Podcasts about Mother Teresa

Pope Leo participates in a special Marian procession across Lake Albano. Meanwhile, today marks 29 years since Princess Diana's death, and we explore the profound friendship she shared with Mother Teresa. And, a new assessment reveals Nigeria remains the world's deadliest country to be a Christian.

In today's WEEKEND WISDOM episode, Jamy Bechler shares a story about Mother Teresa and a young Friar who wants to learn from her. The "Success is a Choice" podcast network publishes these WEEKEND WISDOM episodes to provide food for thought as we look to finish the week strong and make a difference in the world around us. - - - -  Preorder Jamy Bechler's new book "The Coach's Bulletin Board" at JamyBechler.com/BulletinBoardBook and receive a free copy for every book you preorder. - - - - - Please follow Jamy on Twitter @CoachBechler for positive insights and tips on leadership, success, culture, and teamwork. - - - - - Check out our weekly virtual sessions for parents, coaches, students, and administrators at FreeLeadershipWorkshop.com. These sessions are free and cover a variety of topics. - - - -  The Success is a Choice podcast network is made possible, in part, by TheLeadershipPlaybook.com. Great teams have great teammates and everyone can be a person of influence. Build a stronger culture today by helping athletes become better teammates and more positive leaders. Get $100 off your first year when you use the coupon code SUCCESS at checkout.  - - - -  Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a quick review on Apple.  Ratings and reviews are the lifeblood of a podcast. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. Thanks again for listening and remember that "Success is a choice. What choice will you make today?" - - - -  Jamy Bechler is the author of 10 books including The Captain and The Bus Trip, host of the Success is a Choice Podcast, professional speaker, and trains organizations on creating championship cultures. He previously spent 20 years as a college basketball coach and administrator.  The Leadership Playbook is Bechler's online program that helps athletes become better teammates and more positive leaders while strengthening a team's culture. As a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, Bechler has worked with businesses and teams, including the NBA. Follow him on Twitter at @CoachBechler. To connect with him via email or find out about his services, please contact speaking@CoachBechler.com. You can also subscribe to his insights on success and leadership by visiting JamyBechler.com/newsletter 

In episode 503 of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb conclude their deep dive into Luke 10:25–37 — the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Far from a simple morality tale about helping strangers, this episode unpacks the parable's confrontational legal context, its reversal of expectation, and its profound Christological undertones. Tony and Jesse examine why the lawyer's question about self-justification was always destined to be unanswerable on his own terms, how the priest and Levite serve as a damning mirror for religious professionals, and why the Samaritan's lavish, costly mercy points beyond mere ethics to the gospel itself. The episode also explores the Mary and Martha account that immediately follows, arguing it cannot be read in isolation. Closing with Matthew Henry, the hosts land the discussion squarely on gratitude for Christ, the supreme Good Neighbor. Key Takeaways The parable is fundamentally about self-justification, not mercy ministry. The lawyer's question — "Who is my neighbor?" — is a legal maneuver, and Jesus' answer exposes the impossibility of fulfilling the law through self-effort rather than merely defining the scope of neighborly obligation. Jesus reverses the expected identification of "the neighbor." The listener naturally assumes the beaten man is the neighbor to be loved, but the punchline identifies the Samaritan — the one who showed mercy — as the neighbor, redirecting the question from who must I love to what does love actually look like. The Samaritan's mercy is deliberately, impossibly lavish. His actions — binding wounds, providing transport, paying an open-ended debt for a stranger and likely an enemy — exceed anything a reasonable person would do, pointing to a mercy that transcends mere human virtue. The priest and Levite indict religious professionalism. Their failure is not incidental; it demonstrates that meticulous law observance and ceremonial religiosity can actually obstruct the very love the law commands, hollowing out its spirit while preserving its form. The parable functions under all three uses of the law. For the unregenerate, it terrifies and condemns. For the regenerate, it is a third-use call to Spirit-empowered, grateful obedience. As civil law, it commends a society of compassion over indifference. Christ is the typological Good Neighbor. The Samaritan's actions — pouring oil and wine, bearing the cost, promising to return and settle all debts — carry genuine Christological resonance without requiring a full allegorical reading of every detail. The immediately following Mary and Martha account is thematically inseparable. Luke's editorial placement of that narrative directly after the parable creates a deliberate counterpoint: the one thing necessary is not anxious service but sitting at the feet of Jesus. Key Concepts The Lawyer's Question Was Never Going to Work The lawyer who approaches Jesus in Luke 10 is not a neutral inquirer — he is, as Luke tells us, seeking to justify himself. Tony and Jesse explore what this means with precision: the desire to be justified is not inherently wrong, but the mechanism the lawyer employs — the law — is catastrophically insufficient for the task. When Jesus responds with the parable, he does not sidestep the legal framework; he weaponizes it. The Samaritan's mercy is so extravagant, so far beyond ordinary moral expectation, that it functions not as an achievable standard but as a devastating exposure of how far short every human attempt at law-keeping falls. The command "go and do likewise" is not an encouraging send-off — it is, for the self-justifying lawyer, a door slamming shut. The Samaritan's Mercy Is Intentionally Beyond Reach One of the most important contributions this episode makes is resisting the domestication of the Samaritan's actions into a feel-good story about helping those in need. Tony reframes the scenario in contemporary terms: finding a gravely injured stranger from a hostile ethnic group, providing emergency first aid, transporting them to care, and writing a blank check for all future medical expenses — with no personal obligation to do so. No reasonable person would do this, and that is exactly the point. The mercy described is not aspirationally difficult; it is humanly inconceivable at scale. This is what Christ-like love looks like, and it is precisely what the law demands. The gap between the demand and human capacity is the gospel's entry point. The Mary and Martha Account Cannot Be Separated from the Parable Tony raises a hermeneutical observation that deserves more attention than it typically receives: Luke chose to place the Mary and Martha account immediately after the Good Samaritan parable, and that editorial decision is not accidental. Martha — busy with hospitality and service — looks, on the surface, like the practical application of everything the Samaritan modeled. Yet she is gently rebuked, and Mary, who sits at Jesus' feet, is commended for choosing "the one thing necessary." This creates a stunning theological counterweight: the parable exposes the impossibility of self-justifying law-keeping, and the very next story shows that even well-intentioned merciful activity, when it crowds out receiving from Christ, misses the point. The one thing necessary is always Christ himself. Memorable Quotes If you think you're the good Samaritan, if you think you're the one that's gonna come and rescue people — you're much more likely to see this as a sort of law beat-down. Where those of us who are regenerated and in Christ, this is third-use law. This is us seeing what it means to be holy, and going and doing likewise, trying in our power, recognizing that we can't, and trusting the Lord to accept our feeble attempts. - Tony Arsenal This text is not really to be preached or applied as some kind of bare moral exhortation. It's not 'try harder to be like the Samaritan.' That's totally disconnected from the gospel. It should be preached in a manner that exposes the impossibility of self-justification... and then of course it does point us to Christ as the one whose perfect, costly, self-giving mercy alone satisfies the law's demand on our behalf. - Jesse Schwamb If this parable and our conversation about it does nothing except stirring you to gratitude for the fact that our supreme good neighbor threw us on his donkey and carried us to the public house, and bound up our wounds, and paid for our debt — if it does nothing but drive you to gratitude and thankfulness and wonder, then we've succeeded in our task and we've left you with the Gospel. - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 503 of the Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother. Well, at this point, there's one thing that we know for certain, and that is if you're gonna come at the law giver, the one who's composed and written the law, with a legal question to try to entrap the one who has given you the law, you better not miss. And it turns out, in Luke 10 where we've been hanging out, the lawyer who poses Jesus with the question of, "Who is my neighbor?" is a big swing and a miss. Yeah. And we're finally gonna get to all the characters that are part of this amazing parable in this conversation. But of course, there's something we gotta do first. Affirmations And Denials Jesse Schwamb: It, it's everybody's, what I'm led to believe everybody's favorite segment of this entire show. I mean, the crowds out there say, "Why even have a full podcast? Just do affirmations and denials for the entire time." And we, we hear you, because we're borrowing from that beautiful confessional format of the dead reformers to settle all the much not confessional [00:02:00] disputes. So in the great tradition of the Westminster Divines, who of course cannot just simply say, "We like grace," without also clarifying 17 things that grace is not- ... we're now again going to bring you our own binding, authoritative, and entirely unneeded but very official statement of affirmations and denials. It's affirming the things we love and denying things we don't. So Tony, as is our own custom, are you affirming with something or are you denying against something on this episode?  Tony Arsenal: Um, I'm denying something. Uh, it's a sort of a weird situation that has cropped up, uh, online. And I, I try not to use this segment too often to sort of wade into, um, I don't know, the, like, latest social controversy in the Reformed world. But every once in a while I come across something that I feel like you just need to sort of talk about. And, um, many of our listeners are probably already [00:03:00] aware of the situation that I'm gonna talk about, and it's very well-publicized and, and very public. Um, but I'm denying the sort of weirdness that has happened with the G3 Conference. Um, I'm not sure how familiar with G3 you are, Jesse, but for the, the listener who may not be, G3 is a conference, um, primarily run by Baptists, and is, in my understanding, is primarily attended by sort of Reformed-ish Baptists. And I don't, I don't say Reformed-ish to be pejorative necessarily. Um, but it, it's sort of like predominantly, um Non-confessional but not anti-confessional Calvinistic Baptists, sort of think more like covenant framework MacArthur-style Baptists maybe is, is a way to look at it. Um, and a few years ago, one of their main figures, I don't remember exactly what position he held, but it was a relatively high position in, in [00:04:00] the conference. Uh, his name was Josh Boyce. He, uh, w- was caught/confessed to maintaining, like, multiple anonymous or pseudonymous, uh, Twitter accounts and publishing several s- like pseudonym-based Substacks, um, that he used to basically attack the character of not only anyone online that seemed to cross him, but, like, people that he shared an office with. Like, anyone and everyone was targeted by him. And at the time it was a big hullabaloo. He, uh, he resigned. As far as I can tell, he's faded into obscurity and has not sought to come back, although that's always, you know, yet to be seen. But at the time there was very firm statements by the r- remaining sort of board members, leadership of G3, at how inappropriate this was, and how acting anonymously requi- you know, sort of evacuates accountability and, [00:05:00]and all these different things. And it's come out recently, um, just over the last week, that four of the members of the G3 board, um, who are all elders at the same church, had assembled a sort of anonymous dossier of accusations against, um, a- another pastor, uh, that he had been sort of serially plagiarizing sermons. Um, and when nothing really happened when they sent their anonymous dossier, they started distributing this to other, other, like, platforms and other church and m- parachurch ministries, kind of encouraging people to do their own investigation. Um, one such, uh, outlet was ... It's a, it's a, I don't know, sort of a news discernment blogger kind of a thing, um, has done some pretty decent reporting work I think in, in the recent past, although it has sort of a s- storied beginning, um, called Protestia They did just [00:06:00] that. They did an investigation, and in the course of their investigation, they identified who these anonymous, uh, the anonymous reporters were, and it was the same, the very same people who a few years ago, uh, pontificated, uh, at, at length about the importance of accountability and how anonymity has, uh, taken that away. Uh, people that accepted Josh Boyce's resi- resignation for acting anonymously have now done the same thing. They have since, uh, resigned from their church eldership, um, which is gonna be awkward because they haven't resigned from the board of G3, which, uh, the offices of G3 are in the same building as the church that they've now resigned at. Uh, and I guess where, where my denial comes in and the reason that I feel like it, it might be worthwhile for us just to Even reflect on it a little bit is there is an element in the Reformed world that seeks a platform and seeks an audience and seeks notoriety, and I, I was musing [00:07:00] today a little bit on my own Twitter that th- there was a time in my life where that was very much what I wanted. I wanted to be a, a very public, well-known theological voice, and, um, a- and I just have sort of like drifted away from that. And the, the reason I think it's worth mentioning on our show is that we do have an audience. We have a, a modest audience. It's not huge. It's not nothing. Um, but th- there is a real temptation to seek fame and notoriety that is absolutely destructive and really antithetical to, uh, to Christian principles of what it means to serve those around you, to serve with humility, to r- you know, redound any glory that might come to you for your actions to, to the fact that it is Christ who empowers all things and brings all good blessings. So I don't know that I have much more commentary on it. It's just a weird... It's a very weird situation, but it, it seems like it very much has come from a [00:08:00] place of feeling as though minor slights by people you associate with warrant sort of a, a nuclear option like this because, uh... and I don't wanna read too much into motives, but, but it seems like because your reputation and your notoriety is so great that any offense to it needs to be responded to in kind, and that's just not, that's just not the Christian way. So again, I don't know that I have any more commentary or thoughts on it. It just was a weird situation that I'm, I'm like, "Why do we gotta do this to each other, folks?" Like, why are we, why are we biting at each other all the time? Why are we doing these things except from a place of sinful pride? So I'm denying that. I'm denying sinful pride. I'm denying my own tendencies to seek glory in a spotlight. Um, I'm very thankful that God did not, uh, see fit to grant me that desire 'cause it probably would've been even more destructive for me than it has been for these guys. So I'm very happy to live in obscurity, [00:09:00] to serve the local church, to share our voices in this very modest, tiny platform that we have, and perhaps the Lord will see fit to change that one direction or the other, and I'll, I'll be happy to serve at His, uh, at His will. But I'm glad for now that, uh, the, the temptation of international fame has not been something that I even have the opportunity to lay hold of. Um, I'm very thankful for that, that, uh, grace from the Lord.  Jesse Schwamb: I had that light, sarcastic, some might say somewhat humorous opening and affirmations and denials, and you, you just brought the heaviness, which is okay. Sometimes that's, sometimes that's what happens.  Lament Devotional Spotlight Jesse Schwamb: And- Yeah ... I- fortunately, I have an affirmation, but it's, uh, of, like, a weird, heavy kind now that I think about it. So, um, I'm trying to, I'm trying to get everybody on the cusp of good books that I think are coming out. And so here's another one where it's not even gonna be released until September 30th, and so you have plenty of time to go out and find this thing. So P&R Publishing, many may be [00:10:00] familiar, does this whole series, topical series, which are called 31-Day Devotionals for Life, and there's a new one being released by Christine Chappell. It's called Lament: Crying Out in Faith. So I'm affirming with this piece because I've had the joy of been working through some of this stuff, and I think this is some of the best treatment I've ever read, been able to practice, been coached into for lamenting. We've talked before at length about how Christians, especially in the West, often because we just have great lives, we aren't familiar with lament. We don't practice it well. We hardly sing any songs of lament. We're unfamiliar with it. It's like a foreign land to us. And then sometimes when we're, we get convicted we should lament, we kind of interpret that as, "Well, yeah, I, I know I can blow up at God. I can get angry with him and, and that's okay." David does it too, and it's okay to express all your feelings with God. What I like about this work is it cultivates more of a prayer language. It gives voice to pain and grief so that there can be a real healing. It's not just a complaining. It's not just [00:11:00] throwing your voice out into the ether to, you know, wildly pontificate or self-aggrandize about how hurt or upset you are. It enables us to cry out to God in such a way that it promotes emotional authenticity, but at the same time maintains reverence. I think that is, uh, at least what I need. The beauty of this book is somebody you know or yourself need to lament something. Actually, I think we all have something to lament, even as it's getting older or things changing in our lives. So I highly, highly, highly affirm with this book. It's Lament: Crying Out in Faith. P&R does a lot of great publishing in this way. It's just the year of the devotionals, Tony. I don't know why. Yeah. I mean, I even hate to use devotional. It's the year of good resources for daily praise and worship- Yeah ... and lament should be part of our praise and worship. Yeah. So, but doing it in the right way is something I'm learning. I had mixed understanding of it. So this will clarify, encourage, edify in all the ways that I think we need.  Tony Arsenal: That sounds great. I, I do agree with you. I think, um- [00:12:00] Although I think it may be a little bit less so in, in the sort of confessional Reformed tradition just because the Psalms in general play such a prominent role in Reformed worship. Um, I do agree with you that broadly, like, we, we in the Western evangelical w- world don't, we don't know how to do laments. Um, I'm not one of those people that would say im- imprecatory prayers are inappropriate. I know there are some even within the Reformed world that would say im- imprecatory prayers are not appropriate for God's people in, in the new covenant. Um, I don't know that I agree with that, but, but that's another example of, like, that's in the prayer and hymnbook of our people- Right ... and we don't really know how to do it. Yes. So, and, and imprecation and lament are very closely related to each other. They're, they're very similar, um, ways of thinking and they're, they're both kind of modes of prayer that, uh, we don't, we don't really engage in. And so when we do have- when the occasion arises, we're, like, out of practice. So that's a great, uh, a great [00:13:00]affirmation and yeah, a little, a little weirdly heavy. Maybe this is gonna be a, a weirdly heavy episode. Who knows?  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it very well could be.  Good Samaritan Deep Dive Jesse Schwamb: I mean, listen, it was no doubt heavy for the lawyer who stood up- True who was  Tony Arsenal: like- Nicely done ...  Jesse Schwamb: I'd like to justify myself, so Jesus, let me ask you, we took our question, "Who is my neighbor?" I do all these things. I'm down with the law. Yeah. I know all this stuff. And I think we had some really great conversation last time. I'm biased, but I think we had some really fantastic unpacking of the first part of this, and if you haven't heard that yet, you should go back and listen to episode 502. But in this episode, we're really getting into all of these wonderful and somewhat colorful characters. So I'm gonna pick us back up in Luke chapter 10, starting in verse 25. So I'm going back a little bit just to set that proper context for this amazing parable that Jesus tells us. So he says, "And behold, a scholar of the law stood up and was putting him," that is Jesus, "to the test, saying, 'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' And he said to him, 'What is written in the law? How do you [00:14:00] read it?' And he answered and said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' And he said to him, 'You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.' But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' And Jesus replied and said, 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. And a priest happened to be going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him, and when he saw him, he felt compassion.'" And he came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them, and he put them on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the [00:15:00] next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, "Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you." Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands? And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, this is one of those parables we, we mentioned, uh, I guess we've invented a new classification of parables called the Big Daddy parables. That's right. Um, uh, this is one of those parables that is so ubiquitous and well-known, uh, that word there, choice there was a little hat tip to my Lutheran friends. Um, so ubiquitous and well-known that I think we actually can, can rush into a common understanding and not, not be right at all about it. And I think the, the way this, uh, uh, the way I've seen this commonly done in, in circles I've run in in the past is this [00:16:00] becomes a parable about mercy ministry. Um, and, and the primary point is about how we serve our neighbors. And I think there certainly is, um, there certainly is an element of that that we can glean from this, that Christ is making a commentary on the fact that, um, the, the, the right way to not only serve your neighbor but to even identify your neighbor, uh, and it's funny because I think this is, this is where I think people go wrong. The, the Samar- or the, um, the, the lawyer is asking, "Who is my neighbor?" Right. And I think we commonly read this, and we read it to say, well, the Samaritan, uh, or the, the guy who got beat up is the neighbor. Right. And so we have to serve our neighbor like the Samaritan did. But the, the, the punchline, whatever, of the story is that the Samaritan is the g- is the neighbor, right? We, we call this the Parable of the Good Samaritan, but we might wanna call it the [00:17:00] Parable of the Good Neighbor. And so it says more about what it means to be a good neighbor than it does to, um, to say about who, who our neighbor necessarily is, right? The, the s- uh, the lawyer was asking, "Who's my neighbor?" And the answer was the one who shows mercy. And there's kind of a weird, there's kind of a weird paradox there, and this is something Jesus commonly does, where, like, He doesn't really answer the question. Um, the, the lawyer is like, "Well, who is it that I have to love," right? "The, I have to love my neighbor as myself, and who is it that I have to love?" And Jesus' answer basically is like, "Well, the good neighbor is the one who showed mercy." Well, that doesn't answer- Right ... His question. So I think we have to be careful when we, uh, we work through this not to just sort of default and jump to what might be called, like, the lowest common denominator interpretation, right? These are things that, yes, um, there is something to say about, uh, mercy ministry and how important it is to serve the, [00:18:00] serve those around us who are in need, right? That's, that's the command that comes out of this or the outcome that comes out of this is Christ is commanding this, um, this lawyer to go and be merciful to others. Um- But if we, if we move too quickly to that, we miss a lot of what this has to say about the nature of justification- Right ... the nature of Christ as, as the capital T good neighbor, right? The, the good neighbor who, who takes care of our sin and pays the debt for us to be restored, right? I don't, like I said last week, I don't think that that is too on the nose. Um, I think we miss the fact that the question, uh, the question is coming from a place, and we talked about this a little bit last week, but and maybe we'll get into it a little more. The question is coming from a place, um, whether you view this negatively, like I think most do, and there's warrant for that, or whether you view it a, a little bit more neutrally or maybe even positively, which is where I land, the desire to justify or to be [00:19:00] justified is not a bad desire. And the, the text doesn't seem to offer a lot of commentary on the fact that the, the, um, lawyer is desiring to justify himself, other than the implied commentary o- of what the parable says about salvation in that someone else needs to save you, so you can't do it yourself in the first place. So I'm excited to get through this. Um, I, I think we're probably gonna be here, we're gonna camp out here for at least another week after this, 'cause there's just so much to this parable. Who knows? Maybe we'll fly through it and it'll be a quick conversation, but I, I don't... That's not really our jam. Um- That's not really what we do But yeah, it, it's, it's a big daddy parable. There's a lot here to unpack.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. You're right about that. Interestingly, as always, Jesus flips the law, but here the law flipping, like, ends up smacking you in the face because it does start with this inquiry about just identify for me who my neighbors are. If you give me these discrete instructions like the law has given me to do all these things, which by the way, I mean, even that when we have this lawyer saying, [00:20:00] "I've done all these things. I've identified just for instance that the law includes loving the Lord God with everything, every part of who I am." He says like, "Yeah, I've done all these things." This is, I've already accomplished that. So now let me get, become self-justified in confirming I've done all these things. If you just tell me who the neighbors are, I'll be able to say to you, "Yep, I've already done that." Instead, what happens is Christ says, "Here's what neighborly love looks like. And what it's gonna look like is so dramatic and so shocking that you ought to take pity and have concern and show compassion for those not just who are unlike you, but are, like, abhorrent, those who you would even never identify with in the parable of the story I'm about to tell you." So I think there's all of that, like you said, to move away from just kind of categorizing this as a nice homily about how we ought to behave. However, there might be, like, some kind of moralistic theme in this that directs us toward actions of love and generosity, which by the way, could just be common grace. Those exist outside of strict belief and adherence to the gospel, and certainly can be far afield from actually loving Christ. [00:21:00] The other thing that I think sometimes happens with this, and I'm gonna be unpopular on this one, I'm afraid, but is that I think there is often a lot of allegorical excess. And certainly there are people more intelligent than I who really embrace that. So I'm looking at you, Patristic Fathers. Like, you know, if you wanna read some interesting stuff, everybody can go look up Origen or Augustine on this. Yeah. And they allegorize this parable in New England what we would call wicked fine detail. I mean, down, down to everything. So the oil and the- Yeah ... wine, the soil, each of the persons here representing something that in itself, like, everything. And I think that that is okay. What I struggle with on that is, and this is where I'm unpopular, I think, is that- There are a lot of other exegetes, I don't think I'm alone, that would look at this and say, "Yes, there is something about this that draws us into, like, just general typological resonance. I'm not gonna reject that." There are these, like, broader canonical themes of, like, helpless [00:22:00] humanity, like you said, and undeserved mercy. Those all legitimately, I think, echo the gospel truths. But I'm kind of resisting, or I'm prone to resist, treating every narrative detail in this as some kind of, like, independent cipher. Yeah. And so I think I want to come a little bit in criticizing, like, the allegorical method here, that instead what happens when we do that is we're, we're... I think we're obscuring a little bit Christ's actual didactic purpose, which is fundamentally ethical and legal, 'cause that's the question he's answering. He's trying to answer this question, "Who's my neighbor?" And he's gonna do it- Right ... with this definition-shattering example. And so I think, like, the most responsible hermeneutic here affirms that, like we said before, a parable should have a single main point, and it's determined in this context by that punchline, like you said. Um, at the same time, I think we can legitimately, like, permit some restrained theological reflection on, like, that broader resonance with the gospel. I'm not denying that. But without multiplying, like, allegorical [00:23:00] correspondences like the text itself doesn't even make. Even, even coming down to, like, who we see as Christ in the story, while that can be useful and helpful, it's not the same identification that we've seen in other parables. Yeah. So that's what makes this, like you're right, Tony, like, really unique and very interesting because we can draw lots and lots of parallels, and perhaps we should. But at the same time, it's always good to remember what is it that Jesus is on about here? What is it that the hearers were really being prone to understand and mull over and meditate on? And that's, like, this first principle of neighborly love, like you already called out.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and I, I agree with you, too, is I, I think, um- We can sort of fall into a trap or a pit of assuming that all of the parables are meant to explain the same thing. Sure. And I think, like, within Matthew maybe that's a little bit more, uh, accurate because m- I think all, if not [00:24:00] most of, of the Matthean parables, you know, the Kingdom of God is like, the Kingdom of God is like. So th- like, that repeated f- refrain of, like, the Kingdom of God is... In, in Matthew, Christ is using parables to teach about the mysterious hidden reality of the kingdom in a way that people can understand. Um, this is different, right? This is not a Kingdom of God is like. There is no, um, clear this is like that, uh, introduction to this parable. Right. I, I've actually even read some commentaries that would question the assignment of the title parable to this, because they want to restrict what a parable is to those sort of kingdom, like, explicit simile- Good point ... things. Yeah. So- Right ... but I, I do think, um, w- we, we have to be careful not to run down that road, because this parable is not really... Again, like, it's not explaining what the Kingdom of God is like. This is trying to, um, not trying to, Christ is [00:25:00]articulating a reality that is baked into the law, um, and he's flipping the question on its head, and this is what I think is so, um, so wrong about the allegorical approach, right? Is that the allegorical approach seeks to find symbolism in every discrete character or element of the, of the parable, or of the, the allegory if you wanna, we wanna distinguish it. This really is, is trying to just get at that one point. And what- Mm-hmm ... I think is so, what must have been really just infuriating for this lawyer, um, regardless of what happened after this, right? We don't, we don't get commentary like we do with the rich, young ruler, and the stories are in many ways are very much the same. Like, it's the same basic setup. But we don't get commentary that, like, he went away sad, like we do with the rich, young ruler. We don't know what happened with this guy. We don't know what his reaction... But I, I'm sitting there putting myself in his place, and I'm, I'm thinking through this, and this is one of those things that it's actually hard even to mentally get yourself there. The, [00:26:00] the, each character that is introduced here, um, is a candidate for the neighbor. Right. But the most obvious candidate based on, um, the way we commonly interpret this, is that the dude who gets beat up and left stripped naked is, is the neighbor that we're supposed to love Right? So the lawyer, as he's hearing this parable, as it's being told, and the, the people who are there listening, right, the, the other people that are around, there's this character introduced, "Who is my neighbor? Well, a man was going down to Jerusalem. He fell among roggers, Roger, robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead." Like, the obvious answer is that Christ is introducing this poor, destitute, beat-up, naked dude, uh, as the neighbor that needs to be loved. And so he goes through the whole parable, and you're like, oh, well, like, the, you know, the, the priest and the Levite, they didn't love this guy. Uh, the Samaritan, you know, I think an audience of Jews probably would've been thinking like, "Well, the Samaritan can't be..." You know, the Samaritan [00:27:00] is just a dude. Like, none of these people are loving the, the, the beat-up dude like a neighbor should. Right. And then all of a sudden, Christ flips the script, and the neighbor is not the dude who's laying there naked, half dead, who's been rescued and, and, you know, restored and is being healed. It's actually the Samaritan. And so there's this... We have to... Part of the reason, I think, I mean, I, I, I guess I don't know for sure, but part of the reason I think s- that parables have this, like, reversal of expectation baked into many of them is that it is there to challenge our assumptions, and th- that sort of whiplash effect when you get to the end of it, you're like, "Whoa, that was like he was talking about totally, something totally different than what it seemed like he was talking about." I think that's actually a teaching tool here as well. Right. That the, the whole time you're thinking like, "Oh, this dude is the neighbor, and I've gotta figure out how to love him best," and that's what plays into these mercy ministry interpretations, is thinking that the, the point of the parable is to show us how to take [00:28:00] care of the, the people who need help, when really the point of the parable is the good neighbor. And, uh, we might butt heads a little bit on this, 'cause I think I take probably more of a Christological, uh, topological, typological interpretation than you do. I, I think that the point of the parable is that you can't justify yourself, and the only one who can justify you is the one who's kept the law perfectly. And what does it mean to keep the law perfectly? Well, love the Lord your God, but also love your neighbor as yourself. Well, who's the only person in the story who's loved the neighbor as himself? The one who s- rescues and heals and pays for this poor man who's been, you know, waylaid by robbers. He's the good neighbor who fulfills the law. He's the one who's justified himself. Now, yes, "Go do likewise," there's some echoes there of, of the go and sin no more language that we see in other places, too. So I, I think this parable is more, is more about- A, and this is where it shares some affinity with the rich young ruler, [00:29:00] right? The rich young ruler is told to go and to, to sell everything he has and donate it to the poor and to come and follow Christ. And he says, you know, he, he can't do that. He walks away sad. In this instance, it's the same kind of situation. It's an, a question about how do I fulfill the law? What do I need to do to be saved, to inherit eternal life, to obtain eternal life, whatever the phrasing is. And the answer is, "Obey the law perfectly." And the guy goes, "Well, hey, I did that." And he said, "Well, let me show you how much you didn't do that." And the reality is the only one who did that is Christ, the good teacher, right? I mean, there, there's so many parallels between these two accounts. It, it's almost the same, it's almost the same story. This one just in sort of parable answer form versus a more direct form, which we see with the rich young ruler. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, what I find really fascinating about these is that whereas, like you said, the, some of the other parables, they come under the volitional teaching of Christ. That is, He is presenting forward the topic at hand. So usually it's in the context of conversation, but He essentially makes [00:30:00] the segue. He presents and opens up this new kind of vista to explore. In this case, or in both those cases you talked about, the confrontation really comes from the outside. Of course, God, through Christ, predestined all of these things to pass, so I'm not saying that Christ was caught off guard, of course, by this line of questioning. And presumably He understands that when the lawyer asks this question, He knows that it's from a position of self-justification. So I don't disagree that that might be there, some of that at play, and that really the ultimate end of this would bring, to bring one's self to the realization that you can't do this. At the same time, though, I think almost, especially in this one, I think, uh, it's not that Jesus withholds that, but I read that do, go and do likewise is this is what you said you wanted. You asked me for an answer, and I gave you the answer. You asked for the law- Yeah ... I will give you the law. So I actually don't know how this ended. It doesn't strike me that it ended well, and I think, I don't know if there was some kind of massive realization there, but it's almost as if there is some [00:31:00] obscuring of this. This is like typical parable, parable language where I think if you're there and you're listening, and you're trying to just track with the question and track how that compounds and corresponds with the law, that you would leave more destitute, more confused, and perhaps more angry than before, and certainly not in a position of understanding, "Well, th- this one before me is the Christ." But that's exactly what parables do. So again, I, I think to me- Right ... I see this more as certainly, again, there are these wonderful themes These kind of overtures of the gospel within, but they are dark and very obscured because the man asks a question about the law, and Jesus comes with a message about the law. And like you said, that law is- Yeah ... like, there's almost no grace in his tone as I read it because, not that he is not graceful or full of grace and gracious, but this guy asks for justification under the law. And so it ends with saying, it ends with this really phenomenal phrase, of course, of the lawyer realizing he's got himself [00:32:00] caught in having to respond truthfully in answering the question of who is the neighbor, but of course doesn't identify the neighbor except to say, "Oh, the one who has compassion," as if like he himself couldn't bring himself- Right to say these words. And then for Jesus to say, "Yeah, go do it," is, is kind of like the ultimate nail in the coffin.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and to tell a first century Jew to go and do, to be- Yes ... like a Samaritan is- Yes ... you know, e- even, even though that's not, like, highlighted in the text, you're right. Like, the, the lawyer probably couldn't bring himself to say the Samaritan was, right? And I, I think, um, you know, whether you take, uh, and maybe I'm novel on this. I guess I haven't really read, read a lot of people that take a, a more optimistic approach of this. But whether you take a more optimistic outcome approach or a more pessimistic or neutral, whatever, the, the actual outcome is the same, right? The, the lawyer is asking about self-justification under the law, like you said. Right. And Christ gives him [00:33:00] that. He tells him exactly what that means and what that looks like. And I think the, the impossibility of being the good neighbor as is described in the parable is exactly the sort of beat down of the law that, that, you know, we've talked about in the past is it's not as though, um, the, the, the actions of the Samaritan are not, uh, outwardly impossible, right? We- Right ... it's not unreasonable to think that someone could rescue someone from the side of the road and bring them to ... And like, the scenario itself is not that crazy. But the, the overall complex of the scenario, right? The fact that this man, um, was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, right? The, the ... All of this points to sort of like an impossible circumstance, an impossible situation. And, and the idea that even [00:34:00] within that impossible situation you're still expected to take care of the person who is your enemy, right? The Samaritan seeing a Jewish man beaten by the side of the road- That's right ... and although the parable doesn't specifically call out that he's Jewish, if he's going from Jerusalem to Jericho, there's an implication that he may actually also have been a priest. Um, we, we don't need to get into all the details on that, but there's, there's some good, uh, some good research out there that would point to the fact that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho is, uh, was actually a very common pathway traveled by either priests or Levites. And further evidence is that a priest and a Levite are also on this same road. And so the idea that the Samaritan would, um, would- Sacrifice of himself to take care of someone who very likely considers him to be an enemy, and sacrifices in a pretty significant way. Um, I, I'll, I'll pause and now as you're [00:35:00]talking I'll do all the, the background scrambling to make it look like I know exactly how much- a denari is supposed to, to be, and I know we've talked about it before, it's just not there.  Lavish Impossible Mercy Tony Arsenal: But, but it's not a- Yeah ... it's not a trivial amount of money. That's right. We're not talking about checking this guy into, like, a Motel 6 and, and dropping a couple hundred dollars. We're, we're talking about a substantial amount of money and, and we're talking about a commitment to pay whatever is required. Okay. An unknown amount of money for this man who has been left for dead. We're not talking about a minor injury. The, the robbers beat him up, they took his clothes, and they expected him to die in the desert. He needed to be carried on a donkey. He needed to have immediate first aid attention. We're talking about a, a relatively long-term recovery. So the scenario would be more like, we think of it like, "Oh yeah, I dropped him off at the local hotel for him to sleep it off." The scenario would be more like, "I found a guy on the side of the road. I didn't know who he was. He's, he's of a group of people that would consider me to be their enemy, and he's been shot 100 times, and I'm gonna patch up his [00:36:00] wounds. I'm gonna take him to the hospital. I'm gonna not only pay and say, 'Here, I, I've already used some supplies. Let me pay for that,' but I'm gonna pay for all of his medical bills until he's healed." Like, that's the scenario we're talking about. So it's not, it's not just, like, a good deed that has been done that is maybe, like, a really, really good deed, like it's a really nice thing to do. It's a, it's an outlandishly almost impossible to conceive of doing good deed. N- I don't know anyone, um, who would... And, and I know a lot of really great people. This is not a slam. I don't know anyone who would find a stranger on the road and who is, who's gravely injured and commit to pay for all of their medical care until they're healed. I just don't know anybody who would do that. Right. Um, some might say there's actually some wisdom in that, and, uh, we've talked about how sometimes the parables present a situation where maybe, like, this isn't actually the best practical knowledge. It's there to prove a point. Right. But I don't know anybody who, I don't know anybody who would do that, who, who would even think about doing that. Um, so the, the scenario here is one [00:37:00] of impossible lavish goodness being extended to those who you have no reason to be good to, and probably have reason to not be good to. That's what we're talking about. And so the, when the, the lawyer is told to go and do likewise, he's being told to do something that is impossible to fulfill, or even to conceive of fulfilling. And so there is this element of, like, "You think you can obey the law? Well, let me tell you how much you can't  Jesse Schwamb: obey  Tony Arsenal: the law."  Jesse Schwamb: Right. By the way, this episode is brought to you by State Farm. Like a good Samaritan, State Farm is there. Every time we've been saying good neighbor, I've been just been trying to avoid thinking about- Yeah Jake from State Farm. That's what I've been doing most of this time.  Tony Arsenal: Jake from State Farm?  Jesse Schwamb: Um, I totally agree, of course.  Priest Levite And The Law Jesse Schwamb: Like, what strikes me here is that it's, like you said, there is all this emphasis on what it means to show neighborly love, but the setup is also in those who basically should be showing it but aren't, and that's where we get, can get into this lovely... It's, [00:38:00] it's okay to kinda think through some of these characters. You know, for this priest and the Levite here, and what we know about them is that they, at first it sounds like there, there's almost this sense in the language like the priest falls ab- upon this, this, you know, bloodied man by chance, and that kinda heightens the drama, I think. The priest's confrontation is a little bit unplanned, but it's immediate and unavoidable, and he chooses to cross on the other side of the road, which is of course a deliberate act of avoidance. It's not mere obliviousness. And then the Levi almost goes further, or he came to the place, he saw him closer inspection, you know, greater culpability, and yet he still passes by. I really do wish I could hear this, like, in real time, like be among, because I have to- Yeah ... wonder that there'd be this kind of sense of building in the story. And the people might be kind of getting the sense that the characters that they know and love or should love as the heroes are not gonna be performing that way. And so I think even they're curious. They might be hoping against hope that it's gonna turn out well, but knowing the question and maybe something about Jesus, [00:39:00] they might anticipate that he's gonna go in a different direction. And so again, I think we have to stick with the text here. Like, Jesus doesn't explicitly state the motives of these gentlemen, but it's truthful. What's true- Right ... is that, like, these boys should have known better. You know, a lot of people have speculated that it was for ritual purity concerns or the, another ambush or social distance or just callousness. And I think that ambiguity might be deliberate because, again, what cuts against the lawyer here is whatever the specific excuse, the point is that these, like this kind of professional religiosity and even, like, meticulous law observance are of course not identical with, and probably can even distract or obstruct the love of neighbor that the law itself commands, which is wild, right? Because we talked about how, again, this just shows the law doesn't empower you to do the thing, and in fact, here- Right ... you could essentially abuse the law so that you suck the spirit right out of it and therefore do not do the very thing that it was intended to accomplish. So even this by itself, you just stop the parable here, it's kind of condemning because it's really this [00:40:00] potent warning against some kind of merely external ceremonial, professionalized religiosity that fails to produce, I guess, what Matthew calls, like, the weightier matters of law, like justice and mercy and faithfulness. And, you know, we should understand this because I think those that are from tradition have a certain affinity for the third use of the law as a guide for the grateful Christian living, and that's, you know, kind of what we're talking about here. But it insists that true law keeping is never merely ritual or notional, but it must issue in love, like costly love. Love outside of being inconvenienced is not genuine. I, I guess we'll get there. But, you know, I don't wanna harp on the characters as some are prone to do, but that is, I think, why the characters are here. It's both to set up and show, like, you're about to see that you really do not wanna identify by your own persuasion, by your own presuppositions with the one who's gonna be the hero, that is the, the one that shows neighborly love. At the same time, I'm gonna show you by way of condemnation that those who should exercise the greater love, [00:41:00] that do know better, that should know better, that should emblem- be emblematic of the spirit of the law, have done the exact same thing. Which I can only, uh, hope but believe is what this lawyer heard as well was that he was hearing that he was being stuck into this place before he was even given the question, well, who was the neighbor here? Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and I, I think, um- There is a real sense in some of the parables that are sort of spoken against people. Um, this one doesn't specifically use that language, but it, it is a targeted, kind of a targeted response. There is a sense that throughout the course of the parable being told, they start to recognize midway through that they're like- Right you are the man. Like, this is one- Right, right ... of those Nathan and David kind of parables where, like, at some point the realization must have dawned on this guy that, like, "I've gotta be somebody in this parable." And I think that's where, where the, the challenging part is, is it's not clear, um, [00:42:00] it's not really clear even at the end of the parable who Christ is intending this guy to be, right? Right. Is he the lawyer or is he the, uh, is he the, the dead man on the side of the road, right? Is he... Or the dying man. Is, is he the l- the priest and Levite who pass by? Is he supposed to be the Samaritan, which would just be wildly offensive. Um, he's not necessarily, like, supposed to be anyone except for the fact that now at th- the punchline of the, the encounter here, Christ says, "Go and be like the Samaritan." And it's kind of like y- you know, if you were really following God's law, you would be the Samaritan in this one- Yeah, that's right ... but you're not. That's right. You're not and you can't be. Um, and so go, go ahead and do likewise.  Christ As True Neighbor Tony Arsenal: Um, I, I do think, too, there is some elements here where, um, I- Again, I, I think I take a little bit more of a typological, Christological-centered approach on this, but I, I don't think they're incompatible. But I do think there's an element here where Christ is also [00:43:00] unveiling, uh, sort of what he would do, like what, what his own plan of salvation is as the good, as the capital G, capital N good neighbor. Um, he is the one who does pour oil and wine on our wounds, right? A- and I don't wanna ... I don't think we need to fly off the allegorical deep end of reading oil and wine to be a reference to the Holy Spirit and t- Right but sometimes those things are evocative, indirect things that should, we should call our mind to those things. Like, I think, um, you know, when Melchizedek comes to bless Abraham and he, he presents him with bread and wine, right? I, I think, like, it's okay for us to go, "Wow, the Holy Spirit really made a point there that's subtle." And I think those little things within this parable drive me to look at this a little bit more along the lines of not only is there this sort of, like, law beat down, you [00:44:00] know, John Bunyan or not, um, Bunyan style, like the, "Moses just beat the crap out of me," kind of a- Right ... kind of a thing from Pilgrim's Progress. There's that, and I think it's really there. But it's also, uh, it's also sort of like this, uh, you know, "Blessed is the one who has ears to hear" side of it of, like, for those who are regenerated and can see the parable, can see the figures in the parable, it is now this beautiful picture of what it is that Christ does for those who cannot do it for themselves, right? And it's almost like the parable becomes a litmus test. If you look at the parable, and as you're reading through it, you sit there and you go, "Yeah, man, I'm like that guy who got beat up and left for dead. That, that really describes me," um, you're gonna get to the end of this and you're gonna be sort of, like, sitting in awe of, like, "Man, I have such a great savior who threw me on his donkey and, and promised to take care of all of my, all of my wounds, and promised to pay whatever it, whatever it cost." Um, y- you know, and all of these elements of, [00:45:00] like, oil and wine and, and all of these things be- kind of become alive to you in a way that someone who sees themselves as the, the good Samaritan, who thinks they're the one who's gonna come and rescue people, or I think increasingly in our day, and it's, it's weird to even say this, I think there are people who would look at this and resonate with the priest and lawyer and actually say, like, "Yeah, they shoulda, they shoulda crossed to the other side of the room." Mm-hmm. I've heard defenses of that in trying to argue that- The priest and the Levite, if they had, if this person was dead, they had touched the dead body, then, you know, they would've been ceremonially unclean. Uh, all of that is, I think, worth speculating about. But the reality is, um, who you see yourself in the parable actually says a lot, I think, about how you see Christ in light of either our ability to fulfill the law or our inability to fulfill the law, and therefore have our need for Christ. If you think you're the good Samaritan, if you think you're the one that's gonna come and [00:46:00] rescue people, that you're gonna be, you're gonna be the good neighbor, you're much more likely to see, uh, to, to be needing this as a sort of a law beat-down. Where those of us who, maybe this is the way you wanna parse it out, right? There's those of us who are, uh, regenerated and in Christ, and this is third-use law, right? This is, this is us- Right ... seeing what it means to be holy, and going and doing likewise, trying in our power, in our, our best to go and do likewise, empowered by the Holy Spirit, recognizing that we can't, and trusting the Lord to accept our feeble attempts- Right and be pleased by them. Right. Um, or maybe if you're not regenerated, this is f- this is first use, right? Right. And, and, and this is actually there to terrify you and to show you your condemnation and to serve as your condemnation. And, and there's even, and I didn't really intend to go all the way with this, but there's, there is also an element in here, and this is where, like, the mercy ministry interpretation comes in, where this is civil, this is civil law, where this is the, the, the, um, you know, the civil use of the law [00:47:00] to restrain evil, to show society what it is to be good, to, to restrain sin. Right. Yes, we want to be, uh, we, I would rather live in a society where people stop and help someone who's stranded or injured on the side of the road than, than a society where people pass by. Um, so I, I think all of those elements are in play here, and we do have to be careful not to take the full-on, like, never go full allegory approach to this, 'cause y- you can really... That's just a good general wisdom for all of, all of the Bible, but especially the parables and other figurative stuff. You can really just go totally far afield of what actually the point of the parable is- Right ... if you're not grounding it in the purpose that Christ is teaching it for, and, and the stated outcome of the parable, right? No one in the Bible makes c- I don't know that anyone in the Bible makes specific commentary on this within scripture, but the, the idea that, like, there's all these hidden meanings, well, if those are the hidden meanings, then why doesn't Christ talk about it? Why doesn't he come back- Right ... and [00:48:00] interpret those symbols later on like he does, like the Parable of the Sower or the Parable of the Seeds or Soils. Um, that one is much more directly allegorical in that the different seeds, the different soils represent specific people with specific s- scenarios. Christ comes and, and does that allegorical interpretation later on in the passage. There's nothing like that here. So I think we have to be really careful not to slip down that road. Jesse Schwamb: I think that it could be all those things. I, I totally agree with you on that. I think it could be all the use cases of the law. I think what makes this so wonderfully complex and a little bit tricky is that when I read this, I actually don't necessarily find myself gravitating toward putting myself in one place or the other. It almost depends on where I am or what's going on in my life. So for example, I think any time that any one of us, and we've all done this as Christians, have quenched the spirit, especially with respect to helping, serving, or loving others as my, our neighbor, then we're firmly in this parable in the place [00:49:00] of the priest and the Levite. Sometimes I think we are the one on the side of the road. We look to the church, to our brothers and sisters to help us, and what do they help us with? Like you were saying, Tony, they help us with that blood and oil. They help us with this, the power of the Holy Spirit, which is given to each one to help and to serve, to identify, to comfort with the comfort we ourselves have been received. And then I do think, and this might be unpopular, that, that sometimes by the grace of God, He empowers us to be the Samaritan, but only through His empowerment. Not, of course, because we're trying to just self-justify or because we're overtly generous in our own merit, but in fact, this is the way we ought to live, and that we ought to commend that kind of behavior to, again, acknowledge it as God-given and to promulgate it, especially among the body of believers. So I do think all three forms of the law are present there, but I do think I tend to, for whatever reason, right or wrong, I tend to tilt a little bit toward that third use here, just to see this as it's not wrong to, of course, to, I think, uh, lay over all of this, all these delightful variables and [00:50:00] details. Again, this idea of blood and oil, n- normative things, normal things, standard things that are being used to address- Yeah ... wounds. They're, they're... Of course, that would've been the practical way which you would've provided some kind of medicinal care to somebody in both that extreme circumstance, but also generally, because nobody's, like, keeping gauze or popping Advil to help this, this poor guy. And so it is- Right ... like this beautiful complexion of, I think, everything that we just talked about, that there is the law present, and depending on where you are, both in terms of your ingrafting into eternity, into the Kingdom of God, and then where you are in life, you- we should read ourselves probably, or l- let me say it this way, not so it's like eisegesis, but, like, that we should see ourselves often at different pli- times maybe playing or being tempted to play the parts of these different characters. And in that we find, I think, ultimately, of course, as you're saying, that Christ is over all, and that He is the one that, of course, perfectly emphasizes all of what it means to be the Savior, the [00:51:00] true loving neighbor who cares and binds and heals completely full stop. And yet there is something instructive here, I think, as well about going and bringing that compassion. I was just thinking, like, as we were talking, that there's such a difference, isn't there, like, in our world between these days, like, pity and compassion? Like, pity often is like, "Yeah, I feel sorry for you," but it strikes me as kind of like the James, is it James 1 or James 2, where it's kind of like, "Oh, you're... I, I'm so sorry that, like, you're, you're hungry and cold. You know what? Go, be warm, and be well-fed." You know, that's like pity. Like, "Yeah, I just- Yeah ... I feel a little bad. I identified with your emotions." Sending  Tony Arsenal: good vibes.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I've got- Yeah. Yeah. That's right, right? Sending good thoughts and good vibes your way. I wanna say, like, keep those to yourself 'cause they're probably not all that- Yeah ... good. Um- I  Tony Arsenal: don't want your vibes.  Jesse Schwamb: I don't want your vibes. Get your vibes out of here. What I need is that power of God himself, uh, to bring compassion, and compassion is always wrapped in action. It identifies- Right ... and then goes. It, it's, it [00:52:00] is not self-promoting, it's self-sacrificing. And so that rule of law, which is like the good rule of law, the good teaching, the kind that brings life because it's the Decalogue wrapped in skin perfectly performed by the power of the Holy Spirit through the one who is perfect again in his passive obedience and active obedience. Yes, yes, we need, we need all of that. It's modeled here, I think, to a certain extent, but I think the go and do likewise is actually for all of us, but it's not the kind like we would say, "Well, like, good luck." It's more the- Yeah ... you know the one from whose side the blood flowed. You know the one who is pressed in the garden as if olives under the press leaking oil. You know who that one was, and that one is His spirit resides in you. So now go and do these acts- Yeah ... of mercy. Again, not s- for some kind of meritorious reward, but because you were made for good works, which were set apart for you to do, and part of those good works are [00:53:00] just always being a good neighbor. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and, and maybe to, to close out, I, I, I think maybe we actually did it. I don't know that we're gonna have to do another episode on this. I guess we'll see after we do- Who would've guessed? ... our postmortem here.  Mary Martha And Final Charge Tony Arsenal: But I, I think part, part of, um, part of what we need to at least acknowledge is that what, what follows this parable, right? This, this goes from a parable of a lawyer seeking to justify himself to now the account of Mary and Martha, and the fact that, uh, that, um, M- Martha, you know, is busy with much work, and Mary is sitting and listening to, to Jesus and is said to have chosen the better part. And I think, like- Mm ... this is something that I think because of the way, like, Bibles are formatted, the way that certain things are sort of, like, extracted out as discrete teaching units, this parable is pulled out and separated from this next part. And I, I think we can [00:54:00] really run into problems when we do that because- You know, even if we, even if we were to sort of treat the scripture as, like, a purely human book, right? Luke chose to put this account of Mary and Martha after this, right? And, and- Right ... probably not just because, like, it happened chronologically. There's no real, um, there's no real necessity that this account of Mary and Martha in this particular story had to happen immediately afterwards. Like, there's no organic link in, in the chronology of the story to drive that, right? And the two aren't related in terms of, like, historical cause and effect or, uh, proximity. There's none of those things. So the only answer as to why this was selected to follow the parable of the Good Samaritan is that there's some thematic connection that drove Luke as an author to put this, put this right following that. And so I think even that should drive us to thinking about, all [00:55:00] right, we've got this statement of go and do likewise, show mercy. Now there's almost this foil that the, the, the person in, in the account in the, the narrative here, and a, a true narrative, right? We're not in parable land anymore, but the person in the narrative that seems to be showing mercy, seems to be taking care of people the most, is actually the one who's chastised a little bit for, for being- Right overly zealous about m- mercy ministry, hospitality ministry- Right ... is what you might call it. She's the one who's like, "Tell my sister to help me with this." And she said, like, "You know, you're always gonna have time to do this, but, like, I'

Have you ever felt ashamed of a thought you'd never say out loud? In this episode of DarrenDaily On-Demand, Darren Hardy introduces a psychological concept discovered by Carl Jung that explains why even the most admired figures in history wrestled with dark, hidden impulses they never fully escaped. He shares surprising confessions from Mother Teresa and other revered leaders, then tells a parable about a gatekeeper who learns the hard way that being seen accurately isn't the same as being judged fairly. Darren breaks down what actually matters when your inner thoughts don't match the person you want to be, and why chasing the elimination of your darker side is the wrong goal entirely. Get more personal mentoring from Darren each day. Go to DarrenDaily at http://darrendaily.com/join to learn more.

If you've spent any real time with the Enneagram, you've probably felt Chris Heuertz's influence whether you knew his name or not. Chris is the author of seven books, including The Sacred Enneagram (foreword by Richard Rohr) and The Enneagram of Belonging, with an eighth on pilgrimage coming from Simon & Schuster. But the books came out of a life: nearly three decades of humanitarian work across 70 countries, years in the anti-trafficking movement, time serving alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta.We recorded this a couple of weeks before his wedding, and I wanted it out in the world before he walks into that new life. We talk about learning to tell stories on a word processor in India, burying 700 of the women and children he served and what that does to a person, the end of a twenty-year marriage and the strange welcome into the human family on the other side of it, rewriting sloth for the Nines, what Eights actually feel under the armor, and why the detours are sacred and the arrival is a myth.The difficulty in life is the choice.Show-note links:* Chris's site: chrisheuertz.com* The Sacred Enneagram and The Enneagram of Belonging (Bookshop.org)* Chris's Substack: Sacred Detours* Instagram: @chrisheuertz* Subscribe to The Difficulty: chadprevost.substack.com* Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.* The press where it all makes sense: crossroadspublishing.group* Chad's site: chadprevost.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chadprevost.substack.com

In this Ultimate Issues episode of Timeless Wisdom, Dennis explores the idea that doubt is not something to be feared or ashamed of, but rather something to be acknowledged and worked through. By examining the experiences of Mother Teresa and other individuals who have grappled with faith and doubt, the speaker offers a nuanced perspective on the nature of faith and the importance of questioning. Follow on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timeless-wisdom-with-dennis-prager/id1517302239 Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4SZEYeH4tuLr2FvG4ok1rl Learn more about Dennis Prager: https://pragertopia.com/ Follow Dennis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DennisPrager Follow Dennis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedennisprager/ Follow Dennis on X: https://x.com/DennisPrager Learn more about the Salem Podcast Network: https://salempodcastnetwork.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them. "- Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa is a modern saint, but her story is far more complicated than many realize. From sainthood to skepticism, Erin and Evan take a closer look at Mother Teresa's life, the controversies that continue to surround her, and what her legacy means today.MENTIONSThe Spicy NOs of Mission Trips: Listen on PatreonRelevant Past Episodes: Best Saints in Show | The Global Church with Father Joash P. ThomasBBC Documentary: Watch Something Beautiful for GodMother Teresa's Private Writings: Read Come Be My LightMother Teresa and Me: Read the Christopher Hitchens Vanity Fair ArticlePrincess Diana and Mother Teresa: Read more about that thereWhat was that about Lebanon? Learn about the ceasefire here The Faith Adjacent Seminary: Support us on Patreon. Erin Moon: I've Got Questions | Substack | Instagram | WebsiteEvan Dodson: Instagram | TikTok | SubstackSubscribe to our Newsletter: The Dish from Faith AdjacentFaith Adjacent Merch: Shop HereShop our Amazon Link: amazon.com/shop/faithadjacentFollow Faith Adjacent on Socials: Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'm sure there's someone you've looked up to as a hero of the Christian faith. People like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, William Wilberforce, and Mother Teresa made huge impacts for the Kingdom of God, but their time on Earth has come and gone. In today's message, Pastor Richard encourages you to be brave, because God has big plans in store for your life! Who knows, the things you do for God now may inspire a future hero of the faith! 

Can grief cause physical symptoms? Learn how loss may affect cortisol, inflammation, hormone balance, heart health, sleep, energy, and the nervous system. Grief is not only an emotional experience. It can affect the brain and body, yet many people feel pressured to stay strong, move on, or process their loss alone. In this episode, grief expert David Kessler explains what grief does to us physically and emotionally, why grief must be witnessed, and how meaningful healing can begin.We explore the five stages of grief, why they are not linear, and the misconceptions surrounding denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. David also shares how losing his 21-year-old son led him to identify meaning as the sixth stage of grief and explains why meaning is not found in the tragedy itself, but in what we choose to do afterward.David and Dr. Taz discuss the physical symptoms of grief, broken heart syndrome, post-traumatic growth, isolation, grief in men, and what to say when someone you love is grieving. They also explain why grief can result from divorce, betrayal, job loss, illness, lost identity, or the loss of the future you expected, not only the death of a loved one.This conversation is for educational purposes and should not replace individualized medical or mental health care. Chest pain and other concerning physical symptoms should always be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.Subscribe for weekly conversations about physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and comment below: What do you wish more people understood about grief?About David Kessler:David Kessler is one of the world's leading experts on grief and loss. He co-authored two books with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, including On Grief and Grieving, and later introduced meaning as the sixth stage of grief in his bestselling book Finding Meaning.His first book, The Needs of the Dying, received praise from Mother Teresa. David has also served as an LAPD specialist reserve for traumatic events and with the Red Cross disaster services team. He is the founder of Grief.com, which provides resources, support groups, and training for people experiencing grief and the professionals who support them.Connect with David Kessler:https://grief.com/https://www.instagram.com/iamdavidkessler/https://www.facebook.com/IamDavidKessler/https://www.tiktok.com/@iamdavidkesslerAbout Dr. Taz:Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (Dr. Taz) is a triple board-certified integrative medicine physician, bestselling author, and founder of hol+, a multi-location integrative medicine practice.Learn more: https://doctortaz.com/aboutStay Connected:Connect further with hol+ at https://holplus.co/ and don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+.Book a Hol+ Consultation:https://holplus.co/locations/virtual/Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/Subscribe to the audio podcast:https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribeSubscribe to the video podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsProduced by https://ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

I'm celebrating my 300th episode today! I am also launching the ⁠⁠Gateways to Awakening Patreon community ⁠to share behind-the-scenes voice notes and live monthly online gatherings to process the episodes. [Just launched!]I just returned from one of the most profound experiences I've had in years, a pilgrimage through Southern France exploring the teachings of Mary Magdalene with Dr. Nicola Amadora, renowned spiritual teacher, holistic psychologist, women's leader, author, and speaker. I was so deeply moved that I knew I had to invite her onto Gateways to Awakening.In this conversation, we explore what it truly means to embody the Divine Feminine. We talk about why so much of modern spirituality has become disconnected from the body, our emotions, relationships, and the fullness of our humanity, and why awakening isn't about transcending our human experience, but learning to inhabit it more fully."You don't become enlightened by escaping your humanity. You become more fully alive by inhabiting it." - Dr. Nicola Amadora "Take your meditation cushion into the world." - Dr. Nicola Amadora Nicola shares a radically embodied perspective on spirituality, reminding us that the sacred isn't somewhere "out there" waiting for us to find it, it's already here, alive in our bodies, our hearts, our relationships, and the natural world. ​​We also dive into the life and legacy of Mary Magdalene, her role as a teacher, healer, leader, and embodiment of the sacred feminine, and explore the history of the Cathars, the Way of Love, and why these teachings feel so relevant in the world today. Dr. Nicola also spent time with Mother Teresa, Amma, the Tibetans, Thich Nhat Hanh, and so many wisdom teachers, and is truly one of the most embodied teachers I've met. In this episode, we explore:What the Divine Feminine actually is, and why it's so often misunderstoodWhy embodiment is essential to authentic awakeningThe relationship between spirituality, shadow work, and emotional healingHow to move beyond spiritual bypassing and fully inhabit your humanityMary Magdalene's teachings and her role in restoring the sacred feminineThe Cathars, the Way of Love, and their extraordinary legacyWhy love isn't something we transcend into, it's something we embodyDr. Nicola Amadora is an internationally renowned spiritual teacher, holistic psychologist, women's leader, author, and speaker who has spent more than 30 years guiding thousands of people worldwide in the revolutionary path of love, liberation, and embodied spirituality. Rooted in the ancient wisdom of the feminine and the teachings of Mary Magdalene, her retreats, professional trainings, and transformative programs invite people to awaken their deepest life force and live from greater authenticity, courage, and compassion. She is the author of Love Unleashed and the founder of a global movement dedicated to the rise of the feminine, inspiring profound personal transformation and a more heart-centered world.We would LOVE to hear from you! What did you learn? -----------------------------------------------------------------------Tune into Gateways to Awakening for more conversations with leading thinkers, scientists, mystics, entrepreneurs, and consciousness pioneers exploring the future of human potential.If this episode resonates with you, you may also enjoy Yasmeen's work through the Inner Knowing School, where she teaches intuition, energetic mastery, multidimensional awareness, and nervous system regulation through private immersions and executive cohorts. You can also explore Yasmeen's latest book, A Glitch in the Matrix: 10 Energy Codes to Become the Main Character of Your Life, available on Audible, Kindle, and in print. The book explores intuition, consciousness, timelines, emotional regulation, and how to manage your energy instead of your time.Thank you, -Yasmeen

This episode focuses on finding inner peace, achieving emotional balance, and understanding how our internal state ripples outward to affect the people and environment around us.

This week, we're joined by Father Michael Maher from Marquette University for a wide-ranging, heartfelt, and inspiring conversation.Father Michael shares his deep connection to Marquette, the unforgettable story of the time he met Mother Teresa, and why Rome keeps calling him back. We also dive into the philosophy of beauty, craftsmanship, and how genuine artistry shows up in surprising industries. Plus, Joel and Father Michael reflect on how they first met, the incredible renovation of the St. Brigid Center with The Sunshine Foundation, and - the actual correct way to pour a Guinness!Resources: The Carpenter: The 3 Greatest Success Strategies of All by Jon GordonSt. Brigid Center https://www.stbrigidcenter.com/

What if the reason your business cannot scale is not your team, your strategy, or your market. It is you. Rajesh Nagjee is a business physicist. Over more than 30 years, he has worked with over 350 CEOs across 15 countries to solve what he calls the founder bottleneck. That moment when a company is ready to scale but still depends on the founder for decisions, clarity, and stability. He is also the creator of CEO Freedom OS, a leadership architecture designed to help CEOs scale without losing control. In this conversation, Larry Olsen sits down with Rajesh to talk about how the very person who built the company becomes the one holding it back. Not because they are not capable, but because the way they think, decide, and operate has not evolved at the same speed as the business itself. What you'll hear: • Why Rajesh believes recognition produces a fixed way of being (and how it locks founders into identity traps) • The 1989 breakdown that reshaped Rajesh's entire methodology • The observer effect in quantum physics applied to founder-run businesses • The five default states of survival that keep leaders stuck (cynical, skeptical, resigned, cocky, arrogant) • The two intersections: where whining lives, and where possibilities live • Rajesh's father's line that shaped his life: the moment you decide, you will succeed • What Rajesh learned from meeting Mother Teresa about ruthless compassion ABOUT RAJESH NAGJEE Rajesh Nagjee is a CEO mentor and self-described business physicist with over 30 years of experience and work with more than 350 CEOs across 15 countries. He is the creator of CEO Freedom OS, a leadership architecture designed to help CEOs scale without losing control. His methodology was forged through personal breakdown in 1989 and refined over decades of working with founders and leaders. Based in Dubai. ABOUT LARRY OLSEN Larry Olsen is a Two-Time Vistage Speaker of the Year and Fortune 50/500 Executive Performance Advisor with 40+ years of client work at Toyota, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Harley-Davidson, Honda, American Airlines, State Farm, Frito Lay, Lexus, and Tropicana. He is the author of Get a Vision and Live It! and the founder of Performance Driven Neurology. IF THIS LANDED FOR YOU The next step is Larry's Brain Hacks Intensive. It is a guided practice that walks you through the foundational mindset shifts Larry teaches Fortune 500 executives. Brain Hacks Intensive: https://neuromindedcollective.com/brain-hacks-challenge FOR EXECUTIVE LEADERS AND FOUNDERS If you want to find out which patterns are currently running your leadership, take Larry's free 5% Leadership Assessment. Less than 5 percent of leaders operate from the patterns it measures. 5% Leadership Assessment: https://tally.so/r/kde74r CONNECT WITH LARRY Website: larryolsen.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/larry-r-olsen CONNECT WITH RAJESH NAGJEE LinkedIn: Rajesh Nagjee (posts regularly) Website: RajeshNagjee.com Email: Rajesh@RajeshNagjee.com SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE New episodes of the Brain Vault Podcast publish every other Wednesday. Yours in growth, Larry

In this episode of Productivity Smarts, host Gerald J. Leonard welcomes Edi Matsumoto, a visionary artist, former nurse practitioner, and bestselling author of Otter Therapy: 50 Whimsical Whisker Moments for the Soul. After spending nearly 30 years in healthcare, Edi made the courageous decision to leave a career she loved and embrace her true calling as an artist, transforming burnout into a life filled with creativity, joy, and purpose. Together, they explore how aligning your work with your passions can dramatically increase productivity, resilience, and fulfillment. Edi shares the pivotal moments that shaped her journey, from volunteering with Mother Teresa and navigating the changing healthcare system to discovering her artistic talent, opening her own gallery, and creating her signature "Otter Therapy" collection that has delighted people around the world. Gerald and Edi discuss the importance of mentors, coaches, and supportive relationships in helping us recognize gifts we often overlook in ourselves. They also dive into the Japanese concept of ikigai, explaining how discovering the intersection of your talents, passions, purpose, and livelihood can create a more meaningful and productive life. Whether you're feeling burned out in your career, searching for greater purpose, or looking for practical ways to reconnect with joy and creativity, this episode offers inspiring stories and actionable insights to help you create a life that's aligned with who you truly are. Ready to discover your own ikigai? Listen now and learn how embracing your gifts can transform both your productivity and your life.   What We Discuss [00:00] Productivity Smarts introduction [02:04] Meet Edi Matsumoto [04:53] Leaving healthcare to pursue art [08:02] Burnout, courage, and starting over [10:08] Why joy fuels productivity [12:15] Opening an art gallery without business experience [13:59] Finding a unique artistic niche [16:12] Creating the Otter Therapy movement [17:03] Why coaching accelerates success [20:05] Seeing the gifts you can't see yourself [22:19] Lessons learned from Mother Teresa [27:33] Turning work into a calling [28:04] Staying creative without burning out [30:27] Shifting your mindset in seconds [34:08] Simple ways to restore joy and energy [36:15] Discovering your ikigai [39:14] Living in alignment with your purpose [40:34] Where to find Edi and Otter Therapy [42:36] Final thoughts and subscribe   Notable Quotes [09:46] "I just love my life right now. I do what I love, and I'm still able to serve people and heal people." – Edi Matsumoto [17:23] "When we're inside the bottle, we can't see the label." – Gerald J. Leonard [21:22] "Sometimes it takes another person to see your gift." – Edi Matsumoto [27:25] "If you find your calling and it becomes your job, you'll never work a day in your life." – Gerald J. Leonard [34:37] "You can change your thoughts. You can change your mood instantly." – Edi Matsumoto [38:59] "Once you find alignment, productivity flows naturally." – Edi Matsumoto [40:24] "Life is short. Don't do what other people expect you to do. Do what you want to do." – Edi Matsumoto   Resource and Links Edi Matsumoto LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edi-matsumoto-781696140 Website: edimatsumoto.com Gallery: Edi Matsumoto Art & Design Gallery, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California Book: Otter Therapy: 50 Whimsical Whisker Moments for the Soul   Productivity Smarts Podcast Website - productivitysmartspodcast.com   Gerald J. Leonard Website - geraldjleonard.com Turnberry Premiere website - turnberrypremiere.com Scheduler - vcita.com/v/geraldjleonard   Kiva is a loan, not a donation, allowing you to cycle your money and create a personal impact worldwide. https://www.kiva.org/lender/topmindshelpingtopminds

What is it that actually forms our inner reality? Our values, our perspective, our judgment, our understanding of wisdom about the issues that really matter? What difference does that make in Christian character formation? The American church consistently produces fruit that many of its own leaders either don't recognize, don't want, or disapprove of. Under- and malformed Christian people reflect a grounding in the surrounding culture rather than the character and love and gospel of Jesus Christ. In this episode, author, professor, and consultant Tod Bolsinger argues that culture is the thing that forms you before you ever realize it, let alone consent to it. He suggests that the soil of community and belonging—rooted in attachment, vulnerability, trust, and joy—is what makes sense of exemplary models of Christian formation. "If you wanna grow good fruit—abundant harvests of good fruit—you don't focus on the fruit, you focus on the soil." With Mark Labberton, Tod reflects on the agricultural model of spiritual formation; regenerative farming and the impact of soil health on the quality of the fruit; the example of Andre Trocme and the French Huguenots of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, village whose radical hospitality saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust; trust, pain, and care The intentionally formative community: joyful belonging, shared values, vulnerable self-reflection, care that isn't comfort. Episode Highlights "There are no dysfunctional systems. They all produce." "These people just lived out their faith." "The precognitive and the unconscious realities of our life are stronger than our words." "Nothing is as formative as the organizational culture you're in." About Tod Bolsinger Tod Bolsinger is co-founder and principal of AE Sloan Leadership, a coaching and consulting firm working with churches, nonprofits, universities, and businesses in seasons of change. He is associate professor of leadership formation at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he earned an MDiv and PhD and served six years as a vice president. His books include "Canoeing the Mountains," "Tempered Resilience," "It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian," and the four-volume Practicing Change Series. He was a Presbyterian pastor for 27 years, most recently in San Clemente, California. Helpful Links and Resources Tod's current project, Good Soil, Holy Ground: Preparing Your People for Facing Change https://www.aesloanleadership.com/good-soil-holy-ground  AE Sloan Leadership, Tod Bolsinger's coaching and consulting firm: https://www.aesloanleadership.com/ Canoeing the Mountains, Bolsinger's best-known book: https://www.ivpress.com/canoeing-the-mountains Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change: https://www.ivpress.com/tempered-resilience The Practicing Change Series, Bolsinger's four most recent books: https://www.ivpress.com/practicing-change-serie The Biggest Little Farm: https://www.apricotlanefarms.com/biggest-little-farm/ Weapons of the Spirit, Pierre Sauvage's documentary on Le Chambon-sur-Lignon (from the Chambon Foundation): https://www.chambon.org/weapons_en.htm The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Kreider: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-patient-ferment-of-the-early-church/339350 An Everyone Culture by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, on deliberately developmental organizations: https://store.hbr.org/product/an-everyone-culture-becoming-a-deliberately-developmental-organization/14259 Show Notes Dallas Willard's worry: that spiritual formation would become commoditized—"a cottage industry instead of rooted deeply in the life of the church" "We take on the terroir of the soil, like the way a grape does for wine." "The Biggest Little Farm" documentary: how regenerative agriculture transformed a soil-depleted farm north of Los Angeles "If you wanna grow good fruit—abundant harvests of good fruit—you don't focus on the fruit, you focus on the soil" Rereading the parable of the sower "Jesus literally says that more powerful than his preaching is the soil that the word falls into." Systems perfectly designed for the results they get: "There are no dysfunctional systems. they all produce." No church ever started a program in Christian nationalism, no associate pastor, no strategic plan. "It just came up out of the soil." "Weapons of the Spirit" documentary: Le Chambon-sur-Lignon: How French pastor Andre Trocme led a small village of Huguenots to save thousands of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. The pastors daughter, at age 93, on being told her parents were heroes: "You're very romantic about this. These people just lived out their faith." Counter-cultural cultivation Examples of radical communal formation: Amish forgiveness, Mother Emanuel AME Cultural competency vs. cultural humility Hospitality as the village economy Mother Teresa and entering East Beirut to save children because of (not in spite of) the bombing Brain scientists reaching for a word: "It is to be in a room with people who are happy to see you." "God, please make me the kind of person my dog thinks I am" The intentionally formative community, which "begins in joy, it ends in death" "Trust, pain, and care": Kegan and Lahey's deliberately developmental organizations, and the three words in the word cloud Are university theology faculty equipped to provide pastoral care to hurting, traumatized students? #SpiritualFormation #Discipleship #ChristianLeadership #LeChambon #AdaptiveLeadership #ChurchLeadership #ChristianNationalism #Fuller Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Ryan and Brian return from an extended break to close out Matthew chapter 5 in their ongoing Sermon on the Mount series, tackling Jesus' teaching on loving your enemies and the puzzling command to "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."Episode SummaryPicking back up in the Sermon on the Mount, Ryan and Brian work through Matthew 5:43–48, where Jesus contrasts the popular teaching "love your neighbor, hate your enemy" with his own command to love and pray for enemies. They trace the "hate your enemy" idea to a possible source in Psalm 139, examine parallel teaching in Luke 6, and dig into the Greek word teleios — usually translated "perfect" — arguing that "mature" or "complete" better captures Jesus' meaning. The conversation widens into Paul's theology of love in Philippians 2, John 13, and Ephesians 4, and closes with a reflection on Galatians 6:2 ("carry each other's burdens") and what it practically looks like to love the way Christ loved.Key Discussion PointsMatthew 5:43–45 — Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18 ("love your neighbor") and contrasts it with the added, extra-biblical teaching "hate your enemy," then commands love and prayer for persecutors, appealing to God's own impartiality (sun and rain on both righteous and unrighteous).Where "hate your enemy" came from — A look at Psalm 139:19–22 as a possible source for the added teaching, and how post-exilic hostility toward Israel's enemies may have shaped this interpretation.Luke 6:27–36 parallel — Comparing Jesus' "love your enemies" teaching in Luke, including the Golden Rule and the call to lend without expecting return.Matthew 5:46–47 — Jesus contrasts kingdom ethics with the behavior of tax collectors and pagans, calling his followers to a higher standard of love that extends beyond their own group."Be perfect" (Matthew 5:48) — Why "perfect" is a misleading translation of the Greek teleios; the case for "mature" or "complete," tied to imitating God's character rather than achieving moral flawlessness.Philippians 2 and John 13 — Jesus' self-emptying (kenosis) and foot-washing as models of the same self-giving love, and Michael Gorman's argument (from his work on Paul and John) that these passages share deep conceptual and linguistic ties.Ephesians 4:11–16 — Paul's use of teleios ("mature") in the context of the body of Christ growing up into Christ through love; a brief detour on how the NIV adds interpretive language not present in the Greek, compared to the NRSV.Cruciformity — Drawing on Michael Gorman's concept (and its later expansion to "resurrectional cruciformity"), the idea that believers conform their lives to the shape of the cross — self-sacrificial, others-focused love.Nijay Gupta's "Affections of Christ Jesus" — Central to the episode's second half; Gupta's argument that Pauline love is both feeling and action, produced by the Spirit rather than willpower, with reference to Romans 5:5 ("God's love poured into our hearts").Practical application — Wrestling with what loving enemies looks like in ordinary life (patience in traffic, responding to anger with love, forgiveness) rather than only in extreme examples like Mother Teresa.Galatians 5:13–15 and 6:2 — "Carry each other's burdens" as fulfilling the "law of Christ"; a footnote referenced from Gupta's book noting that burden-bearing was historically slave/servant work, reframing mutual burden-bearing as mutual servanthood.Scripture ReferencedMatthew 5:43–48 · Leviticus 19:18 · Psalm 139:19–22 · Luke 6:27–36 · Matthew 22:37–39 · Philippians 2:5–11 · John 13:1–17 · Romans 5:5 · Romans 5:6–8 · Ephesians 4:11–16 · Galatians 5:13–15 · Galatians 6:2 · 1 Peter 1:16Books & People MentionedAffections of Christ Jesus — Nijay GuptaPaul for the World — Nijay Gupta (upcoming interview episode)Michael Gorman — Paul and John in Harmony (new release); concept of "cruciformity" / "resurrectional cruciformity"From Adam to Christ — Morna Hooker (quoted on the cross and self-emptying love)Charles Taylor, A Secular Age — referenced via Andrew Root's concept of "the haunting of transcendence"Andrew Root — previous podcast guest, referenced regarding transcendence and secularism

JUL. 9, 2026One life at a time."If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded." Mt 10:42 NLTLes Goldberg's friends thought he was crazy when he cashed in his personal investments to buy a home to lease for the homeless. A retired engineer, Les felt it was the only decision he could make. He had spent a minimum of one hour each day with his homeless friends and had helped renovate several properties on their behalf. In all his efforts, Goldberg never regarded the homeless as irresponsible or unreliable; he only saw them as people. Hurting people! He figured the house he purchased could be used as both a temporary shelter and a drop-in center—a place where homeless people might pick up mail, make phone calls, follow up job leads, and receive donated commodities. Four homeless men lived at the house, paying minimal rent to offset expenses. House rules were strict: no alcohol, no drugs, no loitering. Goldberg has never been rich. For twenty years he ran his own business, making about $25,000 a year designing and installing fire sprinklers. He simply was a man who saw an unmet need and found a way to help meet it. Mother Teresa said: "We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love." Jesus put it this way: "If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded." As you go through this day, keep your heart open and ask God to make you a solution to someone else's problem. When you do, "You will surely be rewarded."One life at a timeHurting peopleShare This DevotionalSend us Fan MailSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

When disaster strikes without warning, hope has to show up fast — and for millions around the world, it arrives on a Convoy of Hope truck. Convoy of Hope is a global, faith-based, nonprofit organization that delivers emergency relief to communities devastated by disaster. Right now, their teams are on the ground in Venezuela, where on June 24 two catastrophic earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, among the strongest to hit the country in more than a century — struck, leaving more than 1,700 confirmed dead, thousands injured, and thousands more still missing. Convoy of Hope is meeting essential needs bringing help and hope to families walking through unthinkable tragedy.  KeepTheFaith Charities has been proud to support Convoy of Hope efforts and other "boots on the ground" organizations providing life-sustaining relief over the years. In this encore episode, host David Sams goes one-on-one with Hal Donaldson, founder of Convoy of Hope and author of "What Really Matters" — from the tragedy that shattered his childhood, to a life-changing conversation with Mother Teresa, to the pickup truck loaded with $300 of groceries that sparked one of America's largest charities. Along the way, Hal reveals how to answer God's call to serve a hurting world without sacrificing your health, your family, or yourself. To donate now to Venezuela earthquake relief, go to ConvoyofHope.org. You can make a difference!

https://takingthelandpodcast.comFaithfulness is one of the greatest virtues in the Christian life, yet it is often overlooked in a culture obsessed with success, recognition, and achievement.PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION for WORLD EVANGELISM:• NO ADS, Early releases, Full-Length Testimony Tuesdays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe for only $3.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/4owjo5ZIn this classic message, Pastor Wayman Mitchell teaches from 2 Timothy 2:2, showing that God measures our lives not by fame or influence, but by faithfulness. Through biblical examples, practical ministry lessons, and inspiring stories from Mother Teresa, William Booth, and decades of pastoral experience, he challenges every believer to become someone God can trust.Whether you are young or old, new to the faith or have served God for decades, this sermon will encourage you to find your place in God's kingdom and remain faithful until the end.Chapters00:00 Introduction: The Call to Faithfulness02:03 The Virtue of Faithfulness in the Bible04:03 Parables of Stewardship: Faithfulness Over Quantity05:58 Faithfulness in Discipleship and Finishing Well07:52 Serving in Small Things: The Key to Larger Responsibilities09:48 Examples of Faithfulness: Mother Teresa and William Booth12:13 The Role of Older Saints in Ministry14:08 Practical Ministry Opportunities for All Ages16:11 Creating a Culture of Discipleship18:07 Reviving Stagnant Congregations20:03 The Promise of Flourishing in Old Age22:02 The Importance of Church Attendance and Community23:57 Historical Impact of Christian Ministries26:10 The Legacy of Faithful Service27:47 Conclusion: Embrace Faithfulness in Your LifeShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at:• Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b• Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369v

Start Your Transformation Now  In this episode of The Jim Fortin Podcast, Jim explores why conflict isn't something that exists "out there" in the world, but is instead created the moment a person takes a side. He argues that all division — political, religious, personal — is a product of the human ego identifying with a single, limited interpretation of reality, and that true peace only returns when a person stops defending a position and remembers themselves as consciousness rather than the body or the belief.  Jim illustrates this with a personal story about getting scammed by a fake towing company, his upbringing around fundamentalist preachers in Texas, and a Coca-Cola versus Pepsi metaphor he uses to describe "mastering neutrality." He also examines how this same dynamic shows up in parenting, where trying to control or judge a adult child's choices is really just another form of taking sides.  This episode offers listeners a practical way to recognize when they've fallen into righteousness or division — and how to return to peace instead.  What You'll Discover in This Episode:  (00:00) Where conflict actually comes from — Jim explains that disharmony isn't a lack of peace in the world; it exists because people don't know themselves as source rather than ego.  (07:38) Why institutions divide — Jim points to preachers, politicians, money, and religion as forces that split humanity by disguising ego and dogma as morality.  (11:02) The Coke and Pepsi metaphor — Jim introduces "mastering neutrality," showing that both sides of any argument are simply two versions of the same illusion.  (13:53) Whatever you fight weakens you — Using a Mother Teresa quote and Wayne Dyer's tree metaphor, Jim reveals how opposing anything grants it power and traps a person in conflict.  (20:00) Why the "correct side" winning never brings peace — Jim challenges the belief that healing the world means making one side win, and reframes what true unity requires.  (27:45) Peace as a realization, not a result — Jim closes with the truth that divine mind has never been divided or taken a side, and neither should the listener.  Listen, apply, and enjoy!  Transformational Takeaway  Every time a person declares one side right and the other wrong, they step out of consciousness and into the ego's illusion of division. Peace was never meant to come from winning an argument or fixing the world outside — it comes from remembering that the listener, at their core, is the same undivided source as everyone they're tempted to oppose. Letting go of the need to be right isn't weakness; it's the doorway back to harmony.  Let's Connect:  Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn  LIKED THE EPISODE?  If you're the kind of person who likes to help others, then share this with your friends and family. If you have found value, they will too. Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts so we can reach more people.  Listening on Spotify? Please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!  With gratitude, Jim 

In Russia, you can now rent a barbecue companion for $15 to $65 a day — jokes and anecdotes included, no lasting friendship expected. Brian From opens with that story as a window into something both funny and genuinely heartbreaking about the loneliness epidemic. Then a personal story: getting pulled over late at night with his son in the car, expired plates, and the surprisingly rich spiritual parallel — what happens when those lights come on behind you, and do you repent or make excuses? Former congressman Ben Sass is walking his terminal cancer diagnosis publicly and with remarkable faith, and Brian reflects on what it means to display your theology when the stakes are as high as they get. A pointed look at the lukewarm church of Laodicea in Revelation 3 — hot or cold, not somewhere in between — and what it means for a congregation to be spiritually comfortable, wealthy, and quietly dying. A meditation on what faith looks like when God feels silent, drawing on the stories of the bleeding woman and Jairus's daughter in Mark 5, and the startling private letters of Mother Teresa, who spent decades feeling God's complete absence while continuing to serve the poorest of the poor. The paradox of faith, Brian concludes, is that it often shines brightest not in clarity but in darkness — and what feels like absence will in time reveal itself as a deeper presence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa restore faith, hope and love to the Church.Find more at https://timharner.com

"In the modern media, Mother Teresa is more reviled than revered. Are her critics anti-religious zealots and click-happy YouTubers? Or is there more to the story?"  –KenCorrection:  Donal MacIntyre is an Irish investigative journalist, not a British one. ► Script Sources and Notes: https://shorturl.at/tASCdLink to piece on Indian-Americans & convenience stores:     • The secret of Indian store owners  FOLLOW KEN:

Paul McAree takes up loneliness — “the leprosy of the West,” in Mother Teresa's phrase — opening with a friend who called it the hardest thing she bore as a single mother, and his own memory of two Belfast neighbourhoods on a Saturday afternoon without a single child on the street. The episode also carries […] L'articolo Eucharistic Divine Mercy – Loneliness: The Leprosy of the West – Paul McAree proviene da Radio Maria.

Discover Fr. Cyril's inspiring reflection on Mother Teresa, where he shares how her unwavering devotion to Mother Mary and the rosary guided her life and mission.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Christians are increasingly concerned about the moral and spiritual direction of our nation. But what is the Church's primary mission in a culture that has drifted from God? Is lasting change achieved through political victories, or through transformed lives that point people to Jesus Christ? In this message from Romans 12:21, Pastor Roger Pettay examines the difference between political success and spiritual success, the challenges Christians face in a rapidly changing culture, and the biblical strategy for making a lasting impact. Drawing from the examples of the early church, Mother Teresa, and faithful believers throughout history, this message reminds us that the most compelling witness for Christ is often a life so well lived that the world cannot ignore it. In this message: • Why Christians should be concerned, but not consumed • The danger of confusing political success with spiritual success • Three major challenges facing believers today • How the early church impacted a hostile culture • Why good works still matter in evangelism • How to live a life that points others to Christ Key Texts: Romans 12:21, Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 2:9-12, Acts 1:6-8 The world may not always listen to what we say, but it is always watching how we live. #Romans12 #ChristianLiving #BiblicalTruth #FaithInAction #Gospel #Evangelism #KingdomOfGod #LightOfTheWorld #SermonPodcast #ChristianPodcast #ExaltChurch #ExaltChurchVA

Episode 297- SCOTUS Win on Assault Firearms Also Available OnSearchable Podcast Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode Transcript Page – 1 – of 15 Gun Lawyer — Episode 297 Transcript SUMMARY KEYWORDS Supreme Court, assault weapons, Second Amendment, gun rights, New Jersey, NRA, firearm laws, Heller decision, McDonald, Bruen, reparations, gun control, concealed carry, Thomas Jefferson, gun lawyer. SPEAKERS Speaker 3, Teddy Nappen, Evan Nappen, Speaker 1 Speaker 1 00:11 Lawyer, Evan Nappen 00:17 I’m Evan Nappen. Teddy Nappen 00:19 And I’m Teddy Nappen. Evan Nappen 00:22 And welcome to Gun Lawyer. Well, my friends, I have to tell you, this is just one of the greatest moments in what I would have to say in our fight to destroy gun rights suppression. It is just a banner time right now. Absolutely, a crescendo at a moment here that I’m just so excited about. Truly, truly excited, no joke. The Supreme Court of the United States has granted certiorari, meaning accepted the case, so that it means there will be an opinion, a decision, a rule made by the Court finally on so-called “assault weapons”. (https://thereload.com/supreme-court-to-decide-constitutionality-of-ar-15-bans/) Evan Nappen 01:27 Yes, we’ve done it. We have finally gotten to where the U.S. Supreme Court is going to look at the impact of the Second Amendment on this issue. I can tell you that I’ve personally been battling and fighting in the state of New Jersey since it was first enacted in May of 1990. Looking back to those days, I remember just thinking, man, hopefully we’ll one day get the United States Supreme Court to deal with this issue. But back then there was no Heller decision. There was no Supreme Court decision that even said that the right to keep and bear arms was an individual right. We didn’t even have that back then. And when the anti-gun rights crowd embarked on this brand new approach, which it was at the time. Evan Nappen 02:38 To understand the history and where we are right now, why it just is so meaningful, you need to understand that the gun rights attack, the effort by our adversaries, to destroy our right to keep and bear arms, basically, in modern times, started after World War One. It was essentially imported here Page – 2 – of 15 from the U.K., from Great Britain. It had gotten its roots there, and it came across the pond like a cancer. It percolated to the point where by 1934 we ended up with the first National Firearms Act. Prior to ’34 but after World War One, you saw states passing state laws of what we commonly call gun control laws. And the gun control laws of those days first initiated through the ’20s, and we still have remnants of those laws still on the books, by the way, in New Jersey and other places. They were put forward by state legislatures and enacted, and those gun laws were mirrored and influenced and encouraged by what was taking place originally in Great Britain. Evan Nappen 04:22 These laws in America at that time period, and you may find this surprising, and it’s not meant to be bashing in any way of NRA. But they were even supported and promoted by the NRA at that time. The NRA had even put forward what were called the “model firearm laws”. They put model laws together that they wanted states to pass. The NRA saw its mission then in a naive, unfortunately, you know, very naive, as certain gun laws and such, that they would support. Now, since then, that’s not their position, and they’ve learned from this naive mistake. But it led to the 1934 Act, and we’ve suffered under that this entire time. It became the first national gun rights oppression law. Even at the time in the “American Rifleman”, you could read it, and they even praised it. They said, “Ah, and this is how they viewed it. You’ve got to understand, put yourself in the time. They said, “Ah, we’ve solved the gun problem in America.” We’ve passed this great national law, and now we’ve resolved it. We’ve solved it. We’ve addressed it. It’s done. And, of course, it was far from done. But for approximately 30 plus years, that was about it for our national laws on guns being passed. Evan Nappen 06:00 Then along comes the ’68 Gun Control Act, which built upon, to a certain degree, of course, built upon the NFA. We already had that national law and then the ’68 law. Then ’72 and then ’80s and ’90s, and etc. So that foundation got laid. And in between all this, what you mainly saw the fight as being, though, where the modern day focus, the modern day focus was handguns. I remember through the ’80s, before the invention, and that’s what it was, the invention of the “assault weapon” issue. It hadn’t been invented yet. Everything was, we only want to ban handguns. Handguns were the symbol of crime. Every news show on the major controlled networks, there weren’t any cables, you know. You just had ABC, NBC, and CBS, and you had their nightly news. And anytime they talked about crime, whether there was a gun involved or not, they always showed a handgun on the news screen anytime they talked about crime. So the propaganda was put there. Everything was about banning handguns, and the main gun rights oppression group of the day was known as Handgun Control. Handgun Control was a big group. You had players at the time like Pete Shields and others, and this is where the push was. Then along comes Josh Sugarman, who puts out his manifesto. Teddy Nappen 07:50 Closet hoplosexual. Evan Nappen 07:52 Right. His manifesto of the assault weapons and their accessories. And even in his manifesto, he writes that the American public will be fooled by this, because they don’t know the difference between machine guns and semi-autos. This lays the groundwork for this. And lo and behold, we have California Page – 3 – of 15 with Patrick Purdy and the massacre that occurred in that incident, and that’s all the blood they needed to dance in. Then the assault weapon laws became the biggest threat to our Second Amendment rights, and everything weirdly shifted, weirdly shifted, so that handguns, with the growth of concealed carry, which has been an amazing success for gun rights support. Handguns are not the big issue for banning, except for, of course, a modern day focus on Glocks, because they’re easily convertible, right? Except for that. You don’t see the push like you used to ban handguns. Evan Nappen 09:00 Of course, Heller took care of that as well. Saying you can’t. It’s unconstitutional to ban handguns, too. But the push on semi-automatic rifles under the contrived created term of “assault weapon”. They took the German of Sturmgewehr, which was the true original assault weapon, a medium power round in a long arm that’s designed for urban settings. It is select fire, both full auto and semi-auto. And causing this, creating this, and putting it with that scary “assault weapon” moniker to scare the public and sell it. And it was to their credit, to a certain degree successful. It was successful in a number of states that passed state laws, including New Jersey. They passed one of the one worst, most destructive, horrible gun laws that have ruined good people. We’ll talk more about that in a little bit. Evan Nappen 10:06 And even a federal law at one point through the 1994 bill that was a crime, which they call the Crime Bill, but I call the bill that was a crime. We had the first national assault weapon ban. That law sunset and went away in 10 years, which was 2004, and they’ve not been able to reenact another federal ban since. But that ban did end up living on, by the way, in the state of New Jersey, because New Jersey adopted the language of that to save New Jersey’s assault firearm ban from being declared unconstitutionally vague. Now that was started by a case that I did, State v. Merrill, where I had the law declared unconstitutional for vagueness because of the term “substantially identical”, which was undefined. What does “substantially identical” even mean? How can something be substantially and identical at the same time? It’s like saying almost exact. Nothing is almost exact. It’s either exact or it isn’t. And because of the vagueness of that term, it was found unconstitutional by Judge Michael Farron, Monmouth County. We knocked out the case. Evan Nappen 11:21 That case was then brought into federal court by the gun rights groups, and that’s where the Attorney General, in order to save it, adopted the 1994 federal crime bill standard that was feature specific. We still live by that today in New Jersey, as to what makes a compliant gun or not, as to the definition of “substantially identical”. The court said, well, now that you know the definition, it’s no longer vague, and therefore it’s constitutional, which is, of course, a judicial lie, a fallacy, a falsehood. Because what that means is that somehow in 1990 our legislators passed an unconstitutionally vague law that did not have definition and somehow knew that in 1994 the federal government would pass a law that defines the undefined law in New Jersey. That’s just ridiculousness squared. But nonetheless it is law, at least as it stands in New Jersey now. We saw other states and other counties constantly push on the so-called “assault weapon” ban, a focus being on the big bad AR-15. We’ve had fight after fight. Page – 4 – of 15 Page – 5 – of 15 Evan Nappen 12:35 And as our battle for Second Amendment rights continued through the courts, we got the trifecta. We got the Heller finding of what we all knew in our hearts was true, that the Second Amendment is an individual right. We got McDonald, which said this doesn’t just apply to the federal government, it applies to all states and localities. And then we got Bruen that laid out the test of constitutionality and gave us the requirement that carry permits must be issued, must be issued. With that buildup of having the trifecta, we’ve now gotten more cases from the Supreme Court that solidify this approach. And just now, in this moment in our lifetimes, the Supreme Court has finally accepted the challenge to the bans of so-called “assault weapons”. The name of the case. Teddy Nappen 13:36 Particularly those two cases. Evan Nappen 13:39 Yes, Viramontes v. Cook County, and Grant versus Higgins. Now, those cases, the Cook County case is the Illinois’ local county. It’s a local assault weapon ban ordinance, just an ordinance banning. And then the other case they took was in Connecticut, which is a statewide ban. Why do that? Well, what’s great is they’re going at anywhere and everything, whether it’s local or state. The challenge is across the board, as per McDonald. It’s incorporated both local and state. So we now have a certiorari grant combining two cases, and it isn’t just limited to Connecticut and this one local county in Illinois. Their decision will reach all localities, all states, and stand in the future with our win, that I am confident we will win, to stop future federal laws on this. Here’s the actual. Go ahead, Teddy. Teddy Nappen 14:52 I will point out that this is just something the we. I always keep an eye on, like all the arguments the Left always do. I always love the ad hominem attack, where they say. Well, this is just some Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), which is they are a party to both cases. (https://saf.org/supreme-court-grants-cert-in-saf-assault-weapons-cases/) They’re the ones that brought the cases. Second Amendment Foundation was joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition. They brought the Vermont. Evan Nappen 15:16 And second Amendment Foundation. Teddy Nappen 15:17 And Second Amendment Foundation, along with the Connecticut Citizens Defense League. They always try to say. Evan Nappen 15:21 Teddy, there are also individual plaintiffs that are very important, that have standing, that have gone this distance. So, this is actual people and organizations. Teddy Nappen 15:32 Yeah, astroturf. Page – 6 – of 15 Evan Nappen 15:32 Yeah, well, astroturf, that’s a joke. Teddy Nappen 15:36 Yeah, but that is. Evan Nappen 15:37 I mean. Yeah. Go ahead. Teddy Nappen 15:40 Just to take that in. Throughout history, just look at the cases throughout, like some of the major Supreme Court cases. I think it was, what was it, either.. I think it was like maybe Plessy versus there was one regular Supreme Court case where it was brought by the, the.. it was about segregation. It was the train companies, where they’re trying to make sure they didn’t have to make extra cars for separating blacks and whites. And it was brought, and they actually set it up to have the case, to get the individual arrested for the segregation. It’s not the first time you’ve had organizations, and that’s throughout all, like a vast majority of cases where you have other. Evan Nappen 16:22 Listen, Teddy. Astroturf? Rosa Parks was a setup. Rosa Parks at the back of the bus, racial segregation. What do you think? It was engineered to make the challenge! Yeah, so don’t give me that. You want to put the issues forward and get the issues decided. Good, good. They have actual plaintiffs. They have actual people that are suffering under these laws, and they have organizations that represent vast amounts of members. It’s fine. It’s real. The assault firearm bans are real, and in New Jersey, their impact has been one of absolute destructive power. But let me just tell you what the court, just to close this, so we know exactly what they’re going to decide. Here is the question presented that they have granted certiorari on. Here it is, ready? Whether the Second and 14th Amendments guarantee the right to possess the AR-15 platform and similar semi-automatic rifles. This is great! One of the criteria that the antis are going to use, is they’re going to say, well, it has to be arms that are commonly possessed. Well, the AR-15 is the most commonly possessed rifle in America. As a matter of fact, folks, there are more AR-15s than there are Ford F150 pickup trucks! Let that sink in. Teddy Nappen 18:08 That was the other argument I’ve been seeing from The Trace. (https://www.thetrace.org/2026/06/assault-weapons-bans-supreme-court-2a/) They just did their whole, you know, boo hoo, whining, and crying. It was from Chip Brownlee. Guess the first thing they highlight? This is the fight for the dangerous and unusual AR-15. Like that’s the common use. That’s the spin that they’re going to use. They’re trying to lay the groundwork on, is that whole idea of. Evan Nappen 18:34 Well, you know why? They don’t have historical analogs under the Bruen test anymore, that can help them. Their analogs have had their legs cut off. The one they loved was about the Black Codes, where they banned blacks from Bowie knives and guns, or whatever. And Alito, just in the recent opinion, made it clear that’s a tainted relic. It can’t be taken seriously. So, forget it. That analog is out the Page – 7 – of 15 window. They just revealed, based on research by Stephen Halbrook, that the precedent claimed for carrying – as a matter of fact, this was even in Kuhns. One of the precedents relied upon by the court was a law that never was a law. It was simply something in some Frenchman’s book that talked about it. But the actual law was not how they’re citing it at all. Their analogs are fraught with fraud, fraught with being completely tossed in the garbage can, and they know it. When it comes to that Bruen test of history, text and tradition. In order for a law to be upheld and found not to be unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, the Government has the burden of showing the past analogs that there were other laws that were like that law that make this new law acceptable. And they don’t have that. They do not have it. So, they’re falling back, Teddy, to it’s not common use. Well, that’s falls flat on its face. They’re falling back on what? What’s the classic? Why don’t you tell us? What’s the classic when all else fails for them to cry about? Teddy Nappen 20:34 Blood In The Streets. That’s Blood In The Streets. They always cite two BITS. We have to consider the gun violence when considering this. All that goes right to Brown. Evan Nappen 20:43 Public policy. They always go back to the public policy arguments, public policy, and guess what? That doesn’t cut it! That doesn’t justify infringement of the Second Amendment. That argument is dead in the water. It’s not the test. It’s not a balancing test. Balancing tests aren’t allowed. Done, dead, gone. You can’t balance public policy. Can’t do it anymore. They know they’re going to be crushed, and I cannot wait for that day. I cannot wait till, at the latest, it’ll be next June. We’re going to have a decision that removes finally. I know it in my bones. Gets rid of, ends this travesty called the “assault weapon” ban. Let me tell you something. These laws have destroyed good people. These laws have created more harm than they claim the firearms themselves have created, especially in states like New Jersey. Evan Nappen 22:00 It isn’t just that an individual can’t have that gun or this gun. It’s the aggressive insanity of enforcement destroying people’s lives. If you get convicted of possession of an “assault firearm” in New Jersey, right? An AR-15 that has a bayonet mount on it and a pistol grip. You are now guilty of possession of an “assault firearm” because of a bayonet mount. You’re looking at 10 years in State Prison with a minimum mandatory three and a half years. No chance of parole. Three and a half years – minimum mandatory, folks. No way around it. No way. If you’re convicted of that, the judge has zero discretion. You can be Mother Teresa, and you’ll have to get three and a half years minimum mandatory in State Prison because you had a gun that had a bayonet mount and a pistol grip. You can only have one offending feature, and the pistol grip is one offending feature, right out of the box. And you had two because your other one was a bayonet mount. You know how important bayonet mounts are to crime. I mean, come on. What about all the drive-by bayonetings we have to take care of here, right? Folks, that’s how they.. Teddy Nappen 22:00 I think you also. Just looking at the future, because from the facts of where everything’s lined up, yeah, we’re going to win. And just seeing that right now, the way things lay out, I look to. Page – 8 – of 15 Evan Nappen 23:45 Well, we don’t want to be overconfident, but we. Teddy Nappen 23:48 I understand. Fine, cautiously optimistic. Evan Nappen 23:52 But I am cautiously optimistic. I am incredibly cautiously optimistic with an emphasis on optimistic. Teddy Nappen 23:59 I always look to what is left of their, what would be the next step, then on there on the gun right suppressionist? Because the only thing I could think of is they’re just going to try to put. Evan Nappen 24:09 Wait, wait, wait. Hold that thought for a minute. I just want to finish about the other destruction that has occurred. Like I said, it’s not just that you get arrested and you’re charged with assault firearm. Then you’re thrown in the Gulag, and they want to hold you until your trial. You’re going to spend at least a week, even if your lawyer can get you out before your trial. You have that fight. Then they use it as a licensing disqualifier. If you had an assault firearm, you’re banned from ever having guns again. It doesn’t matter. It’s an assault firearm. On top of that, they have made assault firearm possession not releasable under the Gulag. Remember, we’ve talked about this. It becomes a criteria where there’s a presumption for you to be held in jail. Presumption in favor all over this nonsense. So, you see it’s far-reaching, and what happens when someone inadvertently gets involved in this? Your life gets destroyed. You lose your career. You lose your family. You can lose your freedom. You lose your gun rights, and it’s devastating to people. And then there are those that are doing hard time because they are otherwise lawful possessors. It doesn’t matter. They’re doing the time, having their life destroyed, and having been turned into felons. Evan Nappen 25:40 So, let me just say this. After this decision is a tremendous win for our gun rights and for civil rights, because it’s in the same category as the First Amendment, folks. It’s in the same category as a fundamental right under the Bill of Rights. What I want to see after that decision is reparations to gun owners. That’s right. Reparations to gun owners. You know, they talk on the other side about reparations for slavery to generations later that were never slaves, and they want reparations. Here we will have reparations to individuals who are still alive and have suffered. To anybody that had to give up one of their guns that never should have had to. To those that went into the Gulag and suffered that never should have. To those who have done State Prison sentences that never should have. To those who have lost their gun rights, who have had their families, their lives, their freedom, and their fortunes, all destroyed. Reparations to them. Wait till after this decision comes down. Then we push for reparations. We don’t let it end. Oh, sure. Is that difficult? Will it be hard? Yeah, but it’s no more hard, and frankly, less, way less, of an ask than those asking for reparations for slavery, where we don’t even have the victims of that alive today. Page – 9 – of 15 Teddy Nappen 27:09 It’s also very easy to quantify, because you go into just the legal fees that were brought, the time in jail. Plenty of people have sued and won on those cases. So, it’s something you can actually determine, as opposed to generational racism. It’s ridiculous, as ridiculous sounds, but to this end, where someone who had their life destroyed because of the gun control that they have pushed over the years. Evan Nappen 27:39 That was utterly a violation of our fundamental rights and Second Amendment civil rights. It absolutely is going to lay groundwork for at least tremendous litigation, and really we should have eventually a federal reparations law requiring states to pay that ever had these laws. To compensate individuals who suffered under their tyranny. So, Teddy, you had something else to mention. I know you did. Teddy Nappen 27:39 Yes. So, the one thing I was looking at, whenever I always look to our opponents, because I try not to think of them as being stupid. Even though they are pretty retarded on a lot of different fronts, but they always keep pushing. And I remember this term for it, of what they were described. The Left and the Marxists are line steppers. They go with the idea of what can we get away with, what can we push for, because they always go for that. It’s always just progressivism for progressive sake. Cut to trans ideology. Cut to, you know, we’re going to take your children away and then transition them. Cut to any form of the Left in its insanity. Teddy Nappen 28:16 I always think what will be the next push, and I can see it right now. Repealing the Second Amendment will be the next step. Evan Nappen 28:16 100 percent. Teddy Nappen 28:36 Yes, that will. That’s the only. The only thing I can think of is what they did to Penny, what they did to all the other self-defense cases that we’ve had. Fine, you can have your firearms, but if you ever use them, we will drag you through the courts. We’ll make your life a living hell. We will make it so that people will want to murder you and come to your house and dox you. That’s the only thing at this point. That’s all they have. They are the party of violence, that is shown. You have doxing websites they run. That is the only two avenues I can see for that, and also suing the gun shops into oblivion, which we need to do something with the, I think, what is it, the PLCAA, where it’s the protection. Evan Nappen 29:59 Yeah, PLCAA. (Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act) Right. Teddy Nappen 30:02 We need to improve and expand PLCAA, and just say no. Stop wasting the state’s money. So, I don’t know what the test would be, but we need to. Page – 10 – of 15 Evan Nappen 30:12 Well, the fight will definitely change, and you know, the gun rights oppressors are not going to give up. But. Teddy Nappen 30:21 Of courses not. Evan Nappen 30:21 It will absolutely take away one of their actually most successful modern gun rights oppression tax. This will be one of. This will destroy what has actually been one of their areas of success, to be honest. They have succeeded in multiple states, and even at one point federally over this. This will destroy it, kill it, and they’re going to be knocked back on their heels very hard by it. And then we need to finish the job. Evan Nappen 31:00 Repeal Hughes Amendment. Evan Nappen 31:01 We need to go at reparations and make it so that when any of these governments decide to embark on rights violations, that down the road we make them pay. We just don’t kill the law. We just don’t knock it out, so that it no longer has effect. We have to make them pay for what they did to good people, and we do that through reparations. Teddy Nappen 31:29 We should also repeal the Hughes. Amendment. Evan Nappen 31:31 That’s going to build. Once you get this case, then, of course, the rest of NFA, any other hardware bands, all these things are going to be on the table. We will have even stronger, better case law to take it all out as the house of cards built by the gun rights oppressors collapses. Hey, and by the way, let me tell you about our good friends at WeShoot. WeShoot is a range in Lakewood. It’s where Teddy and I both shoot, and that is, of course, where we get our training. And I want to tell you that they are offering New Jersey concealed carry, so you can get your CCARE so you can get your carry permit out of Jersey. They have a new price for their CCARE. It’s incredible. It’s only $225! You can sign up at WeShoot and get their carry course, and it is great. You’ll get your PTC certification, and they really set the gold standard there at WeShoot. You’ll be able to get re-qualification, too. This is the training that police departments use. They’re also USCCA and NRA backed courses. It’s all combined. This is where you can reserve and get it done, so you can get your carry. Evan Nappen 33:03 Particularly now where we’re knocking out “sensitive places”, as we just did with the Wolford case, which actually impacts New Jersey “sensitive places”. We’re going to see more and more availability of where we can carry, and every carry permit holder is another vote for carry. Probably by now, we are well over 100,000 carry permits in New Jersey. You know, it used to be 600. Literally just 600 carry Page – 11 – of 15 permits. Not 600,000. Six hundred. And now we’re in the 100,000 or damn close, if not over it, of permit carriers. I just showed you how their oppression law was so successful before, and after Bruen, it’s dead. Evan Nappen 33:50 So, go to weshootusa.com. Check out We Shoot, and I know you’ll love WeShoot, too. They have great training, and not only can you get your New Jersey permit certification, your CCARE, but they also offer special training to get that for seniors, 65 or older. They have a special deal for seniors – only $185. You can get your training there. They also offer New York City non-resident carry. They are offering New York City non-resident carry. They have it at a fantastic new low price of $289, and you can get your New York City carry, which also covers New York State non-resident carry permit. They’ll do all the training, and this is really great. Anthony Zalo will be doing this course. It spans two days, and it covers firearm safety and storage, pistol ammunition basics, de-escalation techniques, federal and state law, live fire training. If you’re seeking even more certifications, they offer Maryland Wear and Carry Certification, as well as Washington, D.C. carry permits for just $150 each. On Tuesday, August 4, they will be holding their New York resident and non-resident carry courses. Evan Nappen 35:37 WeShoot also has Civilian Shoot House Training. This is really cool. Their Civilian Shoot House Training, so you can understand how to clear rooms, move with purpose, and make decisions under pressure. This is great for homeowners and parents and security team. Anybody who’s serious about protecting their home and community, check out WeShoot’s Civilian Shoot House Training. They have that scheduled out. You can sign up for Friday, July 31st for that Training. They also have adult CPR / AED and Stop the Bleed, so that you know how to treat wounds. They’re offering that training on Monday, July 20. And for new shooters, they have great training called “From Nervous to Bullseye”. If you’re entry level, you want basic training. Here’s what you can do. They’re also offering weekend classes, and you can “Hit Your Weekend Target” with their great instructors – Grant Gallagher, Tony Zollo, and Lance Hubeny. They’re all there. Sign up at WeShoot. They are a phenomenal resource. We’re talking here about WeShoot in Lakewood. They offer USCCA and Sig Sauer Academy – “Close Quarter Defense Fundamentals. I mean, can you believe this? Just fantastic training. Make sure you check out weshootusa.com. You’ll love the range, you’ll love the pro shop, and you’ll love the people. They are the best. Go to weshootusa.com today, and take a trip down to Lakewood. They are right there in Central Jersey, conveniently off the Parkway. You’ll be glad you did. Evan Nappen 37:40 Let me also shamelessly promote my book, New Jersey Gun Law. It’s the bible of Jersey Gun Law, and you need to get your copy today. Go to EvanNappen.com and get a copy of New Jersey Gun Law. It’ll help keep you from being a GOFU. Hey, we are now celebrating, of course, the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This is a great moment in our history where that fantastic, earth shattering, world changing, humanity changing, document was signed and began the birth of our wonderful America, the greatest country on earth. I have nothing but reverence for our Founding Fathers and our Founding documents, and celebrate 100%. Page – 12 – of 15 Evan Nappen 38:48 Let me tell you about the author. Of course, the Committee of Five technically authored The Declaration, but the majority of the credit is given to, and I hope you know this, Thomas Jefferson. But let me tell you about how great Thomas Jefferson was. Not just because of his phenomenal presidency, his assertion of our national reputation against the Muslim pirates, the pirates of the day, standing up to them, and also the Louisiana Purchase, and so many amazing things under Jefferson. And, of course, the Declaration of Independence. But let me tell you something else about Thomas Jefferson. I want you to know, when it comes to firearms, Thomas Jefferson was one of us. He couldn’t be more one of us. Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest gun owning founding fathers to live. Evan Nappen 40:04 And let me read you, especially on the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The man who wrote that and made us so where we are today, we can be proud and free. Listen to some quotes from Thomas Jefferson, specifically about guns. Here’s a great quote from Thomas Jefferson. “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” Yeah, he said that. No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. That’s from Thomas Jefferson in the Virginia Constitution draft of 1776. Here’s another phenomenal quote by Thomas Jefferson. “I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” Let that sink in, folks. He preferred dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery. He wrote that in a letter to James Madison in 1787 . Here’s another great quote from Thomas Jefferson. “What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms.” That’s right. Enemies, foreign and domestic, my friends. You heard what Jefferson said. Evan Nappen 41:40 “The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.” Pure common sense spoken by Thomas Jefferson in Commonplace Book, quoting the 18th century criminologist Cesare Beccaria. Here’s another quote from Thomas Jefferson. “A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.” Let that one sink in, folks. Thomas Jefferson, in his letter to Peter Carr from August of 1785. Evan Nappen 42:27 “The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; and they may exercise it by themselves, and that is their right and duty to be armed at all times. Let all those quotes from Thomas Jefferson sink in. Think about them as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the man that was the chief engineer of that document and how that man viewed our Second Amendment rights. Page – 13 – of 15 Teddy Nappen 43:43 I will also say, like, I don’t know if you did. Did you ever get to go to Monticello? Did you and Mom get to go? Evan Nappen 44:09 Thanks for mentioning it. No, that is on my bucket list, and I’m going there. My wife went. You’ve gone. Teddy Nappen 44:18 No, I didn’t. I didn’t get to go. Evan Nappen 44:20 What? You didn’t either? Teddy Nappen 44:20 Nope. Just Mom. Evan Nappen 44:21 Teddy, you and I have got to go. Teddy Nappen 44:23 Just Mom got to go. That’s why. Evan Nappen 44:25 This is just wrong. I’ve got to go to Monticello. I’ve meaning to get there. And it’s bugging the hell out of me. Teddy Nappen 44:33 If you ever do go there, they have his pistols. His famed pistols that were, I think, gifted to him. (https://www.monticello.org/encyclopedia/firearms) Yeah, his famed twin pocket pistols that were gifts from, I believe it was a pair of Turkish pistols received from General Isaac Zane in place of a monetary bequest. Evan Nappen 45:07 Bequest. He gifted him these pistols. Teddy Nappen 45:11 Okay. Evan Nappen 45:12 Yeah. Teddy Nappen 45:14 It was also kind of interesting that Jefferson loved to go out and do competition shoots. He would do a lot of them, and he was a fairly good marksman. There were marks in his letters showing that he noted Page – 14 – of 15 in his accounts, I won a shooting in one of six, it was a muster with Captain Jacob Moon’s Albany County Militia Company. He lost two to six, but as he grew older, his limited exercise. He moved more to firearms and hunting over his horseback riding. He even had designs, and there was accounting of a double-barreled gun lock that he had drawn. So, there’s various other bits in his accounts. Evan Nappen 46:01 Like I said, he’s one of us, man. One hundred percent. Hey, this is wonderful, an incredibly important part of our heritage and our tradition. Jefferson stands tall. All the Founding Fathers were, of course, gun owners and knew the importance of arms, but Jefferson is special, without a doubt. Jefferson is special. Evan Nappen 46:32 And you know, Teddy, I want to tell you about this week’s GOFU. This is a GOFU that every time in the practice of gun law, there’s something new. Some other GOFU that I’d not even heard about before, and it just blows me away. It constantly gets crazier and worse, and I want everyone to understand this GOFU, which is, of course, a Gun Owner Fuck Up. Where individuals are now experiencing expensive lessons, or have experienced expensive lessons that you can hopefully avoid for free by listening to Gun Lawyer. Evan Nappen 47:16 So, this week’s GOFU concerns the following. We have a couple, a husband and wife, that are not getting along well with one another, and okay, it happens, right? It happens. Well, it ends up where at some point there’s a fight, and like the old kind of comedy issue you’ve seen on TV, where often it’s the woman, it doesn’t have to be, but often is, throws the husband’s clothing or the belongings out the window to get out. That kind of a thing. Well, in this case, apparently his firearms were tossed out onto the lawn. I guess it sends a message as to throwing out things that the other party believes they care about. But whatever. I’m not going to get into the psychology of it. The bottom line is that this takes place. What happens? Well, it ends up where the police get involved. The police get involved because it falls under the so-called banner of domestic violence. Anytime there is domestic violence, police are called in over any claim of domestic violence, and it’s so broad. Remember, domestic violence could be anything, even harassment, which the essence of which is doing something to purposely annoy another. Now, I know none of you have ever purposely annoyed your spouse or your boyfriend or your girlfriend, but if you did, then you arguably committed domestic violence for harassment. Evan Nappen 48:57 Anyway, that can bring the police into your lives, and this is where you get to live the famous saying of Ronald Reagan. “We’re here from the Government, and we’re here to help.” And, of course, that was one of the best, most sarcastic things that Reagan ever said. Because we’re here from the Government and we’re here to help, is of course the exact opposite. And that’s what happened here. The Government gets involved, and both parties are questioned over various allegations. It doesn’t matter what. The bottom line is that the domestic violence forms are filled out where the issue is documented, and the wife is asked, do you want a restraining order? And she wisely says no. This is internal. They’re squabbling, or whatever. She doesn’t need a restraining order. The husband, who related his whole side of everything there too, is asked, “do you want a restraining order? And he wisely said no, as well. Page – 15 – of 15 Evan Nappen 50:11 So, now you have a couple that are trying. They’re going to do whatever, but they don’t want restraining orders. They don’t want the Government in their life. They’re not interested in that. But what happens? The Government files Red Flags, TERPOs, Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Orders on both of them. Neither of them wanted a restraining order. Neither one wanted it, but it didn’t matter. The Government now files to take away both of their gun rights. To take away their guns and put them on a list of extreme risk. This puts you on a database that could even arguably be accessed by TSA or others that you’re a danger. It has farther reaching collateral consequences than just taking guns and taking away your gun rights. Putting you into the court system now to have to individually fight TERPOs, because we’re from the Government and we’re here to help. That, my friends, is the GOFU. Keep it in mind at all times about being from the Government and there to help. Especially on the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Evan Nappen 51:37 This is Evan Nappen and Teddy Nappen reminding you that gun laws don’t protect honest citizens from criminals. They protect criminals from honest citizens. Even Thomas Jefferson knew that. Speaker 3 51:50 Gun Lawyer is a CounterThink Media production. The music used in this broadcast was managed by Cosmo Music, New York, New York. Reach us by emailing Evan@gun.lawyer. The information and opinions in this broadcast do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. Downloadable PDF TranscriptGun Lawyer S5 E297 Transcript About The HostEvan Nappen, Esq.Known as “America's Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, and weapons history and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades — it's no wonder he's become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry and national media outlets. Regularly called on by radio, television and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news Evan has appeared countless shows including Fox News – Judge Jeanine, CNN – Lou Dobbs, Court TV, Real Talk on WOR, It's Your Call with Lyn Doyle, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, and Cam & Company/NRA News. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Email Evan Your Comments and Questions  talkback@gun.lawyer Join Evan's InnerCircleHere's your chance to join an elite group of the Savviest gun and knife owners in America.  Membership is totally FREE and Strictly CONFIDENTIAL.  Just enter your email to start receiving insider news, tips, and other valuable membership benefits.   Email (required) *First Name *Select list(s) to subscribe toInnerCircle Membership Yes, I would like to receive emails from Gun Lawyer Podcast. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.var ajaxurl = "https://gun.lawyer/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";

In this episode, we are fortunate to be joined by the remarkable Dr. Shachindra and Dr. Bhawisha Joshi, who will talk to us about the Map System, a tool they have designed to simplify the case-taking process and bring together all remedies in a single map to aid in accurate prescribing. Moreover, they will discuss the seven stages of development that they assert each person goes through.   Check out these episode highlights: 01:32 - The Joshi's introduction to homeopathy 04:26 - Homeopathy is so ingrained in our daily life 06:34 - How the Map System came about 09:33 - Catastrophic period in their practice 15:29 - The seven levels of development 24:53 - What is classical homeopathy 28:46 - How can people learn about the map system 31:01 - The importance of understanding and using the map system in the right spirit 35:03 - Final advice to listeners   About Our Guest: Bhawisha Joshi is a well-known homeopathic doctor, born on June 24, 1975, in Mumbai, India. She completed her graduation in homeopathy from one of the top homeopathic colleges in Asia and earned her Masters degree in homeopathy from the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences. She is an integral part of the Bombay Group, which practices the Sensation method, and is known worldwide, along with her husband Shachindra, as the 'Dynamic Duo of Homoeopathy.' Dr. Joshi is the author of the book 'Homoeopathy & Patterns in the Periodic table- Part 1', which was published in 2008 and translated into German, Russian, and Japanese. She is also a co-author of the book "Nosodes & Imponderables Come Alive!", published in 2011. In 1997, Dr. Joshi and her husband established an independent homeopathic practice in Vile Parle, Mumbai, and they have a satellite practice in London, England. They have also served as honorary doctors at Mother Teresa's Home for the Dying and Destitute in Mumbai from 1996-1999.   Shachindra Joshi is a successful homeopath based in Mumbai, India, who has been practicing since 1997. He obtained his bachelor's degree in homeopathy from the best homeopathic college in Asia and later went on to earn his master's degree in homeopathy from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences. Joshi is closely associated with Dr. Rajan Sankaran and is an integral part of the Bombay Group, which practices the Sensation Method of homeopathy. He is also known for co-authoring the 2011 book "Nosodes & Imponderables Come Alive!"  with his wife Bhawisha. In addition to his homeopathy practice, Joshi and his wife have an independent practice as homeopathic consultants in Vile Parle, Mumbai, and also maintain a satellite practice in London, England. They previously served as honorary doctors at Mother Teresa's Home for the Dying and Destitute in Mumbai from 1996-1999. Joshi and his wife are popularly known as the "Dynamic Duo of Homeopathy" worldwide.   Find out more about Dr. Shachindra and Dr. Bhawisha Joshi Website: http://www.drjoshisclinic.com/   If you would like to support the Homeopathy Hangout Podcast, please consider making a donation by visiting www.EugenieKruger.com and click the DONATE button at the top of the site. Every donation about $10 will receive a shout-out on a future episode.   Join my Homeopathy Hangout Podcast Facebook community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelloHomies   Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eugeniekrugerhomeopathy/   Here is the link to my free 30-minute Homeopathy@Home online course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqBUpxO4pZQ&t=438s   Upon completion of the course - and if you live in Australia - you can join my Facebook group for free acute advice (you'll need to answer a couple of questions about the course upon request to join): www.facebook.com/groups/eughom

Hey beautiful people! What if you didn't have to lure anything into this moment — no worry, no anxiety, no "hurry up and get to the next thing" — and what if the good stuff started showing up on its own? In this mini meditation episode, I talk about taking custody of your own consciousness, getting out of the hurry-up cycle, and learning to just sit in right now. There's only one Now, baby, and it's right here. Stick around for the little guided meditation at the end. In this episode:The "hurry up" trap — how we rush through every single moment to get to the next one, only to rush through that one tooWherever you go, there you are: why nothing actually happens in the past or the future, only right nowEckhart Tolle's simplest doorway into the present — just ask yourself, "Am I still breathing?"Puppies versus politics — choosing what you let into your moment, being for peace instead of against warBliss blips: those little unprovoked blips of bliss that show up for no reason at all, and why they're tied straight to your meditation practiceA short guided meditation using a soft drishti, an environmental scan, and the Om Shanti mantraMentions and shoutouts:Joe Dispenza and the retreat that stuck with meWherever You Go, There You Are (I'm pretty sure that's Jon Kabat-Zinn)Eckhart Tolle, Yogananda, Dan Siegel's "flip your lid," and Mother Teresa's "I won't march against war, but I'll march for peace"The Vedas on life as a show we get to watchSeptember retreat at ilovetherapy.com with Sonic Yogi and an amazing Atlanta cellist joining usIf you've ever had a bliss blip, I want to hear about it — email me at cheri@thestresstherapist.com (it's Cheri with a C — wasn't my idea). And come meditate with us at ilovetherapy.com. Connect with me @thestresstherapist on Instagram and @stresstherapy on Twitter. Georgia residents — book a free consultation at thestresstherapist.com. Produced and edited by Owen Flake

今日の言葉の花束は私がずっと大切にしてきてる大好きなマザーテレサのこの言葉ですWhat can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.Mother Teresa世界平和にどうやって貢献できるかって？家に帰って自分の家族を愛することが世界平和の貢献になるマザー・テレサ家族を愛すことってとても難しいことでもあります。色んな形の愛があります。なので「仲良くしてくこと」が一概に「いいこと」でもないと私は思っています。ですが、お互いにとって過ごしやすい状況を作ることができたら、お互いにとってすごく満たされる人生を送っていくことができると思います。そしてそれは代々伝わる目に見えない大きな財産となると私は思っています。思考を使ったセルフケアライフをあなたも今日から始めることができます３０日間ご自身でまず集中してやってみることができる毎日10分のポッドキャストのファイルとセルフケアワークの仕方をお伝えしたものを購入することができます。興味のある方はメールにてご連絡ください。Email: ⁠⁠masako373gosse@gmail.com私の個人コンサルではあなたの強みと弱みを生かすセルフケアの仕方をカスタマイズしてお伝えすることをしています。コンサル後、自分はこれでいいんだという気持ちになることができると思います。今までのことを認めらたい方、褒められた経験がない方、これでいいのだろうかと思っている方に特にお勧めしています。⁠⁠私のセルフケアを意識したカリフォルニアでのライフスタイルを日々アップしてるインスタはこちらから　＠selfcare.fromcalihttps://www.instagram.com/selfcare.fromcali?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

It's Mailbag Friday! You've got questions, we've got answers. Segment 1 • Cademan: How can I help a friend trust that the Bible we have today is truly God's Word? Segment 2 • Anonymous: How can I grow in spiritual maturity? • Jonathan: Are unbelievers judged according to the amount of truth they rejected—and will people like Hitler and Mother Teresa receive the same punishment? • Alan: Should Christians belong to organizations like the Elks Lodge? Segment 3 • Anonymous: How can I encourage my husband to stop being late for church? • Anonymous: How can I biblically help my 10-year-old son who struggles with anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and possible OCD? Segment 4 • Rachel: Is baptism by sprinkling ever appropriate, and should someone baptized that way be accepted into church membership? • James: If a professing Christian commits suicide, does that mean they were never truly saved? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

Could answering 5 simple questions really change the entire trajectory of your life? For people like Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and Mother Teresa, it did. So if these questions are good enough for them, why can't we benefit from them... Enjoy.

Hi, this is Bill Young from the Prayer and Lunch Podcast. I hope everyone is doing well. It's Father's Day weekend 2026, and after nearly two years away from podcasting, I felt it was time to share some experiences and reflections that have deeply impacted my faith.Two years ago, I traveled to Sicily and visited Mount Etna, the only active volcano in Europe. While there, I witnessed unusual shapes in the steam rising from the volcano. At first, it appeared like a giant bird with its wings spread open, and later like birds flying upward. That experience stayed with me and eventually led me to read A New Science of Heaven by Robert Temple.Temple's book explores plasma science and the idea that plasma makes up most of the universe. Although the book itself is not religious, it raised spiritual questions for me about heaven, the afterlife, and the nature of reality.What especially caught my attention were the mysterious smoke rings observed at Mount Etna in April 2024. These rings appeared from April 2nd through April 9th — the period from Holy Thursday through Easter Monday. Reports spread worldwide as thousands of rings were seen rising from the volcano.As a Catholic, I reflected on these events spiritually. I began wondering whether these rising rings could symbolize souls ascending from purgatory to heaven. Since volcanoes contain fire, smoke, and heat, the imagery reminded me of the Catholic understanding of purgatory as a temporary place of purification before entering heaven.I understand science may explain these events differently. Some say people naturally see patterns or faces in clouds and light. Even my son suggested that some of the images in my photos may have been reflections from the bus windows. That may be true. Still, I cannot deny what I personally experienced and felt.Over the years, I've also had other moments that strengthened my faith. I attended the canonization Mass of Mother Teresa in Rome and witnessed unusual cloud formations that reminded me of rings and crosses. Later, while serving as a Eucharistic minister, I experienced what felt like a wing brushing across my back — a peaceful moment that reminded me of the presence of the Holy Spirit.These experiences do not scientifically prove anything, and I understand many people may disagree with my interpretations. But for me, they serve as reminders that faith, prayer, and the spiritual world are real.I encourage anyone interested in science and spirituality to explore Temple's book and reflect on the relationship between faith and the universe. Whether you agree or not, asking questions and searching for meaning matters.Thank you to everyone who still listens to the Prayer and Lunch Podcast after all these years. Your support means a great deal to me. God bless you all, and have a wonderful day.

We're used to hostile online encounters with total strangers. It fuels the digital economy. But what if there were a way to experiment with radical emotional honesty with an anonymous other—much the same as you'd experience at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting? The anonymous founder of This Life, an audio-only app built on anonymity, joins For the Life of the World to argue that emotional and spiritual progress is still possible at scale. "What's really kind is to care about somebody else. And then even more kind than that is to allow somebody else to care about you." In this episode with Evan Rosa, Justin Smith (a pseudonym) reflects on what he learned in Alcoholics Anonymous, the genius of Bill Wilson, and why our voices carry so much emotional weight, and how sharing them—even (and perhaps especially) anonymously—can be a transformative experience of growth. Together they discuss anonymity as a path to honesty, the "spiritual hitchhiker," negative emotion as a force that wants to win, design as destiny, and becoming a neighbor. They also weigh technology's limits and whether spiritual and emotional progress can scale. Episode Highlights "What's really kind is to care about somebody else. And then even more kind than that is to allow somebody else to care about you." "I believe we live in a society that has given up on the idea of emotional or spiritual progress at scale." "Honesty with yourself is a skill." "If you begin to look at unhelpful negative emotion as a force that wants to win, what you'll notice is that we're in a fight that we're not well equipped for." "Meaningful spiritual development is impossible without honesty with other people." About Justin Smith "Justin Smith" is a pseudonym. The guest is the founder of This Life, an audio-only iOS app he describes as an experiment in emotional and spiritual progress, built around anonymity, self-reflection, and what he calls the "spiritual hitchhiker." A Christian shaped by his time in Alcoholics Anonymous and the writing of AA co-founder Bill Wilson, he draws on figures from Martin Luther King Jr. to E.O. Wilson and Fred Rogers to argue that honesty with others is the foundation of spiritual growth. By his request, and in keeping with the episode's premise, his real name, biography, and social accounts are withheld. Learn more about the This Life app on the iOS App Store. Helpful Links and Resources This Life: An Experiment (App Store) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/this-life-an-experiment/id6746807306 Alcoholics Anonymous (the "Big Book"), by Bill Wilson: https://www.aa.org/the-big-book The Twelve Traditions of AA (Tradition Twelve, on anonymity): https://www.aa.org/the-twelve-traditions "On Being a Good Neighbor," Martin Luther King Jr.: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/draft-chapter-iii-being-good-neighbor Show Notes Anonymous guest, identity withheld "Justin Smith"—not his real name The neighbor can be anonymous Startup founders and self-help gurus—equally annoying How the app works: an audio-only experiment Spoken note—talk to yourself, your God, or both "Spiritual hitchhiker"—paired daily with a stranger One rule: no politics "A much more intimate and powerful sort of access to a human consciousness." The voice as the best vehicle for the spiritual Looks always color how we treat each other Design is destiny "We live in a Star Wars civilization with stone age emotions" (E.O. Wilson) Bill Wilson refused Yale's honorary doctorate "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities." https://www.aa.org/the-twelve-traditions Negative emotion as a force that wants to win "Honesty with yourself is a skill." Mandela, Mother Teresa, Mr. Rogers—all struggled "Meaningful spiritual development is impossible without honesty with other people." No longer "people in my way at the Starbucks line"—strangers with inner lives Personal responsibility and the courage to become a neighbor #Anonymity #SpiritualGrowth #AlcoholicsAnonymous #BillWilson #Loneliness #DigitalWellbeing #Neighbor #EmotionalHealth #ForTheLifeOfTheWorld #Honesty Production Notes This podcast featured Justin Smith (Pseudonym) Edited and Produced by Evan Rosa Hosted by Evan Rosa Production Assistance by Noah Senthil A Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/about Support For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Kathryn was born in the Himalayas. However, both her parents were English and had the same desire of "going out to India, spreading the Gospel message and serving the poor," explains my guest. Living in Vienna as a young girl, Kathryn remembers her parents taking in refugees who were seeking political asylum and it was normal to have refugees sleeping on their floor regularly. These memories had a profound effect on Kathryn and she was certain that this is how her interests in helping the less fortunate  came to be.  Kathryn shares that her mother was not warm and fuzzy but she was from the generation of tough and strong women. Kathryn always felt very loved. Ruby was a teacher and taught her daughter and other children from the Embassy. Ruby was determined that Kathryn would not be spoiled. Kathryn was soon sent to boarding school because her parents were working and traveling regularly. "A little pencil in God's hand" is how Mother Teresa would refer to herself. She never wanted credit  or accolades for her work. "She could be a tough cookie," Spink reflects however, "she was difficult to deal with sometimes, because God was so definitely on her side and that could make things tough. Mother Teresa was so determined, nothing could get in her way." "Poverty saddened Mother Teresa the most according to Kathryn,  "I don't think it angered her not in relation to God. Waste most likely angered her the most but never with God." Mother Teresa was always seeing the presence of God in the poor and it helped her persevere.  "Tolerance was deeply ingrained in Mother Theresa" explains Ms. Spink. "Mother Teresa believed that God was at work in every soul, so it wasn't up to her to try and convince others of the 'correct/best religion." My guest remarks "Mother Teresa used to say "come to Calcutta and I'll put you to work".  This is what this demure but mighty  woman believed with her whole body, mind and spirit. Kathryn even shared stories of the similarities between Mother Teresa, whose birth name was Agnes, and her mother Drana. "The family that prays together, stays together" was one of Drana's favorite expressions according to Spink. Caring for the sick was a common thread for the two woman.  "It's not always about the physical suffering, but the whole process of being abandoned by people" was one of the toughest things for Mother Teresa to comes to terms with, comments Spink. Mother Teresa founded the order, "The Missionaries of Charities." She wanted to give shelter to  abandoned babies and to help the poorest of the poor. In 1979 she received the Nobel Peace Prize and after her death was canonized as Saint Teresa.  I could have listened for hours to my guest share her stories of all of these selfless women. Mother Teresa was known as 'Mother' because when a nun/sister is appointed to a superior position within  the church, they are known as 'Mother.' INFORMATION: Kathryn Spink is the author of several books on the work of Mother Teresa and her coworkers, as well as other inspiring contemporary figures, including Brother Roger of Taize, Beede Griffiths, Dominique LaPierre, Prince Charles' and Lady Diana Spencer and more.  My guest is also the chronicler of the “South African Women's Human Rights Organization.”  https://www.kathrynspink.com/ https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/kathryn-spink-20167212026170   "Should Have Listened To My Mother" is an ongoing conversation about mothers/female role models and the roles they play in our lives. Jackie's guests are open and honest and answer the question, are you who you are today because of, or in spite of, your mother and so much more. You'll be amazed at what the responses are.Gina Kunadian wrote this 5 Star review on Apple Podcast:SHLTMM TESTIMONIAL GINA KUNADIAN JUNE 18, 2024“A Heartfelt and Insightful Exploration of Maternal Love”Jackie Tantillo's “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast is a treasure and it's clear why it's a 2023 People's Choice Podcast Award Nominee. This show delves into the profound impact mother and maternal role models have on our lives through personal stories and reflections.Each episode offers a chance to learn how different individuals have been shaped by their mothers' actions and words. Jackie skillfully guides these conversations, revealing why guests with similar backgrounds have forged different paths.This podcast is a collection of timeless stories that highlight the powerful role of maternal figures in our society. Whether your mother influenced you positively or you thrived despite challenges, this show resonates deeply.I highly recommend “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast for its insightful, heartfelt and enriching content.Gina Kunadian"Should Have Listened To My Mother" would not be possible without the generosity, sincerity and insight from my guests. In 2018/2019, in getting ready to launch my podcast, so many were willing to give their time and share their personal stories of their relationship with their mother, for better or worse and what they learned from that maternal relationship. Some of my guests include Nationally and Internationally recognized authors, Journalists, Columbia University Professors, Health Practitioners, Scientists, Artists, Attorneys, Baritone Singer, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, Activists, Freighter Sea Captain, Film Production Manager, Professor of Writing Montclair State University, Attorney and family advocate @CUNY Law; NYC First Responder/NYC Firefighter, Child and Adult Special Needs Activist, Property Manager, Chefs, Self Help Advocates, therapists and so many more talented and insightful women and men.Jackie has worked in the broadcasting industry for over four decades. She has interviewed many fascinating people including musicians, celebrities, authors, activists, entrepreneurs, politicians and more.A big thank you goes to Ricky Soto, NYC based Graphic Designer, who created the logo for "Should Have Listened To My Mother".MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHLTMM PODCAST:Link to website and show notes: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/ and https://www.jackietantillo.com/Or more demos of what's to come at https://soundcloud.com/jackie-tantillo Listen wherever you find podcasts: https://www.facebook.com/ShouldHaveListenedToMyMotherhttps://www.facebook.com/jackietantilloInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/shouldhavelistenedtomymother/https://www.instagram.com/jackietantillo7/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-tantillo/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@ShouldHaveListenedToMyMother

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 2, 2026. We open with House Democrats promoting the Reproductive Health Care Leave Act — a bill that would require employers to provide up to 12 days of paid leave annually for menstrual and reproductive health issues. We ask the questions nobody in Washington is asking — what does this do to small businesses, what does this do to GDP, and what kind of incentive does this create for employers deciding between male and female job candidates? We also connect it to the same pattern we see in every Democrat policy proposal — from Obamacare to minimum wage mandates — where the people making the rules have no concept of how a business actually functions or how the cost gets paid. We also revisit Obamacare's core promise — bend the curve down on health care costs — and note that the average American family now pays $2,200 a month for health insurance, more than the average mortgage payment, while most Americans still can't find out what an x-ray actually costs. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, President Trump signed an executive order lowering tariffs on copper, aluminum, and steel from 25% to 15% — a move Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick requested in response to conditions affecting domestic industries. We note this kind of market-reactive decision is exactly why tariff authority may need to sit with the executive rather than the legislature. Then Mexican authorities discovered a cartel smuggling tunnel running three football fields long, 20 feet underground, equipped with lights, ventilation, and electric sliding mechanisms — running from Tijuana directly under a home and into San Diego. And Tulsi Gabbard has officially resigned as Director of National Intelligence to care for her husband as he undergoes surgery for a rare form of bone cancer — with Bill Pulte, currently head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, named as interim DNI. Our American Mama Teri Netterville joins the conversation on the Reproductive Health Care Leave Act — and she has opinions. Teri calls it utterly ridiculous, points out that there is already sick leave for genuine medical issues, warns that if 12 paid days are mandated, every single one of them will get used regardless of medical necessity, and asks the question the Democrats haven't answered — define what a woman is before you pass a bill about women's health. We also revisit the fundamental contradiction — the same party demanding menstrual leave for women is demanding women serve in combat alongside men with no accommodation. We cover President Trump declaring June Title IX Month — rather than Pride Month — and make the case that Title IX may be the most consequential piece of legislation for women in American history. We point to the U.S. women's soccer team, which has won more World Cups than any other nation on earth — not because American women are more interested in soccer than their male counterparts, but because Title IX forced colleges to build women's programs that no other country was building. We note the irony that Megan Rapinoe, whose career exists because of Title IX, now argues that biological males should be allowed to compete against women. In our Digging Deep segment, South Dakota has passed a law banning the advertising of abortion pills — which are already illegal in the state — and the New York-based nonprofit Mayday Health is suing, claiming free speech protection. We dig into the constitutional question — can you advertise for something illegal? Can a state that has declared abortion to be murder allow advertising for murder? We also note that the advertising isn't passive — the web address in the ad leads directly to shipping the illegal drugs into the state. We lay out the arguments on both sides and acknowledge this is likely headed to the Supreme Court. We also take on Steph Curry's decision to sign an athletic branding deal with a Chinese company rather than an American one — and make the case that while it's his right, symbolism matters when your entire brand is built on American fans. For our Bright Spot, Indiana Governor Mike Braun has declared June as Nuclear Family Month — complete with a proclamation citing research that children raised by married biological parents have better physical and emotional outcomes, that when families weaken society compensates with expensive inferior substitutes like welfare systems and surrogate discipline, and that the nuclear family is the most effective means of raising capable adults. We call it exactly what it is — something any parent can explain to their children in ten seconds without any awkwardness whatsoever. We also cover Pete Hegseth's discovery of $5.1 billion in duplicate contracts at the Department of Defense — overlapping IT systems, consulting contracts, and overpriced services — and explain why you won't hear about this in many other places — because it confirms what most Americans already suspect about how Washington spends their money. And we close with words of wisdom about the importance of family from Thomas Jefferson, Princess Diana, Lee Iacocca, and Mother Teresa. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we offer an exclusive For the Journey conversation between Rev. Bill Haley and Brian Carrier, Discipleship Pastor at The District Church in Washington, D.C. They discuss a wide variety of topics, ranging from Biblical earthquakes and the role of creation in the divine drama, to Mother Teresa, Thomas Aquinas, and the contemplative life.inthecoracle.org  |  @inthecoracleSupport the showFor the Journey is a resource of the Coracle Center of Formation for Action and is made possible through the generous support of men and women across the globe.

Surgeon, Soldier, Sister: Sr. Dede Byrne joins Trending with Timmerie to share her story from scrubs, to Army uniform, to habit. Episode Guide Mission or career? US Army Colonel & surgeon (0:47) Caring for St. Mother Teresa (22:04) Career discernment & disruption – changing course facing adversity (25:46) How your past forms your future (30:35) Serving in the Sinai Peninsula (33:48) Trinity Sunday – Mass prep (41:02) Resources mentioned: St. Catherine’s Monastery https://bit.ly/49pgag4 D.C. Medical Clinic Little Workers of the Sacred Heart https://www.lwshptclinic.com/home Little Workers of the Sacred Heart https://littleworkersofthesacredhearts.com/

What can one little individual do that could positively impact all of humanity? What mindset has silently shaped, distorted, and even destabilized our institutions, our economies, and even our sense of self? What is our relationship with money—and how can we align it with the deepest longing of our souls? Are we living inside an inherited story that no longer serves us—and if so, what would it take to author a new one? And in a time of collective fracture, could the real revolution be ontological—a shift not in what we have, but in who we are?Find out from Lynne Twist, exclusively in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast.Lynne Twist is a globally recognized humanitarian, author, and visionary who has spent more than forty years working to end hunger, empower women and girls, advance social justice, and protect the Amazon rainforest. As a senior leader and global fundraiser for The Hunger Project, she worked in more than 50 countries—from Mother Teresa's mission in Calcutta to refugee camps in Ethiopia—gaining profound, firsthand insight into the human experience of scarcity and sufficiency. She later co-founded The Pachamama Alliance at the invitation of the Achuar people of the Amazon, forming a unique partnership that safeguards rainforest ecosystems, supports Indigenous sovereignty, and offers global education programs that cultivate ecological awareness, spiritual responsibility, and collective action. She is also the founder of the Soul of Money Institute, which has worked with over 100,000 people to transform their relationship with money and align financial resources with purpose and integrity. Her best-selling book The Soul of Money is considered a classic in conscious leadership, and her newest book, Living a Committed Life, distills her decades of activism into a guide for finding freedom and fulfillment in service of a larger purpose.In this episode, Lynne reveals:- The greatest experiment one visionary thinker undertook- The mindset at the root of all human misery—and how to transcend it- The hidden architecture of our relationship with money—and how to realign it with the soul- The inherited story shaping our institutions, identities, and destinies—and what it would mean to rewrite it

Most of us want to make an impact on the world.I'd love for my name to go down in history as someone who CHANGED THE WORLD for the better.Mother Teresa says we CAN change the world!How? By loving our family✨ A Sweet Invitation for You, Mama ✨ Sweet sister, in 2026 the Lord is inviting us into something more: deeper connection, more growth, loving heart-to-heart community. Come go deeper with us inside the Radiant Mom Sisterhood.

Living the noble virtues of honesty, generosity, justice, understanding, compassion, forgiveness and civility never goes out of style. Decency is always hip. And showing the best of your humanity is definitely cool. No matter what industry you work in and what nation you live in, good things always unfold for great people. And building a character that expresses strong moral authority will always be a gorgeous way to amplify your impact. [Just ask MLK and Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa, Jesus and The Prophet Muhammad].My latest book “The Wealth Money Can't Buy” is full of fresh ideas and original tools that I'm absolutely certain will cause quantum leaps in your positivity, productivity, wellness, and happiness. You can order it now by clicking here.FOLLOW ROBIN SHARMA:InstagramFacebookYouTube

"At the hour of death we are going to be judged on what we have been to the poor, to the hungry, naked, the homeless."Mother Teresa lived this truth with radical simplicity and unwavering love. From the streets of Calcutta, she dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor, restoring dignity to those the world had forgotten. Today, her legacy continues through the Missionaries of Charity, whose work reaches the most vulnerable across the globe.In this episode, we explore the life and witness of Mother Teresa, reflecting on the foundations of her sanctity: deep prayer, devotion to the Eucharist, joy and cheerfulness, the embrace of suffering, and a life poured out in self-giving love.This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate via PayPal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support us on Patreon!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.caitlinwest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠References and further reading/listening/viewing:Come Be My Light: The private writings of the "Saint of Calcutta"Something Beautiful for God (book)Something Beautiful for God (documentary)Mother Teresa's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech Acceptance Speech VIDEOBishop Barron on Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)Bishop Barron on Mother Teresa and Her SistersAscension: How Mother Teresa Set the World on Fire3 Life-Changing Lessons We Learn from Mother TeresaMother Teresa's Special Message for Mothers Everywhere

There is something in this word from Isaac the Syrian that unsettles us a little. Because it speaks of a beauty that is not crafted, not projected, not explained. A beauty that simply… shines. He does not describe a monk as someone who teaches, persuades, or convinces. He speaks of a life so permeated by grace that even the enemies of truth, simply by looking, are pierced. Not by argument. Not by brilliance. But by something that cannot be imitated. The beauty of a life in Christ. And this is where the word becomes very personal. Because what he is describing is not first a role. It is not even limited to the monastic state in an external sense. It is the inner life that has begun to be born within a person when grace is no longer treated as an idea, but as something living… something fragile… something holy. Something that must be protected. There is a tendency in us to think of holiness as something we build. Virtue as something we accumulate. A kind of visible coherence. But Isaac speaks of something else entirely. He speaks of a life that has become transparent. Where nothing blocks the light. Where the heart has been so simplified, so purified, so stripped of its constant grasping, that what is within begins to radiate without effort. And yet, the way he describes this is striking. Silence. Watchfulness. Non-possession. Guarding the senses. Cutting off contention. Brevity of speech. Forgetfulness of wrongs. At first glance, it can feel severe. Even excessive. But it is not severity. It is protection. Because something has been born. And it is easily lost. Grace does not impose itself. It does not force its way to the surface of our lives. It is given quietly. Almost secretly. It begins like a small flame in the heart. And everything Isaac names is not meant to produce that flame. It is meant to guard it. To keep it from being extinguished by the winds that constantly move through us—distraction, judgment, curiosity, the need to be seen, the need to speak, the need to defend ourselves, the subtle violence of opinion, the constant turning outward. This is why he speaks of watchfulness over the eyes. Because what we allow in, shapes what remains within. This is why he speaks of brevity in speech. Because words, when unguarded, scatter the heart. This is why he speaks of cutting off contention. Because even when we are right, we can lose what is infinitely more precious than being right. There is something in us that resists this. It feels like diminishment. Like becoming smaller. Less engaged. Less visible. Less… alive. But the opposite is true. What he describes is the birth of a life that is no longer dependent on being seen, affirmed, or justified. A life that has begun to live from another source. And this is the mystery. The more this life is hidden, the more it becomes luminous. The more it is protected, the more it becomes a refuge. The more it is guarded in silence, the more it begins to speak—without words—to the world. This is why he can say that the monk becomes a place others run to. Not because he is accessible. But because he is real. Because there is something in him that has not been compromised. Something that has not been traded away. Something that has been kept. And this is where the word becomes a question. Very quietly. Very honestly. What in your life have you not protected? What has been given to you… that you have allowed to be scattered? What has been born in moments of prayer, of stillness, of suffering, of grace… that was real… that was alive… and yet was lost because it was not guarded? Not out of malice. But out of forgetfulness. The Fathers are not calling us to severity. They are calling us to reverence. Toward what God Himself has begun within us. Because the tragedy is not that we are weak. The tragedy is that we do not recognize what has been given. And so we treat lightly what is holy. The monk, in Isaac's vision, is simply the one who refuses to do that. Who begins—slowly, imperfectly—to live as though what has been planted in the heart is more precious than anything else. More precious than being understood. More precious than being right. More precious than being known. And in doing so, something begins to happen. The life of Christ is no longer something he believes in. It becomes something that can be seen. Not dramatically. Not visibly in the way the world measures things. But quietly. Like light through a window. And others… even without knowing why… begin to feel it. This is the beauty Isaac speaks of. Not an aesthetic. Not a perfection. But a life so carefully guarded, so gently protected, that it remains alive. And because it remains alive… it becomes light. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:11:10 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Homily 11 page 196 00:35:17 Dan: It's interesting, the thought of silence and interior monasticism. I took my oldest son to the NFL draft, and while walking downtown there were some street preachers with a microphone. Nobody paid any attention, nobody even made fun of them. Literally nobody cared. Real life examples seem to prove that striving to allow one's life to be transformed by grace is the only witness the world will even take notice of - especially in a world where the currency of words has been hyperinflated and devalued by social media, the 24/7 news cycle, and so on. 00:36:09 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "It's interesting, th..." with

Have we biohacked our way to loneliness? We've over-optimized every aspect of our lives—Oura rings, trackers, endless connections on social media. We're fitter, more quantified, more tracked than ever. Yet we're the loneliest society that has ever existed. Suicide rates have never been higher. Somewhere along the way, we lost touch with each other and maybe even ourselves. Chris Schembra makes the case that true fulfillment doesn't lie in adding more optimization. It lies in adding friction back. In this conversation, we break down why convenience is the enemy of connection, what earned intimacy actually requires, and how the serenity prayer—tattooed on Chris's arm from early sobriety—reveals the wisdom we're desperately seeking. What You'll Learn: Why "biohacking" and optimization have backfired on human connection The difference between weak ties (what social platforms designed for) and deep relationships (what we actually need) What "earned intimacy" means and why it requires inconvenience and repeatability The League of Gentlemen: how a village of 100 friends grew from three people having breakfast together Why we're outsourcing our emotions to chatbots instead of sitting in our own thoughts The serenity prayer as a practical life design tool—not spiritual advice The discernment crisis: why judgment and taste are the most valuable skills of tomorrow How to reclaim your life from algorithms and convenience Rather watch on YouTube? https://youtu.be/8xxiRxRR24E Resources & Links: Chris Schembra on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chrisschembra Reach out: chris@chrisschembra.com 7:47 Gratitude Experience: https://747club.org EP79of CC: A new twist on gratitude: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0V49SVlsXGMmcH8Af2aGnO?si=3f708350572a4b01 EP101: BDSM and the Boardroom: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4cBTAzKRV27qa3wSOwpsQV?si=be9222f7e2104674 EP157: Ketamine psychedelic therapy: Chris Schembra's story: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0V49SVlsXGMmcH8Af2aGnO?si=3f708350572a4b01 Key Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro: Have we biohacked our way to loneliness? 00:41 — Mother Teresa on the poverty of the soul 02:23 — Allison pushes back on the framing 03:40 — The distinction between "too easy" and "too optimized" 04:09 — Why tech companies call us "users" 05:56 — The convenience trap: clicking vs. calling 06:51 — Outsourcing emotions to chatbots and streaming services 54:26 — Building true intimacy vs. collecting weak ties 55:27 — The Strength of Weak Ties study and social media's backfire 56:25 — The breakfast story: how a village of 100 friends was born 58:26 — Walking through seasons of life together 59:13 — The League of Gentlemen and being held when you show up messy 01:01:14 — The serenity prayer tattoo and the three pillars 01:03:40 — Wisdom to know the difference: the discernment crisis 01:04:40 — The beauty of inconvenient choices and earned connection Be sure to rate, review, and follow this podcast on your player and also, connect with me IRL for more goodness and life-changing stuff.Schedule a FREE podcast clarity call with me - Your future audience is out there. Talk to them!Sign up for the free weekly emailAllisonHare.comFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.DOWNLOAD the free podcast equipment guide- No guesswork, no google rabbit holes, start recording todayReb3l Dance Fitness - Try it at home! Free month with this link.Feedback and Contact:: allison@allisonhare.com

She was one of the most admired women in the world - Mother Teresa, that angelic woman who devoted her life to the least of the least in the slums of Calcutta, India. The world's greatest leaders wanted to meet her and to experience her love and her moral authority. And actually, she was just a diminutive woman who made such a difference in the world. Some years ago, a young man wrote a letter to Mother Teresa, asking her how he could make his life count as she had with hers. He waited six months for a reply from this very busy lady. When it came, it was just a postcard with just four words on it - four very powerful words - "Find your own Calcutta." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Life That Matters." If you do just what comes naturally, you'll live the kind of life most people do - self-focused, self-centered, self-serving. But a life that's only as big as you are is too small to live in. And you might be feeling an emotional and spiritual claustrophobia right now. Business as usual just isn't satisfying that restlessness in your heart is it? Your life is full, but not really fulfilling. Find your own Calcutta. Find some people who need you and start pouring your life out for them. The lid will come off your life. Jesus gave us an immortal, indelible picture of the two ways to live life in His classic story of the Good Samaritan. It's in Luke 10, beginning with verse 30, our word for today from the Word of God. "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side" - as, by the way, did another religious leader who came by next. Jesus goes on: "But a Samaritan...came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds... He put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him." Then Jesus went on to say that the Samaritan paid all the expenses of the beaten man's recovery; and that this Samaritan was the kind of neighbor He expects all of us to be. And there in that simple story is a picture of two lifestyles - you can be all about yourself, ignoring the needs of people in your path... or stopping for people's needs, bearing the burdens of a bleeding world. I was really touched by a news report about a man whose choice might help you step up to a life that makes a far greater difference. It actually happened right after September 11th and it said that "David Townsend's perspective changed profoundly on September 11th." It says, "From that moment forward, (Here's what he said.) I realized that we are not going to live forever. I feel an even greater sense of urgency; feel compelled to leave my mark on the world. It has changed my outlook totally and shaken me to the core." So, apparently, according to the story, Townsend left his job to work in social services with the homeless and with urban churches. Here's his quote, "September 11th reinforced in me the need to live a life that matters." I think that's the kind of life you want isn't it? So learn to wake up each morning and ask yourself, "Who needs me today?" not "Who can meet my needs today?" There are people in your personal circle - people in your community - who desperately need someone to care, to be there for them. And remember, there is no greater difference you can make in anyone's life than to introduce them to Jesus Christ and take them to heaven with you! That's an eternal difference! With however many years or few years you have left (who knows?), live to make the greatest possible difference with the rest of your life!

Dave's cows got out again.The gate was shut. Just not latched. There's a difference — a difference Dave now knows in vivid detail, courtesy of the Broken Arrow Police Department and at least one very stressed heifer on the turnpike. Nobody died. The cows are back. The neighborhood is bonded. And apparently this is just a tradition they keep at Niles Ranch and Fecundity Farm.This week Adam and Dave sat down with a glass of Dancing Panda — a straight Kentucky bourbon, eight years, 100 proof, with an unexpected apple-cinnamon finish — and got into someone most Catholics have heard of but few have actually read: St. Bonaventure.Before you dive in: Adam's daughter Mary is in the hospital. Her lungs keep deflating. The situation is hour by hour. Please pray for her.St. Bonaventure is, in a word, underrated. He was the Franciscan answer to Aquinas — less systematic, more contemplative, every bit as deep. Best friends with Thomas Aquinas. Minister General of the Franciscan Order. Seraphic Doctor. Second founder of the Franciscans. The man who, when Aquinas read his contribution to the Mass reform aloud, said "That's perfect. There's no need for mine" — and meant it.The book on the table is Holiness of Life, published by Coriaceous Press. Written to a Poor Clare nun. Short — you can finish it in an afternoon. Dense — you'll carry it for a long time after.Bonaventure lays out a ladder. Self-knowledge first. Then humility. Then poverty. Then silence. Then prayer, the remembrance of Christ's passion, perfect love of God, and final perseverance. Adam and Dave cover the first four.Self-knowledge is not a journaling exercise. It's a brutal, honest accounting of where you actually are — seeing your dignity as an image of God and your misery as a sinner, both at the same time, clearly. Bonaventure names three root causes of sin: negligence, passion, and malice. He also gives you a mirror: are your interior promptings pulling toward pleasure, curiosity, or vanity? Most of us don't have to think long.Humility follows — because you can't see yourself honestly and still puff up. Bonaventure says humility is the guardian and foundation of all virtues. To excel in virtue without humility is to carry dust before the wind. If pride is the root of every sin, humility is the root of every virtue. And Adam drops the Aquinas line that's worth writing on a wall: A man is truly wealthy when he lacks nothing that he truly needs for salvation.Poverty, in Bonaventure's framing, isn't about being broke. It's about holy detachment. The unburdening of the soul so you can actually run toward Christ. We're not trying to anchor ourselves in this world. The more you sink your teeth into worldly things, the less you can sink your soul into heavenly ones.And then silence. Not just quiet in the house — interior silence. Bonaventure says poverty and silence are twins. Those appetites you feed don't just cost you. They're loud. They lie. They drown out everything you need to hear about who you actually are.Bonaventure wrote: "Silence has another advantage. It shows that man belongs to a better world. If a man lives in Germany and yet does not speak German, we naturally conclude that he is not German. So too, we rightly conclude that a man who does not give himself up to worldly conversation is not of the world, although he lives therein."That'll stay with you.Topics covered in this episode:Dave's cows, the Broken Arrow Police Department, and the difference between shut and latchedWho St. Bonaventure actually was — and why he's been undersold for centuriesWhy Bonaventure is called the Seraphic Doctor and the second founder of the FranciscansThe four-part structure of Holiness of Life: self-knowledge, humility, poverty, silenceThe three root causes of sin: negligence, passion, maliceWhy holiness costs everything — and there's no negotiating a discountHumility as the guardian and foundation of all virtueThe Aquinas line on what real wealth actually isPoverty as holy detachment — practical application for married men with mortgagesWhy poverty and silence are twins — how attachment to things creates interior noiseThe German analogy for silence: belonging to a better worldStoic meditation vs. Christian prayer — why entering into yourself is not the same thingSelf-knowledge as an ongoing relationship with our Lord, not a box to checkFulton Sheen's Emmy speech and Mother Teresa — what God actually usesFinal perseverance — and why Adam wants it more than anything elseReferenced in this episode:Holiness of Life — St. Bonaventure St. Thomas Aquinas — the Mass reform story and the quote on true wealthSt. Bernard — on humility and exact self-knowledgeSt. Francis of Assisi — and why he deserves a better reputationFulton Sheen, Mother Teresa — as examples of God using the truly humbleCor Jesu PressSponsor: Select International Tours — selectinternationaltours.com Whether you want to lead a pilgrimage or join one, Select is who you call. Adam and Dave have used them. The real deal.Patreon note: Catholic Glencairn glasses are still available for $10/month supporters — but not for much longer. Jim Spencer needs a break. If you want one, now is the time.

**PATREON LIVE CHAT WED 4/15** I have been struggling with balancing grief and gratitude. Today I'm talking about how I have been learning to accept both at once. Also: -- my most embarrassing moment yet at St. Jude! -- rap beef news -- an email from Mother Teresa's priest friend   ---> Join us Wednesday, April 15 here for the Patreon live chat! The replay will be available if you can't make it live.   Watch this episode on Youtube, and follow my channel while you're there!    Connect with me: --- PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/thisisjen --- EMAIL LIST: https://mailchi.mp/fulwiler/jenslist --- TOUR DATES: https://www.jenniferfulwiler.com/tour --- BOOKS: https://www.jenniferfulwiler.com/books   BIO: Jen Fulwiler is a standup comic, bestselling author, and former SiriusXM radio host who has released three comedy specials: The Naughty Corner (2020), Maternal Instinct (2024), and Shabby Chic (2025).  She has been featured on Nate Bargatze's Nateland Presents, Where My Moms At with Christina P, Dr. Drew After Dark, the Today Show, CNN, and Fox News. She was featured in the viral articles, "5 Comedians Like Nate Bargatze Who Make Everyone Laugh," and "6 Comics To Check Out If You Love Leanne Morgan."  Jen is a mom with zero domestic skills, and a Catholic who hopes that heaven has an AP exam so she can test out of being a good person. Her stories of failing her way through life will resonate with anyone who doesn't have it all together.  Normally she lives with her husband and six kids in Austin, Texas, but right now she divides her time between Austin and Memphis as one of her children is being treated at St. Jude's.  

No era hits like the late-late-late-Clinton Era. We discuss the shameless Oscar bait that didn't catch anything, PAY IT FORWARD (2000), in which a precocious boy creates a pyramid scheme for kindness. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus TORONTO - See Luke interview Jacobin Magazine founder Bhaskar Sunkara at the 2025 Ellen Meiskins Wood Lecture. Wednesday, April 22 at 6pm, Toronto Metropolitan University, George Vari Engineering and Computer Centre. Get tickets: https://broadbentinstitute.ca/events/2026-ellen-meiksins-wood-lecture/