help from St. Augustine, reflects on living out the balance of our call to the mountain and our call to live lives of charity in the world. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 77: Have No Fear

March 18th, 2025  |  15 mins

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, confidence, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fear, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, jesus, lectio, lectio divina, luminous, luminous mysteries, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, transfiguration

When we experience fear and doubt, we can turn to the Father’s revelation that Jesus is the one we have been looking for. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina as we meditate on Jesus' gentle reassurance to the Apostles, telling them to rise and have no fear. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 57: Let's Step Away

February 26th, 2025  |  11 mins 4 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, distractions, faith, homily, luminous mysteries, meditation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, technology, transfiguration

To reveal his glory in the Transfiguration, Jesus took the apostles up the mountain, apart from distractions. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary asks if Jesus might be asking us to step away and go up the mountain apart with him, so that we can be moved by his brilliance. Let’s take this opportunity to join the apostles and see what we might need to step away from. 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 37: To Be Transfigured

February 6th, 2025  |  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.