musical interval
POPULARITY
Categories
230 episodes with Fifteenth
29 episodes with Fifteenth
27 episodes with Fifteenth
18 episodes with Fifteenth
19 episodes with Fifteenth
19 episodes with Fifteenth
18 episodes with Fifteenth
18 episodes with Fifteenth
7 episodes with Fifteenth
12 episodes with Fifteenth
13 episodes with Fifteenth
8 episodes with Fifteenth
30 episodes with Fifteenth
8 episodes with Fifteenth
12 episodes with Fifteenth
10 episodes with Fifteenth
8 episodes with Fifteenth
11 episodes with Fifteenth
12 episodes with Fifteenth
14 episodes with Fifteenth
6 episodes with Fifteenth
4 episodes with Fifteenth
3 episodes with Fifteenth
6 episodes with Fifteenth
5 episodes with Fifteenth
2 episodes with Fifteenth
6 episodes with Fifteenth
Golf and UT football talk from Dirty Martin's Place on the UT Campus in Austin, Texas with hosts Ed Clements and Scotty Sayers. Joined again this week by former PGA Champion and 3 time UT All-American Mark Brooks with a last minute drop in from Ben Clements of The End Zone Club.
It's a Song of the Week! I am so excited to present to you this brand new music-centered feature on the show. Last year we had a blast (my word) listening to 300 albums and discussing them together. Ever since I have known that we were going to get back to holding space to talk specifically about music on the pod, regularly. And just about a year after we started that massive undertaking, the time is now!! So instead of album after album, we're going to talk about ONE SONG AT A TIME. - This week's FIFTEENTH installment song is by Artist: Rage Against The Machine And is called “Testify.” It's from their third studio album The Battle Of Los Angeles. Listen to it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j_zyb-XXWz0?s... Watch the video, no really. Watch it: https://youtu.be/Q3dvbM6Pias?s... You can also grab a preview on my IG @whereschloe; it's up on the profile. ***Interesting Fact- This song contains an excerpt from 1984 by George Orwell - There is no hierarchy; these songs are going to be in basically a random order, chosen for reasons that I'll most likely expound upon within the episode. Along with an array of background, inspirations, time frame, album order, cultural context, related themes, personal experiences, etc. Any genre artist decade that I would listen to is up for grabs and who's to know what will be next and why? ;) Remember your favorites. Discover something new. One song of the week at a time for however long works. I'm ELATED that you're along for the ride, C
Golf and UT football talk live from Dirty Martin's Place w/hosts Ed Clements & Scotty Sayers. UT 3-time All American and former PGA champion Mark Brooks joins at the golfer's round table, along with Ben Clements from The End Zone Club as The Fifteenth Club begins Season 10.
Golf and UT football talk, live from Dirty Martin's Place in Austin, Texas with hosts Ed Clements and Scotty Sayers. UT-Ohio State football and Ryder Cup are the topics with guests, former PGA Champ and UT All-American Mark Brooks and from The End Zone Club Ben Clements. Brought to you by Covert Lincoln, ABC Bank, Maudie's Texas Mex, The Salt Lick Barbeque, The Muny Conservancy, Zilker Belts, Donald Ross Sportswear and Edel Golf. Next week The Fifteenth Club launches Season 10.
Golf talk live from Dirty Martin's Place in Austin, Texas with hosts Ed Clements & Scotty Sayers. Thi s week we are joined by former PGA Champion Mark Brooks, Alli Jarratt of The Texas Golf Hall of Fame and Ben Clements of The End Zone Club. Ryder Cup and Fed Ex Championship talk, plus information on the Texas Golf Hall of Fame dinner at Austin Country Club in October.
Golf talk live from Dirty Martin's Place in Austin, Texas with hosts Scotty Sayers & Ben Clements. Guest this week are broadcast legend and Happy Gilmore 2 star Verne Lundquist and John Fields, head golf coach at the University of Texas.
August 12, 2025 - Welcome back. This is the 15th and final special edition of The Terrible Podcast. These special edition episodes have been posted after the Pittsburgh Steelers wrap up each one of their 2025 training camp practices. It's Tuesday evening and Alex Kozora joins me to discuss what he observed at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe earlier today, the team's 15th and final training camp practice of 2025 that was open to the public. As usual, Alex and I go through all of the position groups and try to give you the rundown on as many players as possible in the shortest amount of time. This is a longer episode as we recap all of training camp throughout this show when it comes to all position groups and main takeaways. In case you missed it, you can read Alex's Tuesday report right here. Thanks to Len Testa at Touringplans.com for once again being a sponsor of these special edition episodes during Steelers training camp. Thanks for listening and don't forget to call or email with questions or comments, and please pass us along to your friends! steelersdepot.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From Ritual to Reality. Welcome To The BARAH MINISTRIES COEUR d'ALENE BIBLE CONFERENCE LESSON Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher www.barahministries.com Good Morning! This is your chance to hearthe Bible lesson from the FIFTEENTH annual Coeur d'Alene Bible Conference of Barah... for full notes: http://www.barahministries.com/index.php?proc=lsn&sf=v&tid=1951
Audio, eng_t_norav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n2_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 2
Audio, eng_t_rav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n1_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 1
Video, eng_t_rav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n1_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 1
Video, eng_t_norav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n2_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 2
Audio, eng_t_rav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n1_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 1
Audio, eng_t_norav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n2_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 2
Golf talk live from Dirty Martin's Place with hosts Scotty Sayers & Ben Clements. Special guest this week is Geoff Shackelford from The Quadrilateral.
Video, eng_t_rav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n1_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 1
Video, eng_t_norav_2025-08-10_lesson_rb-1986-35-hamisha-asar-beav_n2_p1. Lesson_part :: Daily_lesson 2
Golf talk live every Saturday afternoon from Dirty Martin's Place in Austin, Texas with Ed Clements, Scotty Sayers & Mark Brooks.
It has been a hot second since we've had one of these, but let's roll with it! Once again, we conduct a battle of Tubi Recollection Wizardry. Who will come out on top this time?
Homily from the Mass offered on Friday, July 18th. To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson. Ordinary Weekday/ Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: Exodus 12: 37-42 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 136: 1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15 Alleluia: Second Corinthians 5: 19 Gospel: Matthew 12: 14-21 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com
We park the Randomizer for a moment of reflection on the Ncuti Gatwa era — an time of goblins, gods, wish worlds, and controversies that may have rewritten more than canon. From reshoots and reality wars to Billie Piper's surprise return and Disney's uncertain handshake, we dive deep into what worked (hello, 73 Yards), what didn't (Robot Revolution, anyone?), and whether Doctor Who got too much sugar in its tea this time around. Grab your sonic and settle in for a lukewarm take that might still burn your tongue.Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and become a True Companion of the podcast to get new episodes before everyone else!Subscribe to our newsletter at pulltoopen.net for extended notes on our random episodes.Support the podcast by becoming a patron of Pull To Open on Patreon.Please review Pull To Open on Apple Podcasts.Follow us on:TikTok: @pulltoopenInstagram: @pulltoopen63Facebook: @pulltoopen63X: @pulltoopen63Threads: @pulltoopen63Bluesky: @pulltoopenPlay Pull To Open BingoPull To Open: Ncuti Gatwa Era LookbackSeason 6Episode 21Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris TaylorMusic: Martin West/Thinking Fish©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
ROSARY - JOYFUL MYSTERIES today. DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Saturday.
Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time - A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord. Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over” Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart... The post Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday/ Camillus De Lellis, Priest First Reading: Exodus 11: 10 – 12: 14 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 116: 12-13, 15 and 16bc, 17-18 Alleluia: John 10: 27 Gospel: Matthew 12: 1-8 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com
Read OnlineThe Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. Matthew 12:14–16This passage goes on to say that Jesus withdrew to a more deserted place to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah 42:1–4). That prophecy is the first of what is referred to as “The Songs of the Suffering Servant.” In these songs or poems of Isaiah, the Messiah is presented to us as one who would be sent on a mission from God, would suffer injustice for the sake of others, would be rejected, and ultimately be vindicated and exalted. The mission of the Suffering Servant was to bring justice and salvation to all, including to the Gentiles.At that time, the idea of a messianic king was still prominent in the minds of many. They anticipated the coming of a messiah who would be a political leader and would lead the people of Israel out of oppression, making them a free, prosperous and powerful nation. But Jesus acts in the opposite manner. Instead of raising up an army to combat the evil intentions of the Pharisees and to overthrow the Romans, Jesus withdrew from them and invited people to come to Him for healing and to receive His teachings.Jesus perfectly fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah by becoming the Suffering Servant. And because His messianic role was much different than what many people had anticipated, Saint Matthew points us to the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah as a way of clearly showing that Jesus truly was the promised Messiah. He was just not the form of messiah that many expected. He was One Who was humble and gentle of heart. He was One Who would redeem people by the Blood of His Cross. And He was One Who would extend salvation to all people, not only the people of Israel.One lesson this teaches us is that even today we can have false expectations of God. It is easy for us to set forth our own idea of what God should do and what true justice demands. But we also read in Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Is. 55:8–9).Just as it must have been difficult for the people of Israel to come to accept the promised Messiah as a servant Who suffers and Who redeems all people through that suffering, so it is often difficult for us to accept our Lord as He is. It is difficult to shed our own ideas of what we want God to do and this is especially difficult when He calls us to share in His own suffering and servanthood. To serve, suffer, sacrifice our lives, and the like can be difficult to accept. But this is the way of our Lord—it is the way of the Suffering Servant of God.Reflect, today, upon your own expectations of God. Do you have a long list of things that you think God should do? Do you pray for that list of your ideas, thinking that if you only ask enough, God will grant your requests? If your requests flow from His perfect will, then praying for them in faith will bring them about. But if they flow more from you and your own ideas of what God should do, then all the prayers in the world will not bring them to be. If this is your struggle, then try to start anew by turning your eyes to the Servant Who Suffers for the salvation of all. Reflect upon the fact that God's thoughts and ways are most often very far above your own thoughts and ways. Try to humble yourself before the Suffering Servant and abandon all ideas that do not flow from His Heart. My Suffering Servant, I thank You for Your suffering and death and for the redemption that flows from Your sacrifice of love. Help me to shed all false expectations that I have of You, dear Lord, so that I will be guided by You and Your mission of salvation alone. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Pixabay.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Send us a textCheck out the JIBM Web site at: https://www.joeinblackministries.com/Please use the following link if you would like to financially support Church of the Holy Family: https://pushpay.com/g/hfgrandblanc?sr...Support the show
ROSARY - SORROWFUL MYSTERIES today. DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Friday.
The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Exodus 3: 13-20 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105: 1 and 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27 Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28 Gospel: Matthew 11: 28-30 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com
Read OnlineJesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” Matthew 12:1–2When Moses gave the Ten Commandments to the people, there was a prohibition against working on the Sabbath. The Third Commandment said, in part, that “you shall not do any work” on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10). By the time of Jesus, the Pharisees had added much commentary to this law and expanded it to include as many as 39 different forms of work that they believed was forbidden. Included in their list were the practices of harvesting and milling of grain. For that reason, when the Pharisees saw that the disciples were picking heads of grain and rubbing the grain off the husks so that they could eat it, the Pharisees condemned them for violating what they interpreted to be an offense against the Third Commandment.The first thing we can note from this passage is that the disciples were hungry. They were exceptionally devoted to Jesus and had been traveling with Him from town to town so that He could preach the Gospel. They had given up occupation, home, family and income so as to be singly devoted to Jesus and His mission. And as a result of this, they were living in poverty and relying upon the generosity of others. It is in this context that they chose to eat the most humble of foods: grain that they picked as they walked. They didn't complain that there wasn't a hot meal waiting for them at their destination. They were accepting of the many long journeys by foot that they made. They were okay with the fact that they did not get to sleep in their own bed every night. But they did have the basic human need for food, so they picked this grain as they walked to fulfill this basic need of hunger.Though there are many lessons we can learn from this passage, one clear lesson is that of the temptation to judge and condemn others. When we fall into the trap of judging others, there are a few things that are common. First, judging and condemning often is based on perceived wrongs that are inflated and exaggerated. The Pharisees clearly inflated and exaggerated this “sin” of the disciples. In our lives, judgmentalness almost always makes the perceived sin of another far more serious than it is, if it is sin at all.Another common temptation that flows from a judgmental and condemning heart is the failure to even understand the condemned party. In this case above, the Pharisees did not even inquire into the reason the disciples were picking and eating grain. They didn't ask if they had been without food for some time or how long they had been traveling. It didn't matter to them that they were hungry, and most likely, very hungry. So also with us, it is common that when we judge and condemn another, we arrive at our verdict without even seeking to understand the situation.Lastly, it needs to be said that judging others is not our right. Doing so is usually reckless and caused by our own self-centeredness. God did not give the Pharisees the authority to expand the Third Commandment into 39 forbidden practices, nor did He give them the authority to apply those interpretations to the perceived actions of the disciples. And God does not give us the authority to judge others either. If another is clearly caught in a cycle of objectively grave sin, we must do all we can to help draw them out of that sin. But even in that case, we have no right to judge or condemn. Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have toward being judgmental and condemning of others. If you see this tendency within yourself, spend time thinking about the Pharisees. Their self-righteousness was ugly and damaging. The negative example they set should inspire us to turn away from such acts of condemnation and to reject those temptations the moment they come. My divine Judge of All, You and You alone know the heart, and You and You alone are capable of acting as Judge. Please exercise Your authority in my life so that I can perceive my own sin. As You do, please also free me from the tendency to judge and condemn. Fill me, instead, with a heart full of mercy and truth toward all. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: Marten van Valckenborch, 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.
Send us a textCheck out the JIBM Web site at: https://www.joeinblackministries.com/Please use the following link if you would like to financially support Church of the Holy Family: https://pushpay.com/g/hfgrandblanc?sr...Support the show
The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday/ Our Lady of Mount Carmel First Reading: Exodus 3: 1-6, 9-12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 103: 1b-2, 3-4, 6-7 Alleluia: Matthew 11: 25 Gospel: Matthew 11: 25-27 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com
Read Online“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:29–30For those first followers of Jesus, a “yoke” was a familiar term. Many would have worked with oxen and other animals on a regular basis to plow their fields. To do so, they would place a wooden yoke over the oxen, which was a form of harness that was also attached to the plow, making it easier for the oxen to till the soil. To be strapped with a yoke was an indication of servitude, since that was the role of the oxen.In commenting upon this passage, Saint Augustine (in Sermon 126) analogized the yoke of Christ with the wings of a bird. A bird's wings are large in comparison to its body. As a result, if someone were to conclude that removing the wings from a bird would make its life easier by ridding it of that excess weight, such an action would have the effect of keeping it bound to the earth. But give its wings back and that “yoke” will enable it to soar through the skies.So it is with the yoke of our Lord. If we accept the invitation to be a servant of God and we take upon ourselves the yoke of Christ for the fulfillment of our mission of service, we will discover that the act of serving lightens us, refreshes us, invigorates us and energizes us. Service of God is what we are made for, just as a bird is made to have wings. And like the bird, if we remove the yoke of service of God from our lives, then we are weighed down and cannot accomplish the good we are meant to do.We are also told in this passage that we are not to carry our yoke; rather, we are meant to carry Christ's yoke. “Take my yoke upon you…,” Jesus said. Carrying Jesus' yoke means we are called to live our lives with Him and in Him. He came to serve and to give His life for others. It is our duty to do the same by allowing Him to do so within us. It is Christ and His servitude that must be the motivation and foundation of our lives. Reflect, today, upon your call to be a servant in Christ. How is God calling you to serve? Whom is God calling you to serve? And as you answer that question, how do you see your act of service? Does service seem burdensome to you? Or do you understand that it is what you are made for? If you do see humble service as a burden, then perhaps that is because you have not actually tried to serve with and in Christ Himself. Try to ponder Jesus placing His yoke upon your shoulders. Say “Yes” to that act and to the mission of humble service you are called to fulfill. Doing so wholeheartedly will not only refresh you, it will also give meaning and purpose to your life. My gentle Lord, You came to us to serve and to give Your life out of love. Give me the grace I need to accept Your act of service to me and to also imitate and participate in the service to which I am called. May I take Your yoke upon me, dear Lord, so that I can fulfill the mission that You have entrusted to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Shoulder My Yoke by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Send us a textCheck out the JIBM Web site at: https://www.joeinblackministries.com/Please use the following link if you would like to financially support Church of the Holy Family: https://pushpay.com/g/hfgrandblanc?sr...Support the show
The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens. Bonaventure, Bishop, Religious, Doctor Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Exodus 2: 1-15a Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 69: 3, 14, 30-31, 33-34 Alleluia: Psalms 95: 8 Gospel: Matthew 11: 20-24 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com
Read OnlineAt that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” Matthew 11:25This passage is in stark contrast to the passage just before it in which Jesus chastised the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum for not repenting and believing in Him. And as soon as Jesus issued those rebukes, He turned His eyes to Heaven and offered praise to the Father for revealing the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who were “childlike.”One of the greatest threats to a pure and childlike faith is intellectual pride. Those who consider themselves as “wise and learned” are often tempted to rely upon their own reasoning abilities to come to conclusions and beliefs in life. The problem is that even though the matters of our faith are fully reasonable, they go beyond the conclusions that human reason alone can achieve. We cannot figure out God by ourselves. We need the gift of faith for that, and the gift of faith begins with a spiritual communication from God through which He reveals to us Who He is and what is true. Only the childlike, meaning, those who are humble, are able to hear this form of communication from God and respond.This passage also reveals to us that Jesus passionately rejoices in this form of humble faith. He gives “praise” to the Father in Heaven for witnessing such faith, because Jesus knows that this form of faith originates from the Father. In your life, it is important that you regularly ponder whether you are more like the wise and learned or like those who are childlike. Though God is an infinite and incomprehensible mystery, He must be known. And the only way we can come to know God is if He reveals Himself to us. And the only way God will reveal Himself to us is if we remain humble and childlike.As we come to childlike faith, we must also imitate the praise that Jesus offered the Father for the faith that He witnessed in the lives of His followers. We, too, must turn our eyes to those who clearly manifest this pure knowledge of God by the gift of faith. As we see this faith lived, we must rejoice and offer praise to the Father. And this act of praise must be given not only when we see faith alive in others, it must also be given when we see the gift of faith grow within our own soul. We must foster a holy awe of what God does within us, and we must rejoice in that experience. Reflect, today, upon Jesus giving praise to the Father as He witnesses the faith born in the hearts of His followers. When Jesus looks at you, what does He do? Does He issue chastisements? Or does His Sacred Heart rejoice and give praise for what He sees. Give joy to the Heart of Christ by humbling yourself to the point that you, too, are counted among the childlike who truly know and love God. My rejoicing Lord, You are attentive to the workings of grace in every human heart. As You see the Voice of the Father speaking to Your children, You rejoice at such a sight. Dear Lord, I pray that my own heart will be the cause of Your joy and Your praise of the Father in Heaven. Please speak to me and help me to believe with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: James Tissot, 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.
The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Exodus 1: 8-14, 22 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 124: 1b-3, 4-6, 7-8 Alleluia: Matthew 5: 10 Gospel: Matthew 10: 34 – 11: 1 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com
Read Online“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11:21–22Chorazin and Bethsaida were Jewish towns that Jesus visited frequently to preach and to perform many “mighty deeds.” They were located just north of His city of residence, Capernaum. Tyre and Sidon were pagan coastal cities northeast of Chorazin and Bethsaida, in modern-day Lebanon, and were towns known for their immoral living. Though Jesus did not spend much time in those cities, He did visit them at times. During Jesus' first recorded visit there, recall His encounter with the Syrophoenician woman who begged Him to heal her daughter (Matthew 15:21–28). The Gospel passage quoted above took place prior to Jesus making that journey.Why was Jesus so harsh toward the towns He spent so much of His time in. Why did He rebuke Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum? To answer this, it's important to remember that Jesus spent most of His time preaching to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In other words, His primary mission during His public ministry was to share the Gospel with those who were descendants of Abraham and had been entrusted with the Law of Moses, the teachings of the prophets and the liturgical rites. For that reason, Jesus not only preached with perfection to these people, He also did miracle after miracle. And though there were many who did believe in Him and became His disciples, there were many others who were indifferent or who flatly refused to believe in Him. Today, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum could be seen as symbols of those Catholics who were born and raised in the faith and were given good formation by their parents and others. Many parents whose children have gone astray from the faith wonder what they did wrong. But the truth is that even Jesus Himself was rejected, despite His perfect preaching, perfect charity and undeniable miracles. And the same happens today. There are many who, despite being raised within the holy faith given to us by Christ Himself, reject that faith and turn a blind eye to the Gospel and the Church.Jesus' rebuke of those towns should echo today in the minds of those who, despite being given so much in regard to a good upbringing, have rejected God. Of course, that rejection is not always absolute and total. More often, it is a rejection in degrees. First, the rejection comes in the form of missing Mass. Then moral compromises. Then a lack of faith. And eventually confusion, doubt and a complete loss of faith sets in.If you are one who has started down the road of becoming more and more lukewarm in your faith, then the rebuke of these towns by Jesus should be understood to also be directed at you in love. “Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required…” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, to those who have been taught the faith well, much is expected. And when we fail to live up to that which is demanded of us by God out of love, a holy rebuke is exactly what we need. Reflect, today, upon whether the rebuke Jesus issues toward these towns is also issued toward you. Have you been blessed with a good formation in the faith? If so, have you done all you can to help nourish that faith and grow in your love of God? Or have you allowed your faith to dim, to become lukewarm and to begin to wither and die? If you have been given much, have been raised in the faith and have been privileged with good examples in your life, then know God expects much of you. Answer that high calling that is given to you and respond to God with all your heart. My passionate Jesus, You poured out Your heart and soul through Your preaching to the people of Israel. Although many accepted You, many others rejected You. I thank You for the privilege I have been given to hear Your holy Word preached to me. Help me to respond to You with all my heart so that I will be counted among those who listen and believe. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: Day of Judgement by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Read Online“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37–38 At first read, this appears to be a difficult teaching of our Lord. But when properly understood, it is clear that it helps us keep our relationships with God and with our family properly ordered in charity and truth. Following this command will never result in a lack of love for family; rather, it will help us to love solely with the heart of Christ.What does this teaching of Jesus require of us? Simply put, if a family member, or anyone else, imposes expectations on us that are contrary to the will of God, then we must choose the will of God over those other expectations. To understand this more clearly, think about how one might choose to love “father or mother” or “son or daughter” more than God. Say, for example, that a child chooses to go astray in their moral or faith life, and they want their parents to support them in their sin. But the parents remain firm in their moral convictions and, out of love, offer no support for the immoral lifestyle their child has chosen. This would become especially difficult for the parents if the child becomes angry and criticizes the parents, with the claim that the parents are being judgmental and are lacking in love. What the child is actually requesting is “Mom and dad, you must love me more than God and His laws.” And if the parents do not support their child's misguided lifestyle, the relationship may be deeply wounded. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that Jesus followed this command by saying, “and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Love always involves the Cross. At times, it is a cross of personal self-sacrifice and self-giving. And at other times, it's a cross by which our love is misunderstood, and we are deemed as “unloving” by those we actually love the most. When parents truly love their child, they will care first and foremost for their child's eternal salvation and moral living, and they will not choose “friendship” with their child over truth.Of course, this same truth applies to every relationship we will have and even to our “relationship” to society as a whole. More and more, there are those who demand of us all that we support them in behaviors that are objectively disordered and contrary to the will of God. We are told that if we oppose these choices that some make, then we are judgmental and hateful. But this is exactly what Jesus is speaking about. If we choose to “love” others more than God and His holy will, meaning, if our first priority is to make people “feel” supported in the immoral and confused decisions they make, then we are not actually loving them at all. At least not with the love of God. Instead, we are prioritizing their sin over the truth they so deeply need to know so as to be set free and to enter into an authentic relationship of love with the God of Truth. Reflect, today, upon true love. Love is only true love when it is grounded and centered in God and every moral law He has set forth. Reflect upon your own relationships, especially with family and those closest to you. Do you love them with the pure love of God? Does your love remain firmly rooted in the will of God? Or do you, at times, choose to compromise the truths of faith and morality so as to appease the misguided expectations of others. Kindness, gentleness and compassion must always be present. But moral truth must also be just as present and must be the foundation of every virtue we exercise in our relationships with everyone. Do not be afraid to love others exclusively with the mind and heart of God. Doing so is the only way to have true love for everyone in your life so as to help save their souls. Lord of All, You call all people to love You with all of their mind, heart, soul and strength. You call us all to adhere to every truth that You have spoken. Give me the courage and love I need to not only love You above all but to also love others with Your love alone. Help me to embrace Your Cross when this is difficult so that I will be a better instrument of the love You have for all. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: James Tissot, 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.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
