St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this podcast, as the Church prepares to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Archangels on September 29, Fr. Eric Nicolai shares Scriptural context on the creation of the angels and offers insight on how we can seek to imitate the virtues modeled by the Holy Archangels in our everyday life. Fr. Eric explains: “The Archangels motivate us to live for others in a true contest of meaning and purpose. No matter where we are, we always see the angels [present] in our life. They help us to live with hope, purpose, and courage.” As we strengthen our relationship with the Holy Archangels, we are filled with the grace to live courageously as an instrument of God at home, at work, and in our daily interactions. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Instruments-of-God-Transcript-1.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2. Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In a society focused on external success and recognition, do we take time to look within and reflect: What do I love? Where am I going? How will I change the world? In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina shares a reflection on discovering the beauty of creation within our ordinary circumstances – our work, our interactions, our home – and how, by welcoming God into our midst, we can participate in his work of creation and transform the world around us. Fr. Leo explains: “Whatever is in [our] hands can be transformed, molded, into a masterpiece for [God]. It is up to [us] to discover the divine pearl in ordinary situations.” By contemplating our identity as a child of God, we come to a deeper understanding that our life is not defined by the label society may give us nor is it defined by our individual skill set – it's about the love and interest we put into our vocation, for it is there that a miracle can occur. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Called-to-Create-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2. Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Have we become used to, or even indifferent, to Jesus on the Cross? Where's the Cross in our lives? In this podcast, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha shares a meditation in honor of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) and the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15), which are “a great opportunity for us to deepen once more in the wisdom of the Cross and to ask the Holy Spirit to open our souls to this profound wisdom which is expressed in the phrase the Triumph of the Cross”. We contemplate Christ in the fullness of his humanity as he embraces his pain and suffering, allowing it to become a selfless, compassionate gift of love through which he redeems humanity. And, in this, we find the meaning of our suffering, trials, heartaches, and disappointments. Fr. Donncha then encourages us to turn to Our Lady who quietly accompanies Christ to Golgotha and remains with him at the foot of the Cross. Our Lady, therefore, teaches us how to unite our pain and suffering with Our Lord and gives witness to steadfast faith and hope found in the triumph of the Cross. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/The-Triumph-of-the-Cross-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2. Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of September, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a meditation on the sanctification of human love as witnessed through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. This gift of sacrificial love encourages us to look inward and reflect upon the opportunity to be a witness to the love of Christ is our daily life. Through the grace made present to us in the sacraments, we are strengthened to lay down our life for one another and inspired to love others out of love for Christ. Access our Day of Recollection resources for the month of September online: https://stjosemaria.org/day-of-recollection-september-2021/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares a meditation inspired by the phrase, “an hour of study, for a modern apostle, is an hour of prayer” (St. Josemaria Escriva; The Way, no. 335). Approaching academic learning as a form of prayer is not a way of life designed solely for students. Rather, it is a way of life that all Christians should adopt as it helps us develop a stronger worldview. Fr. Javier discusses how to approach Scripture, the lives of the saints, and the writings of the Church Fathers as a form of prayer. He also explains how to overcome three common obstacles – lust, curiosity, and falsehood – that inhibit our desire to study. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Study-Prayer-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Is Christian life growing around you? In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio invites us to reflect upon the apostolate of attraction as the means by which we are to fulfill the Great Commission and lead others into a relationship with Christ. This type of apostolate, as old as the Gospel itself and encouraged by Pope Francis, begins by our faithful witness to the love of Christ: people need to see us as an oasis of joy and peace. It is our witness, only later accompanied by doctrine, that will prove the presence of Our Lord. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Apostolate-of-Attraction-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary on August 15, Fr. Eric Nicolai reflects on the role of Mary as the new Eve and how we can obtain the joy of salvation through her intercession. Fr. Eric encourages us to enter into this feast day in a unique way, allowing ourselves the opportunity to be led into a deeper joy guided by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We are challenged to see ourselves through the prism of God's love, to abandon the old ways of sin, and to set our eyes on eternal happiness in Heaven. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Transcript-Mary-Cause-of-Our-Joy.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of August, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on the importance of forming children in virtue so they become witnesses to the love of Christ. Msgr. Dolan explains this essential task requires sacrifice, time, intentionality, and authenticity, as children watch and respond more willingly to witnesses than teachers. Access the resources for the August Day of Recollection online: https://stjosemaria.org/day-of-recollection-august-2021/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of July, Fr. Leo Agustina reflects on fostering bright and cheerful homes so that the family can be a source of grace and a witness to the love and mercy of Christ. Access the resources for the July Day of Recollection online: https://stjosemaria.org/day-of-recollection-july-2021/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the heroic lives of these two great saints who accepted Christ's invitation to repentance and fearlessly proclaimed the Kingdom of God. Their lives model for us a pathway of discipleship and illustrate the boundless love of God made known through the power of forgiveness. On this feast day, we pray for an increased trust in the Lord and the strength to fearlessly proclaim the faith in our daily life. As St. Josemaria reminds us: “Depend on Jesus for everything. You have nothing, are worth nothing, are capable of nothing. He will act, if you abandon yourself to him” (The Way, no. 731). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Transcript-From-Sinners-to-Saints-The-Solemnity-of-Sts-Peter-Paul.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In honor of the Feast Day of St. Josemaria on June 26, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha reflects on the origin and meaning of St. Josemaria's title, “Saint of Ordinary Life”, and invites us to contemplate what God is saying and revealing to us as we seek the company and intercession of St. Josemaria. St. Josemaria said, “There is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary circumstances, and it's up to each one of us to discover it.” Fr. Donncha, therefore, reminds us that the invitation of this feast day is to discover that something holy in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. And, that something is none other than “the living Christ, Jesus, close by us in our work, in our rest, in our families, in our friendships, in our social life, in our pains, in our sorrows, in our joys… whatever it is, the Lord is there with us.” ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Transcript-St-Josemaria-The-Saint-of-Ordinary-Life.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As we prepare to celebrate Father's Day in the United States, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection on the important and necessary role fathers have within the family unit and in society today. Drawing upon anecdotes and heartfelt memories from his relationship with his own father, Msgr. Dolan shares seven points that can help fathers renew and strengthen their relationship with their spouse and children. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/The-Responsibility-of-Fatherhood-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In preparation for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the Sacred Heart as an infinite treasure of love and mercy through which we come to know how much we are loved by God. We are invited to bring the truths of the Sacred Heart into our daily life for it is through this devotion which we can find the strength to withstand temptation and bear our cross, find hope amid discouragement, and find courage to evangelize no matter the circumstances. As we participate in the treasures of Jesus' heart, we are able to draw upon the grace of Christ and in turn become transmitters of the love of Christ to those hearts that are empty of meaning, of hope, and of consolation. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/The-Sacred-Heart-An-Infinite-Treasure-of-Love-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don't miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the importance of spiritual direction as we pursue the path of holiness in everyday life. Fr. Javier shares Scriptural context for the basis of spiritual direction, offers practical advice on seeking out a spiritual director, and suggests what to discuss within the context of spiritual direction. This podcast is part of our Day of Recollection resources June 2021: https://stjosemaria.org/day-of-recollection-june-2021/. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Spiritual-Direction-Discerning-the-Will-of-God-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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A Spiritual Retreat on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit guides us through a deeper understanding of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and shares practical applications of how to foster these gifts in our prayer and conversation with God. “We should be aware of the work of the Holy Spirit all around us, and in our own selves we should recognize the gifts he distributes, the movements and institutions he inspired, the affections and decisions he provokes in our hearts” (St. Josemaria Escriva; Christ is Passing By, no. 130). However, in our human weakness, our soul is clouded with the impurities of sin which inhibits our awareness to the work of grace. As we progress in our spiritual journey, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit help us overcome the obstacles of sin and lead us to the highest summits of holiness. Weaving together stories from the life of St. Josemaria and spiritual insights from Scripture, this retreat is an opportunity to enlighten our minds, purify our hearts, and strengthen our wills as we come to know the Holy Spirit in a more profound way and seek to encounter his presence in the ordinary moments of everyday life. Listen and download the free audio retreat online: https://stjosemaria.org/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Concluding our Easter series, To and From Emmaus: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how the disciples’ encounter with Jesus Christ along the road to Emmaus serves as a template of evangelization, and how true evangelization is the ultimate fruit of our prayer and interior life. Jesus profoundly affected the hearts of his two companions – the disciples sense their hearts being uplifted, they sense that they are loved and affirmed, they sense the kindness and affection of Christ, and they become recipients of his joy and peace. We learn from Our Lord, therefore, that the way of true evangelization doesn’t necessarily consist in an ability to win theological debates nor does it consist in constant moralizing or defending good moral causes. These are all important elements of evangelization, but what’s essential in the work of true evangelization is that we attract, we encounter, and we accompany. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Transcript-Part-Seven-Interior-Life-the-Heart-of-Evangelization.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Continuing our Easter series, To and From Emmaus: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the importance of nurturing our interior life in order to draw close to our Heavenly Father and to share the light of Christ with others. As we see in the gospel passage, Christ makes himself known to the disciples through the breaking of the bread and in sharing of the Word. In this time of prayer and reflection, Fr. Peter challenges us to make resolutions that can help deepen our Eucharistic piety so that we can be transformed by the grace of Christ and inspired to live out the Divine Commission. As St. Josemaria explains: “If you don’t keep in touch with Christ in prayer and in the bread, how can you make him known to others?” (The Way, no. 105). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Part-Six-The-Means-to-Union-with-Christ.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Continuing our Easter series, To and From Emmaus: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the disciples’ desire for Jesus to remain with them as evening falls along their journey as a template for our vocation in which we seek to remain with Christ through our pursuit of holiness. The journey of the disciples provides for us a framework which we can apply to our Christian life as we turn away from sin and conform our life to Christ. St. Josemaria prompts us to ask: “Why don’t you give yourself to God once and for all… really… now?” (The Way, no. 902). As we spend this time in prayer and conversation with God, we are encouraged to seek the grace of the Holy Spirit so that we may recognize the presence of Christ in our daily lives and burn with the fire of his love in our personal quest for sanctity. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Part-Five-The-Quest-for-Sanctity-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1, we are pleased to share “Go to Joseph”: A Spiritual Retreat, a collection of meditations that invites us to contemplate the life of St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus Christ and model of virtue and leadership, and to understand more deeply: Why is the life of St. Joseph so important? Why did God choose St. Joseph to be his foster father on earth? What does St. Joseph’s life teach us about our own identities: where we come from and why God has also chosen us? As we turn to the example of St. Joseph, we learn how his life of virtue was fostered through his docility to the Will of God and perseverance in the tasks and struggles of daily life. This time of prayer on retreat is an opportunity to look inward and assess how we respond to the grace of Christ in our daily life. By imitating the life of St. Joseph, we too can overcome obstacles and sanctify the ordinary moments of daily life. Listen and download the full retreat for free online: https://stjosemaria.org/go-to-joseph/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Continuing our Easter series, To and From Emmaus: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the disciples’ desire for Jesus to remain with them as evening falls along their journey. As we compare the journey to Emmaus with our personal journey toward eternal life with Christ, Fr. Peter reminds us that our time on Earth is short and therefore we should set out with urgency to fill our life with deeds of love. In this time of reflection and prayer, we are challenged to ask ourselves: “How much can I do for Jesus in a given day?” When our time on Earth comes to a close, can we look back confidently and know that we have taken full advantage of our time as we pursue the path of holiness toward Heaven? ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Part-Four-Brief-Indeed-Is-Our-Time-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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On April 23, 1912, at the age of 10, St. Josemaria Escriva made his First Communion. In this podcast, on the anniversary of St. Josemaria’s First Communion, Fr. Leo Agustina reflects on Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, and how the Eucharist shows us Jesus as he is and ourselves as we are. As we pray and contemplate the presence of Christ in the silence of our heart, we see that Christ seeks to redeem us and to transform our hearts so that we may imitate his presence in the world today. His presence in the Eucharist teaches us how to love— not only how to love God but also how to love others and how to love ourselves. As each of us remembers the first time we received Christ in the Eucharist, we can ask him to increase our desire to receive him better and to believe more in the reality of his love. St. Josemaria explains: “Jesus has remained in the Sacred Host for us! So as to stay by our side, to sustain us, to guide us. And love can only be repaid with love. How could we not turn to the Blessed Sacrament each day, even if it is only for a few minutes, to bring him our greetings and our love as children and as brothers?” (Furrow, no. 686). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Encountering-Jesus-in-the-Eucharist-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Continuing our Easter series, To and From Emmaus: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the desire for conversion that Christ inspires within the disciples and how we can imitate this act of repentance and change of heart in our daily lives. Amid their journey to Emmaus, Christ prompts a conversation with the disciples and identifies the interior pain and restlessness they experience as a result of what they believe to be an absence of Christ. It is through this conversation that Christ encourages the disciples to examine their conscience, seek repentance, and share the good news of the Risen Lord. As we too open our hearts to the grace of Christ, what sinful barriers do we need to break through to pursue a life of friendship with the Risen Lord? ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Part-Three-A-Change-of-Heart-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Continuing our Easter series, To and From Emmaus: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the disciples’ feeling of dejection and tragedy in response to Jesus’ death, not recognizing yet how his death and resurrection will become a symbol of conversion and transformation. We see, therefore, in the story of Emmaus that it is in the midst of our difficulties that we must turn to the Lord and unite our suffering to the Cross. Fr. Peter explains that though we may not always feel or perceive the presence of the Lord, we must remain rooted in the truth that the Lord never abandons us. God loves us and desires our happiness. By reflecting on the disciples’ journey to Emmaus, especially in our suffering, we are encouraged to draw near to Christ and respond to his outpouring of love by opening our heart to him in prayer. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Part-Two-Recognizing-the-Love-of-God-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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The St. Josemaria Institute is pleased to present a new seven-part podcast series by Fr. Peter Armenio on the road to Emmaus as a complement to your time of prayer as we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord this Easter season. In this week’s podcast, the first of the series, Fr. Peter introduces us to the circumstances surrounding the disciples’ journey to Emmaus – what events are they leaving behind and what are they seeking as they walk ahead? The events that occur on the road to Emmaus serve as an allegory to the circumstances of our personal discipleship with Christ, illustrating that we can overcome our defeats with interior strength and spiritual victory. As we reflect with Fr. Peter on this spiritual journey over the next seven weeks, we are challenged to look inward and place ourselves within the experiences of the disciples and apply these events to our daily lives. In doing so, we will come away with a renewed desire to walk with and imitate Christ through the joys and sorrows of everyday life. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Part-One-Walking-with-Christ.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Praying the Stations of the Cross with St. Josemaria Escriva is an invitation and guide to praying and contemplating the traditional fourteen stations following the way of Jesus Christ’s passion and death. Like the original, this adaptation of St. Josemaria’s beloved devotion, The Way of Cross, seeks to help people to pray and, with God's grace, to grow in a spirit of reparation and of gratitude to Our Lord, who has rescued us at the cost of his blood. Physical copies of 'Praying the Stations of the Cross with St. Josemaria Escriva' are available online to accompany this audio recording: https://stjosemaria.org/product/praying-the-stations-of-the-cross/. Each station is time marked below: 00:00 Introduction 06:35 Opening Prayer 07:27 Station One 10:25 Station Two 13:12 Station Three 16:07 Station Four 18:43 Station Five 21:26 Station Six 24:36 Station Seven 27:30 Station Eight 29:59 Station Nine 32:48 Station Ten 35:48 Station Eleven 38:32 Station Twelve 42:15 Station Thirteen 45:04 Station Fourteen ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha concludes our Lenten podcast series reflecting on how we can become vessels of God’s love and instruments of God’s grace through our participation in the Way of the Cross and sharing in Christ’s passion and death. Despite our sinful nature, Christ continues to call each of us to be witnesses of his love and mercy. Fr. Donncha explains that through our participation in the sacraments and through sanctifying our daily work, we can respond freely to the love of Christ and be a channel of grace to those we encounter in the midst everyday life. As St. Josemaria explains: “Do everything for love. Thus there will be no little things: everything will be big. Perseverance in little things for love is heroism. A little act, done for love, is worth so much! (The Way, no. 813-814.) ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Way-of-the-Cross-in-Our-Daily-Lives.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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The Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19, honoring St. Joseph as the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and earthly father of Christ. During this Year of St. Joseph proclaimed by Pope Francis, we are reminded to go to St. Joseph and discover in him an intercessor, a support and a guide. In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina shares a reflection on the freedom of St. Joseph which allowed him to be an instrument in the story of salvation and share in the joy of the life of Christ. Fr. Leo explains that God counts on each one of us to be docile to the Holy Spirit in partaking in the work of Jesus Christ and bringing those we encounter closer to God through our personal freedom. Modeling the life of St. Joseph, we too can seek to live freely in the grace of Christ as we pursue the adventure of sainthood in the midst of everyday life. St. Josemaria explains: “Faith, hope, love: these are the supports of Joseph’s life and of all Christian lives. Joseph’s self-giving is an interweaving of faithful love, loving faith and confident hope. His feast is thus a good opportunity for us to renew our commitment to the Christian calling God has given each of us” (Christ is Passing By, no. 43). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/St-Joseph-Model-of-Freedom-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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What is it like to be there on Mount Calvary, on Golgotha, at the moment of the death of Jesus in the company of Mary and St. John the Apostle and the Holy Women? Continuing our Lenten podcast series, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha reflects on the wounds of Christ which helps us to realize our vocation to share in Our Lord’s suffering. As we contemplate Christ in his Passion, we are challenged to take part in it, allowing the cross to become a part of our daily life. By sharing in the cross of Our Lord, we become channels of grace through which we can lead others into an encounter with God. As St. Josemaria explains: “Do you want to accompany Jesus closely, very closely? Open the Holy Gospel and read the Passion of Our Lord. But don’t just read it: live it. There is a big difference. To read is to recall something that happened in the past; to live is to find oneself present at an event that is happening here and now, to be someone taking part in those scenes. Then, allow your heart to open wide; let it place itself next to Our Lord” (The Way of the Cross, 9th Station). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Way-of-the-Cross-Discipleship-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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A Spiritual Retreat on St. Joseph, Father and Protector guides us on a prayerful reflection on St. Joseph as our father and protector, and his role in our salvation. On this retreat, we are guided to contemplate the life of St. Joseph, his virtues and zeal, and take a contemplative look at our own lives. St. Joseph teaches us– despite our weaknesses, doubts, frailty, and sinfulness– how to see all the things of our lives as having a higher purpose and he helps us to desire and grow in virtue in all the circumstances of our lives. With St. Joseph as our father and protector, we are able to see our lives as being a part of a larger guided providence and not as a random series of events. A Spiritual Retreat on St. Joseph, Father and Protector is a collection of five meditations preached by Rev. John Henry Hanson, O. Praem., a Norbertine priest of St Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, California and contributor to the St. Josemaria Institute. Access the full retreat online: https://stjosemaria.org/saint-joseph-father-and-protector/.

What does it mean to be healed by the wounds of Christ? And, through understanding this saving mystery, how can we make reparation and show our love for the body of Christ? In this podcast, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha continues our Lenten podcast series contemplating Christ as a Man of Sorrows. Looking to the example of Christ, we come to realize that his suffering and Cross are also an essential part of our own biography as we cannot fully understand our past, present and future without looking at Our Lord and meditating on his Passion. As we meditate on Christ’s sorrows, Fr. Donncha challenges us to live out the Passion of Our Lord with the same zeal as the saints. We must turn to the Crucifix in the midst of our suffering, meditating on the sorrows of Christ, allowing him to speak to us. In doing so, we will be renewed with the grace to persevere in our trials and we will receive a strengthened desire to love the Lord through our devotion to the Holy Eucharist. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Way-of-the-Cross-Christs-Sorrows-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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What is it like to see an adult who falls or has fallen to the ground?… And what does it mean for Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to fall to the ground? Continuing our Lenten series on the Way of the Cross, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha reflects in this podcast on the tangible way God’s love is shown through his falls and physical weakness along the way to his crucifixion and death. Christ embraces his humanity and falls down out of love and out of solidarity with us to show that he is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives and to show us that we are not alone in our suffering and death. Along the way, Veronica’s encounter with Jesus reminds us of our need to seek the face of Christ, and to fix our gaze upon Our Lord as he looks upon us with love, especially when we are faced with our own weaknesses and our own moments of falling down. And Simon’s encounter with Jesus reminds us of the need to make reparation by trying to love back, by living out the three pillars of Lent: prayer, sacrifice, and alms. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/The-Way-of-the-Cross-Christs-Falls-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Published in 1981, The Way of the Cross - a posthumous work of St. Josemaria Escriva - has become a beloved devotion for Catholics worldwide. This season of Lent, we will be sharing a new five-part podcast series from Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha on the prominent themes found in The Way of the Cross that can help us to be renewed and strengthened in Christ’s love through the contemplation of his Passion and death on the Cross. In this first podcast of the series, Fr. Donncha shares a brief history of The Way of the Cross as he introduces listeners to this beloved devotion in the Church. Fr. Donncha challenges us to spend time this Lent to discover how Our Lord loves us and gives himself up for us through his Passion and death on the Cross. Through our meditation on Christ’s pain and suffering we can come to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the depth of God’s love and can seek to remain close to him in our most difficult moments. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Transcript.The-Way-of-the-Cross-A-Way-Loved-By-the-Church.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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“Now is the day of salvation, now is an acceptable time… For what?” As we begin the holy season of Lent, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the readings for Ash Wednesday which remind us once again that now is the time for conversion— Lent is a time for conversion. Our Lord gives us an entire season of the liturgical year to turn back to Him, to be reconciled to God, to purify ourselves, and to identify ourselves with God’s suffering. Our conversion does not have to be big and showy. In fact, Fr. Javier explains how simple acts of penance— like offering up our food and drink, setting a time for prayer, and participating in works of mercy— allow us to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ on the Cross and to bring about deeper conversions. He also explains how the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are ultimately a participation in the life and mission of Jesus Christ that help us in our earthly life toward the goal of eternal salvation. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lent-A-Time-for-Conversion.Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In your decision to follow Christ, how can you become more in love with Jesus and never let that love grow stale? In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on how the grace received in responding to our vocation to follow Christ gives us a lense through which we can continue to grow in loyalty, fidelity and constancy. With this spiritual outlook, maintaining our daily practice of prayer to keep our focus on Christ, we are encouraged to forge ahead through those moments in which we may encounter spiritual dryness and disillusionment. Msgr. Dolan reminds us that it is also through offering simple aspirations and sticking to a daily plan of prayer each day that we are able to persevere in the face of temptation and remain faithful in our relationship with Christ. Saint Josemaria explains: “You told me that God sometimes fills you with light for a while and sometimes does not. I reminded you, firmly, that the Lord is always infinitely good. That is why those bright days are enough to help you carry on; but the times when you see no light are good for you too, and make you more faithful” (Furrow, no. 341). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/The-Decision-to-Follow-Christ-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the Presentation of the Lord and the Church’s celebration of this feast on February 2. He explains the historical background of the event and what it means for us today, primarily that it is through the Presentation that we recognize Jesus as the Light of the World and we are given the hope of salvation. As disciples, Jesus’s Presentation is an invitation to bask in the Light and to radiate the Light among those we encounter each day, especially those in need of the consolation, joy and peace of Christ. St. Josemaria explains: “We are children of God. Bearers of the only flame that can light up the paths of the earth for souls, of the only brightness which can never be darkened, dimmed or overshadowed. The Lord uses us as torches, to make that light shine out… It depends on us that many should not remain in darkness, but walk instead along paths that lead to eternal life” (The Forge, no. 1). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Christ-Light-of-the-World-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Rev. Javier del Castillo reflects on the lives of the early Church martyrs and the way they gave witness to their faith through the simple actions of everyday life. He explains how we too should foster an awareness of our personal sanctification and strive to be heroic in and through our ordinary circumstances. As we respond to the call to holiness with the same faith of the martyrs, we become cooperators in God’s divine plan and witnesses to the love of Christ. St. Josemaria explains: “We have been chosen gratuitously by Our Lord. His choice of us sets us a clear goal. Our goal is personal sanctity. Let us not forget, then, that we are in our Master’s sheepfold in order to achieve that goal” (Friends of God, no. 2). ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Heroic-Holiness-Transcript-1.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan continues our series on St. Josemaria’s homily The Richness of Ordinary Life by reflecting on the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd. The Gospel of John sets before us the imagery of the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, capturing the selfless, sacrificial love Christ has for each one of us. Following in the example of Christ, Msgr. Dolan explains that we too are called to be good shepherds in our ordinary lives, having a constant concern for souls. He encourages us to pray about our role in the lives of others and stresses the importance of building community and creating fruitful interactions with one another. In doing so, we become imitators of the love of Christ and good shepherds in the world today. ––––– Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Christ-the-Good-Shepherd-Transcript.pdf ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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How can we live a sanctified life and inherit the gift of eternal life? St. Josemaria explains: “Detach yourself from the goods of this world. Love and practice poverty of spirit: be content with what is sufficient for leading a simple and temperate life. Otherwise, you will never be an apostle” (The Way, no. 631). This reflection from Fr. Peter Armenio offers three practical considerations in applying St. Josemaria’s teaching on detachment: to recognize that God is good and offers a lasting joy, to live out the Ten Commandments so that we can freely choose Christ as our ultimate good, and to foster a spirit of self-giving. By detaching ourselves from the goods of this world, we become a reflection of Christ in the world today and partakers in the joy of everlasting life. View Transcript: https://stjosemaria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Spirit-of-Detachment-Transcript.pdf ––––– This meditation is part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of January, 2021. Listen to the complete series online: https://stjosemaria.org/day-of-recollection-january-2021/. ----- THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As we look forward to the New Year and seek opportunities to begin again, we are pleased to begin a new podcast series reflecting on St. Josemaria’s homily The Richness of Ordinary Life, in which St. Josemaria puts before us the goal of personal sanctity and reminds us that the path of holiness lies in the little things of ordinary life. In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina draws inspiration from the Parable of the Sower and challenges us to cultivate an interior life full of “rich soil” through which we can produce spiritual fruit and grow in personal friendship with Christ. Fr. Leo reminds us that we do not have to seek out Christ in extraordinary ways, but that we can transform the ordinary moments of everyday life into opportunities in which we can encounter Christ. In doing so, we will find greater meaning and fulfillment in our daily life and work, and allow ourselves to be used as an instrument in the work of God’s salvation. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the Holy Family as the foundation and model of the love of Christ. We are reminded of the greatest event in history – God becoming human, becoming part of this universe. God came into this world through a family, spending the majority of his life in his home in Nazareth. It is through the hidden life of christ that we come to understand the great commandment, “love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13.34). Christ spent the majority of his life putting this commandment into practice at home before spending his final years teaching it to others. Our ‘arena’ in which we can put the love of Christ into action is at home. The homy of a family is a natural setting in which prayer, service, joy, and love, among other virtues, are first taught and lived out. If we seek to change the world, we must first begin at home, in our own corner of the world, exhibiting a love that fosters a family atmosphere. We must also be rooted in prayer. Saint Paul tells us that through prayer, the love of God is poured into our heart. We cannot love like Christ is we do not know Christ. And thus, we turn to the words of St. Josemaria Escriva, “My God, teach me how to love! My, God, teach me how to pray!” (The Forge, no. 66). ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the Annunciation of the Lord, as told in the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and invites us to contemplate and imitate Mary’s listening heart. Our expectation, preparation, and contemplation are heightened during these final days of Advent– this is true both as we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas and as we prepare to receive Christ in the Eucharist. Looking to the example of St. Josemaria, Fr. Javier explains that we can prepare to welcome the Lord by repeating brief prayers or aspirations throughout the day, asking Our Lady to help us listen to the voice of God as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord. ––––– To accompany your time of prayer and reflection, download our Advent Devotional ‘Come, Let Us Adore’ available online: stjosemaria.org/advent-2020-come-let-us-adore/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on St. John the Baptist to show how, like the saint, we can become active listeners of the Word in our hearts. In particular, this talk aims to persuade you to embrace a lifestyle where there is room for meditation on Sacred Scripture and spiritual reading, such as the lives of the saints and spiritual classics, that can help us grow in our interior lives. Among the recommendations in this talk are three steps to get started on your spiritual reading plan: 1. Make Time: Each day set aside time for spiritual reading (10-15 minutes) and Biblical reading (5-10 minutes). 2. Take Notes: As you are reading or when you finish, write down what strikes you and what moves you. Also, start writing a list of passages from the Bible that you can frequently take to your prayer - make a top 100 list! 3. Practice: What are you going to put into practice— a resolution, a goal, or a small sacrifice— that day (or the next) from your reading? ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, marking the halfway point of the Advent season, we are prompted to approach the manger scene in haste as we seek to discover the good news of our Savior’s birth. In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo draws upon the birth of our Lord in a lowly manger to illustrate our brokenness and need of a Redeemer. He explains the three kinds of concupiscence – lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life – and looks at how we can overcome these temptations with the virtues of purity and humility. Challenged by the gospel message, we can continue in our path to holiness as we join the shepherds and magi in preparing to welcome the Lord with purity of heart and joyful praise. ––––– To accompany your time of prayer and reflection, download our Advent Devotional ‘Come, Let Us Adore’ available online: stjosemaria.org/advent-2020-come-let-us-adore/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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St. Josemaria Escriva made many pilgrimages throughout his lifetime seeking opportunities to encounter God and praying for his conversion and of the whole world. Today’s podcast commemorates the 50th Anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva’s pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City from May 15-24, 1970. His pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on the Hill of Tepeyac, is recognized as the longest and one of the most important pilgrimages in his life. In this podcast, Fr. Javier shares historical insight to the pilgrimage and the lessons we can learn from St. Josemaria’s example of Marian devotion. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Fr. Javier del Castillo continues our Advent podcast series reflecting on the call we receive at baptism to become a saint. In looking at the vocation of the twelve apostles, we see Christ choose ordinary men with defects and shortcomings to be instruments in the work of grace. Fr. Javier reminds us that the Lord works in all people through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Though we may notice our own individual shortcomings, if we are susceptible to the work of the Lord, we too can pursue our vocation and be instruments of grace in our daily life. ––––– To accompany your time of prayer and reflection, download our Advent Devotional ‘Come, Let Us Adore’ available online: stjosemaria.org/advent-2020-come-let-us-adore/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan looks to the example of the Holy Family as a model of living out authentic virtue in every area of our lives. He reflects on the importance of being a witness to the love of Christ and shares practical examples of how we can create an environment at home that strengthens children in the fundamental areas of virtue: authentic piety, the use of technology, the need for silence, holy purity, and generosity. St. Josemaria explains: “If a man fosters and cultivates the seeds of virtue within him, God will smooth out his path, and such a person will be able to become holy because he has known how to live as a man of good will” (Friends of God, no. 75). ––––– This meditation is part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of December. Listen to the second meditation in the series online: https://stjosemaria.org/day-of-recollection-december-2020/. ----- THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Are you ready to open your heart to Jesus this Advent? Fr. Javier del Castillo begins our Advent podcast series reflecting on St. Josemaria’s simple instruction for a fruitful and peaceful Advent: “Open your own hearts to Jesus and tell him your story” (Christ is Passing By, no. 1). To understand how Christ enters into the lives of His people, Fr. Javier reflects on key gospel figures whose encounter with the Lord opened their eyes to new horizons and provided a source of countless graces to say yes and to find true peace. As we listen to this reflection, Fr. Javier helps us to open our hearts in conversation and prayer with Jesus and to allow Him to accompany us in our daily experiences in preparation for the celebration of His birth at Christmas. ––––– To accompany your time of prayer and reflection, download our Advent Devotional ‘Come, Let Us Adore’ available online: https://stjosemaria.org/advent-2020-come-let-us-adore/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Fr. Javier del Castillo reminds us in this meditation, as St. Josemaria Escriva often did, that we ought to thank God always by habitually making frequent acts of thanksgiving, acts of gratitude. Fr. Javier explains: "We were never asked by God to come into existence. Everything we have – our talents, our virtues, even our defects – all have been foreseen by God, allowed by God, and given to us by God so that we can fulfill the single mission that we have received from before the foundation of the world." As we strive to maintain a constant spirit of gratitude in our lives we will realize that thanksgiving enlarges our hearts to receive even greater gifts from God. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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The Solemnity of Christ the King is a day to celebrate and remember that "Christ, true God and true man, lives and reigns. He is the Lord of the universe. Everything that lives is kept in existence only through him" (Christ is Passing By, no. 180). On this feast we also end the liturgical year and begin to prepare for Advent and Christmas. In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on St. Josemaria's approach to the spiritual life in which we must be open and willing to begin again. At the start of a new liturgical year, we are encouraged to look inward, assess our spiritual life, and identify the ways in which we can renew and strengthen our relationship with Christ. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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Are you attune to the voice of God and open to the plans he has for you? In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina reflects on the life of Mary and the pivotal moment in which she changed the course of history through accepting her vocation as the Mother of God. Following in her example, we too must seek to make room in our heart for the Lord. Fr. Leo reminds us that it is first at home in our daily life where we discover our vocation which then leads us to discover holiness in the midst of the world. St. Josemaria explains: “God is calling you to serve him in and from the ordinary, material and secular activities of human life. He waits for us every day, in the laboratory, in the operating theater, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in the factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home and in all the immense panorama of work. Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each one of you to discover it” (Conversations, no. 114). ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection on the standard of holiness which St. Josemaria characterizes by the following three points: holy intransigence, holy coercion, and holy shamelessness. He explains that we must form our heart and mind according to the gospel message so that we will have a firm foundation when confronted with opposition. We are encouraged to look to the example of the saints who were steadfast in seeking the truth despite facing opposing viewpoints. Inspired by their witness, we too can seek to attain the plane of sanctity through the ordinary moments of everyday life and be a reflection of Christ in the world today. ----- In this podcast Msgr. Dolan shares excerpts from the Letter from the Prelate of Opus Dei dated February 14, 2017. This letter can be read in full online: https://opusdei.org/en/document/letter-of-the-prelate-14-february-2017/. ––––– THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please leave a rating or review here on SoundCloud and on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/st.-j…id966458405?mt=2 Don’t miss new podcasts from the St. Josemaria Institute!
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