The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames): Day 46 — Come Holy Spirit

Date: February 15, 2026
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Podcast by: Ascension
Episode Theme:
A deep meditation on the Third Glorious Mystery — The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost — exploring its scriptural foundations, its fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, and its transformative effect on individual and Church life.

Episode Overview

Fr. Mark-Mary Ames guides listeners in a reflective meditation on the meaning and significance of Pentecost, focusing on the Holy Spirit’s descent upon Mary and the apostles. The episode unpacks Pentecost as a “prayer event,” its prophetic fulfillment, and its transformation of the feast into a new spiritual harvest for the Church. Drawing from Scripture and St. John Paul II’s catechesis, Fr. Mark-Mary invites listeners to partake in the fruits of the Spirit by adopting persevering prayer with Mary as a spiritual model.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scripture: The Descent at Pentecost

• [01:00] Fr. Mark-Mary reads Acts 2:1-13, highlighting the atmosphere in the Upper Room — the sound like a rushing wind, tongues of fire, and the apostles proclaiming God’s mighty works in multiple languages.

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” [Acts 2:4, paraphrase, 01:40]

2. Threefold Meditation on Pentecost

Fr. Mark-Mary introduces three lenses to understand Pentecost, inspired by Pope John Paul II:

• a. Pentecost as a Prayer Event

  • [03:10] The disciples, “with one accord, devoted themselves to prayer together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus” (Acts 1:14).
  • Fr. Mark-Mary identifies these nine days as the first novena.
  • Notable Quote:

    “It was not a prayer of momentary exaltation... it was a prayer of the most complete dedication, not only of the heart, but also of the will.”
    — Fr. Mark-Mary quoting St. John Paul II [04:30]

• b. The Fulfillment of Prophecy (“Promise of the Father”)

  • [06:00] Jesus instructed the apostles to wait for the “promise of the Father”—the Holy Spirit—referencing Old Testament prophecies.
  • Relevant prophecies cited:
    • Joel: “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...” (Joel 3:1-2)
    • Ezekiel: “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you...” (Ezekiel 36:26-28)
    • Jeremiah: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts...” (Jeremiah 31:31-33)
  • Insight: The Holy Spirit’s arrival is not just external guidance, but God’s very life, law, and covenant poured into believers’ hearts.

• c. The New Harvest (“Feast of Pentecost” Transformation)

  • [09:30] Old Testament Pentecost was a harvest festival; now, with the Spirit’s descent, it becomes a feast of spiritual harvest.
  • Memorable Moment:

    “The feast of harvest becomes the feast of the new harvest, for which the Holy Spirit is responsible. Now, through God’s life at work in us, there’s a new fruitfulness.” [10:25]

  • Peter’s bold proclamation after receiving the Holy Spirit leads to about 3,000 conversions—an immediate “harvest” for the Church (Acts 2:41).

3. The Holy Spirit Makes All Things New

• [12:00] The “newness” the Spirit brings is not just a set of new rules, but a radical participation in God’s life; the “law within our hearts” is the Holy Spirit active in us.
• Fr. Mark-Mary:

  "...New covenant, new heart, new Spirit, new law, are all fulfilled...through the descent of the Holy Spirit, who makes all things new, including our way of participating in God’s own life.” [12:45]

4. Mary and the Apostles: Model of Prayerful Disposition

• [14:00] Fr. Mark-Mary underscores that Mary and the disciples teach us the right attitude before receiving the Holy Spirit—prayer that is persevering, sacrificial, and even “stubborn.”
• Encouragement:

  “Let us, as a church, be men and women of prayer, so that we may be men and women of this new, abundant harvest with Mary, our mother.” [15:15]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Persevering Prayer:

  “It was not a prayer of momentary exaltation. The Greek word suggests a patient assiduousness, in a certain sense even a stubbornness, implying sacrifice in the overcoming of difficulty.”
  — St. John Paul II, as cited by Fr. Mark-Mary [04:30]

• On the Fruitfulness of the Spirit:

  “The feast of harvest becomes the feast of the new harvest, for which the Holy Spirit is responsible. Now...there’s a new harvest, a new fruitfulness, a new way in which we, the Church, are able to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.” [10:25]

• On New Life in the Spirit:

  “The new law within our hearts is the Holy Spirit at work in us. The new covenant, the new mode of participating in the life of God…it’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit.” [12:30]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:00] Reading of Acts 2:1-13 (Descent of the Holy Spirit)
• [03:10] Reflection on Pentecost as prayer event and the role of Mary
• [04:30] St. John Paul II on the perseverance of prayer
• [06:00] Pentecost as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies
• [09:30] Pentecost as new harvest — transformation of the feast
• [12:00-12:45] The Holy Spirit’s role in making all things new
• [14:00] Call to adopt Mary and the apostles’ prayerful disposition
• [15:15] Final encouragement for prayer and spiritual fruitfulness

Closing Prayer

Fr. Mark-Mary invites listeners to join in praying the Our Father, three Hail Marys, and the Glory Be with the intention of opening one’s heart to the Spirit, followed by a final blessing.

Takeaway

This episode encourages listeners to long for a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit by mirroring the patience and perseverance shown by Mary and the apostles. The descent at Pentecost is not a one-time event, but an ongoing invitation to let the Spirit make all things new in our lives and the Church — through persistent, sacrificial prayer and a readiness to be transformed.

For more resources or to follow the daily rosary plan, visit ascensionpress.com/riy