Podcasts about Church Fathers

Love to hear from you; “Send us a Text Message”Bishop Athanasius Schneider delivers a powerful message of hope and clarity for Catholics navigating the complexities of modern faith. Drawing from his deep knowledge of Church history and tradition, he illuminates the unbroken chain of teaching that connects today's believers directly to the apostles through the early Church Fathers."There is only one truth," Bishop Schneider declares with conviction, explaining that what makes Catholic faith distinct is its remarkable continuity across the centuries. He illustrates this through the example of St. Irenaeus, a second-century bishop who could trace his spiritual lineage directly to the Apostle John. This living connection between the apostolic age and our own time offers profound reassurance that authentic Catholic teaching remains unchanged despite cultural shifts and contemporary confusion.For those troubled by apparent contradictions or ambiguities they encounter in today's Church, Bishop Schneider offers practical wisdom: "When we are confused, please read the old catechisms. There is the crystal clear Catholic faith." Also, the Early Church Fathers, including St. Ignatius of Antioch's seven letters, St. Augustine's Confessions, and works by St. Justin Martyr and St. Basil on the Holy Spirit. The conversation explores Bishop Schneider's book "Matins with the Fathers," which provides commentary from Church Fathers on daily Scripture readings. Visit and Learn From Bishop Athanasius Schneider Here!: GloriaDei.ioReady to join the 20% who actively build a civilization of love? Download the Claymore Battle Plan at jp2renew.org and subscribe Jack's SubStack for access to our weekly formation materials. Your heart was made for more than anxiety—it was made for truth.Follow us on X! Contact us info@jp2renew.orgKeep Charlie Kirk and his family in your prayers!Support the show

After beginning a personal relationship with Jesus as a teenager, Joshua Mangels felt a call to ministry and eventually became an Assemblies of God pastor. As he studied the Church Fathers, he discovered a sacramental worldview that was completely new to him, and he had to know more. Initially, he and his wife hesitated to dig deeper for fear of risking their ministry. However as Joshua began teaching about the Fathers to his congregation, more of his members became interested in Catholicism. They connected with the Byzantine Eparchy of Phoenix, and some of the Mangels' congregation entered the Catholic Church along with them.

The Book of Psalms is far more than ancient poetry—it's the prayerbook of the Church and a vital guide for encountering Jesus. In this episode, we interview Chad Bird, author and scholar who specializes in teaching the Old Testament to Christians. We ask a variety of questions related to his newest book "Untamed Prayers." We explore why the Psalms are essential for Christians today. We discuss how the New Testament interprets the Psalms, the connection between David and Jesus, and how to see Christ even in Psalms that aren't quoted in the New Testament. We also talk about the beauty of reading the Psalms in Hebrew, the intentional structure of the book, and how the Church Fathers used the Psalms for formation and devotion. From wrestling with the language of enemies to learning how to pray through every season of life, this episode is a call to dive deeper into the Psalms and meet Jesus there.Chad Bird is a Scholar in Residence at 1517. He has served as a pastor, professor, and guest lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew. He holds master's degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary and Hebrew Union College. He has contributed articles to Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Modern Reformation, The Federalist, Lutheran Forum, and other journals and websites. He is also the author of several books, including The Christ Key & Limping with God.Untamed Prayers - 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of Psalms: https://a.co/d/eeZ9ilMChapters0:00–1:08 Intro1:09–3:29 Why Psalms is important3:30–7:06 How the New Testament interprets Psalms7:07–11:45 Thinking about David and Jesus11:46–16:19 Seeing Jesus in Psalms even if the chapter isn't quoted in the New Testament16:20–22:31 Insights from Reading Psalms in Hebrew22:32–31:14 Intentional ordering of Psalms31:15–34:11 Psalms as the prayerbook of the Church34:12–37:50 Church Fathers and Psalms37:51–41:30 Prayerbook of the soldiers of Christ41:31–45:38 Encountering Jesus in Psalms45:39–53:04 Understanding “enemies” in Psalms53:05–56:34 Admonishment to read the PsalmsJoin our Bible Study: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights WHERE TO FIND US Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRSNQ7xVw7PjQ5FnqYmSDA Website: ⁠https://www.hebrewbibleinsights.com

What can Orthodox Christians and Protestants learn from each other in an age of cultural collapse?In this conversation, Paul Lloyd Robson (Path of Manliness) and Bryce Eddy (The Bryce Eddy Show - https://www.bryceeddy.com/) share perspectives on masculinity, fatherhood, family, and the role of faith in rebuilding culture.While coming from different traditions, both recognize the urgent need for men to recover their God-given roles and resist the feminization of society.We touch on how Protestant churches shaped American life, how Orthodoxy offers stability and depth through the Church Fathers, and how both traditions attempt to contribute to a return to order rooted in Christ.If you're a man looking for strength, brotherhood, and a deeper connection to faith, you'll find encouragement here — and an invitation to join our Path of Manliness community: men rediscovering tradition and walking together as sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers.

September 6, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 13 - Psalm 119:28-32; antiphon: Psalm 119:27Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37; Ephesians 5:15-33“I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame!” (Psalm 119:31)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Psalm 119 is the big one. This long psalm is the longest chapter in Scripture at a whopping 176 verses. Arranged in sections based on the Hebrew alphabet, there are recurring themes that run through it. Like a friend who can talk about a single subject and everything that touches upon it for hours, so Psalm 119 keeps coming back to the same topics. The Law. Sin. Salvation. Hope. Sorrow. The desire to do good works. It's like the psalmist put a short album on continuous repeat.So it is in this section. It begins with sorrow and a fervent prayer to learn God's law. Though the writer has announced that he has set God's way of faithfulness before him, yet he still fears being put to shame and needs God to work on his heart before he can live according to God's Commandments. You get the sense that the writer is writing this not long after falling into sin. He is struck by the terrors of God's perfect Law in his conscience. He desires to keep the Law, setting it before his eyes, but the intensity of it sounds as if the writer was a devastated child who was caught after disobeying his parents on something big.Where is help to be found, for the psalmist and for you? When your conscience attacks you, run to the testimonies of the Gospel. Run to the accounts where the Holy Spirit testifies of God's love for you in Christ. Set Jesus' compassionate miracles in front of you, where He helps those who cannot help themselves. Read again how forgiveness is given, though no one deserves it. Hear how God's own blood shed on a cross was enough to stave off God's anger at you. See how Jesus restores Peter after he denied Jesus. Marvel at how Jesus appeared to Paul and saw him not for his past sins, but instead showed him mercy. Reflect on this Son made man, who quenched the Father's anger in His wounds. And don't forget to go to your pastor, as well! Your pastor is given to teach these testimonies of grace to you and to apply them. Listen to your pastor's sermons with greater interest, for though he is sent to preach the Law that exposes your sins, yet he also is sent to preach the Gospel and unburden your conscience. With Jesus set before you, you can cling to God's testimonies of grace and never be put to shame.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The Law reveals the guilt of sin And makes us conscience stricken; But then the Gospel enters in The sinful soul to quicken. Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live; The Law no peace can ever give, No comfort and no blessing. (LSB 555:8)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Who are the “righteous remnant”? Do the animals on the ark have a special significance? Cale shares a key phrase for the entire flood narrative, some incredible insights from the early Church Fathers, and much more!

September 5, 2025Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:25-5:14Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25; 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:25-5:14 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.There is a false teaching that says that no one could be lost if they have ever come to saving faith. Popularly going by the slogan, “Once saved, always saved,” this is a horrible false teaching. One reason this is so horrible is that it leads people to think that it does not matter if they lead a sinful life or not, because they're automatically in, no matter what. But that's not what our Scripture reading says.Today, Paul warns the Ephesians to “not grieve the Holy Spirit.” Grieving the Holy Spirit is when a believing Christian nevertheless turns to a life of intentional, willful sin against the Ten Commandments. We see this with King David, who lost the Holy Spirit for many months after he slept with Uriah's wife. There are various other Scriptural and life examples as well where someone had the faith and lost it. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, He flees the person's heart and takes saving faith with Him, too. This is one reason why sexual sin is especially dangerous. It is a faith killer.Once saved, always saved? No. But what we can say, and are glad to say, is that even the lost can be found. Even when Christians fall into sin, God calls them to renewed repentance for all their sins. No one living is hopeless. No one living is outside of God's desire to redeem. God wants all to be saved, to repent and believe in the Gospel. Our sins abound. We would be lost without the mercy of Jesus. But He is merciful. He gave His life for sinners. He died for all sins - even future sins that haven't been done. He defeated death for us by His glorious resurrection. Now He sends His Holy Spirit by His Word, even when people have turned away. By that Word, the Holy Spirit comes. He brings the unrepentant to repent, and the repentant to faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit can restore faith to those who have fallen away - He did with King David, after all. He sent Nathan the prophet, whose words of the Law broke David's hardness of heart, and whose words of the Gospel restored David to saving faith. Then, as a fruit of saving faith, the Holy Spirit restores the forgiven believer to holiness of living.The Holy Spirit has sealed you for the day of redemption. He did not come to sanctify sin, but He did come to sanctify you. And through faith in Christ alone, you remain God's temple, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you. Continue in this faith and in a God-pleasing life!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Let me be Thine forever, My faithful God and Lord; Let me forsake Thee never Nor wander from Thy Word. Lord, do not let me waver, But give me steadfastness, And for such grace forever Thy holy name I'll bless. (LSB 689:1)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Read Online“Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.'” Luke 5:37–39This short parable comes at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. He just called Levi, the tax collector, to become one of His disciples, and then Levi invited Jesus to dine at his home with other tax collectors and sinners. When the scribes and Pharisees saw this, they objected and challenged our Lord. In response, Jesus tells this parable as a way of explaining that He came to call everyone to change and to experience a new transformation of their life.The “new wine” spoken of in this parable is the grace poured forth from the Cross. Remember that blood and water sprung forth from His side as He hung upon the Cross. This has been symbolically understood as the grace and mercy given to us from the Cross, which is transmitted today through the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Baptism transforms us into a new creation, and, as a new creation in Christ, we must desire the new wine of the Most Holy Eucharist so as to be daily transformed by our Lord.Many of the Church Fathers point out that the “old wine” that many prefer is a reference to those who wanted to continue living according to the old law. This is especially true of the scribes and Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking this parable. Jesus was bringing them a new teaching and preparing them for a new grace. But they rejected it, preferring the old life they were living.One thing this tells us is that if we are to receive this new wine of the grace of God, we must be ready and willing to abandon our old selves and become new. Change can be hard. Even as evangelized Christians who are already living in the grace of Christ, we will be continually called to a deeper and deeper change in our lives. Too often we can easily become complacent and content with the life we are living. When that happens, it will hinder our Lord from pouring the new wine of His grace into our souls in ongoing superabundance.How do you deal with change in life? If you want to grow in holiness, you can be certain that change is the only constant in life. We must become new creations each and every day, growing, being more fully transformed, changing our ways, giving up the old and embracing that which is ever new. This requires a certain amount of courage as we come face-to-face with the daily need to be changed by grace. It means daily death to our old self and daily becoming a new creation in God.Reflect, today, upon the courage it takes to change. What is it in your life that you may be afraid to change? What “old wine” do you prefer over the “new wine” of God's grace? What old habits or attachments do you have that our Lord wants you to let go of? Face the changes God wants for you with courage and trust, and You will indeed become more fully the new creation in Christ you are meant to be.My most merciful Lord, I know You call me to continual change in my life. Please give me the courage I need to face all that I need to detach from in life and all that hinders me from becoming the glorious new creation You have called me to become. Pour forth Your abundant grace into my life, dear Lord, making me into Your new and glorious creation in grace. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Paolo Veronese, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

In the final part of "The Church and Her Fathers," Greg introduces key Church Fathers—their lives, writings, teachings, and accomplishments—highlighting their unity on core Catholic doctrines despite minor disagreements. He explores how they represent the early, developing Church, maturing over centuries while preserving its identity, and stresses continuity to today. Greg shares why engaging the Fathers converts Protestants, including Newman's famous quote, and wraps the series with an encouraging call to discover the Church's roots. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

September 4, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: Who Receives This Sacrament Worthily?Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-18; Ephesians 4:1-24Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.'  But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words ‘for you' require all hearts to believe. (Small Catechism part 6, “Who receives this Sacrament worthily?”)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The Lord's Supper can be confusing, especially when it comes to church fellowship. The issue of closed Communion has been tough to understand, let alone explain to friends and family of other churches not in fellowship with your church. But the issue all comes back to what Holy Scripture says about worthiness. 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 is the place to find this. Go read it.Worthy eating of the Lord's Supper does not mean “better than you” eating. Worthy eating is based on faith in these words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Those who confess this Christian faith in the same way are welcome to take, eat, and drink. Since the Sacrament harms people who eat it unworthily, closed Communion protects them. If someone does not believe this bread IS Jesus' body and the wine IS His blood, if they disagree about the Gospel or original sin, they do not have the same confession of the faith. And the Sacrament would harm them, even while it helped you.It's like prescription medicines. Prescription medicines help the people for whom they are prescribed, but they harm people for whom they are not prescribed. So it is with the Lord's Supper, the medicine of immortality. Those who share the same faith in Christ and His Words, and confess this faith the same are like those who have the same sickness and are prescribed the same medicine. They can safely take the Sacrament together. But loved ones, friends, and neighbors who do not believe this nor confess this the same should wait until they come to the same faith and the same confession. For Scripture says, unworthy eating harms them. This is why closed Communion matters.But closed Communion does not mean lovelessness, either. We want people to be worthy. We want family who don't agree with us, or friends of a church not in fellowship with us, to be able to take Communion. We also just want them to take it safely. So perhaps the best approach is to say, “Let's make that happen. Let's go, ask the pastor to teach us. I'll be your sponsor and sit in your classes with you.” Then, you both may be able to safely take the Sacrament together in the only worthy way. God grant His Word and Spirit to bring unity where there is division.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.At Your feet I cry, my maker, Let me be a fit partaker Of this blessed food from heaven, For our good, Your glory, given. (LSB 636:6)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

September 3, 2025Today's Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-21Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 19:1-21; 1 Kings 20:1-22:53; Ephesians 3:1-21“And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched [Elijah] and said, ‘Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.'” (1 Kings 19:7)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.On the run from the enraged Queen Jezebel, Elijah went as far as he could go. But it wasn't far enough. Exhausted in the wilderness, alone and having no food, that was the least of the prophet's problems. For if Queen Jezebel's army caught up to him, Elijah was a dead man. And his own power and strength could not save him.This is your problem, too. In the wilderness of this life, you also cannot go the whole way by your own power and strength. Relying on your own abilities gets you into the middle of a wilderness, exhausted and all alone. Do not think too highly of your strength. See how little ability you have to keep God's Commandments perfectly. To make things worse, the threat of certain death for your sins looms over you as well. You cannot overcome your own mortality. Your own power and strength cannot save you.Elijah was spared when God sent an angelic messenger with a word of grace. That word was, “Arise and eat.” This is truly a word of God's grace, because it promised and gave to Elijah what he had not deserved. This Word brought Elijah a heaven-sent food. It was bread from heaven, a new manna for a new wilderness journey. Elijah ate, not just once but twice. In other words, God gave Elijah this word of grace and this heavenly bread, again and again, because it gave him strength, hope, and life that he did not have.You also are like Elijah. All you can rely on is God's Word of grace in Christ Jesus. His cross has won salvation for all sinners. His empty tomb has defeated your death. Now, His gracious Word carries to you the life and salvation His cross won. Here is life for you! You are not alone anymore, because through faith, God mystically joins you to Him. You no longer have to rely on your own power and strength, for you have God's gracious promise in Jesus. Even better, God's Word of grace directs you to arise and eat a new food from heaven in the Sacrament of the Altar. Arise and eat, again and again. In the Body and Blood of Jesus, there is strength, hope, and life for you. The journey is too great for you, but not if you go by the strength of this new heavenly manna.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.My Lord, You here have led me To this most holy place And with Yourself have fed me The treasures of Your grace; For You have freely given What earth could never buy, The bread of life from heaven That now I shall not die. (LSB 642:2)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

September 2, 2025Today's Reading: Hebrews 13:1-17Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:20-40; Ephesians 2:1-22“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The Lord helps you. And not because of anything you have done to merit this gracious favor. And also not because of who you are, who you are related to, or how much you have. Instead, God gives divine help to you simply out of grace, giving you better than you have deserved.For you are a sinner who should be judged by God. You have not always loved God above all things. You likewise have not shown brotherly love at all times to your neighbor. You have acted selfishly. You have spoken what you should not have said. Your thoughts have been tainted with sinful desires like lust or revenge. What is worse, you are unable to help yourself when it comes to making God pleased with you. You cannot charm God, wrapping Him around your little finger to get special treatment.So why would the Lord ever want to be your helper? On account of Jesus' perfect life in your place, His sacrificial death, and His blood shed to cover your sins. “He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, death and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.” (Explanation to the 2nd Article of the Creed, the Small Catechism). There is nothing in you that merits God's divine help, but there is everything in Jesus' death in your place that merits this.And He gives this great salvation to you freely. Free gift! No strings attached! No conditions put upon receiving it! It is for you. God loved us when we were His enemies. So for this reason alone, He helps. And the help God gives is 100% done by Him. He does everything for you and your salvation. You simply receive. That's what faith in Christ does. Faith holds to Jesus and His promises made in Holy Scripture, which cannot be broken. Therefore, you can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Since Christ has full atonement made And brought to us salvation, Each Christian therefore may be glad And build on this foundation. Your grace alone, dear Lord, I plead, Your death is now my life indeed, For You have paid my ransom. (LSB 555:6)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Whether you're familiar with Augustine or not, chances are you've encountered Calvinism and its core doctrines—especially the idea of unconditional election. Perhaps you have Reformed friends who hold to the belief that God has sovereignly chosen some individuals for salvation and others for damnation, entirely apart from their will or actions. This deterministic view of salvation has become deeply embedded in much of Western Christianity. But what if we could trace this theological development to a specific moment in church history? What if we could say, with confidence, when and how this view was introduced—and argue that it was not part of the original Christian faith?On today's show, we take a critical look at one of the most influential figures in Christian history: Augustine of Hippo. We're joined by Dr. Ken Wilson, Oxford-trained scholar and author of The Foundations of Augustinian Calvinism. In his historical research, Dr. Wilson demonstrates how Augustine's later theology— particularly his embrace of determinism and unilateral grace — marked a significant departure from the teachings of earlier Church Fathers and laid the foundation for what would become Calvinistic theology.To learn more on the topic, please read the notes included for this week's episode.Visit https://www.lfbi.org/learnmore

In Part 3 of "The Church and Her Fathers," Greg tackles an anti-Catholic X post dismissing the Church Fathers as mere “fragments” of history, connecting it to the series' exploration of the Church's visible nature and biblical roots. He exposes the flaws in claims about “lost voices” and late Christianity, highlighting the Fathers' diverse origins and doctrinal unity as evidence of the Catholic Church's continuity. Drawing from his Protestant past, Greg shows how the Fathers bridge the apostles to today, countering evangelical dodges. He sets the stage for a deeper dive into their lives and writings in Part 4. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

September 1, 2025Today's Reading: Proverbs 25:2-10Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23“Do not reveal another's secret, lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.” (Proverbs 25:9b-10)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Some words were never meant to be said. Proverbs teaches that the secrets of your neighbor are not to be shared. A secret is anything kept from general awareness that would bring shame if it were revealed. Whether it's a secret crush, a regrettable past incident, or a fear few others know, no one likes to have their secrets made public.Sometimes you have to speak, though. If the secret is dangerous to that person or to others, or to someone's property, this should not stay secret. Because this is no longer about covering shame. This is about protecting a person. If a friend tells you he is suicidal, you need to tell people in authority who can help. The friend might not want you to. They might say they won't trust you again if you do tell. But you need to help that person, and there are good ways to work through this situation. One good way is to encourage the other person that they should tell their harmful secret to people who love them. Parents, teachers, pastors, police officers, God gave us these authorities for such reasons. But promise to be with your friend the whole way and support them as they reveal their secret. It may be hard for them, but it is easier if you or another friend is with them.Where someone could be harmed, a secret must be told, and in the best situation, by the person who has that secret himself. But where it's a matter of covering someone's shameful and regretted words, actions, or thoughts, then secrets should be kept hidden. In Eden, God covered Adam and Eve's shame by clothing them with animal skins. God did not speak about how shameful they were. Instead, God shed blood - the first blood shed in Scripture - as a way to cover the shame of our first parents. Jesus likewise covers shame by His blood. Romans 10:11 says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” So Jesus takes our shame away as the pure Gospel that faith clings to is preached. The Lord's Supper likewise applies Jesus' blood on you. And shame is covered and removed.Proverbs directs us to speak like God. Since God does not uncover shame, let us not uncover our neighbor's shame. Let us speak the truth in love, having love so that our neighbor's personal shame is not revealed. In this way, we treat our neighbor the way that God has treated us.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Help us that we Thy saving Word In faithful hearts may treasure; Let e'er that Bread of Life afford New grace in richest measure. O make us die to every sin, Each day create new life within, That fruits of faith may flourish. (LSB 693:2)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

August 31, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 14:1-14Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 10:1-13:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It has been said that pride was the cause of the devil's fall from a good angel into an evil one. This view was held by some early Christians, and also by Martin Luther. About pride, Luther also said, “Whoever trusts and boasts that he possesses great skill, prudence, power, favor, friendship, and honor has also a god, but not this true and only God." (LC I:1.10). Pride is defined as the love of one's own excellence. But where one loves himself and his excellence above all things, he turns himself into his own false god.  Jesus, God's Son made man, knows pride is dangerous. So He teaches the wedding feast parable. Those taking the highest place at a wedding reception will be humbled and forced to sit lower. There is no higher place at a wedding reception than the seats where the bride and groom sit. Imagine the audacity of a guest kicking the groom out of his place of honor! But that's what pride does. Pride kicks Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, out of His central place of honor.What is the lowest place at a wedding reception? Perhaps the lowest place I can think of is if the wedding is in the middle of winter, and they have valets parking the cars. A shivering valet sits, waiting for the next car, but is not welcome to eat or drink. This would definitely be the lowest place at a winter wedding. So it will be for those who upstage Christ. They will be taken from the banquet, forced to do uncomfortable labor, and unwelcome to eat at the heavenly feast.But those who take the lowest place will be raised. These are repentant Christians who look in faith to Jesus for their salvation. So you who tremble because of your sins and rejoice in the Gospel that frees you, will be raised to honor on the Last Day. Christ, who died and rose, is the bridegroom. The Church is His Bride. So the sinner who trusts this Gospel for his salvation is raised to the highest place, the place of the Bride, along with all believing Christians. A bride rejoices in the love of her bridegroom and the new union they have together. So it is for the Church who believes in the Gospel of Jesus' love, rejoices to hear it again, and is united even deeper in love and faithfulness together at the very end.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

“How can bodily resurrection exist if the universe itself will end?” This question opens a fascinating exploration of faith and theology, alongside discussions on why invoking Jesus' name is believed to stop abductions, and whether psychotropic drugs impact our free will. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:55 – How can bodily resurrection exist if the universe itself will end? 16:05 – Why does invoking Jesus' name stop abductions? 28:39 – Do psychotropic drugs affect our free will? 42:00 – Why did early Church Fathers appeal to Scripture instead of papal authority? 47:52 – If God is perfect and needs nothing, why create humans and angels who could fall? 51:12 – Why must children be raised by biological parents, but adoption is allowed?

August 30, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 12 - Psalm 75:1-2, 6, 9; antiphon: Psalm 75:7Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 1 Kings 14:1-16:28; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near.” (Psalm 75:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow's introit reminds us of this blessed reality: the Name of the Lord is near. In fact, it is so near, it is upon you!These are some awesome and particularly appropriate words for an introit—psalm verses for entering our Lord's sanctuary and being brought into His presence.You were given the ability to call on our holy and Triune God at your Baptism, when the Lord used your pastor to speak and wash you into new birth from above. In those joyous moments, the Name of the Lord came near as He placed His name upon you! “I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Now the name of the Lord is so near, it is on you. In you. At Baptism, you were blessed with the Gift of calling on Him in prayer. Praying, praising, and giving thanks. God brings you, His child, to talk with Him “as dear children ask their dear father.”The Word of the Lord continues bringing His name near. Your pastor preaches. In Bible Class, you are taught that Word, as His name comes near. The Word is spoken in conversations of encouragement among faithful family and friends, and that brings God's name near, too.Of course, the high point of every Lord's Day is when the Name of the Lord is near, coming with the holy and precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Here is the greatest moment of the presence of God. The clearest, most felt and experienced nearness of God and His Name. With His own flesh and blood, Jesus brings the name of God in, with, and under Him to permeate you, bless you, and nourish you with His forgiving and saving presence. Where His name is, there He is to make you His own.So here we are, entering the sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, with His name washed onto us from Baptism and repeatedly placed on us with Word and Sacrament. With that holy name upon us, Jesus, who makes His name near, makes us worthy to enter His church building and receive Him yet again in Word and Sacrament, and we respond with giving thanks.We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. (Psalm 75:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Baptized into Your name, most holy, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I claim a place, though weak and lowly, Among Your saints, Your chosen host. Buried with Christ and dead to sin, Your Spirit now shall live within. (LSB 590:1)Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

August 29, 2025 Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16“Some said, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead.'”  (Mark 6:14)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus has a “creepy” cousin. You know the one: the “wild man.” He hung out in the wilderness, ate bugs, and went off on the sins of Herod, knowing full well that it could get him arrested and imprisoned – or worse. But like St. Bartholomew, he also held nothing back and spoke the truth. The most infamous truth he preached was against the sham of a marriage that Herod had with his brother's ex-wife. He called Herod and his “wife” out on their adultery, and she was livid. She ended up forcing Herod's hand in having John thrown into prison. Then, in one of the cringiest moments in Scripture, Mrs. Herod's daughter (Herod's niece-turned-stepdaughter) dances seductively, and he promises her whatever she wants. Her mother manipulates her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. (The Herods are textbook examples of dysfunction and cruel behavior.)These events haunted Herod. He felt guilty and was superstitious that John might come back and torment him, or that God might punish him for this. Not only this unbelieving king, but the local people thought about all this, too. They were mesmerized by John and wondered if he was a prophet or even the Christ. And in the midst of the arrest, disappearance, and now beheading of John, “Some said, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead.'”Earlier, some were confused that John was the Christ. Now, some were confused that the Christ was John. People tend to misunderstand and become confused about a great many things when they try to understand God apart from His Word.Not so with you. The Lord delivers His Word to you. He has called you to faith in the true Christ, supported by the preaching and preparation of St. John the Baptist. He witnesses the truth of the Gospel through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, along with His many martyrs, including “Creepy John” – St. John the Baptist.John the Baptist has been raised from the dead? Soon. He has fallen asleep in Jesus, and is safe and blessed with the Lord, until the day when Christ Jesus will call him from his grave, join his head to his body, and glorify and resurrect John (and you and me) to live with him forever.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, You gave Your servant John the Baptist to be the forerunner of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in both his preaching of repentance and his innocent death. Grant that we, who have died and risen with Christ in Holy Baptism, may daily repent of our sins, patiently suffer for the sake of the truth, and fearlessly bear witness to His victory over death; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

August 28, 2025 Today's Reading: Catechism: How Can Bodily Eating and Drinking Do Such Great Things?Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. (Small Catechism, SA)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Augustine had a lot to forgive. He was a wild child who knowingly avoided the Lord. His father was a pagan, but his mother was a Christian, so he was no stranger to the Church. Still, he was not a fan. This spiraled into one bad choice after another, so Augustine believed many false teachings and Manichean philosophies, lived in sin, fathered a child without marrying the mother, and still refused the biblical pleadings of his own mother.As a Manichean, he believed that the soul was good and the body was evil. Augustine would have a hard time wrapping his brain around a biblical unity of body and soul. This would carry over to the Lord's Supper. For Augustine, before coming to faith, the Eucharist would be extremely difficult to understand. How could the good and holy God take on flesh that would be evil? And how would He then take on flesh, in and with something earthly like bread? It's all so confusing; How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?It is not just the bodily eating and drinking that does these things. The Lord works a miracle with the Sacrament. Each and every time, the Word of God, along with the eating and drinking of that bread and wine, gives the real and true flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. And that flesh and blood is not evil or corrupt, like the early Manichean Augustine thought. It is Body and Blood that is good and perfect and holy, placing your God into you, so you taste and see that the Lord is good!In time, God rescued Augustine from his sin and brought him to faith. The extremely intelligent scholar and great speaker became a humble catechumen and member of the Church, and later, a great bishop and saint.Augustine had a lot to forgive. You do, too. That is precisely why our good and holy Lord took on flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary. That is also precisely why He gives us His holy and precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist. As the perfect and holy body of Jesus enters you, your corrupt body is sanctified from within. Forgiveness, life, and salvation are given through these words, Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins so that you may be strengthened and preserved in body and soul to life everlasting. Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thy body, giv'n for me, O Savior, Thy blood which Thou for me didst shed, These are my life and strength forever, By them my hungry soul is fed. Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood Be for my soul the highest good! (LSB 619:1)Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Send us a textIn this week's episode of BuddyWalk with Jesus, we're talking about the practice of attention. God is always active forming us, guiding us, revealing His presence in the world around us. But often we're too distracted to notice. Together, we'll explore how to become more aware of God's action and activity in our daily lives, drawing from passages like Genesis 28, Philippians 1, and Psalm 19.We'll also talk about simple, practical ways to cultivate attentiveness so we can live in step with God's forming work in us.Support the show If you have any questions about the subjects covered in today's episode you can find us on Facebook at the links below or you can shoot me an email at joe@buddywalkwithjesus.com One Stop Shop for all the links Linktr.ee/happydeamedia

Finding Authentic Christian Worship: A Journey Through History, Tradition, and FaithThe search for authentic Christian worship often begins with a simple but profound question: “Is this how the apostles worshipped?”In this special Cloud of Witnesses (https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses) mini-episode, our guest hosts, Ben and Ashley Langlois—Ben known online as Orthodox Luigi—invite us into their personal journey of wrestling with that very question. As a husband-and-wife team, their perspectives bring a unique richness to the conversation: Ben shares from his theological study and exploration of history, while Ashley offers a heartfelt and distinctly feminine perspective on what it means to seek beauty, meaning, and belonging within the Body of Christ.Raised in contemporary Protestant settings, they began to sense subtle but growing tensions during worship: as guitars played, lights dimmed, and emotions ran high, they couldn't shake the feeling that something essential was missing. Were coffee shops, branded merchandise, and high-energy worship experiences truly what Christ intended for His Church?This questioning sparked a spiritual journey that led them through seven different churches, eventually settling for online services when no physical community seemed to reflect the fullness they longed for. Along the way, family connections played an important role. Brothers who were exploring Catholic and Orthodox traditions introduced Ben and Ashley to writings from the Church Fathers and early Christian practices that challenged many modern assumptions.Some discoveries were unexpected—like learning that Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli, leaders of the Protestant Reformation, all practiced infant baptism, a tradition many evangelical churches have set aside. For Ashley, these realizations opened new questions about how faith traditions shape the spiritual life of families and the formative role of women in the Church.Their journey eventually brought them to a Presbyterian congregation that offered what they call “pseudo-tradition”—wooden pews, touches of liturgy, and references to early writers. Yet, as Ashley shares, there was still a lingering sense of longing: the beauty was there, but the roots felt incomplete. Exploring historically grounded Protestant traditions like Anglicanism and Lutheranism only deepened this tension, as they often discovered a paradox—churches with the richest liturgical practices frequently embraced the most progressive theology, raising concerns about spiritual and doctrinal stability.Through prayer, study, and reflection, Ben and Ashley's path eventually led them to Eastern Orthodoxy, where they encountered a faith deeply rooted in apostolic succession, ancient liturgies, and a vision of salvation as a lifelong journey of transformation in Christ. Ashley speaks to how Orthodoxy's reverence, beauty, and communal worship resonated with her desire for a faith that engages not just the mind, but the heart and the senses—inviting the whole person into relationship with God.This is more than a story about leaving one church for another—it's about the deeper longing many Christians feel today: to encounter something enduring, rooted, and unchanging in a rapidly shifting world.Entire uncut, unedited conversation between Ben and Ashley available now on our Patreon!Visit Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://cloudofwitnessesradio.com/ Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

August 27, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 13:22-30Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9; 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-21“Strive to enter through the narrow door… And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:24a, 29)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. St. Monica encouraged her son, Augustine, toward the narrow door. She lived out her faith as an example. She prayed for her son and sought advice from her pastor and bishop, St. Ambrose. Yet it felt like nothing she did could move her son to faith.Meanwhile, Augustine seemed to stray further from the narrow door of Christ and into the wide open perils of the day. His education introduced him to unbiblical and anti-Christ philosophies. In our times, we might say that he went off to school and partied, never checking out the campus ministry. He even fathered a baby outside of marriage.There was nothing Monica could do to make Augustine go to the narrow door. For that matter, nothing that Augustine could do or say or think would get him to that door either. But that's the point.The Holy Spirit is the One who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies. God answered Monica's countless prayers favorably and eventually brought Augustine to faith. He turned him around and crafted Augustine into one of the greatest pastors and teachers of the faith in the history of the Church. But all of that had nothing to do with Augustine's or Monica's choices. It was the work of God.The Spirit led Augustine, as He has led you, to the saving Gospel of Christ. The broad and easy road of this world is tempting and looks fun, but it only leads to death and destruction. Looking for other paths and entrances only leads to “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It is the narrow door of Christ alone that brings you salvation.  Be comforted, dear friends in Christ! In this passage, Jesus tells you that you have already been called to faith. You don't need to look any further. The Holy Spirit has gathered you and multitudes from east and west, from north and south, to recline at table in the kingdom of God. As you receive the Holy Eucharist at His Table, He gives you the forgiveness and strength to continue the way to and through the narrow door of Jesus to be resurrected and live with Him eternally. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, who is the Comforter of those that mourn, and the Salvation of those that hope in You, who graciously regarded the tearful pleading of saint Monica for the conversion of her son Augustine: grant, we implore You, that we may truly lament our sins and be made worthy to obtain Your gracious pardon; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

“Who Thought the Eucharist Was Just Symbolic? ” This episode delves into the early Church’s beliefs about the Eucharist, exploring questions like the origins of the symbolic view and whether early Church Fathers spoke symbolically. We also tackle the significance of “breaking bread” in the early Church and the implications of transubstantiation. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:30 – Where did the symbolic view of the Eucharist come from? 05:13 – Didn't some early Church Fathers speak symbolically about the Eucharist? Doesn't that challenge the idea of unanimous early belief? 07:30 – Didn't the disciples fail to object during the Last Supper because they understood Jesus metaphorically? 09:00 – If “breaking bread” was common in the early Church, doesn't that just suggest a fellowship meal, not a literal body and blood? 15:25 – The Eucharist doesn’t seem to do anything to believers? 20:30 – How Do I Properly Receive the Eucharist? 21:50 – How does transubstantiation actually work—and why does it rely on medieval Aristotelian philosophy rather than Scripture? 29:05 – How do we know that the early Church actually believed in transubstantiation and not just a spiritual or symbolic presence? Why does the Catholic View win out? 35:22 – The priesthood is against going directly to God. We don't need Earthly priests. 42:20 – Does the Eucharist cause more division than Unity? 48:08 – Is the Eucharist just an adaptation of pagan rituals?

August 26, 2025 Today's Reading: Hebrews 12:4-24 (25-29)Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peace. In the news, we hear about working toward peace in places like Israel and its neighbors, Russia and Ukraine, China, North Korea, and many more. We can define this word regarding international politics as getting along with other nations and ending any conflict and violence. Yet so much more is packed into the word “peace.”Peace can describe the perfect relationship of God and humanity, of an individual with everyone else, and all creation. God created everything, relating to it all in His peace. On the other hand, Satan and his cronies despise God and His peace. They work at frustrating His peace among people and creation. Sadly, all too often, we are willing to jump on the bandwagon of working against God's peace by making everything about ourselves. “Me! Me! Me!” we cry, fixating on what makes me happy, even if it is not good or helpful or loving for others. Old Adam isn't very peaceful, is he?The Lord speaks through the author of Hebrews today, telling you to strive for peace and holiness. Your old sinful self could never do this. Christ Jesus, however, can and did. With His suffering, death, and resurrection, He restored our peace with God. This peace is now delivered by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has called you by the Gospel, enlightened you with His gifts, sanctified and kept you in the true faith. As He does this, He is drawing you back into a healed and restored relationship with God—that is His peace!That's right! As God's baptized child, you have received His peace. Now you live in faith, and God tells you here in Hebrews to continue in that peace. Strive for it. Work towards it. Be an instrument of God's peace with everyone. How? You strive for peace as you encourage others to hear His Word and receive His Sacraments. You strive for peace as you live out your faith by loving and serving your neighbor, placing them and their needs above your own. And the Spirit does exactly that, giving God's peace to you and through you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord be our light when worldly darkness veils us; Lord, be our shield when earthly armor fails us; And in the day when hell itself assails us, Grant us your peace Lord: Peace in our hearts, where sinful thoughts are raging, Peace in Your Church, our troubled souls assuaging, Peace when the world its endless war is waging, Peace in Your heaven. (LSB 659:3,4)Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Happy feast of King St. Louis IX! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Liz Lev to talk about his story as told in art and architecture. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin with more on the Church Fathers as quoted in the Catechism, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and a whole lot more… ***** Prayer for the intercession of King St. Louis IX O God, who brought Saint Louis from the cares of earthly rule to the glory of a heavenly realm, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that, by fulfilling our duties on earth, we may seek out your eternal Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. ***** David Condit is online at charitymobile.com. Dr. Benjamin Reinhard, author of The High Hallow: Tolkien’s Liturgical Imagination Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 25, 2025Today's Reading: Isaiah 66:18-23Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18“The time is coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and shall see my glory.” (Isaiah 66:18b)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the Harry Potter Wizarding World, non-magical people are called “Muggles,” or for a more vulgar slur, “Mud Bloods.” The Israelites who first heard Isaiah preaching today's reading would have heard the Hebrew word “goi” (nations) and would have had very better-than-you, condescending attitudes. How dare Isaiah preach Law to them, and that God would gather these Mud Blood Gentiles to Himself?!The history of the world has taken a very different turn, and so many times the tables were turned, and Gentiles have persecuted the descendants of Israel with better-than-you, condescending views. Whether we have participated in or ignored this particular sin, we all fall into the trap of thinking too highly of ourselves, and join the ancient Israelites.Still, the Holy One of Israel brings you joy today as He proclaims that He gathers His Church not only from the Children of Israel, but from lowly goi like you!    The Lord gathered all to see His glory at the birth of Jesus. God demonstrated that Christ was for all when He announced the birth to humble Jewish shepherds in Bethlehem, senior citizens in the Temple like Simeon and Anna, and to the goi, with Wise Men traveling from other lands to see “He who has been born King of the Jews.”The Lord gathered all to see His glory at Calvary. At the moment when it seemed least likely and looked like a horrific defeat, God was displaying His perfect and holy glory. In the crucified Jesus, we see a perfect and loving God who gave His life for us all. This ultimate compassion has no equal and truly shows the glory of the Lord.The Lord gathered all to see His glory at the resurrection of Christ. First, He had angels announce it to women (turning upside down any cultural expectations). Then, He appeared to His apostles. And later, hundreds of others. In a little while, He called St. Paul to preach to the goi all over the Roman Empire, and the other apostles gradually expanded their mission through the known world.Someday, the Lord will gather all to see His glory at the Last Day. Every tribe, people, and language will see the coming of the Lord of the Nations and King of Creation. He will raise all the dead and give eternal life to you and all believers in Christ. The Holy One of Israel desires to gather all to see His glory, and in faith, live with Him forever.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.We are called to stand together With the saints of ages past, With the patriarchs and prophets In the faith they once held fast; Promises and hopes they treasured Now we find fulfilled at last! (LSB 828:1) Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

August 24, 2025Today's Reading: John 1:43-51Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-18; 1 Kings 6:1-7:50; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17“Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, ‘Come and see'... Nathanael answered Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!'” (John 1:46, 49)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. For Nathanel, also known as Bartholomew, there was “no skin off my back” for telling the truth. He tells it like it is, even if the truth wouldn't be popular or well-received. “An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (v. 47) Philip knows this. He knows that this man of truth needs to meet Jesus. Although he doesn't hold back his skepticism that anything good could come out of Nazareth, Christ has compassion and lets Bartholomew know. Whatever hurt, brokenness, or time of prayer he went through under that fig tree, Jesus saw him and knew him. Now, the Son of God and King of Israel was calling him to be His disciple.Are you one who tells the truth, even if it is not popular or well-received? Or is there deceit in your life—lies and cover-ups for your secrets and exaggerations? No matter what, Jesus comes to you. The Son of God has seen you under your “fig tree.” Just like He saw Adam and Eve under their fig leaves with all of their shame and brokenness, but He doesn't leave you there in despair, He brings comfort out of knowing He sees you. Jesus has compassion on our first parents, on Bartholomew, and on you. At the fig tree, it is not a sense of “Oh! I've been caught!” but a comfort that the Son of God and King of Israel cares for you and calls and gathers you to Himself!Bartholomew met a rather gruesome end in this earthly life. You see, Bartholomew was martyred for telling the truth of Christ in Armenia. Sadly, proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the Son of God meant there was “skin off his back,” as St. Bartholomew was skinned alive and then killed. Yet we rejoice that this wasn't the end for Batholomew; this holy martyr is alive in Christ. This saint in whom there is no deceit is resting in perfect peace with the King of Israel right now, awaiting the Day of Resurrection, when his skin and his entire body will be resurrected and glorified, to live eternally with the Son of God whom he preached.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, chose Bartholomew to be an apostle to preach the blessed Gospel. Grant that Your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lowell, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

August 23, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 11 - Psalm 117; antiphon: Psalm 96:6a; 115:18Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 1 Kings 3:16-4:34; 2 Corinthians 1:1-22“The faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.”  (Psalm 117:2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.These words are easily said, but not so easily believed. God's faithfulness endures… forever? Forever is a long time. A lot can happen in that timespan. Whatever good things have happened and will happen, plus whatever bad things have happened and will happen, all that is included in “forever.” That's a lot of good and evil, a lot of laughter and a lot of tears, a lot of triumph and a lot of sickening loss. It is not easy to believe that God's faithfulness endures forever. Especially when you're on the receiving end of sorrow, grief, shame, hurt, addiction, loss, or any other affliction of body and soul, possessions, and reputation. Where is God's faithfulness then?But to be honest, faith in God's love and faithfulness to what He has promised in the Gospel is never easy. Instead, faith would be impossible if it were up to you. In good times, you would not think that you needed to trust in God's faithfulness. You would simply expect it, as you expect the light to turn on when you flick a switch. And in bad times, you would despair that God has forgotten to be faithful. You would hurt in your soul, thinking that God decided to forget you and leave you to figure your mess out for yourself. Neither attitude would foster saving faith in the heart.The good thing is, God's faithfulness endures forever for you, in Christ. In Jesus' cross, you see the epicenter of God's faithfulness for you, forever. In every time and circumstance, God's faithfulness in Jesus remains. What if you are smug and content, thinking little of Jesus' salvation and focused on other things more? Nonetheless, God's faithfulness remains in Christ. He calls you to repent, but His love for you remains. Jesus' blood redeems even those lost in apathy. And what if you despair of salvation? Even then, God's faithfulness remains in Christ. See the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And if He has taken away your sin by His death, there is nothing more that can condemn you.The Holy Spirit creates faith in Christ for you. This is not the believer's responsibility! This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Saving faith is what He does. We even know where the Holy Spirit works: the preaching of the pure Gospel, the Absolution, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, in the context of the liturgy. Since the Holy Spirit and not you is responsible for saving faith, it is much easier to believe in God's faithfulness, even when things are bad. Just be in the Word! The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure By the cross are sanctified. Peace is there that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide. (LSB 427:4)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!What happens when nations reject Christ as their King? Throughout history, earthly rulers acknowledged a higher spiritual authority, but modern states have reversed this order—with devastating consequences for civilization and faith.Joshua Charles joins Anthony for a profound exploration of Christendom's rise and fall. They unpack Larry Arnn's controversial claim that "a Christian nation is not possible because Jesus' kingdom is not of this world," revealing how this fundamentally misunderstands Catholic teaching about Christ's authority over all creation.The conversation journeys through historical Christianity, where temporal rulers recognized their subordination to spiritual authority for over a millennium. This wasn't mere symbolism—it represented the proper ordering of society, with baptism creating an objective covenant that bound believers and nations alike.We're witnessing the culmination of centuries of spiritual rebellion, from the Reformation's fracturing of unified Christian worship to modern states declaring themselves the highest authority. As Saint Bruno of Cologne predicted, we now live in times where "faith is in secret and iniquity in public"—a telling sign of spiritual deterioration.Most chillingly, recent developments surrounding the Third Temple and red heifer sacrifices echo what Church Fathers warned would precede Antichrist. The discussion examines historical parallels, particularly Julian the Apostate's failed attempt to rebuild the Jewish Temple in 363 AD, and what these events might tell us about our own time.Rather than succumbing to despair, Joshua and Anthony emphasize hope in God's providence. They remind us that while the Church might appear to be losing on earth, her saints are being crowned in heaven, from which they reign with Christ. The conversation concludes with practical spiritual guidance for navigating these challenging times through prayer, fasting, and renewed devotion to the sacraments.Support the show********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comFull Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribeRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

August 22, 2025Today's Reading: 1 Kings 2:1-27Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27; 1 Corinthians 14:1-16:24; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13“Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” (1 Kings 2:3)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.1 Kings 2 is quite the bloody chapter. King Solomon's reign began with bloodshed. He put Adonijah, his older (half-)brother, to death. Isn't Solomon supposed to be a God-pleasing person? He just heard God's promise to sustain him if he remained faithful to God's Word and walked according to it. But then, Solomon goes out and executes his half-brother!We have to understand the situation and the vocation and calling Solomon had. First, the situation. Adonijah was covetous. He desired the throne while pretending to come in peace. But his words revealed the treachery of his heart. Adonijah asked to be wed to Abishag, who had been married to David. That's completely disgusting, but it was likely intended as a political marriage only, for Adonijah knew the people of his time well. He knew that if they saw anyone marry King David's widow, that man should be seen as equal to David in power. Adonijah hated that Solomon had been made king over Israel and not he himself, so Adonijah set off to gain public support, to win the hearts of the people over, that he might depose Solomon from the throne when he became strong enough. The political marriage to Abishag was the first step in his wicked plot.We also should remember that Solomon had the vocation of being a king. As king, Solomon had the responsibility to bear the sword against anyone who would overthrow the rightful ruler. God has established rightful government and commands rightful authorities to be honored (4th commandment). So a believing king would first humble himself and repent of his own sins, trust in God's Word, have faith in the coming Christ, and live according to God's Word. But as a king, this would also include the duties of executing certain enemies of the state.Solomon was not the only king whose reign was marked by bloodshed. Jesus also fits in this category. As our King of Kings, Jesus' reign is marked by His bloodshed. By the shedding of His blood for our sins, Jesus began His rule as the King of Kings. His crown is made of thorns, His throne is made of wood. His rule is not one of violence but of peace in the heart. He also defeated our enemies who wanted to unseat Him from being king—sin, death, and the devil. Since He conquered them for us, we are safe through faith in Him.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Gone the past, unknown the future—Grace supplies my daily breath; Strong in Christ through death's dark valley, Firm and faithful unto death. (LSB 753:3)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Fr. Mike shows us from our reading of Jeremiah that when we give our hearts and minds over to idols we become foolish. The way of man is not in himself, we need the Lord to guide and correct us. In Ezekiel, we read about the vision of the measuring of the temple and Fr. Mike shows us how the early Church Fathers would read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament. Today's readings are Jeremiah 10-11, Ezekiel 40, and Proverbs 15:5-8. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

A caller named Marianne asked Patrick Madrid how to explain to her evangelical son-in-law that Mary remained a virgin her whole life, especially since he believes the Bible says Jesus had brothers in the literal sense. The Teaching in a Nutshell Catholic dogma says Mary was a virgin before the conception of Jesus, during His birth, and after His birth for the rest of her life. Jesus was her only child. This belief isn’t just Catholic tradition; Patrick argues it’s what the Bible itself supports when understood correctly. The ‘Brothers of Jesus’ Problem Many Protestants point to verses like: Matthew 13:55 - “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?” Mark 6:3 - Similar listing of “brothers” of the Lord. Patrick explains: In the Bible, “brother” (adelphos in Greek) has a wide range of meanings. It can mean biological brother, but also cousin, nephew, or even close family friend. Example: In Genesis 14:14, Lot is called Abraham’s “brother”, but we know from other passages that Lot was actually Abraham’s nephew. The Famous “Until” Verse Critics love to quote Matthew 1:25: “[Joseph] had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son.” -Some assume “until” means they started relations afterward. -But in biblical usage, “until” (heōs in Greek) does not mean a change afterward. -Patrick’s analogy: “Grandma didn’t take her medicine until she died.” That doesn’t mean she took it after! The ‘Firstborn’ Title Luke 2:7 calls Jesus Mary’s “firstborn.” Skeptics think that means there must have been a “second-born.” Not so! In Jewish law, firstborn is a legal term for the child who opens the womb, whether or not more children follow. Even an only child is still the “firstborn” in biblical and legal language. A Cross-Shaped Clue At the crucifixion (John 19:26-27), Jesus entrusted His mother to John, not to one of His “brothers.” If Mary had other biological sons, this would have been unthinkable in Jewish culture; her care would automatically go to them. The fact that Jesus chose John is silent but strong proof that Mary had no other children. The Early Church’s United Voice From the very beginning, Christians, including those who personally knew the Apostles, unanimously affirmed Mary’s perpetual virginity. No significant leader questioned it until the mid-4th century, when a man named Helvidius claimed otherwise. St. Jerome, a brilliant Scripture scholar and translator, wrote an entire work Against Helvidius, dismantling every argument point-by-point. Even Luther & Calvin Agreed Here’s a surprise for many Protestants: Martin Luther and John Calvin, the founders of the Reformation and fierce opponents of Catholicism, both affirmed Mary’s perpetual virginity. They didn’t accept it because the Catholic Church said so; they accepted it because the biblical and historical evidence for it was airtight. Why the Disagreement Today? Patrick brings up that many modern Christians reject this teaching for one simple reason: “If the Catholic Church teaches it, it must be wrong.”They then go hunting for Bible verses that seem to contradict it. But none of those verses, when understood in context, actually prove Mary had other children. Mary’s perpetual virginity isn’t an “extra Catholic add-on.” It’s rooted in Scripture, confirmed by history, defended by the early Church Fathers, and even upheld by the first Protestant Reformers. For anyone truly willing to look at the evidence, and not just react against Catholicism, the case is clear: Mary was, is, and always will be the Virgin Mother of Jesus.

August 21, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: What is the Benefit of This Eating and Drinking?Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31What is the benefit of such eating and drinking? These words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins;” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. (Small Catechism, 6th Chief Part)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Does your soul hunger for the Lord's Supper? It should. You should desire the Lord's Supper as one of the highest Gifts of God, for there are benefits, great Gifts, and advantages for taking this Sacrament as Christ instituted it.But what's that? You don't see the advantages? This doesn't look like a great Gift? You think the bread is weird and tastes nothing like normal bread? You think the wine is kind of funky, and you still question if you, as a minor, should be drinking alcohol? (Unless you are the kind that is already into drinking—in which case, you should look at what God says about honoring authority in the 4th commandment, repent, confess your sins, and receive the Gospel from your pastor).Despite what your reason and senses say, the words of Jesus speak much differently! (In Matthew 26:28, Jesus says that His blood is shed for the forgiveness of sins, and in Luke 22:19-20, Jesus says His Body and Blood are given for you in the Sacrament.) Trusting in your reason and senses is always a bad way to go when it comes to the things of God. Just as trusting in a deceitful person usually means that you are likely to be deceived. How deceitful are man's reason and senses, corrupted by our fallen nature!In the Sacrament, forgiveness, life, and salvation are yours. Whether or not you think you need forgiveness, life, and salvation, Jesus says you need this. Otherwise, He would not say, “Take, eat. Take, drink.” But He says these words. Therefore, He knows you need these Gifts. You need forgiveness because you are a sinner, and you need forgiveness in this Sacramental way, too. You need life—you need to eat this Sacramental fruit from the Tree of Life. And you need salvation, or you would be lost. With the faith that trusts these words “Given for you,” you have these three benefits. Forgiveness that takes the weight off your conscience. Life from the very veins of the Son of God. Salvation and rescue from your spiritual enemies: sin, death, and the devil. Who wouldn't hunger for such a great Sacrament?In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.He who craves a precious treasure Neither cost nor pain will measure; But the priceless gifts of heaven God to us has freely given. Though the wealth of earth were proffered, None could buy the gifts here offered: Christ's true body, for you riven, And His blood, for you once given. Amen. (LSB 636:1)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOMIn this episode, we announce the new Eternal Christendom Substack, and provide a free example of the content we are offering to premium Subscribers ($8/month). It's called "Catechesis with the Fathers," in which we will read a work of the Church Fathers, and unlock its treasury of wisdom from four perspectives: theology, philosophy, apologetics, and the spiritual life.In this "Catechesis with the Fathers," we will read two amazing sermons--Sermons 149 and 227--by a lesser known, but amazing western Church Father, St. Caesarius of Arles (c. 468/470-542). We paired these two sermons together since Sermon 149 discusses the narrow cruciform path to salvation, and Sermon 227 explains how the Catholic altar on earth is intrinsically connected with the heavenly altar, and how to approach it worthily so as to receive the Eucharist unto eternal life, instead of eternal damnation.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SUBSTACKhttps://substack.com/@eternalchristendomVISIT OUR WEBSITEhttps://eternalchristendom.com/BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITIONWe are a non-profit, and all gifts are tax-deductible. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free:https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS AT ETERNAL CHRISTENDOM BOOKSTOREhttps://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAX: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharlesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/DIVE DEEPERCheck out Eternal Christendom's "Becoming Catholic," where you'll find more than 1 million words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic:https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro06:46 - St. Caesarius of Arles11:48 - Sermon 149: Reading21:38 - Sermon 149: Treasure39:54 - Sermon 227: Reading50:28 - Sermon 227: Treasure01:23:36 - ConclusionLISTEN ON APPLEhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eternal-christendom-podcast/id1725000526LISTEN ON SPOTIFYhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3HoTTco6oJtApc21ggVevu

August 20, 2025Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-13Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-19:43; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.” (1 Corinthians 12:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.There are a bunch of strange, hare-brained ideas out there. This is especially clear when the topic of “spiritual gifts” comes up. Some churches think this means people in the Holy Spirit start speaking in gibberish, which they call ‘speaking in tongues.' Some throw their hands up, roll around, or bark like a dog because they feel that they're filled with the Holy Spirit. Good grief. That's not how the Holy Spirit works. Others think “spiritual gifts” refers to created abilities and skills, from understanding people to working with electrical outlets. But then, why would Scripture call these “gifts of the Holy Spirit” when they're more like gifts of creation? Spiritual gifts are more than just skills and abilities. Remember, the Holy Spirit's role is that He “calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the Holy Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith” (Small Catechism, Creed, 3rd article explanation). So the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith in people's hearts so that they believe in Jesus as their savior. He does this by the Word and sacraments. Therefore, it stands to reason that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit have something to do with edifying the faithful and assisting the Church on earth.Keep in mind the Holy Trinity when reading 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. Paul says, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” God, Lord, and Spirit refer to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father has various gifts of creation and vocational calling. He empowers these activities so that by doing your vocation, He is there enlisting you to help sustain His creation. The Lord Jesus has “varieties of service.” This especially refers to the Office of the Ministry that stands in the stead of Christ and by His Command. Yet in this one Office of the Ministry, there are different roles, from an assistant pastor to a professor to a missionary or a hospital chaplain.The Holy Spirit thus has a variety of gifts, too. He gave certain miraculous Gifts in the period right after the New Testament. But these are no more. Now, the Holy Spirit confines Himself to the normal churchly ways—by your pastor's preaching, baptizing, the Lord's Supper, your own study of God's Word, and devotional life. Here are the Spirit's primary Gifts today, not to mention faith in Christ and the love that comes from faith. God strengthen you in these true Gifts of the Spirit.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Heavenly Father, grant that we are not misled into strange teachings, but kept in the simple teaching of Scripture as we have come to know it by the Catechism. Amen.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

This week, Father John Whiteford is back with us to explore some topics in and around the false theology of dispensationalism. While it may be nearing the end of its cycle, there are still many faithful Christians that believe in this false teaching. We explore why this came about, the pre-tribulation rapture, the funding of Hamas by Netanyahu, the claim that modern men can better translate Scripture than the Church Fathers, and much more. Sponsors: Fox n Sons Coffee: Code: BUCK15 Podsworth App: Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Get the new Counterflow T-shirt before it sells out! Visit  or send $30 via PayPal to buck@counterflowpodcast.com with your size and shipping address! Donate to the show here:   Visit my website:   Audio Production by Podsworth Media:   Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode of the Made Good podcast, Bishop Athanasius Schneider shares his profound insights shaped by his experiences growing up in the persecuted church in Soviet Kazakhstan. He emphasizes the importance of fortitude in faith, especially in the face of modern challenges such as materialism and relativism. The conversation explores the role of the Virgin Mary as a model of faith, the significance of understanding Scripture through the Church Fathers, and the necessity of clarity in Church doctrine. Bishop Schneider also addresses the unique challenges faced by women today, particularly in relation to motherhood, and offers encouragement for those seeking marriage. He concludes with practical advice for young Catholics on deepening their faith and prayer life.

August 19, 2025Today's Reading: Hebrews 11:17-31 (32-40); 12:1-3Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34“By faith…” (Heb.11:17a)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Hebrews 11 is called “the great chapter on faith,” and it's obvious why. Every Lutheran should cherish this chapter, because all over the place it says, “By faith.” That's a big part of the Lutheran, Biblical teaching. In this chapter, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and others are examples of saving faith in God's Word and promises. These were people like you and me who trusted in God's promises throughout their lives and situations. Those promises were all fulfilled in Jesus. So the Old Testament faithful looked ahead in faith to Jesus, the Messiah who was to come.But there's even more in this chapter. If you notice, only certain events are mentioned in Hebrews 11, and other significant events are not. For example, nothing is said about Isaac getting married to Rebekah. Nothing is mentioned about Jacob seeing the heavenly staircase with angels going up and down on it. Nothing is mentioned about Moses delivering God's sacrificial system of worship to the people, though all these things were also clearly acts of faith. Other noble and important acts did not make the list, either. Something else is going on here than just a list of mere examples to try to be like.The specific Old Testament events in Hebrews 11 all point to Jesus. Jesus certainly fulfills the entire Old Testament, as He says in Luke 24, John 5, and many other places. Old Testament people, places, and events prefigure and point to the greater fulfillment that Jesus gives. So Jesus is like Isaac, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1), who was also offered as a sacrifice according to God's will. Jesus is like Esau, who gives up His birthright and His blessing to God's sinful people who are more like Jacob. Thus, we get the full blessing of our heavenly Father simply by God's grace. Jesus' blessing is like Esau's in that He is assigned to serve us, which He does by the Word and the Sacraments in the context of the liturgy. Like Moses, Jesus would rather stand for God's Word and God's people, even if He would be mistreated by the world. Like Moses, Jesus endured even before Pontius Pilate because He was intent on following God's will and holding to God's invisible Word. And Jesus is our new Passover lamb, who died to save us from death and now gives His own body to eat in the Lord's Supper.Forgiveness, life, and salvation are for you. You do not earn these, nor do you merit getting them. But as free Gifts of God's love in Christ, they are promised and offered for you, too. Like the heroes of faith, may you also trust in your Savior in every situation and point others to Him as well.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Grant our hearts to remain ever faithful to Your Son, O Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

The Feast of the Assumption is not a quaint Catholic tradition. Mary, the New Eve, was taken body and soul into Heaven, preserved from corruption, crowned in glory, and placed beside her Son as Queen. This truth is not optional for us as Catholic men. It is a dogma of the Church. And it is a challenge.Fr. Dom takes you deep into the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Drawing from Scripture, the early Church Fathers, and Pope Pius XII's declaration of the dogma in 1950, he unpacks why this feast matters for men right now. Mary shows us what it means to receive Christ, act with zeal, and go into the world with courage and conviction. Her life was not passive; she moved with the Holy Spirit and lived in complete fidelity to God.This is not simply about Mary. It's about your mission as a Catholic man. Do you go out into the world bringing Christ, or do you sit idly by while the faith is mocked, minimized, or ignored? The Assumption confronts us with the reality that if Mary, fully human, can triumph by God's grace, then so can we. But it requires action, faith, and sacrifice.Fr. Dom also highlights the unity of Mary's four dogmas:Mary, Mother of GodPerpetual VirginityImmaculate ConceptionThe AssumptionEach one reveals her unique role in salvation history and points us to Christ. Rejecting these truths is rejecting Christ Himself, because every Marian dogma magnifies His power and glory.As Catholic men, we cannot afford to remain lukewarm. Mary went in haste. She lived with urgency. And she calls us to do the same.The Challenge Issued in This Episode: Stop hiding your faith. Let the world know you are Catholic. If Mary could go forth with zeal after receiving Christ, then you too must rise and carry Him into your family, workplace, and community.Powerful Quotes from the Episode:“Mary received the Body of Christ—and she went. She moved. She did something. Are we compelled by the Holy Spirit the way she was?”“There are no first-class relics of Mary because her body was assumed into Heaven. Her tomb is empty.”“The Assumption is not just about Mary's incorruptibility—it's about her triumph over death, united with her Son. And that victory is the promise for us too.”Key Takeaway for Men: Live with urgency. Like Mary, do not sit idle after receiving Christ in the Eucharist. Move in haste, filled with the Holy Spirit, and bring Christ boldly into the world.If you are ready to stop being passive in your faith and start living as a man on fire for Christ, this episode will challenge and inspire you.Send us a text Support the showPlease prayerfully consider supporting the podcast on our Buy Me A Coffee page. to help grow the show to reach as many men as possible! Thank you for your prayers and support. Be sure to follow us on X for more great content. As always, please pray for us! We are men who strive daily to be holy, to become saints and we cannot do that without the help of the Holy Ghost! Subscribe to our YouTube page to see our manly and holy faces Check out our website Contact us at themanlycatholic@gmail.com

August 18, 2025Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:16-29Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16“[The Lord says] ‘I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.'” (Jeremiah 23:21)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You cannot rightly judge a preacher based on his personality, his popularity, or his effectiveness. You cannot rightly judge a preacher based on how many or how few people come to hear him. You cannot rightly judge a preacher based on how you feel about him. God instead directs you to judge a preacher on how his preaching and teaching align with God's Word.Only Scripture is the fountain and source of our theology, our teaching, our practice, how we worship, how we live, and who we are. We must remember that, so the devil does not lead us astray. The devil has his own prophets, who preach according to whatever the modern sensibilities are at the time. We are caught up in the world, surrounded so much by the world's ideals that we are not even aware of them. This is the poisoned air we breathe, and we don't even realize how much the world has taught us to follow it.But a preacher who preaches the Word rightly is to be highly honored, for he teaches the Word that is always true and always constant, even when the world shifts on unstable footing. In season or out of season, when that Word is loved or if that Word is despised, yet he stays constant and true to God's Word. He proclaims the Law in its full strictness to self-righteous sinners are brought to repentance. And he proclaims the Gospel in its full sweetness to crushed sinners, so they are given the spiritual relief, comfort, and peace that God gives us in His Son.Jesus crucified, risen, and forgiving is the content of every true sermon. It doesn't matter if it's a regular Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent, or even on Christmas Day. Faithful pastors still proclaim Jesus, bloody but wonderful. They proclaim and apply this Word to you in all your situations in this life. And they proclaim Jesus much more than they proclaim themselves, their thoughts, their ideas, and their experiences. Pastors whom God has called and ordained to the office of the Holy Ministry who preach this have God's approval. Therefore, they have the approval of every true Christian as well. God grant you to learn His Word so you know even more where it is being proclaimed in its purity.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In these last days of great distress, Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness That we keep pure till life is spent Your holy Word and Sacrament. (LSB 585:2)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

Link to the article mentioned in this episode: Images of Christ and the Vitals of the Reformed System All the Episodes of the Heidelcast Subscribe to the Heidelcast! Browse the Heidelshop! On X @Heidelcast On Insta & Facebook @Heidelcast Subscribe in Apple Podcast Subscribe directly via RSS Call The Heidelphone via Voice Memo On Your Phone The Heidelcast is available wherever podcasts are found including Spotify. Call or text the Heidelphone anytime at (760) 618-1563. Leave a message or email us a voice memo from your phone and we may use it in a future podcast. Record it and email it to heidelcast@heidelblog.net. If you benefit from the Heidelcast please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts so that others can find it. Please do not forget to make the coffer clink (see the donate button below). SHOW NOTES How To Subscribe To Heidelmedia The Heidelblog Resource Page Heidelmedia Resources The Ecumenical Creeds The Reformed Confessions The Heidelberg Catechism Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008) Why I Am A Christian What Must A Christian Believe? Heidelblog Contributors Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to: Heidelberg Reformation Association 1637 E. Valley Parkway #391 Escondido CA 92027 USA The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Jonathan Arrington discusses the patristic testimony surrounding the apocalypse.Full Roman Forum Content +more: https://catholicfamilynews.locals.com/What is the Roman Forum?: https://youtu.be/gwNSwFUsd7AThe Roman Forum: https://www.romanforum.org/about/• Angelico Press: https://angelicopress.com/catholicfamilynews• Sophia Institute Press: https://sophiainstitute.com/product-category/books/ref/63/• TAN Books: https://lddy.no/1js4lFollow us on Rumble! https://rumble.com/c/c-390435Twitter: https://x.com/CFNonX#catholic #traditionallatinmass #traditionalcatholic #churchfathers #philosophy #history

On today's episode of What Is Truth? I am joined by Fr. Peter Heasley to discuss his new series published by TAN Books called "Lectio Divina with the Spiritual Masters." In the first entry, he tackles the Gospel of John. We discuss the general principles of Lectio Divina and why this could be a really helpful resource for any layperson trying to learn how to pray with Scripture.Fr. Peter Heasley's Website - https://www.peteraheasley.com/Get his book on TAN Books = https://tanbooks.com/products/books/lectio-divina-with-the-spiritual-masters-the-gospel-of-john-with-st-augustine/Get 15% Off TAN Books using code "TRUTH15" at checkout: https://tanbooks.com/?rfsn=7031065.cf6efa1

What does the Bible really say about eternal life? In Part II of this series (See Episode 541 for Part I), Steve Wood unpacks what happens after the Second Coming—not just souls in heaven, but resurrected bodies on a renewed Earth with Jesus. We explore the often-missed Catholic teaching on divinization—our transformation by God's grace to share in His divine nature. Backed by Scripture (1 John 3:2, 2 Peter 1:4) and the Catechism (CCC 460), this episode also draws from Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus, St. Athanasius, and St. Thomas Aquinas. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

This is the 278th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought. Anabaptist Perspectives has done a number of episodes on the early church and how their writings can inform and instruct us today. Kyle Stolzfus addresses some of the points previously discussed that drew pushback from listeners regarding topics like infant baptism and apostolic succession. What is the proper way to engage with early church writings? What do we do when we find disagreements between ourselves and the teachings of early church fathers?Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook.Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Read OnlineHe spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” Matthew 13:33Yeast is powerful. Though it often accounts for only about 1% of a loaf of bread, it causes that loaf to more than double in size. Of course, it also has the amazing effect of turning the dough soft and flexible as it rises. Without yeast, the dough would remain stiff and much smaller in size. The dough would not become the bread it was meant to be.The Church Fathers offer many interpretations of this short, one-sentence parable. Some say that the three measures of flour represent the spirit, soul and body into which the Gospel is inserted. Others say the three measures of flour represent either three different kinds of persons or three levels of fruitfulness in our lives. The yeast is understood by some as the message of the Gospel in the Scriptures and by others as charity that must permeate our lives and the world as a whole. Of course, the parables of Jesus, as well as every teaching contained within the Scriptures, offer us many levels of understanding and meaning that are all correct and consistent with each other. One of the most important questions to ponder is this: What does God want to say to you through this parable?If you consider yourself to be the three measures of flour, and the yeast to be God, His holy Word and His gentle but clear Voice speaking to you, in what concrete ways do you see your life rising as a direct result? How do you see yourself becoming that which you are intended to be as a result of God entering your life? And do you see the effect as one that is truly transforming and even exponential?Sometimes the Word of God has little to no effect on our lives. That, of course, is not the fault of the Word of God; rather, it's because we do not allow God to do His transforming work. For yeast to work, the dough has to sit still for a while. So in our lives, for God to do His work, we must allow Him to gently and powerfully work. This process requires that we internalize all that God speaks to us. Then His actions must prayerfully be permitted to work within us, and we must allow the change to be slow and certain in accord with His divine plan.Sometimes we can also become impatient with the workings of God. Again, the yeast takes time to work. If we are impatient with God's grace, then it may be like taking the dough and kneading it over and over before it even has a chance to work. But if we are prayerfully patient, allowing God to do His work in our lives according to His will and in His time, then little by little we will experience the transformation that He initiates. Reflect, today, upon this short but powerful parable. See yourself as that dough and see God and His action in your life as the yeast. As you sit with that image in a prayerful way, let God reveal how He wants to work within you and how He wants to transform you. Pray for patience. Trust that if you receive His transforming Word into your soul, then He will do what He wants to do. And trust that if this happens, you will indeed become the person God wants you to become. My transforming Lord, You desire to enter deeply into my life and to permeate all that I am. You desire to change me, little by little, making me into the person You want me to become. Please help me to be attentive to all that You desire to do in me and to patiently await the transformation that You have already begun. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Phillip Medhurst, FAL, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Long before Myers-Briggs, there were the Four Temperaments. From Hippocrates to the Church Fathers to the 21st century, this timeless model has helped people understand themselves (and each other) on a deeper level.Now, Art and Laraine Bennett bring this ancient wisdom into the modern world with fresh insight and real-life application. Discover your temperament, decode your child's baffling behavior, and turn your spouse's quirks into opportunities for deeper connection and communication. Plus don't miss Lila's surprising temperament reveal!Website: https://artandlarainebennett.com/Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3UsPEKzNEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world's leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/ Check out our Sponsors:-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, or salmon! Use code LILA for $40 off! -EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!00:00:00 - Intro00:04:50 - What are temperaments?00:07:00 - Phlegmatic00:07:46 - Melancholics00:09:37 - Sanguine00:11:06 - Good Ranchers00:12:18 - Do opposites attract?00:19:57 - EveryLife00:20:48 - Has psychology come up with anything better than temperaments?00:25:34 - Therapy and Temperaments00:29:05 - Phlegmatic II00:30:12 - Seven Weeks Coffee00:31:16 - Fixing False Notions of Others00:38:08 - Sanguine II00:40:12 - Melancholic00:46:58 - Discipline for Parents00:56:22 - Lila takes temperament test01:01:52 - Can temperament change?01:06:51 - Pairing certain temperaments for relationships