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

Episode: Day 58: Creativity of Love (2026)
Date: February 27, 2026
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR (Franciscan Friars of the Renewal)
Podcast by: Ascension

Overview:

In Day 58, titled "Creativity of Love," Fr. Mark-Mary explores the fifth Luminous Mystery—the Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist. He invites listeners to reflect on how Jesus’s love for us is shown most powerfully and creatively in the Eucharist, and challenges us to respond to that divine creativity with creativity in our own relationship with Jesus.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scripture Reflection: The Institution of the Eucharist

• Fr. Mark-Mary opens with a reading from Luke 22:14–23, recounting Jesus’s Last Supper and the words of institution:
  “…this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me.” (02:20)
• He emphasizes how Jesus uses simple, humble, and accessible elements (bread and wine) to remain with humanity in every place and time.

2. The Creativity of Love—In Prayer & Life

• Fr. Mark-Mary shares a story from his first friar retreat at Livingston Manor.
• Key Moment (04:30):
  His companion, Brother Isaiah, asks the founding mother of a monastery:
  “How do we pray in a loud, chaotic place like the South Bronx, like we do here in the peace of the woods?”
• Mother Superior’s Answer:
  “Brother, it is the creativity of love. When you love someone, you create a way to be with them. If you love Jesus, you want to spend time with him. You need to be creative with your schedule and create space and ways to be with him in prayer.” (05:00)
• Fr. Mark-Mary connects this wisdom to the spiritual life—our response to God’s love is the creativity of our own love.

3. Jesus’ Creative Love in the Eucharist

• Fr. Mark-Mary describes the Eucharist as the “high point” of Christ’s creative love:
  “The fifth luminous mystery is the high point. It is the creativity of love par excellence, as Jesus gives himself in the form of bread and wine to be with us—body, blood, soul, and divinity.” (06:00)
• He marvels at the humility and accessibility of the Eucharist, allowing Jesus to reach loved ones "anywhere and everywhere."
• Examples Given:
  • Mass and Eucharist being present in prisons (Honduras), projects of the South Bronx, concentration camps, palaces, and more—signs that “the kingdom of God has been there.”

4. Quote from Pope Francis on Suffering & God’s Accompanying Presence

• Fr. Mark-Mary shares a powerful quote from Pope Francis’s first encyclical, Lumen Fidei:

  “To those who suffer, God does not provide arguments which explain everything. Rather, his response is that of an accompanying presence, a history of goodness which touches every story of suffering and opens up a ray of light.” (Lumen Fidei, §57) (10:04)

5. Anecdote: Delivering Communion in Honduras

• He recounts bringing communion to a dying neighbor in Honduras:
  • Evangelicals gathered around the woman prayed:
    “Ven, Señor Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus.”
  • The priest, carrying the Eucharist, responded:
    “Ya voy, ya voy, ya voy. (I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming.)” (11:55)
  • This illustrates the “creativity of love” as the priest brings Jesus (in the Eucharist) to the dying woman’s humble home—a real breaking in of the Kingdom of God.

6. Invitation: Our Response to Christ’s Creative Love

• Fr. Mark-Mary challenges listeners to reflect:
  “Are we responding to the creativity of his love with the creativity of our own love?” (14:04)
• Are we spending time with Jesus, especially in the Eucharist? Are we nurturing Eucharistic devotion?
• He invites all to contemplate the humility and accessibility of Jesus in the Eucharist and to be intentional and creative in returning that love.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mother Superior (on prayer):
  “When you love someone, you create a way to be with them.” (05:00)
• Fr. Mark-Mary (on the Eucharist):
  “It is absolutely perfect…by instituting the Most Holy Eucharist using such humble and accessible matter, bread and wine, Jesus is able to get to the ones he loves, like anywhere and everywhere.” (06:34)
• Pope Francis (Lumen Fidei):
  “God does not provide arguments which explain everything. Rather, his response is that of an accompanying presence, a history of goodness which touches every story of suffering and opens up a ray of light.” (10:04)
• Fr. Mark-Mary (invitation):
  “Are we responding to the creativity of his love with the creativity of our own love?” (14:04)
• On the Eucharist’s accessibility:
  “…so humble, so lowly, so creative, so accessible and so good.” (14:54)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00-02:20 — Episode introduction and scripture reading
• 04:30 — The story from Fr. Mark-Mary’s solitude retreat & Mother Superior’s “creativity of love”
• 06:00-08:00 — Reflections on the Eucharist as the pinnacle of creative love
• 10:04 — Quote from Pope Francis on God’s presence in suffering
• 11:55-13:30 — Honduras anecdote and the priest’s “I’m coming!” reply
• 14:04-14:54 — Application and challenge to respond creatively to Jesus’ love
• 15:00 onward — Closing prayers

Conclusion

Fr. Mark-Mary’s episode calls listeners to marvel at the profound, creative humility of Christ in the Eucharist, and to intentionally seek creative ways to respond in love and devotion. His personal stories and spiritual insights draw a compelling map for building a deep, daily habit of prayer—no matter where we find ourselves.