From the classroom to the office to everywhere in between, struggling for goodness & holiness can be a daunting task. In these homilies and meditations by Fr. James Searby, Chaplain and Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at George Mason University, discover the possibility of Holiness for the Work…
The Holiness for the Working Day podcast is a truly inspiring and thought-provoking show hosted by Fr. James Searby. As a listener, I have found his homilies to be incredibly uplifting and motivating, helping me to live my life to the fullest while staying grounded in reality. His energy and passion shine through in every episode, making it easy to understand and relate to the messages he shares. Fr. Searby's theatrical experience adds an extra layer of engagement to his speaking voice, drawing listeners in and making each episode a pleasure to listen to.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is Fr. Searby's ability to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds. His words are not only inspiring for adults but also make it easy for children, like mine, to learn and understand the teachings of God. He has a unique talent for bringing holiness into everyday life, making spirituality accessible and relevant.
Another standout aspect of this podcast is Fr. Searby's unwavering commitment to truth. He does not shy away from speaking difficult truths or challenging listeners to live up to what Jesus expects of them. This fearlessness sets him apart as a true spiritual leader who genuinely cares about the hearts and eternal lives of everyone he encounters.
While there may not be many negative aspects of this podcast, some listeners might find Fr. Searby's straightforward approach confronting or uncomfortable at times. However, it is precisely this directness that makes his messages so impactful, forcing listeners to confront themselves, their beliefs, and the world around them.
In conclusion, The Holiness for the Working Day podcast is a must-listen for anyone seeking spiritual guidance and motivation in their daily lives. Fr. James Searby's powerful homilies will ignite your faith and challenge you to become stronger spiritually. His unique ability to convey deep truths while remaining relatable and engaging makes this podcast a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their relationship with God.
Healing and Wholeness: The 18-Inch Journey from Head to Heart “The glory of God is man fully alive.” —St. Irenaeus “God does not love some ideal version of you. He loves you—with your particular history, wounds, and desires.” This episode takes you on what may be the most important journey of your life: the 18 inches from the head to the heart. Through the story of Blaise Pascal's mystical night of fire, the gentle wisdom of Harvey's Elwood P. Dowd, and the wisdom of the Church, we explore what it means to become an integrated person—one who lives not in fragmentation, but in communion. We are not just minds or spirits—we are embodied, emotional, historical persons. And while trauma, generational wounds, and spiritual lies may have fractured our inner life, God is drawing us back into wholeness. This is not a journey of perfection, but of integration—of learning to live fully alive. You'll hear about: The role of the family in shaping our early spiritual imagination The wounds that distort identity and the lies we carry into adulthood How emotional maturity, spiritual direction, and community lead us to healing How God re-parents us through His Word, His Church, and His sacraments This episode is an invitation to courageously face the inner story you've believed—and to let God write a new one with you. Reflection & Journaling Questions for Prayer Where in my life do I live more from my head than from my heart? Where do I hide behind intelligence, control, or performance rather than love, vulnerability, and trust? Have I made the 18-inch journey from being right to being real? What would it mean to let go of needing to prove myself and instead seek communion? What were the spoken or unspoken rules in my family growing up? (“Don't feel,” “Be perfect,” “Never be weak,” etc.) What emotions were welcomed in my childhood? What emotions were avoided or punished? What role did I play in my family system? (Hero, invisible one, peacekeeper, rebel…) How does that still shape me today? What is one lie I have believed about myself? (“I am only loved if…”; “I must always… to be safe.”) Ask: Where did I learn this? What is the truth that God wants to speak there? What pattern have I inherited from my family or past that I want to bring into the light of Christ? Pray: “Lord, show me where You were when I felt unseen.” Which of life's tasks—work, friendship, or love—do I tend to avoid? Ask: Where do I need more courage to live generously and not self-protect? Do I see emotional strength as a way to protect myself or to give myself away? What would it mean to see my strength as a gift for others? What private logic or internal script still shapes how I see myself, God, and others? Bring one of those to prayer. Ask: “Jesus, walk with me through the rooms of my childhood. What do You want to show me?”
Living in Divine Communion: The Heart of Spiritual Health In this episode, we explore the foundation of spiritual health—not as a religious add-on, but as the very core of what it means to be fully human. Drawing from Scripture, the theology of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and the ache of the modern soul, we reflect on how our deepest wounds and longings are not problems to fix but invitations into divine communion. We examine what happens when we try to create ourselves apart from God—and how returning to our true identity as beloved sons and daughters brings clarity, peace, and wholeness. Through stories, reflection, and practical wisdom, this episode invites you to abide in Christ, reorder your desires, and live from the inner room where God dwells. Spiritual wholeness isn't about perfection—it's about presence. Not about doing more—but about dwelling more deeply in the love of the One who made you. At the end of the episode, you'll find 10 journaling prompts and reflection questions to help you live out what you've heard. Let this be more than a listen—let it be a turning point. “Do I approach prayer as a relationship or a task?” Reflect on your experience of prayer. Is it a checklist, or an encounter with Someone who loves you? “What do I most deeply desire?” Trace your strongest longings—are they leading you closer to God or away from Him? “Where am I trying to create or prove myself rather than receive my identity from God?” Explore the pressure you may feel to be self-made. What would it look like to rest in being God's beloved? “Do I live as though I am chosen and loved by God—or as though I must earn love and prove worth?” Consider the emotional tone of your daily life—performance-driven or grace-rooted? “What spiritual lie do I hear most often—and what truth does God speak instead?” Identify one recurring falsehood (e.g., “I am unlovable” or “God is distant”) and counter it with Scripture. “Where am I off course by ‘just one degree' in my spiritual life?” Is there a small misalignment—like distraction, a neglected habit, or spiritual drift—that could, over time, distance you from your true destination? “What do I do when I feel disillusioned or disappointed? Write honestly about times you've been let down or hurt. Where can healing begin? “How do I abide in Christ throughout my day?” Make a list of practices or reminders that help you stay rooted in Him—from Scripture, silence, music, to sacrament. “Where do I resist God's love or hide from it?” Reflect on places of shame, fear, or control. What would it mean to allow God into those places? “In my life right now, where am I being called to surrender, not try harder?” Ask: Is this a moment for discipline—or a moment for deeper trust?
Holy Trinity Sunday 2025 What do a baffling university quote, swirling incense, and the mystery of the Trinity have in common? More than you think. In this episode, we begin with Fr. Robert McGuire's infamous “Red Zinger”—a cryptic saying meant to puzzle and provoke—and follow its thread into the deepest mystery of the Christian faith: the Trinity. Drawing from ancient philosophy, modern skepticism, and a splash of incense smoke, we reflect on why mystery isn't something to solve, but something to enter. God is one, and God is three—and that paradox isn't a bug, it's the feature. The Christian claim isn't merely that God loves, but that God is love. In the Trinity, we discover not just a doctrine, but an invitation: to imitate the divine rhythm of love, self-gift, and communion. We also confront our modern allergy to mystery. What can't be measured, predicted, or tested is often rejected. Yet the deepest truths—love, meaning, beauty, even God—can't be placed under a microscope. They must be lived. They must be received. So pour a cup of coffee, breathe in the mystery, and let's step into the rhythm of reality—one that can't be seen with the eyes, but is revealed in the smoke, the symbols, and the stillness.
Pentecost 2025 Graduation season is a time of giving—gifts to celebrate, to remember, and to send forth with love. But what if the greatest gifts we receive aren't wrapped in ribbons, but in the presence of the Giver Himself? In this episode, we explore the love language of gift giving—not as materialism, but as the sacred act of saying, “You are seen. You are loved. You matter.” We then turn to the most profound gifts of all: the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, given by the Paraclete—our Advocate, who stands beside us as we step into the unknown. Let this be your commissioning: to carry these gifts boldly into the world.
In this opening episode of The Road to Wholeness, we begin with a map—not of streets and cities, but of the human person. Drawing from St. Teresa of Avila, Benedict XVI, and the deep wells of Christian anthropology, we explore what it means to be made in the image of God. Before any healing can begin, we must remember who we are: someone, not something. This episode charts the terrain of the soul—our intellect, will, and capacity for love—and lays the foundation for a journey of restoration, not into self-perfection, but into divine communion. It's not self-help. It's grace. Here are some journal and prayer prompts to help you dive deeper: What lies have I believed about myself, God, or others that keep me from living in the truth of who I am? How do I respond to beauty when I encounter it—in art, nature, or another person? What does that response reveal about my soul's longing? When was the last time I felt truly seen and known? What did that moment teach me about communion and trust? What rhythms or practices help me live from grace rather than striving for control or perfection?
This episode reflects on the quiet aftermath of great missions—whether in war, in the early Church, or in our own lives. Drawing from a scene in Band of Brothers, the Ascension in the Gospel of Luke, and a moment from Black Hawk Down, it explores the kind of silence that follows profound revelation. Not a silence of fear, but of purpose. The Apostles didn't retreat after the Lord ascended—they returned to prayer, to wait, and then to go back in. So must we. This homily is a meditation on that return: the hush before the mission continues, a mission that flows from the Ascension of Our Lord.
In this episode, we journey into the heart of the interior life—where sonship is not just a theological idea but a lived identity, rooted in the truth of God's love. Fr. Searby explores how misbeliefs about ourselves and others become strongholds for spiritual distortion, and how forgiveness and spiritual warfare begin in reclaiming truth. This is a call to detach from the lies of the enemy, re-align our hearts with the Father's voice, and live in the radical freedom of those who know they are deeply loved.
This episode explores the deep, sacred power of memory—not as nostalgia, but as a living, active force that shapes who we are. True remembrance, inspired by the Holy Spirit, makes the past present and meaningful. In the Church, memory is not just intellectual—it's spiritual, personal, and redemptive. Through the Mass and the quiet reminders of grace, we are invited to remember who we are and carry that fire into the world.
Rest for Your Soul: Sabbath Wisdom for a Summer of Renewal 2025 This episode explores the sacred power of stillness in seasons of change, from the quiet “Room of Tears” behind the papal conclave to the quiet mornings of our own lives. Drawing on scripture, saints, literature, and films, we uncover how Sabbath rest is more than a break, it's a threshold, a healing, a celebration, and a taste of eternity. Whether through Tolkien's Shire, a walk by the river, or a meal with loved ones, this is an invitation to rediscover time as a divine gift, not a task.
A talk to young adults about the death of the Holy Father and the Conclave.
Chiesa Nuova di Santa Maria in Vallicella
Homily from the Basilica of St. Paul, Rome, on the day and hour of Pope Francis' death
Happy Easter to all! Lent is 40 days, Easter is 50. Let's CELEBRATE WITH HOPE AND JOY!
The story of the woman caught in adultery John 8:1-11 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The rediscovery of spellbound wonder is the rediscovery of our youth and the heart of the spiritual life
Anthony “Tony” Dolan was a gifted writer, journalist, and the chief speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, where he helped craft some of the most memorable and morally clear rhetoric of the era. A graduate of Yale University with a degree in philosophy and history, he brought depth, conviction, and eloquence to every word he penned. Beyond politics, Tony was a man of deep faith, loyal friendships, and a quiet humility that belied his profound influence. He believed that words, rightly used, could move hearts—and point them toward truth.
Feast of St. Patrick 2025 Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!
A homily to the men of the Ancient Order of Hiberians
A meditation to women as we enter into Lent.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
