Podcasts about his passion

Read OnlineJesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. Mark 3:7–8Jesus was amassing quite a following, with people flocking to Him from territories that include modern-day Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Among them were traditional Hebraic Jews, Greek-speaking Jews, Syro-Phoenician Gentiles, and Edomites. This diverse crowd reveals how Jesus' ministry transcended cultural, religious, and national boundaries, foreshadowing the universal call of the Gospel. While some were drawn to Him through authentic faith, others came out of curiosity, eager to witness His miracles.Just prior to today's Gospel, the Pharisees and Herodians began to plot Jesus' death because they saw Him as a threat. In response, Jesus “withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.” His timing was perfect; the hour of His Passion had not yet come. This withdrawal was not an act of fear but a deliberate step forward in preparing for the next phase of His mission. There was still much to accomplish—gathering followers, performing works of mercy, and preparing the Twelve for their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God.While Jesus acted in accordance with divine wisdom, those who flocked to Him could only see the immediate. They were captivated by His teachings and miraculous works but often misunderstood the full scope of His mission. As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–3). For Jesus, this “time” in His public ministry was a time to build up His earthly flock, teaching them, inspiring faith, and forming them for their mission.As we consider the many and diverse people who flocked to Jesus at this time in His ministry, it's important to see ourselves in them. Those who came to Him could have never imagined all that would follow. While some might have foreseen the possibility of His death due to the hostility of religious and political leaders, few, if any, could have predicted that Jesus' Passion and Death were something He would freely welcome and embrace. At that time, they could never have understood that Jesus had to suffer and die for the salvation of souls. Moreover, everything that followed His death would have been foreign to them: His Resurrection, establishment of the Church, Ascension, bestowal of the Holy Spirit, and future coming as the Universal King.We all go through countless experiences, some good, some bad. When we encounter something good, we often want to hold onto it, yet those experiences often fade with time. When we encounter something bad, we long for that situation to be removed or resolved, yet it sometimes stays longer than we hoped. Jesus' life clearly teaches us that “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” As we journey through life, we ought not dismiss the difficult times and try to cling to the good ones. We must enter and live each moment as it comes and goes, seeking to use everything as God intends it, preparing us for the glory that awaits us if we remain faithful until the end.Reflect today on the seasons of your life, both the joys and the trials. How is God calling you to trust in His timing and use each moment to grow in faith and love? Consider whether you view your challenges as obstacles or as opportunities to deepen your trust in God's perfect plan. Embrace the good and the difficult, growing in grace and virtue as you do, and your life will unfold in beautiful ways, giving glory to God. In doing so, you will reflect the trust and fidelity of Jesus Himself, whose perfect obedience to the Father brought about the salvation of the world.Lord of perfect timing and wisdom, Your divine plan unfolded flawlessly throughout Your earthly life. At every moment, You lived in perfect accord with the Father's will, embracing both joy and sorrow for the sake of salvation. Help me to trust in Your providence during every season of my life, the good and the difficult, confident that You bring forth an abundance of good fruit in all things. Strengthen my faith, and teach me to surrender fully to Your will. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via picrylSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

At just 10 years old, Mick Hunt made a promise that would shape the rest of his life. Growing up in a home marked by abuse, Mick stepped into a role no child should ever have to carry. He became the protector, the emotional anchor, and the one who believed he could change his family's future. That moment didn't just force him to grow up fast. It forged a lifelong mission around leadership, accountability, and purpose. In this episode, Mick joins Ilana to share the raw story behind that promise, how it shaped his drive to build businesses and high-performing teams, and why leadership starts with something deeper than your “why.”  Mick Hunt is a leadership coach, entrepreneur, and speaker known for helping ambitious individuals unlock their full potential. He works with leaders who want to grow their influence, scale their thinking, and build companies and teams that people genuinely believe in and follow. In this episode, Ilana and Mick will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (02:14) How a Traumatic Childhood Built Mick's Drive (08:48) The Childhood Promise That Defined His Life (10:26) Entrepreneurial Beginnings and Challenges (16:36) His Passion for Building High-Performing Teams (17:14) Why Your ‘Because' Beats Your ‘Why' (21:50) The “What If I Fail” Mindset (27:46) Understanding The MICK Factor (30:42) Mick's Book: How to Be a Good Leader (36:09) The Future of Leadership and Staying Relevant (38:53) The Value of Mentorship (42:28) Daily Practices for Success Mick Hunt is a USA Today bestselling author, international speaker, and leadership expert known for his impact in modern leadership and emotional intelligence. He is the host of the highly rated Mick Unplugged podcast and the author of How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One, a modern leadership guide with hands-on insights and actionable frameworks to help you lead with transparency, resilience, and influence. Connect with Mick: Mick's Website: https://mickhuntofficial.com/  Mick's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mickhunt  Resources Mentioned: Mick's Book, How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never had One: The Blueprint for Modern Leadership: http://amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958  Mick's Podcast, Mick Unplugged: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953  Leap Academy: LeapCon is the #1 Conference for Reinvention, Leadership & Career — a powerful 3‑day experience designed to help you unlock what's next in your career and life.

Read Online“See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” Mark 1:44Miracles amaze and inspire us. For that reason, it is common for people of faith to pray for them. They are acts of God's great mercy, but the miracles we pray for are not always part of God's plan. In today's Gospel, Jesus heals a leper who comes to Him, kneels down, and says, “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). After that, Jesus' Sacred Heart is moved with compassion, so He says to the leper, “I do will it. Be made clean” (Mark 1:41). Once healed, Jesus does something that might surprise us: He tells the man not to tell anyone about the healing. Why the secrecy?This pattern of a divine manifestation of Jesus' power, followed by His command not to publicize the experience, is often referred to as Jesus' “Messianic Secret.” We see this invitation to secrecy especially throughout the Synoptic Gospels. For example, after Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ, Jesus “warned them not to tell anyone about him.” (Mark 8:30). Similarly, following the Transfiguration, He commands Peter, James, and John, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:9). Even when Jesus silences demons who proclaim His identity, such as when they cry out, “You are the Son of God,” He “rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah” (Luke 4:41).This pattern of secrecy highlights an important truth: Jesus' identity as the Messiah could not be fully understood apart from the Cross and the Resurrection. At this early stage in His ministry, publicizing His miracles risked distorting His mission, as many people expected a political or earthly Messiah. The fact that Jesus manifested His divine power at times led many to seek Him out for that power rather than for the real purpose of His mission. We must learn from this pattern and seek out Jesus for the right reasons.The Messianic Secret reminds us that while miracles reveal God's mercy and power, they are not ends in themselves. Rather, they point to the deeper truth of Christ's mission. He came to reconcile humanity to the Father through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This truth calls us to embrace God's will over our own preferences, humbly recognizing that God's plan unfolds according to His ways and timing, not ours.Do you desire miracles in your life? It's understandable that when we encounter some heavy burden we might ask God to intervene and resolve the situation. God sometimes does so, but only when, in His wisdom, He sees that the answered prayer will bear the most important fruit He desires to bestow: the sanctification of our souls, leading to our salvation.If we want to be followers of Christ, it's important that we follow Him on His terms. The heart of the Gospel message is not, “Ask me for favors and I will grant them.” Rather, it is, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Freedom from sin is more important than physical healings or resolutions to earthly issues. In fact, God often uses physical ailments and other crosses to deepen our trust in Him because they give us an opportunity to unite ourselves to His Passion. This leads to greater holiness and eternal blessings, rather than earthly and passing rewards. Reflect today on the miracles you might be hoping for in your own life. Are you willing to trust in God's wisdom and timing, even if His answer is not what you want? Rather than focusing solely on temporal favors, resolve to deepen your faith in Christ's mission. Commit to embrace His will, especially in moments of suffering or uncertainty, knowing that God's greatest desire is your salvation. Seek first His Kingdom, confident that His plan—whether through miracles, crosses, or quiet moments of grace—will always lead you to a deeper union with Him. All-powerful Lord, You can do all things. At times, You intervene and bring resolution to crosses. At other times, You call me to embrace those crosses with hope and trust, knowing that Your wisdom is far above my own. Please give me the grace I need to seek Your will above my own, trusting that You will work all things for good when I love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Georg Pencz, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Reach out to Cody and Buhler to tell them what's up!Are you ready for some more College Football Playoff football?!The national quarterfinals begin in earnest on New Year's Eve when No. 10 Miami takes on No. 2 Ohio State.John Buhler (Lead Writer, FanSided) and Cody Williams (Content Director, FanSided.com) previewed all four national quarterfinals games, as well as reacted to Michigan hiring former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.To end the program, the guys shared some Christmas-time stories during some Local Scouting Report, right before Buhler proved once and for all that Graphic Design is truly His Passion.No matter how many years you need to spend in college, it is never too late to False Start!

Friends of the Rosary,Yesterday, we honored St. Stephen, who by his words and by laying down his life for his faith, bore witness to Christ. Today, December 27, we receive the testimony of John, Apostle and Evangelist (d. 101).The Church celebrates the Feast of this Galilean fisherman born in Bethsaida, son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother to St. James the Greater, who became the beloved disciple of Jesus.John and James were called by Jesus to be disciples as they were mending their nets by the Sea of Galilee.The pure and spiritual life of John kept him very close to Jesus and Mary, resting on the Master's breast at the Last Supper and being filled with divine wisdom.He wrote the fourth Gospel (about sixty-three years after the Ascension of Christ), three Epistles, and an excellent and mysterious Book of the Apocalypse or Revelation.John is the evangelist of the divinity and fraternal love of Christ. With James, his brother, and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration.He was permitted to witness His agony in the Garden. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusted His Mother to his care as He hung dying on the Cross.St. John was the only one of the Apostles who did not forsake the Savior in the hour of His Passion and Death.He was brought to Rome and, according to tradition, cast into a caldron of boiling oil by Emperor Domitian's order, but he was miraculously preserved unhurt. He was later exiled to the Island of Patmos, where he wrote the Apocalypse.In his extreme old age, he continued to visit the churches of Asia. Every time he preached, he said: "My dear children, love one another."St. John died in peace at about ninety-four years old at Ephesus in the hundredth year of the Christian era, or the sixty-sixth from the crucifixion of Christ.Ave MariaCome, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkNew Upgrade! Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠December 27, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

The gospel tells us that Jesus wept when felt Israel's rejecting Him in an acute way as he crested the summit of the mount of Olives on His way to Jerusalem. He was going to spend His last Passover there, readying Himself for His Passion and Death on the Cross. And so the Lord prophesied Jerusalem's absolute destruction and its Temple razed to the ground by the Roman armies under Titus in 70 AD. This is what they got for rejecting the Lord and Savior. All of this brings us to ask ourselves whether we reject the Lord somehow. The worst is to be indifferent to Him.

We continue in the "Babylon" Series from Daniel (2:25-49) with part 2 of the message titled "God Speaks Through Dreams", asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and apply it to our times. May it create in us a desire and ability to leverage our lives for Him, His Passion, His Glory and His Coming with joy and urgency!

We continue in the "Babylon" Series from Daniel (2:25-49) with part 2 of the message titled "God Speaks Through Dreams", asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and apply it to our times. May it create in us a desire and ability to leverage our lives for Him, His Passion, His Glory and His Coming with joy and urgency!

We're back for the next chapter of our journey through the Gospel of John!In Part Five of Abide in His Love, we'll dive into John 14–17 — some of the most intimate, powerful words Jesus ever spoke. These are His final teachings to the disciples before His Passion… and they're meant for us, too.What does it really mean to remain in Christ?How do we bear lasting fruit in our everyday lives?What does Jesus tell us about the Holy Spirit, obedience, and friendship with God?Join Jenna and Steph for a live Bible study as we unpack Jesus' Farewell Discourse and High Priestly Prayer, learning together how to stay rooted in love, prayer, and purpose.Grab your Bible, invite a friend, and let's abide in Him.

O apostle of mercy, the mercy of Christ poured freely upon all souls for the salvation of the whole world, especially the worst of sinners… you suffered with our divine Lord that souls might indeed be saved; with His Passion you were intimate, blessed with fellowship with Jesus and His Mother and vision of their presence – pray a measure of your penitential devotion, a drop of our Savior's holy blood, might fall upon our hearts and make us fruitful as you in His cause; pray we shall be blessed with deeper awareness of our wretchedness, our misery, that we might know the infinite majesty of the Lord and immerse ourselves and all souls in His measureless mercy. Let all sins be atoned for in Him!

Is the future of performance enhancement creating 350-pound genetic mutant bodybuilders? In episode 816 of the Savage Perspective Podcast, host Robert Sikes sits down with peptide expert Jay Campbell to reveal the shocking truth about new fat loss drugs, controversial fasting methods, and the future of human potential. They explore how new peptides are changing muscle growth and fat loss forever and discuss why most of what you know about nutrition might be completely wrong.Want to learn how to build an elite physique with proven, no-nonsense methods? Join Robert's FREE Bodybuilding Masterclass today to get the exact strategies for building muscle and achieving your ideal body composition. Register here: https://www.ketobodybuilding.com/registration-2Follow Jay on IG: https://www.instagram.com/jaycampbell333/Get Keto Brick: https://www.ketobrick.com/Subscribe to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/42cjJssghqD01bdWBxRYEg?si=1XYKmPXmR4eKw2O9gGCEuQChapters:0:00 - What Are Peptides and How Do They Work? 0:44 - Guest Intro: Performance Expert Jay Campbell 1:34 - What is The Fruit & Sugar Fast for Fat Loss? 3:51 - Why Modern Nutrition is So Confusing 5:46 - Is AI Making Society Less Intelligent? 7:23 - How AI Will Divide Society in the Future 9:47 - A Beginner's Guide to Peptides 13:42 - New Peptide Delivery Systems (Beyond Injections) 17:58 - Are Peptides Legal & Regulated by the FDA? 23:58 - How Are Peptides Manufactured? 27:09 - Why Peptide Manufacturing is Moving to the USA 32:50 - The Future of Bodybuilding & Performance Enhancement 39:12 - Should Natural Bodybuilders Use Peptides? 41:04 - Can Peptides Increase Longevity and Healthspan? 46:34 - Do GLP-1 "Easy Button" Fat Loss Drugs Work? 52:25 - How To Lead by Example for Your Children 1:00:17 - Jay Campbell on His Passion & Purpose 1:02:30 - 10 Life-Changing Questions to Ask Yourself 1:05:41 - Where to Find Jay Campbell's Work

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Today, we remember the discovery of the Holy & Life-Giving Cross by St. Helen, the mother of St. Constantine. St. Paul says in Galatians 6 that we are to boast or glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this reflection, we consider three "types" of the Holy Cross in the Old Testament that reveal so much of all that Christ accomplished for us by His Passion. We also look at how we can continually encounter and experience the fullness of what Christ did for us on the Cross. Every day can be a finding, a discovery of the Holy Cross.

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta. In this episode, we pick up where we left on in Book Three: Jesus predicts His Passion for the first time; Peter is rebuked.Original music by Angela Marie (Mohammed). Sacrifice. Messiah. Savior. Passion of Christ. Religion. Wisdom. Suffering. Catholic Christian. Theology. Apostles. Disciples. Believers. Followers. Early Church.

Exultation of the Cross Behold the Man: The Cross and Our Shared Criminality Homily on the Passion and the Cross I Corinthians 1:18-24; St. John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35 Christ was crucified among criminals, a mirror of our own sinfulness and complicity in His Passion.  Yet like the repentant theif, we are invited to turn to Him in humility, behold His mercy, and enter the Kingdom with the New Adam who reveals true humanity.  Enjoy the show! ++++++ Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, was condemned and put on a cross to die in the midst of criminals.  Not just the obvious criminals, such as the thieves on his right and his left, but he was surrounded by them.  For the entire world had been given over to sin.  The religious authorities, the ones who knew the law and the prophets, and should have been the first to support him, were certainly criminal.  They “assembled together… unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him.” (Matthew 26:3-4).  They were jealous of Jesus, seeing how “the world is gone after him.” (John 12:9).  They did not want a trial; they wanted his death.  Remember that when the good and law-abiding man, Nicodemus, called them on this and suggested to them that Jesus be brought before the court for a hearing, saying, “Does our law judge any man, before it hears him, and know what he does?”  They mocked Nicodemus, saying, “Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”  They were not interested in the Law or the Truth or even the facts; they were preserving their own comfort and power, and were willing to break the law and commit murder (deicide!) to protect it.  They were criminals. Nor were they the only criminals.  Think also of Judas, who participated in their perfidy by betraying his alleged friend and teacher for thirty pieces of silver.  And then there was the entire crowd who came out, and in their own criminality, chose the convicted criminal Barabbas over Christ.  As St. Nikolai Velimirovic puts it; “God or a criminal?  And the criminals choose the criminal.” Yes, Christ was surrounded by criminals.  But before we condemn them, let's remember one of the first rules of biblical interpretation; when the scriptures speak of bad men, be they the scribes and pharisees, Judas, the Jewish people, or even common criminals, we are to think not just of them, but how it is that we are like them.  In our fallenness, it is easy to see the criminality of others, especially those with whom we disagree or are from other Babelic tribes than our own.  But so often their crimes are not obvious because they are so heinous, but because they have been magnified by the problems with our vision – we can only see darkness when our eyes are full of darkness and it is hard to see anything objectively when we have giant honking logs sticking out of our eye-sockets.  When tempted by such judgment, let us remember Christ, draw in the sand and say, “Let he who is without sin, throw the first stone.” Yes, we are all criminals of the sort that participated in the passion of our God; petty, jealous, riotous, scheming – it's all there in our hearts and on our lives for everyone to see.  We are the criminals of this story.  All of us have sinned against God and against His Way. But there was one criminal who stepped out of his sin and the propaganda of the devil, and repented.  He accepted that he had earned his suffering.  Again, paraphrasing St. Nikolai; blessed is the criminal who, in the midst of his very real agony, does not lash out in condemnation of the other criminals but rather recognizes that he has earned his cross because of his sins.  The resulting clarity then allows him to see the God-man in his midst, repent, beg for God's mercy, and then find himself in Paradise with his saviour.  We quote this saint every time we take communion: “Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom”.  We imitate his words, but do we imitate the deep transformation that allowed him, while feeling such pain, to say them? And now that we have looked at the crowds of the scene described in today's Gospel, let us look to Christ.  Right before today's reading, Pilate had brought our Lord out before the people after he had been beaten and scourged and had a crown of thorns put on his head and had said, “Behold the man!”. Yes, let us behold the man.  For Jesus was both fully God and fully man.  And His humanity had brought Him immense agony.  Earlier, we saw Him as a man when He was an infant in a cave, and when He and his family fled to Egypt, and when He was hungry and thirsty and had no place to lay his head.  Of course we also saw Him as God, walking on water, quelling storms, healing the sick, and multiplying loaves.  But at no time was his humanity more on display than from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Cross.  First, sweat poured from his head like blood because of anguish, and then that blood was joined by more from the lashes and the crown and the nails.  Jesus in the Garden was tormented; as man he knew pain and was expecting more – and as God He had ordained this as the path to the salvation of the world.  St. Nikolai writes; “these two were in conflict and had to be brought into accord.”  And so the man-mind and will went from the tortured; “if Thou be willing remove this up from Me” to the submissive “nevertheless, not My will, but Thine, be done.”  And when He did this, He acquired a peace that could not be broken by unjust accusations, or blasphemies, or physical pain. Yes, “Behold the Man”!  Behold the sort of man that God had in mind when he first formed Adam.  A man obedient to God and willing to do everything so that some might be saved.  Think of His dignity as He went to His death.  Not only did He avoid grumbling and condemnations, “He worked for the good of all to His dying breath.” (SNV, 201)  He desired good even in the midst of the pain of crucifixion, even in the midst of the most supreme injustice, and even in the midst of those who reviled Him.  As St. Luke records, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Do we see the charity?  Do we see the love?  Are we not drawn to imitate Him in His magnanimity?  Rather than throwing their sins against their teeth and shouting it out to God for vengeance, He was merciful toward them.  For even if the criminals who assaulted Him used words to justify their blasphemy, they “knew not what they did.” “Behold the Man.” Are we men?  Are we willing to imitate the Ur-Man, the New Adam; the very definition of what it means to be a man?  Can we be charitable in our pain?  Can we look to the salvation or others from the depths of our despair? And if this is, at least for now, beyond our reach, let us then imitate the one at his side, and focus not on the sins of others, but on our own, and turn to God in repentance, crying; “Remember me, Lord, in Thy Kingdom.”

 In the quiet of our hearts, we come to you, Our Lady of Sorrows, Mother of the Crucified, Mother of us all. O most Sorrowful Virgin Mary, you stood faithfully beside your Son, Pierced by seven swords of sorrow. You bore suffering with perfect love, And your heart became a mirror of His Passion. We turn to you now, Mother of Sorrows, Asking for the grace to suffer with hope, To love with courage, And to unite our wounds to yours. The Seven Sorrows of Mary: The Prophecy of Simeon – Joy and warning: “A sword will pierce your heart.” The Flight into Egypt – You fled in darkness, carrying the Light of the world. The Loss of the Child Jesus – Three days of searching, your heart aching with absence. Meeting Jesus on the Way to the Cross – You saw Him bloodied, burdened, yet loved without condemnation. Standing at the Foot of the Cross – You received His final breath with silent strength, becoming Mother of the Church. The Crucifixion and Descent – His lifeless body rested in your arms; your tears watered the seed of salvation. The Burial of Christ – Stone sealed the silence, yet you waited in hope, trusting God even in death. O Lady of Sorrows, Teach us to remain with Christ in suffering, To be brave in grief, And to believe in the promise of resurrection. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. 

Day 7: The Prayers at the Foot of the Cross – St. Bridget of Sweden Novena Quote from the Revelations “I received these prayers from the lips of Christ Himself as I knelt before the Crucifix. They are for those who desire to remember His Passion and live in His love.” —Revelations, Book V, Prologue ... Read more The post Day 7 – The Prayers at the Foot of the Cross – St. Bridget of Sweden Novena – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In This episode of Catholic Answers Live we cover questions on: Catholic-Muslim views on God, early Church writings, Arian heresies, salvation through the Church, Marian apparitions, explaining the Eucharist to Protestants, creation timeline in Genesis, Jesus' agony in the Garden, and proper handling of cremated ashes. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:05 – What is a succinct apologetics response to the claim that Catholics worship the same God as Muslims? How can this be explained clearly to Protestants? 12:35 – Is there a book or collection of theological documents from the first to third centuries? 21:29 – How can one refute an Arian-type heresy when discussing with others? 29:15 – What does it mean that salvation comes through the Catholic Church, especially in light of the alleged Marian apparition above a Coptic church in Zeitoun, Egypt? 36:03 – How can the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist be explained to Protestants who claim it resembles cannibalism? 46:37 – Why did God wait until the fourth day to create the sun, moon, and stars when He said “let there be light” on the first day? Follow-up – Why did Jesus agonize in the Garden of Gethsemane if He knew His Passion was necessary? 51:15 – If a family cannot afford cemetery entombment, is it permissible to spread a loved one's ashes on cemetery grounds?

In Episode 7 we journey with Julian of Norwich into the mystery of Christ's joy in His Passion. Rather than sorrow alone, Julian sees the Redeemer rejoicing in His self-offering, delighting to give Himself for the salvation of souls. She is shown the threefold joy of the Trinity, where the Father is pleased, the Son is crowned, and the Holy Spirit is satisfied. Then Julian is led through the wound in Christ's side into the depths of His Heart—a resting place “large enough for all mankind.” Drawing on Scripture, the Catechism, and the mystical tradition of the Church, this episode opens the mystery of divine charity that transforms suffering into eternal joy, and invites the soul into the inexhaustible mercy of the pierced Heart of Jesus. The post Ep 7 – The 9th and 10th Shewing – All Shall Be Well w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

5/14/25 - Today we examine the extraordinary life of Servant of God Josefa Menendez (1890–1923), a Spanish-born nun of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Though virtually unknown during her lifetime, Josefa was chosen by Christ to be a messenger of His infinite love and mercy, especially for souls trapped in despair. Through interior locutions and mystical experiences, Josefa received intimate revelations from Jesus, who spoke to her heart about the sufferings of His Passion and His burning desire for souls to return to Him. These messages—later compiled in the spiritual classic The Way of Divine Love—present a moving call to reparation, humility, and trust in divine mercy. We'll discuss Josefa's early life, her hidden vocation, and the spiritual battles she endured, including intense temptations and physical suffering. Despite her obscurity and fragile health, she offered everything for the salvation of souls, uniting herself with Christ's redemptive love.

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Eddie Maalouf, entrepreneur, marketing genius, and the living proof that who you were doesn't have to define who you become. From betrayal in business that could've shattered him to completely reinventing his identity in college, Eddie shares the pivotal moments that built his resilience and unstoppable drive. We dive deep into the hard lessons he learned building multi-million-dollar companies, the brutal realities of betrayal and trust, and the mindset shifts that turned temporary pain into lifelong power.Eddie opens up about the hardest day of his professional life, the importance of choosing your identity, the power of the law of attraction, and why believing you're "good enough" changes everything. He also shares the wild story of how he met his wife overseas and how trusting his intuition changed his life forever.If you're feeling stuck, doubting your potential, or afraid to take that next step, Eddie's story will move you, challenge you, and remind you: your dream life is a decision away.This one is packed with raw wisdom, real emotion, and practical lessons you don't want to miss.Welcome to one of the most inspiring conversations we've had yet.Key Moments:0:00 The Emotional Story of Eddie's Professional Life5:01 Turning Doubt Into Fuel8:05 Why Money Solves, But Doesn't Fulfill12:30 Loving the Game, Not Just the Reward14:39 Eddie Completely Changed His Life Through Action20:00 How He Manifested Meeting His Wife29:43 How Eddie Dealt with Business Betrayal33:08 The Root of His Passion for Helping People41:00 Scaling Businesses Through Delegation and Top Talent45:58 Eddie's Surprisingly Profitable Side Hustle50:00 Why Top Talent is Everything in Business54:00 The Power of Thinking Bigger, SoonerGuest Info:Instagram: @eddiemaalouf (https://www.instagram.com/eddiemaalouf/)Instagram: @badmarketing (https://www.instagram.com/badmarketing/)Website: https://www.badmarketing.com/-Where to find Tyler Hall: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerchall/ Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-tyler-hall-archives-7018241874482122753/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sirTHALL Work with Tyler: https://www.tylerchristianhall.com/

Service Notes Date: 04/18/2025, Good Friday Description: On this Good Friday evening in 2025, join our little country church as we gather in solemn reflection to behold the suffering of Christ through the prophetic Servant Songs of Isaiah and the Gospel accounts of His Passion. Through Scripture, song, and short reflections, we follow the path […]

The Orthodox Faith has a word describing the Incarnation that saves us all. That word is kenosis which is the self-lowering of the Word of God, by His own will entirely, that we may be raised up again. As we once again set the eyes of our soul to see Him in His Passion tonight, we consider many of the wondrous revelations from the prayer service of the Stations of the Cross showing forth just how far Christ our God lowered himself so that we might Ascend.

Dr. Tom McGovern gives us a medical and spiritual analysis of what Christ suffered during His Passion.

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 does true fortitude look like? As we stand at the threshold of the Sacred Triduum, this meditation on Spy Wednesday explores the profound strength demonstrated by Christ during His Passion—not through resistance or escape, but through patient endurance.Drawing from Isaiah's prophecy and St. Luke's Passion account, we contemplate how Jesus maintained remarkable self-mastery amid excruciating suffering. "There is no movement of revolt in Jesus. He does not try to escape. We find in Him no word of hatred toward his persecutors." This challenges our modern understanding of strength, especially for those of us conditioned to equate fortitude with fighting back.The reflection wrestles with a crucial spiritual question: When should we patiently bear our crosses like Christ, and when should we actively resist injustice? This tension becomes particularly relevant within the Church, where obedience to spiritual authorities must sometimes be balanced against other responsibilities. As St. Teresa of Avila reminds us, "If one would attain to liberty of spirit and not be always in trouble, let him begin by not being afraid of the cross and he will see how our Lord will help him to carry it."Through examining Christ's perfect example—facing the most unjust punishment in history without revolt—we're invited to reconsider what spiritual strength truly means. Perhaps real fortitude lies not just in knowing when to fight, but in having the wisdom to discern when patient endurance transforms suffering into redemption. Join us as we prepare our hearts for the sacred days ahead, learning to pray with sincerity: "Help me not to recoil when faced with the cross, and teach me to carry it with generosity."Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED25 at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/Also sponsored by Quest Pipe Co. Get your St Isaac Jogues pipe here: https://questpipeco.com/discount/Amish?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fst-isaac-jogues-limited-edition********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://shop.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

Dr. Tom McGovern gives us a medical and spiritual analysis of what Christ suffered during His Passion.

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!Silence speaks volumes during Holy Week. As we journey through the sacred days leading to Easter, today's reflection invites us to contemplate Christ's profound silence during His Passion—a silence that bewildered even Pilate. Unlike the bitter silence of resentment, Jesus' quiet demeanor flowed from a soul completely immersed in God, drawing strength for His ultimate sacrifice.The meditation reveals a beautiful paradox: while Jesus bore the weight of humanity's sins in silence, He also offered us the gift of hope. "He that hath walked in darkness and hath no light, let him hope in the name of the Lord and lean upon his God." This invitation to hope comes alongside a challenge to embrace silence ourselves during this holiest of weeks.Reflecting on our spiritual journey, we confront an uncomfortable truth—how noise has gradually invaded the baptismal silence where God once dwelled undisturbed in our souls. For some, the challenge lies in excessive talking; for others, it's the compulsive filling of every moment with digital stimulation, podcasts, or scrolling that prevents true silence from taking root. Nature often provides the first gateway back to this original silence, creating space where prayer can flourish without distraction.As we prepare for the Triduum, consider embracing one of today's resolutions: seek silence, reflect before speaking, incorporate brief prayers throughout your day, or plan a silent retreat in the coming year. These small steps toward reclaiming sacred silence might just be what allows us to hear the gentle voice of God once more. Join us tomorrow for Spy Wednesday as we explore the virtue of fortitude before entering the most solemn days of the Christian calendar.Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED25 at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/Also sponsored by Quest Pipe Co. Get your St Isaac Jogues pipe here: https://questpipeco.com/discount/Amish?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fst-isaac-jogues-limited-edition********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://shop.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

Reigning Through Love: Jesus' True Model of Leadership in Holy Week Today the Church marks the beginning of the celebration of the Paschal Mysteries . . . . . . Christ's suffering, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It emphasizes two key themes from the Gospel of Luke: -1- Jesus as a Humble King: Unlike worldly leaders who often seek power at the expense of others, Jesus demonstrates a kingship rooted in humility, love, and self-sacrifice. His leadership resonates with the hearts of the people, offering them hope and salvation. -2- Jesus' Innocence and the Eucharistic Kingdom: Luke highlights Jesus' innocence repeatedly throughout His Passion. From Pilate, Herod, a repentant thief, and a Roman centurion—all recognize His blamelessness. Despite being unjustly condemned, Jesus offers Himself through the Eucharist, declaring, “This is my body… this is my blood.” His innocent sacrifice brings redemption to all. We are reminded that true leadership mirrors Christ . . . leading with compassion and integrity. And ultimately, our salvation lies not in our own righteousness but in the innocent sacrifice of Jesus. Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Reigning Through Love: Jesus' True Model of Leadership in Holy Week ----------------------------------------------------------- image: Behold the Man: Ecce Homo: Hungarian Painter: Mihály Munkácsy: 1896

A great spiritual master of our time, Fr. Donald Haggerty, joins the podcast to discuss his important new book, The Hour of Testing: Spiritual Depth and Insight in a Time of Ecclesial Uncertainty. He offers profound reflections on the ongoing, and perhaps future, crisis within the Church, with an eye to arousing an appetite for the greater spiritual intensity God desires his faithful to live out in this time. It is essential that we see that our Lord Himself is reliving His Passion in His Mystical Body, when the Church suffers betrayal and humiliation at a high institutional level. It is also essential that we see the high stakes in the great loss of souls in this time, so that we may be spurred to a deeper and more sacrificial prayer life. Fr. Haggerty offers spiritual sobriety and counsels for holiness that should not be missed. Buy The Hour of Testing https://ignatius.com/the-hour-of-testing-htp/ DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

The Passion of Our Lord occupies an eminent place in all of God's work, for through it Christ accomplished our salvation. To unite ourselves deeper with Our Lord during this time, we must meditate upon His abasement, that is, His willingness to endure humiliation for our sake. This abasement is not the least of Our Lord's works during the time of His Passion and it is indeed central to the liturgy of Holy Week.

Passiontide opens up a period for us to reflect on all that Our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, including above all His Passion. We have two sources to meditate upon: the Gospel accounts of Christ's suffering and His holy relic, the Shroud of Turin. It is the Shroud that reveals the extent of Our Lord's physical suffering—suffering that He undertook for the salvation of our souls.

When Jesus told Peter that His Passion was necessary to fulfill the Scriptures for our salvation, He might well have had Psalm 22 in mind! The transcription for this Podcast can be found at https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/Psalm-22-and-scripture.html Public Domain notice for the thumbnail artwork

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!The paradox of Christian suffering stands at the heart of our Lenten journey. Through Christ's prediction of His Passion, we confront a profound spiritual reality: suffering, while an evil in itself, becomes transformative when embraced for the right purpose.Our natural instinct rebels against pain. Modern society encourages us to eliminate all discomfort, creating what we might call an "effeminate" mindset—not feminine, but comfort-seeking and pain-avoiding. Yet Christ's invitation remains unchanged: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." This call often confounds us as much as it did the apostles who abandoned Jesus despite His clear warnings.Navigating between extremes helps us understand suffering's true purpose. On one hand, prosperity gospel teachings suggest Christians shouldn't suffer because Christ suffered for them—missing our participation in redemption. On the other, Catholics can sometimes appear to value suffering for its own sake, which misses the point entirely. As Father Troadec reminds us, suffering "does not deserve to be loved for its own sake" but only as a means to "the redemption and sanctification of souls." This transforms our trials from meaningless pain into spiritual currency, for "souls are not given away. They are bought at the price of suffering."Perhaps most practically, today's meditation challenges us to stop complaining—especially about trivial matters like weather—while fellow Christians worldwide face genuine persecution. Our complaints reveal our rejection of the Cross rather than its embrace. By accepting small sufferings without grumbling, we train ourselves for weightier crosses ahead and participate in Christ's redemptive work. What suffering might you offer up today for the salvation of souls?Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED25 at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/Also sponsored by Quest Pipe Co. Get your St Isaac Jogues pipe here: https://questpipeco.com/discount/Amish?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fst-isaac-jogues-limited-edition********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://shop.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

Lent is a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal, but it's also a time when distractions and temptations can seem to multiply. As we prepare to walk with Christ through His Passion and Resurrection, let's talk about how we can stay focused and faithful during this sacred time.Let's dive into overcoming common distractions, understanding temptation during Lent, practical tips for staying committed and of course, finding strength in community.We'd love to continue to walk with you every Tuesday LIVE in our Member Community: connect.blessedisshe.net. Let's support each other in growing closer to Christ and becoming more focused, faithful, and resilient this season.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Luke 9:22Jesus knew He would suffer greatly, be rejected and killed. How would you deal with that knowledge if you somehow knew this about your own future? Most people would be filled with fear and become obsessed with trying to avoid it. But not our Lord. This passage above shows just how intent He was on embracing His Cross with unwavering confidence and courage.This is just one of several times that Jesus began to break the news to His disciples about His pending fate. And each time He spoke this way, the disciples for the most part remained either silent or in denial. Recall, for example, one such reaction of Saint Peter when he responded to Jesus' prediction of His Passion by saying, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you” (Matthew 16:22).In reading this passage above, the strength, courage and determination of our Lord shine through by the fact that He speaks so clearly and definitively. And what motivates Jesus to speak with such conviction and courage is His love.Too often, “love” is understood as a strong and good feeling. It's perceived as an attraction to something or a strong liking of it. But that's not love in the truest form. True love is a choice to do what is best for another, no matter the cost, no matter how difficult. True love is not a feeling that seeks selfish fulfillment. True love is an unwavering strength that seeks only the good of the person who is loved.Jesus' love for humanity was so strong that He was driven toward His pending death with great power. He was unwaveringly determined to sacrifice His life for us all, and there was nothing that would ever deter Him from that mission.In our own lives, it's easy to lose sight of what true love actually is. We can easily become caught up in our own selfish desires and think that these desires are love. But they are not. Reflect, today, upon the unwavering determination of our Lord to sacrificially love us all by suffering greatly, by enduring rejection, and by dying upon the Cross. Nothing could have ever deterred Him from this love. We must show the same sacrificial love. My loving Lord, I thank You for Your unwavering commitment to sacrifice Yourself for us all. I thank You for this unfathomable depth of true love. Give me the grace I need, dear Lord, to turn away from all forms of selfish love so as to imitate and participate in Your most perfect sacrificial love. I do love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You and others with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Pietro della Vecchia, 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.

We Abide in His Passion

What is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and why did Jesus give this most powerful prayer to St. Faustina? What promises did he make for salvation to all who would pray it? Learn all about how you can say this prayer to implore God's mercy on mankind, the dying, and all sinners by meditating on the merits of His Passion.Become a Marian Helper!Discover more about the Catholic faith on Divine Mercy Plus! 

Every episode in 2024 was such a joy to chat with each person as we talked about how their top 5 CliftonStrengths are showing up in their work, life and relationships. Here is a quick flyover of a some of them you might like to listen to or share with a friend!  # 149 Sisters Celebrating Strengths as Moms with Claire Culwell and Rachel Buchanan #143 Connecting with My Big Brother: Exploring Strengths with Doug Griffes   #137Jesse and Tricia  Marcos  # 138 Soloman and Jamie Wang #147 Tim Casteel  #160 Journey to the Likeness of Jesus with Cheryl Fletcher  #169 Nothing is Wasted with Davey Blackburn #159 Friends in Life, Work and Loss with Katherine Thorwalson and Madison Bowen #168 Stepping Up to Use Her Voice to Bring Hope to  Students with Racheal Mwale #165 An Adventurous Learner in Life and Work with Anabel Jamail  #151 Compelling Passions in Her Writing and Counseling with Christine Kaskow #158 Leveraging Her Strengths: Counseling, Caring and Transforming Lives with Cricket Berlin #167 Guiding Women to Treasure their Sacred Story with Laura Wilcox #146 Bringing Genunie Joy and Care Every Day with Ophelia Chafagouline  #134 Leading with His Passion for People with Brett Marcos #144 Creatingh with Purpose with Hannah Hamza  #148 Embracing God's Goodness in the Unexpected with Gayle Clark Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment   Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

Pastor Christina preaches through Matthew 26 and shows how Jesus exemplified godly obedience in the Garden of Gethsemane as well as throughout His Passion. Obedience means choosing to submit to and trust God's heart. Christina explains how obedience means choosing to be faithful and submitted in the mundane and in the painful. She finishes the message by challenging us that Christ's obedience calls for us to obey Him. How do we do this? Christina teaches that obedience truly begins with knowing the heart of God and abiding there.

Pastor Christina preaches through Matthew 26 and shows how Jesus exemplified godly obedience in the Garden of Gethsemane as well as throughout His Passion. Obedience means choosing to submit to and trust God's heart. Christina explains how obedience means choosing to be faithful and submitted in the mundane and in the painful. She finishes the message by challenging us that Christ's obedience calls for us to obey Him. How do we do this? Christina teaches that obedience truly begins with knowing the heart of God and abiding there.

We've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The cross is the answer to the problem of sin! And through faith in Christ, we can experience life everlasting. This good news is front and center today here in part two of, His Passion- the Crucifixion. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/621/29

Jesus Watches You Use Your Special Gifts to Build Up His Church: Parable of the Talents In the liturgy, we hear words of finality. Today we hear the end of St. Matthew's Gospel during weekday Masses. During Ordinary Time throughout the year, we engage the public ministry of Our Lord. We do so in three ways. The Church begins by hearing about His public ministry by reading the Gospel of St. Mark. When this is concluded, we move to how St. Matthew presents the public ministry of Jesus. We then move from St. Matthew to St. Luke. The Church reads then Luke's account of Jesus' public ministry. Hear more within the Homily. In today's Gospel, we hear of one of Jesus' last teachings just before His Passion. It brings an end to His public ministry. This teaching is a capstone, and a reminder of what Jesus is teaching to all of us. Before His Passion, he concludes His public ministry with the parable of the talents. Finality Our own lives have a finality too! It's a simple fact that our lives on earth will also come to an end. At that time, we all must face an accounting of our lives. No one can escape this fact. The Lord in the Gospel is not simply giving a parable of responsibly using what one has! No, it's a lesson that is deeper than that! The context of the lesson is Life Has Been Given. One also has been given a finite number of days. Sooner or later, the days we have on earth come to an end. When that moment arrives, there is a moment when an accounting occurs. Hear more in the Homily. A Gift from the Holy Spirit Each person is given a treasure of goodness to put to work in the world. We all have unique gifts given by God. The Holy Spirit has given each of us individually, not only a gift we can enjoy, but a gift for the building of God's Church. How Will We Account For it? Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Jesus Watches You Use Your Special Gifts to Build Up His Church --------------------------------- Images: Parable of the Talents Etching: Dutch Painter and Artist: Jan Luyken: (l: 1649-1712) --------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Matthew: 25: 14-30 First Reading: 1 Cor: 1: 26-31

"The Church on Earth," otherwise known as "The Church Militant," is the historic idea of God's own people, spiritually prepared and armed, who will resist and eventually overcome evil. We find early instructions for Israel to live this reality in Moses' parting speech in Deuteronomy 4. Ephesians sees righteous living as a manifestation of these same promises for God to empower His people against demonic forces of evil. And Jesus Himself embodies that power that routinely overcomes evil through His healing ministry as well as His Passion. For us today facing these same forces of evil, there is nothing stronger than offering prayer in the Spirit with fervor and faith. May we find these examples and exhortations encouraging in our lifelong struggle against evil. Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-9; Psalm 15; Ephesians 6:10-20; Mark 7:1-23

These Invocations to the Precious Blood of Jesus can be short prayers or one long prayer of tribute to our Lord in His Passion and plea for His mercy. The transcription for this podcast can be found at https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/invocations-to-the-precious-blood.html ADDITIONAL LINKS OF INTEREST: Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Aspirations (Short Prayers)  

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.

Let us lean into Holy Week to find hope and healing. The Lord is waiting to meet us with mercy and we see how great His mercy is in the retelling of His Passion.  Don't forget to start the Divine Mercy novena on Good Friday!