Juan Point at a Time

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I am a Jesuit priest in the Roman Catholic Church. This podcast is a collection of my best homilies thus far... plus some of the rest. (Feel free to be the judge of that.) My focus is often on spiritual insights that are gleaned from the readings or the o

Juan P Ruiz


    • Feb 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 131 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Juan Point at a Time

    Woes to Freedom

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 6:00


    As always, Jesus wants us to avoid spiritual traps and see ourselves through the eyes of God our Father... especially when he's naming one woe after another!Luke 6:20-26

    Lie #22 of the Evil Spirit - If I don't defend my faith in public, I'm a bad Catholic.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 7:33


    It is not uncommon to hear disparaging remarks about the Catholic faith and tradition today. Sometimes that creates a space for the evil spirit to get under our skin a bit. Year C - Ordinary Time - Week 3 Lk 4:14-21

    Sharing the Graces God Gives Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2024 5:59


    Sometimes we keep ideas or graces that might have come from God to ourselves out of fear, but as always, God's invitation is not to fear.

    Embracing the Messiness

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2024 6:36


    God chose to enter straight into the world, straight into the messiness of our lives. Christmas Vigil Mass

    The Yoke Made Easier

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 2:03


    One of the many ways we sometimes make a burden of life is presuming God is punishing us for some past transgression, when perhaps that is not a helpful question to even ask. Mt 11: 28-30

    Hiding from Forgiveness

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2024 5:58


    JBap is out preaching to himself and to others the same message, "Make way for the Lord." Year C - Advent - Week 2

    Liturgical New Year's Resolutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 5:21


    Boy, what a confusing title for this episode, but it's accurate. The new liturgical year begins with readings that call to mind the Last Judgment. It is an invitation to make resolutions from a different perspective than usual... Year C - Advent - Week 1

    Pausing for Peace

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 4:53


    Jesus sees the Israelites are pursuing peace where it will not be found and weeps for them. If only they had paused and noticed his visitation, they might have avoided a lot of tragedy. Lk 19:41-44

    Marriage is meant to Soften our Hearts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 5:26


    As always, God is on our side. In today's Gospel, Jesus addresses the tough topic of divorce and has some encouraging words about what we should expect marriage to do for us. Year B - Ordinary Time - Week 27

    Not Shutting Down God

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2024 10:07


    If we shut God down when the needs seem overwhelming, the story ends early. Year B - Ordinary Time - Week 17

    When time seems too short

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 6:30


    What does Christ prioritize when time feels too short? Year B - Ordinary Time - Week 13

    False Prophets exist, but God and goodness will not fail us

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 4:26


    False prophets exist and will catch us at times, but recovery is always possible. Year 2 - Ordinary Time - Week 12 - Tuesday

    Hitting Below the Belt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 4:37


    Once again, Jesus is giving some practical advice and helps to hoping when we hit or get hit "below the belt." Ordinary Time - Week 12 - Tuesday

    No-Win Scenarios

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 5:05


    Sometimes the evil spirit presents us with no-win scenarios, that turns out are not no-win scenarios when Jesus enters the story.

    We Know the Way

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 4:32


    When the future seems very unclear, it doesn't mean that today we need feel lost. (Easter - Week 4 - Friday)

    Entering into the Wilderness

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 9:34


    This homily was given at a mass where a major relic of Saint Jean de Brébeuf was present which is why the homily has so much to do with him.

    Of course I will it. Be healed.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 8:43


    One can sometimes doubt if Jesus desires our spiritual healing, but it is more likely that he is inviting us to take another step.

    Attitudes That Harm Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 8:03


    Jesus confronts an unclean spirit in today's Gospel, one which he easily casts out and a sort of spirit which each of us might need to be liberated from as well.

    A Cameo Worth Noting

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2023 5:36


    The prophetess Anna makes a cameo in today's Gospel and her history can prove a valuable, though simple, lesson.

    How to Grow in Wisdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 7:33


    You know wisdom when you see it, but how do we grow in it? Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 32

    What is My Price of Admission?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 5:25


    Without even realizing it, we may sometimes be charging Christ a price of admission into our hearts. And there's a simple question way to figure out what that price might be. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 31 - Thursday

    Preparing a Room for the Guest

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2023 3:33


    Jesus invites us to develop routines that keep us open to his Spirit and remain faithful to them. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 29 - Tuesday

    A Litmus Test for our Relationship with God

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2023 7:37


    Jesus opens the eyes of the Pharisees in today's readings with a litmus test that we can apply to our own lives. Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 30

    North American Martyrs sacrificing for the sake of the Gospel

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2023 6:56


    Today is a memorial of 8 Jesuits who were martyred in North America and their witness can still be a model for us today, even in a context which lacks the violence of their time. Memorial of the North American Martyrs

    Start Praying Right Where You Find Yourself... and Don't Stop

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2023 5:45


    Today's reading offers some suggestions from Jesus on prayer. Ordinary Time - Week 27 - Thursday

    Christ has resolutely set himself on our hearts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2023 4:16


    Jerusalem is a city, but also a symbol. Luke is well aware of what he is doing when writes that Christ determined to go there. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 26 - Tuesday

    Lord, I am not worthy you should enter under my roof.

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2023 4:23


    Unworthiness can be a rather distasteful concept in popular culture, but they are valued within our Christian tradition. So much so that we repeat it every mass... Why? Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 24 - Monday

    God sees us first

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2023 3:01


    Today's Gospel is about an encounter between Philip, Jesus, and Nathaniel. As always, God takes the lead. Feast of Saint Bartholomew

    Decide in neither Desolation nor Jubilation

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 5:03


    Saint Ignatius offers guidelines for the discernment of spirits in his spiritual writings. If I could add one thing with confidence thus far, it would be the simple reminder in this homily. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 17 - Saturday

    Two Criteria for Companions on our Spiritual Journeys

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2023 6:25


    This homily was given to high school freshman at the end of their orientation. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 17 - Friday

    Accepting as God does

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 6:51


    We can easily get lulled into one extreme or another when it comes to accepting others. Jesus wants to free us to love others just as he has loved us. Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 13

    3 Perspectives on Meaning in the Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 3:37


    Jesus speaks with metaphor about how the body is illumined or darkened by what we believe to be out there in the world - and tracking how different worldviews perceive meaning can help us understand our own perspective. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 11 - Friday

    Telling Lies Telling Small Little Lies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2023 7:40


    Sometimes we tell lies to avoid a storm, but it erodes our integrity and becomes self-defeating. Jesus gives us the best reason not to do so. Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 12

    Keep Holy Those Sacred Spaces

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2023 5:48


    Like an expectedly intense liturgist, Jesus unexpectedly draws our attention to sacred spaces. How much do I do to maintain my own? Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 08

    Get over thyself, my friend.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2023 4:57


    Jesus points Peter three times beyond himself, and, Saint Philip Neri, who is celebrated on this memorial, is one example of what that can look like. Memorial of Saint Philip Neri Easter - Week 07 - Friday

    God has judged the world.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2023 5:32


    God has judged the world and in response He gave his only Son. Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 09

    Jesus had to leave.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2023 5:28


    Jesus didn't want us creating more division or setting ourselves against each other, that's why he had to leave. The unity Jesus wants is Catholic, universal. Solemnity of the Ascension

    Judas Sullied What Jesus Washed

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2023 3:08


    Jesus teaches us a small lesson on how to respond to those whose betrayal is pending. It is a small lesson to learn, but very difficult lesson to practice. Easter - Week 05 - Thursday

    Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and the Life

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2023 45:07


    Jesus refers to an often-heard and often-misunderstood or not-understood phrase in today's reading. This homily is a bit of unpacking of that phrase. Year A - Easter - Week 05

    We already know the Good Shepherd

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 7:56


    Jesus claims that the sheep know the voice of the good shepherd... So what is that good shepherd like? Easter - Week 04 - Sunday

    When God Seems Disguised

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2023 10:31


    People have difficulty recognizing Jesus after his resurrection. Is it because he wears disguises or they are missing something that has always been evident? Year A - Easter - Week 03

    What Thomas Sought

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2023 8:39


    What exactly did Thomas doubt and was the doubt the real issue? Easter - Week 02 - Divine Mercy Sunday

    A Missing Detail on Resurrection Sunday

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2023 5:21


    Who tells the story of the the salvation of the world? Easter Sunday

    The Messiness of Farewells

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 5:05


    Saying farewell well is always worth the trouble, even with the smallest things. And Jesus isn't bothered by the process in the least. Holy Week - Monday

    Martha's Redemption

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 11:46


    Martha gets such a bad rap she just doesn't deserve, which only makes her redemption all the sweeter. Year A - Lent - Week 05

    Living in a Shelter of Shame

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2023 13:18


    We can sometimes get stuck living in a little shelter of shame, but the good and great news is that God's got so much more in mind for us. Year A - Lent - Week 03

    The Fear of Anonymity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2023 6:04


    A fear of anonymity coupled with never feeling known is a surely an indication of some evil spirit baloney. Lent - Week 03 - Wednesday

    Easier Said than Done, but Better Enjoyed than Not

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2023 6:17


    Jesus invites us to forgive rather than judge or condemn, but that seems to be easier said than done. In today's homily, I offer a couple examples that help illustrate where one might begin when feeling stuck in judgment or condemnation. Lent - Week 03 - Monday

    Have no Fear When God shines forth through Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2023 9:28


    The moment of the transfiguration is a revelation of who Jesus and where Christ continues to dwell today. Year A - Lent - Week 02

    Stop Arguing and Start Praying

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2023 5:29


    Jesus encounters his disciples in an argument about a young lady and takes a different tact for healing her. Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 07 - Monday

    Mythbusting Paul's Conversion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2023 3:50


    The moment and duration of Saint Paul's conversion were not quite as people often imagine them. Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

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