
The Resurrection was a transformation of life that transcended death, bringing hope, healing, and renewal to all of creation. Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes that this new reality is not just a return from death but a glorified existence that calls us into deeper trust and faith. Through this mystery, we can be confident in Christ’s pursuit of our hearts and His power to bring light even into our darkest moments. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
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Foreign Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of Renewal and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast, where through prayer and meditation, the Rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension and this is day 204. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com rosary in a year or text RIY to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're going to pray each month and it's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen to the podcast is in the Ascension app. There are special features built just for this podcast and also recordings of the full Rosary with myself and other friars. I encourage you to pick up a copy of the Rosary in the Year Prayer Guide, a book published by Ascension that was designed to complement this podcast. You'll find all the daily readings from Scripture, saint reflections and beautiful images of the sacred art will be reflecting on today. We will be meditating upon and praying with the first glorious mystery, the Resurrection. And now a review of some of what we have covered before we go to our time of prayer today. Let's begin by a reminder of what Pope Benedict XVI wrote about the Resurrection. He speaks of the Resurrection as a type of evolutionary leap, a historical event that bursts open the dimensions of history and transcends it. It is a brand new, entirely new form of life that is no longer subject to the law of dying, but lies beyond it. And it affects everyone and opens up a new kind of future for mankind. So just a little reminder of the teaching of the understanding of what what has happened in the Resurrection. The Resurrection is not just about a corpse coming back to life. There's this, if you will, an elevated, a new form of life. It's a change which touches, if we could say glorifies all of reality. And if you recall, in one of our episodes, we looked at the Paschal Candle, which is like the symbol par excellence of the entire liturgical season because it is this candle which represents Christ but also represents like the light of the Resurrection. And we were reminded that there is no darkness which can overcome the light of that Paschal candle, the light of the hope and of the joy and of the truth of Jesus Christ risen from the dead. The darkness has not and will not and cannot overcome the light, particularly the hope that we have in our risen Lord. And the hope as it is extended to us is the hope that whatever happens in life, if we bring it to him and if we journey with him in it, like all of it, can be resurrected, can share in this glorified reality, can be healed, redeemed, renewed. There is nothing, nothing, nothing that Jesus can't respond to and bring new life out of, and bring healing out of, and bring light and hope out of. So also kind of in this vein, in this space, we had this writing from St. John Chrysostom. He wrote about Jesus. He destroyed death by enduring it. He spoiled hell by descending into it. He angered hell by allowing it to taste his flesh. Where, O death, is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen and the demons are destroyed. Christ is risen and the angels rejoiced. Christ is risen and life is restored. There's so much in this world that is passing. We don't place our hope in this world, in passing things, but in Christ risen from the dead. Even death itself does not have the final word, but Christ is risen. And we join the angels in rejoicing because Christ is risen and life is restored. And then lastly, for today, we spent one episode, one day with Caravaggio's quite famous painting entitled the incredulity of St. Thomas. During that episode I focused particularly on the countenance of Jesus, who lovingly, gently, tenderly, you could say, guides Thomas hand to touch his wounds. And his face, his countenance, his disposition is saying, thomas, these wounds are for you. We see Jesus returning to the disciples and coming to Thomas, revealing that Jesus is willing to come to meet us where we're at and to help us make the next best step in faith in his resurrection. And what Jesus is like, most worried about isn't that we get it right away, but that we get it and he's going to persevere in pursuing us and coming to us because like, what's most important is that we come to believe. We believe in the power of the resurrection. And we respond through total fidelity, total trust, total gift of self, total adoration, worship of our risen Lord. And so there's this invitation to find ourselves before the risen Lord with his glorified wounds and to have confidence that he is going to reveal Himself to us in a way that will allow us to get it. And so we hope in Jesus, we talk to Jesus, we're honest with Jesus, confident in his patience and confidence in his seeking, in his pursuit of us. So now we'll just take a moment of stillness, of a leisurely resting here. Now we'll go through our, our chosen roadmap of prayer for these episodes, the four Rs today, what is the grace being offered, the truth being revealed, that you are invited to receive? Sam, how can you respond? What's the grace that you would like to request, particularly at the service of this response? And then rejoice. Give thanks to the Lord for this time of prayer, for the grace given and the divine life shared. Now, together with Mary, let us pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. All right. Thanks so much for joining me and praying with me again today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Poco. Poco. Friends, God bless you.
Podcast Summary: The Rosary in a Year (Day 204: Transcending Death)
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Published On: July 23, 2025
Podcast: The Rosary in a Year
Host/Author: Ascension
Platform: Ascension App
Supplementary Materials: Rosary in a Year Prayer Plan, Rosary in the Year Prayer Guide by Ascension
In Day 204: Transcending Death of The Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames delves into the profound mystery of the Resurrection, exploring its transformative impact on both historical and individual levels. This episode integrates theological reflections, artistic meditations, and guided prayer to deepen the listener's relationship with Jesus and Mary.
Fr. Mark-Mary begins with a review of prior discussions, emphasizing the theological significance of the Resurrection:
Pope Benedict XVI's Perspective: The Resurrection is described as an "evolutionary leap," a historical event that "transcends" time and "creates a new form of life" beyond death's reach ([00:00]).
Symbolism of the Paschal Candle: Representing Christ and the "light of the Resurrection," the Paschal Candle signifies that "no darkness can overcome" the hope and truth embodied in Jesus Christ's resurrection ([00:00]).
Fr. Mark-Mary elaborates on the Resurrection, clarifying that it is not merely a reanimation of a corpse but an introduction of an "elevated, new form of life":
New Life Beyond Death: "It's a brand new, entirely new form of life that is no longer subject to the law of dying, but lies beyond it" ([00:00]).
Universal Impact: The Resurrection affects everyone, offering a "new kind of future for mankind."
A pivotal moment in the episode features a passage from St. John Chrysostom, highlighting Christ's victory over death and hell:
"He destroyed death by enduring it. He spoiled hell by descending into it. He angered hell by allowing it to taste his flesh. Where, O death, is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen and the demons are destroyed. Christ is risen and the angels rejoiced. Christ is risen and life is restored." ([00:00])
This passage underscores the triumph of Christ over all forces of darkness, reinforcing the episode's theme of hope and renewal.
Fr. Mark-Mary guides listeners through an artistic meditation on Caravaggio's renowned painting:
Jesus' Compassionate Encounter: The focus is on Jesus' "lovingly, gently, tenderly" guiding Thomas to touch His wounds, symbolizing Jesus' willingness to meet believers "where they're at" ([00:00]).
Invitation to Faith: The depiction invites listeners to embrace their faith through "total fidelity, total trust, total gift of self, total adoration," responding to Jesus' resurrection with unwavering devotion.
Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes the personal implications of the Resurrection:
Hope in All Circumstances: "Whatever happens in life, if we bring it to him and if we journey with him in it... can be resurrected, can share in this glorified reality, can be healed, redeemed, renewed" ([00:00]).
Persistent Divine Pursuit: Jesus seeks to reveal Himself to believers, encouraging honesty and confidence in His "patience" and "seeking" nature.
The latter part of the episode transitions into a structured prayer session, following the four Rs framework:
This structured prayer fosters a deeper connection with God and Mary, aligning the listener's heart with the themes discussed.
On the Resurrection's Transformative Power:
"The Resurrection... opens up a new kind of future for mankind." ([00:00])
On Christ's Victory Over Death:
"Where, O death, is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen and life is restored." ([00:00])
On Personal Faith Journey:
"What's most important is that we come to believe in the power of the resurrection and respond through total fidelity, total trust, total gift of self." ([00:00])
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames concludes Day 204 by inviting listeners to continue their prayer journey, emphasizing the ongoing nature of their spiritual growth and the perpetual presence of Jesus and Mary in their lives. The episode reinforces the central message of the Resurrection as a beacon of hope, offering transformative grace and eternal life.
For Continued Prayer and Growth:
Prayer Plan: Download the Rosary in a Year Prayer Plan to follow along each month's outlined prayers and track your spiritual progress.
Prayer Guide: Consider obtaining the Rosary in the Year Prayer Guide by Ascension for comprehensive daily readings, saint reflections, and sacred art to complement your prayer experience.
Join Tomorrow:
Stay tuned for the next day's episode to further deepen your Rosary journey and relationship with Jesus and Mary.
Blessings,
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames