Day 243: The Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist

Summary

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

Episode: Day 243: The Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist
Date: August 31, 2025
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR (with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal)
Produced by: Ascension

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Overview

This episode guides listeners through the Fourth and Fifth Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary: the Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist. Fr. Mark-Mary and the friars emphasize the transformative power of prayer and Scripture as the foundation for hearing God's voice in our lives. The episode blends meditative insight on spiritual dryness, guidance on engaging with Scripture, and the recitation of the Rosary, supporting listeners in deepening their relationship with Jesus and Mary.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Hearing God’s Voice in Prayer

(01:07 – 02:40)

• Struggle With Prayer: The friars acknowledge a common barrier in spiritual life—feeling like God isn’t speaking to us.
  • “Are you not hearing his voice or are you not recognizing it?” – Friar 2 [01:11]
  • There is an expectation for God to speak clearly and directly in prayer, but this is not always guaranteed.
• Foundation in Scripture: To hear God’s voice objectively and reliably, the friars advise turning to Scripture.
  • “The place for us to objectively, foundationally hear God's voice is by actually going to His Word.” – Friar 2 [01:37]
• Rosary as Mental Prayer: The Rosary presupposes a relationship with Scripture, drawing upon it for deeper mental and meditative prayer.
  • “If we open the Word of God and we spend time with the Scriptures, we are objectively guaranteed and promised to have an encounter with the Word of God.” – Friar 2 [01:54]
• Encouragement: Those struggling to perceive God’s voice are encouraged to begin again with the Scriptures, as these form the mind and soul and echo through one's prayer life.

Invitation to Meditative Prayer

(02:40 – 02:51)

• Preparation for Meditation:
  • Listeners are invited to call to mind their point of meditation and invoke the Holy Spirit.
  • “Be aware of God who is with us.” – Prayer Leader [02:41]

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Guided Rosary: Luminous Mysteries

The Fourth Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration

(02:51 – 06:47)

• Led by the friars and congregation, the decade is prayed in full. The meditative backdrop emphasizes the transformation on Mount Tabor and the revealing of Christ’s glory.
• Moment to note: The recitation is rhythmic and reverent, allowing listeners to enter the mystery contemplatively.

The Fifth Luminous Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist

(06:51 – 10:43)

• Listeners pray the decade reflecting on Jesus instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper, a profound core of Catholic faith.
• The prayers accentuate the holiness and intimacy of receiving Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Are you not hearing his voice or are you not recognizing it?” – Friar 2 [01:11]
• “The place for us to objectively, foundationally hear God's voice is by actually going to His Word.” – Friar 2 [01:37]
• “If we open the Word of God and we spend time with the Scriptures, we are objectively guaranteed and promised to have an encounter with the Word of God.” – Friar 2 [01:54]
• “As we spend time with God’s Word, it becomes part of our own mind... and it can speak to us in the midst of our mental prayer.” – Friar 2 [02:11]
• “Be aware of God who is with us.” – Prayer Leader [02:41]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:04 - Introduction by Fr. Mark-Mary Ames
• 01:07 – 02:40 - Reflection on hearing God’s voice and using Scripture in prayer
• 02:40 – 02:51 - Invocation of the Holy Spirit and preparation for prayer
• 02:51 – 06:47 - Praying the Fourth Luminous Mystery (Transfiguration)
• 06:51 – 10:43 - Praying the Fifth Luminous Mystery (Institution of the Eucharist)
• 10:51 - Closing encouragement and farewell

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Episode Tone & Language

The tone is warm, approachable, and encouraging—imbued with quiet confidence and the peaceful cadence characteristic of communal Catholic prayer. Fr. Mark-Mary and the friars use simple, direct language, making both spiritual insights and prayers accessible for listeners at any stage of their faith journey.

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Summary for New Listeners

This episode offers gentle but profound encouragement for those who find prayer difficult, reminding them that God always speaks through Scripture and the actions of Jesus in the mysteries of the Rosary. You’ll experience a guided meditation on the Luminous Mysteries, reinforced by the presence of Scripture and the powerful tradition of Marian devotion. Whether you struggle with dryness in prayer or seek a more structured way to connect with God, Fr. Mark-Mary’s guidance provides clarity, assurance, and a communal sense of grace.

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For more support and resources, listeners are encouraged to visit ascensionpress.com/riy.

Transcript

[Unknown Intro Speaker]

Foreign.

[Mark Mary]

Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the 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.

[Prayer Leader]

This is day 243.

[Mark Mary]

To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com forward/rosaryinayear 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 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 a 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.

[Friar 1]

Today we'll be praying the fourth and.

[Friar 2]

The fifth Luminous Mysteries, the Transfiguration and.

[Friar 3]

The institution of the Eucharist.

[Friar 2]

One of the struggles that comes up.

[Friar 1]

With people who are, who are trying.

[Friar 3]

To pray or have been in seasons.

[Friar 2]

Of prayer is maybe an experience of not hearing God's voice. And I guess the first question I will always ask people like are you not hearing his voice or are you not recognizing it? Because there's this somewhat of this idea of that if I close my eyes and I pray, I don't have any sort of thing guiding my prayer. I'm going to hear God speak in.

[Friar 1]

A very, very clear and particular and.

[Friar 2]

Unique way, like, you should do this, you shouldn't do this. Here's like my heart for you, et cetera. And that's just not, I would say, guaranteed. But the place for us to objectively, foundationally hear God's voice is by actually going to His Word. And so there is a mental prayer.

[Mark Mary]

And praying of the Rosary.

[Friar 2]

As I've talked about, it really kind of does presuppose a relationship with the Scriptures and that if we open the Word of God and we spend time with the Scriptures, we are objectively guaranteed and promised to have an encounter with.

[Friar 3]

The Word of God.

[Friar 2]

And as we spend time with God's Word, it becomes part of our own mind.

[Friar 3]

And it can be something that as.

[Friar 2]

We do prayer, like we pull from.

[Friar 1]

It, we call it to mind, and.

[Friar 2]

It can speak to us in the midst of our mental prayer. So if you're struggling to hear God's word. My encouragement is just to begin again with spending some time reading and praying with the Scriptures. So we'll go ahead and call to mind our point of meditation and prayer.

[Friar 3]

Invoke the Holy Spirit.

[Prayer Leader]

Be aware of God who is with us.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

And we begin.

[Friar 1]

In the name of the Father and.

[Friar 3]

Of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Friar 2]

The fourth luminous mystery is the Transfiguration.

[Friar 1]

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[Friar 2]

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

[Prayer Leader]

On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

[Friar 2]

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but.

[Prayer Leader]

Deliver us from evil.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.

[Friar 2]

Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.

[Friar 2]

Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of the of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord.

[Friar 2]

Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord.

[Friar 2]

Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.

[Friar 2]

Is with the blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Friar 1]

Glory be to the Father and to.

[Friar 2]

The Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is.

[Friar 1]

Now and ever shall be, world without end.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Friar 2]

Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially.

[Friar 3]

Those in most need of thy mercy.

[Friar 2]

The fifth luminous mystery is the institution of the Eucharist.

[Friar 1]

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[Friar 2]

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

[Prayer Leader]

On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

[Friar 2]

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but.

[Prayer Leader]

Deliver us from evil.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women and and blessed is.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

The fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the Blessed art.

[Friar 2]

Thou among women, and blessed is the.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

[Friar 2]

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy pray.

[Friar 3]

For us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the.

[Friar 2]

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the.

[Friar 2]

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for.

[Friar 3]

Us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Hail Mary Speaker 1]

Hail Mary, full of grace.

[Prayer Leader]

The Lord is with the.

[Friar 2]

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.

[Hail Mary Speaker 2]

Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

[Friar 1]

Holy Mary, Mother of God.

[Friar 3]

Holy pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Friar 1]

Glory be to the Father and to.

[Friar 2]

The Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is.

[Friar 1]

Now and ever shall be, world without end.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Friar 2]

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell.

[Prayer Leader]

Lead all souls to heaven, especially those.

[Friar 3]

In most need of thy mercy.

[Friar 1]

In the name of the Father and.

[Prayer Leader]

Of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[Congregation/Amen Speaker]

Amen.

[Friar 2]

All right, friends, thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Poco. Poco. Friends, God bless y'.

[Unknown Intro Speaker]

All.