Podcasts about Second person

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Best podcasts about Second person

Latest podcast episodes about Second person

Catholic Daily Reflections
Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time - True Greatness

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2026 7:39


Read OnlineTrue GreatnessJesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice…” Matthew 23:1–3What does it mean to be truly great in God's eyes? In a world that prizes recognition, success, and honor, Jesus offers a radically different vision—one that exalts the lowly and humbles the proud.Today's Gospel takes place during the final week of Jesus' earthly life as He participates in the Passover celebrations in the Temple. Throughout that week, He faced ongoing opposition and envy from the very religious leaders entrusted with guiding God's people. Though these leaders gravely failed in their sacred duties, Jesus does not rebuke them out of resentment but with divine charity and a desire for their conversion. Of note, He does not address them directly, but speaks about them to the crowds and His disciples, humbling them through public correction. By doing so, Jesus makes it clear that His words are not merely a historical critique. They are a lasting teaching for every generation, offering timeless guidance for the Church and for every soul striving for holiness.The scribes and Pharisees held legitimate authority. Having “taken their seat on the chair of Moses,” they were official interpreters of the Law. Jesus does not condemn the office, only the corruption of those who occupied it. The faithful are instructed to follow the teachings that conform to God's law, even if the leaders' lives fall short. This reminds us that the efficacy of the Church's sacraments and teachings—entrusted today to the “chair of Peter”—depends not on the personal holiness of the minister, but on the divine authority of the office.What Jesus does condemn is the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. They impose heavy burdens without offering help. Their religious observance is external, not flowing from hearts aflame with love. They seek titles and status—honor without humility—and in doing so, distort the very Law they claim to uphold.Jesus contrasts this shallow religiosity with true holiness. He calls for interior conversion over external display. This message echoes the words of the prophets and resounds through the life of the Church, especially in the radiant witness of the saints. Time and again, we are reminded that humility and authenticity—not performance or prestige—mark the path of true discipleship.Though His rebukes are sharp, the heart of Jesus' message is love. He calls each of us to discover a higher form of greatness rooted in service, self-forgetfulness, and humility. “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11–12). In these words, Jesus unveils the paradox of the Kingdom: To descend in humility is to ascend in glory.Though we may not sit on the chair of Moses or Peter, the sins of the scribes and Pharisees often echo in our own hearts. Their hypocrisy was outward—displays of piety, love of titles, and the burdening of others without compassion. Even without their authority or status, we may harbor what might be called a “hypocrisy of desire.” We long for recognition, crave influence, or quietly seek affirmation more than holiness. These hidden desires, even if never acted upon, reveal an interior disposition that mirrors the pride Jesus condemns.Reflect today on any desires within your heart that are selfish or self-elevating rather than humble and oriented toward service. True charity always seeks the good of the other first. And paradoxically, it is precisely this self-forgetful love that brings about our own exaltation—not by our striving, but by God's grace. Humble yourself, and God will lift you up. Exalt yourself, and your self-exaltation will be your only reward.Lord of perfect humility, You never exalted Yourself, despite Your being the Son of God and Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Teach me to imitate and participate in Your humility, permitting myself to be lifted up on Your Cross, living sacrificially for You and others. In that humble, selfless, and sacrificial love, may I one day also share in Your glory. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Sermon on the Mount, by August Stalins and Alfons JanssensSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Mornings with Carmen
The good and bad of Flock cameras - Elizabeth Neumann | Who is Jesus, the second person of the Godhead - Rob Phillips

Mornings with Carmen

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 51:24


Security analyst Elizabeth Neuman, author of "Kingdom of Rage," talks about the rising concern of Flock cameras that tracks license plates.  While this can helpful, but this technology can be abused.  How do balance safety and rights?  She also invites women to a book club around her book.  Apologist Rob Phillips, author of "What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity," talks about who The Son, the second person of the Trinity is.  How does the Bible reveal Him to be?  What are common misconceptions about Him? Why is it important to have a right understanding of Jesus?  The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here  

It's Not What It Seems with Doug Vigliotti
#306 | Writing in Second Person: A Reading of 'Gray'

It's Not What It Seems with Doug Vigliotti

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2026 13:39


Reflections
Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2026 6:02


June 24, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 1:57-80Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 30:1-9, 18-33; John 20:19-31“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Everything John the Baptist did pointed to the Messiah. His father, Zechariah, prophesied John “would go before the Lord, to prepare His way to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins.” John preached in the wilderness, calling the people to repentance. He prepared them for the Gospel. He directly pointed to Jesus as “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” when Christ came to be baptized. John, even in his doubts, when he sent his disciples to Jesus, bore witness to Christ. Jesus tells John's disciples to tell him, “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them” (Matthew 11:5). John did not point perfectly, but he pointed to Jesus. And finally, in his martyrdom, John pointed to Christ as he preached the truth to unlistening ears. John the Baptist pointed to Christ - that's the job of a hypeman.What's worth hyping up that much, though? Zechariah's words at his son's birth say it clearly: God visited His people and redeemed them. The Second Person of the Trinity took on human flesh (even at John's birth, Jesus was already in Mary's womb) and not only visited God's people but dwelt among them. And while He dwelt among us as Immanuel, he suffered and died that He might purchase, or redeem, us with His precious blood. This was the promise God made first to Adam and Eve in the Garden and reminded His people over and over again. The Messiah is coming. God even added that one would come to prepare the way for the Messiah to clue in the people that their Redeemer was coming soon. John gave a Baptism of water only, prefiguring the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to come. He, as a faithful way pointer, directed the hurting towards their Redeemer and Lord.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.To Jordan came the Christ, our Lord, to do His Father's pleasure; Baptized by John, the Father's Word was given us to treasure. This heav'nly washing now shall be a cleansing from transgression and by His blood and agony release from death's oppression. A new life now awaits us. (LSB 406:1)Deac. Emma Heinz, registrar for Higher Things.

PBCC Sermons
Second Person Plural

PBCC Sermons

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2026


1 Samuel 7:5–6

second person person plural
Calvary Independent Baptist Church

The Resurrection of Christ was not just about the Second Person. It was the work of the God-head and part of His eternal decree to save a few lost sinners.

Daily Rosary
March 25, 2026, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Holy Rosary (Glorious Mysteries) | Sixth Anniversary of the Rosary Network

Daily Rosary

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 29:45


Friends of the Rosary,Today, March 25, is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, a feast that forecasts the event of Christmas and commemorates the most sublime moment in history, the moment when the Second Person of the Holy Trinity assumed human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary. It's a feast of Mary and also of Jesus.At midnight, when the holy Virgin was alone and absorbed in prayer, the Archangel Gabriel appeared and asked her whether she'd consent to become the Mother of God.Nazareth became the counterpart of Eden when Eve was tricked by the serpent to eat from the forbidden fruit, and sin and death took possession of her, separating humanity from the source of immortality.It's the contrast between the angel of darkness and the angel of light, approaching with peace the new Eve;'Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women!'Now, the humble maid of Nazareth replies to the heavenly messenger:'Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.' It's her fiat of 'be it done,'The obedience of the second Eve repaired the disobedience of the first Eve.God made Mary to crush the head of the rebel angels and exalted her above all the angels of heaven as the Queen of all creation.We, the children of Adam, who have been snatched by Mary's obedience from the power of hell, solemnize this day of the Annunciation.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠March 25, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Today's Catholic Mass Readings
Today's Catholic Mass Readings Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Today's Catholic Mass Readings

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2026 Transcription Available


Full Text of Readings Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Lectionary: 545 The Saint of the day is Annunciation of the Lord The Story of the Annunciation of the Lord The feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, now recognized as a solemnity, was first celebrated in the fourth or fifth century. Its central focus is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. From all eternity God had decided that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become human. Now, as Luke 1:26-38 tells us, the decision is being realized. The God-Man embraces all humanity, indeed all creation, to bring it to God in one great act of love. Because human beings have rejected God, Jesus will accept a life of suffering and an agonizing death: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends” (John 15:13). Mary has an important role to play in God's plan. From all eternity, God destined her to be the mother of Jesus and closely related to him in the creation and redemption of the world. We could say that God's decrees of creation and redemption are joined in the decree of Incarnation. Because Mary is God's instrument in the Incarnation, she has a role to play with Jesus in creation and redemption. It is a God-given role. It is God's grace from beginning to end. Mary becomes the eminent figure she is only by God's grace. She is the empty space where God could act. Everything she is she owes to the Trinity. Mary is the virgin-mother who fulfills Isaiah 7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not have imagined. She is united with her son in carrying out the will of God (Psalm 40:8-9; Hebrews 10:7-9; Luke 1:38). Together with Jesus, the privileged and graced Mary is the link between heaven and earth. She is the human being who best, after Jesus, exemplifies the possibilities of human existence. She received into her lowliness the infinite love of God. She shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life. She exemplifies what the Church and every member of the Church is meant to become. She is the ultimate product of the creative and redemptive power of God. She manifests what the Incarnation is meant to accomplish for all of us. Reflection Sometimes spiritual writers are accused of putting Mary on a pedestal and thereby, discouraging ordinary humans from imitating her. Perhaps such an observation is misguided. God did put Mary on a pedestal and has put all human beings on a pedestal. We have scarcely begun to realize the magnificence of divine grace, the wonder of God's freely given love. The marvel of Mary—even in the midst of her very ordinary life—is God's shout to us to wake up to the marvelous creatures that we all are by divine design. The Annunciation of the Lord provides believers hope.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

1010 WINS ALL LOCAL
NTSB releases details about plane crash at LaGuardia Airport....NYC schools introduce playbook for A.I. in the classroom....Early March subway attack now being investigated as possible hate crime....Second person arraigned in Long Island acid attack

1010 WINS ALL LOCAL

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2026 6:23


Catholic Daily Reflections
Monday of the Third Week of Lent - Provocative Holy Drama

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2026 5:35


Read OnlineJesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Luke 4:24 Do you recognize Christ's presence in others? Do you sense His divine presence all around you? In today's Gospel, the people of Nazareth did not. Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, stood in their midst, yet they failed to see Him for who He truly was. Many of them had watched Jesus grow up, knew His family, and were familiar with His work as a carpenter. However, they could not look beyond the surface to perceive the divine reality in their midst. Though our Lord is not present to us today in the same way He was to the people of Nazareth, He is still with us in countless other ways—through grace, within the Sacraments, in the Scriptures, and in the lives of those around us. Yet how often do we fail to notice His presence in these familiar places? In today's Gospel, Jesus recognizes the hardness of heart among many in His hometown. He responds by recalling two stories about Elijah and Elisha—prophets who performed miracles for Gentiles rather than Israelites, because the Israelites lacked faith. Jesus' message was clear: The people of Nazareth also lacked faith, and as a result, He would perform no miracles for them. This message enraged the people so much that they attempted to throw Him off a cliff. However, Jesus “passed through the midst of them and went away.” Imagine how dramatic that scene must have been! Sometimes, we all need what could be called a “provocative holy drama” in our lives. Just as Jesus challenged the people of Nazareth for their spiritual blindness, we need to be shaken from our complacency. God uses these moments to awaken us to His presence—whether in the Scriptures, the Sacraments, or the people around us. These “holy dramas” are not meant to condemn but to invite us into a deeper awareness of His love and presence. Try to imagine yourself as a member of Jesus' hometown. Those of us raised in the Catholic faith, attending Mass regularly, and striving to live as faithful Catholics can sometimes fall into a spiritual routine. The more familiar we become with God's Church, the easier it can be to overlook His presence in the most ordinary of places. When that happens, God may use moments of “holy drama” to awaken us from our spiritual slumber. These moments are invitations to recognize His presence where we might have taken it for granted. Reflect today on what it would mean to be in the crowd at Nazareth. Approach this reflection humbly and sincerely. Allow Jesus' loving challenge to the people of His hometown to resonate in your own heart. Rather than defend yourself, welcome His gentle rebuke, letting it awaken you to His presence in the familiar. Seek Him with renewed attentiveness, and allow Him to lead you more deeply into His love. My provoking Lord, Your love for the people of Your hometown led You to challenge their lack of faith. When I fall into spiritual blindness and fail to recognize Your presence, please awaken me. With Your love, shake me from any complacency so that I may grow in faith and become more attentive to You, especially in the familiar and the ordinary. Jesus, I trust in You.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
Nancy Guthrie: Was There a Second Person — And Will Someone Finally Talk?

Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2026 23:07


The Pima County Sheriff's Department has publicly stated they're not ruling out that more than one person was involved in Nancy Guthrie's abduction.Look at the evidence: weeks of reconnaissance before the crime, but no apparent extraction plan. Forensic awareness at the door — gloves, mask, camera removal — but a glove dropped two miles out. Ransom notes with insider details about Nancy's home, but no mechanism to actually collect payment.Does that read as one person? Or does it read as a partnership where the planning didn't match the execution?Robin Dreeke spent twenty-one years in FBI counterintelligence, including running the Bureau's Behavioral Analysis Program. His career was built on understanding what makes people talk — how trust works, how loyalty fractures, and what conditions need to exist for someone with dangerous knowledge to finally pick up the phone.This interview examines both sides of the equation. First: what does the evidence pattern suggest about whether this was one person or multiple actors? If there was a second person — a driver, a lookout, someone who helped plan but didn't enter the home — they're watching this investigation with a very different calculus than the person who actually took Nancy.Second: what makes someone talk? The reward has grown to over two hundred thousand dollars. Four hundred investigators are chasing leads. Genetic genealogy is processing DNA. There are people in this perpetrator's life who may have noticed behavioral changes over the past three weeks — a spouse who's seen the stress, a friend who's heard something they shouldn't have, a family member who's starting to wonder.Cases like this get solved when someone talks. Not tip line noise — a real person with real knowledge who decides to come forward. Robin breaks down the psychology of that decision, what barriers people face, and what conditions need to exist for the break to happen.Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#NancyGuthrie #SavannahGuthrie #Accomplice #RobinDreeke #FBIBehavioral #RewardMoney #TucsonKidnapping #GeneticGenealogy #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers

Kannada Gothilla Podcast
Second Person (Your, Yours, With You, From You...)

Kannada Gothilla Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2026 14:20


In this episode, we cover the second-person words, and a few prepositions. We cover – You, Yours, as well as With You, From You, To You.Follow us on Social Media:• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kannada.gothilla/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gothilla.kannada• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GothillaKannadaLet us know what you want to learn next!

Catholic Daily Reflections
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time - The Priority of Prayer

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 6:43


Read OnlineRising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. Mark 1:35–39Jesus' prayer was unique. He did not pray because He needed God in His life—He was and is God. Yet, in His human nature, He regularly withdrew to be alone and to pray to His Father. Jesus' prayer teaches us two primary lessons.First, Jesus' prayer reveals Who He is. He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. As a member of the Trinity, Jesus prayed in solitude, not to become closer to the Father, for He and the Father are eternally one in essence; rather, His prayer expressed and revealed that perfect union to us. Unity with and love of the Father are at the center of Who He is.Though we are not God, we are made for oneness with God. This is not an external invitation but an essential part of who we are and who we must become. In Heaven, our lives will be one ongoing and eternal expression of prayer—a perfect union with God. That union must begin now, and the foundation of its growth is prayer.By going off alone to pray to the Father, Jesus also models for us the way to the Father. His action is prophetic, calling us to set aside moments each day for nothing other than prayer. While we are called to pray continually throughout the day, this habit is nourished by intentional moments of silence in which we immerse ourselves in God's presence. In our fallen nature, daily moments of focused prayer are necessary for clearing the distractions of life, overcoming sin, and allowing God's grace to draw us into deeper union with Him.Jesus' prayer invites us to examine our own daily prayer life. How often do you pray each day? How do you pray? Does your prayer change you, transforming you into who God made you to be? Most people easily find time every day for less important things, such as entertainment, idle conversations, and daily work. Though these things have their place, they must never overshadow that which is most important. We must learn to pray and be faithful to prayer every day.One of the best ways to pray is to participate in the Mass. In the Mass, we most fully share in Christ's human life, sacrifice, and divine presence. The Mass is the summit of prayer and the foundation of our spiritual life. We receive Him into our lives as we consume His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. To participate in the Mass well, daily moments of prayer are essential. At times, we must silence every other thought and actively offer our praise to God. Meditation on the Word of God is also essential. Taking time to read the Gospel, in particular, and meditating on those passages disposes us to hear God's voice. His Word counters the many lies and temptations we face during our daily activities, preparing us to live more fully as God's sons and daughters.Reflect today on your commitment to daily prayer by following Jesus' example. Resolve to find a moment of solitude in which you silence your heart and simply dwell in God's presence. Let this time of prayer become the cornerstone of your day and a foretaste of the union with God in Heaven for which you were created. Prayer is not an option; it is the very path to becoming who we are meant to be—united with God in love, now and for all eternity. My prayerful Lord, Your prayer revealed Your perfect union with the Father and set an example for us to follow. Grant me the wisdom and strength to remain faithful to daily moments of personal prayer—times when I can simply be with You and express my love for You. May these moments transform every part of my day, leading me to greater charity here on earth and preparing me for perfect union with You in eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via rawpixelSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Catholic Daily Reflections
January 3, when before Epiphany - Behold Him with Wonder and Awe

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 5:25


Read OnlineJohn the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John 1:29–31Though John grew up in the hill country of Judea near Jerusalem and Jesus grew up in Nazareth, it is very likely that their families visited each other regularly, allowing John and Jesus to spend time together as cousins. Despite this, when John first saw His cousin coming to him in the wilderness, he said, “I did not know him.” John did not fully understand who Jesus was—that He was the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—until John began his public ministry and witnessed the Holy Spirit descending upon his Lord, his cousin.What an awe-inspiring and joyous moment that must have been for John. He had discerned that his mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah, to be the Messiah's immediate precursor, preparing the way for Him. He embraced that mission and fulfilled it by preaching and offering a baptism of repentance to those who believed. He lived in the wilderness, fasting, praying, and anticipating the day the Messiah would arrive. Imagine his surprise and delight at that moment when he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon his cousin.Though the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in a singularly unique way, since He is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, John's experience offers us an invitation to remain vigilant as we await Jesus' ongoing coming among us. Though our Lord came and walked the Earth 2,000 years ago, He continues to do so today through His Body, the Church. Like John, we must be on the lookout, and when we see Him, we must cry out in faith, “Behold the Lamb of God!”The most important way our Lord comes to us is within the Mass. The priest repeats John the Baptist's familiar words as he holds up our Lord, hidden within the Sacred Host, for all to see. Additionally, our Lord comes to us as the Holy Spirit descends and makes Him known. This happens in sermons, reflections, Church teachings, within the charity of others' actions, through personal prayer, and in numerous other ways. We must see the Lamb of God every time He comes to us, ideally with the same wonder and awe that filled John's mind and heart during those first encounters. Reflect today on those sacred words with which we are very familiar: “Behold the Lamb of God…” As you do, ponder how often you personally “behold” Him. Are you filled with wonder and awe at Mass? Within your daily prayer? In the life of the Church and in the lives of faithful Christians you encounter? As we continue our Christmas season, which focuses on the Incarnation, make the words of the Baptist your own as you discover the ongoing presence of our Lord made possible through the Incarnation.My awe-inspiring Lord, because of Your Incarnation, You continue to be present in this world, coming to us and drawing us to Yourself. When Your cousin, John the Baptist, first saw the Holy Spirit descend upon You in the desert, he cried out, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Please give me the eyes of faith I need to echo that cry as I encounter Your divine presence in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Annibale Carracci, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Today's Catholic Mass Readings
Today's Catholic Mass Readings Thursday, January 01, 2026

Today's Catholic Mass Readings

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 Transcription Available


Full Text of Readings [DAY TITLE] The Saint of the day is Mary, Mother of God The Story of Mary, Mother of God Mary's divine motherhood broadens the Christmas spotlight. Mary has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. She consents to God's invitation conveyed by the angel (Luke 1:26-38). Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43, emphasis added). Mary's role as mother of God places her in a unique position in God's redemptive plan. Without naming Mary, Paul asserts that “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Paul's further statement that “God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out ‘Abba, Father!'” helps us realize that Mary is mother to all the brothers and sisters of Jesus. Some theologians also insist that her motherhood of Jesus is an important element in God's creative plan. God's “first” thought in creating was Jesus. Jesus, the incarnate Word, is the one who could give God perfect love and worship on behalf of all creation. As Jesus was “first” in God's mind, Our Lady was “second” insofar as she was chosen from all eternity to be his mother. The precise title “Mother of God” goes back at least to the third or fourth century. In the Greek form Theotokos (God-bearer), it became the touchstone of the Church's teaching about the Incarnation. The Council of Ephesus in 431 insisted that the holy Fathers were right in calling the holy virgin Theotokos. At the end of this particular session, crowds of people marched through the street shouting: “Praised be the Theotokos!” The tradition reaches to our own day. In its chapter on Mary's role in the Church, Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church calls her “Mother of God” 12 times. To learn more, visit our Seven Days with Mary page. Reflection Other themes come together at today's celebration. It is the Octave of Christmas: Our remembrance of Mary's divine motherhood injects a further note of Christmas joy. It is a day of prayer for world peace: She is the mother of the Prince of Peace. It is the first day of a new year: Mary continues to bring new life to her children—who are also God's children.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Zion Schumm - Message
The Second Person / December 25, 2025

Zion Schumm - Message

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2025


The Second Person / John 1:1-14Get the episode here.                                                                                                                                

The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever with Chris Harrison
Police Looking For A Second Person In Brown University Mass Shooting… But He's NOT A Suspect!

The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever with Chris Harrison

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 19:29 Transcription Available


Rhode Island officials held a late day press conference as the manhunt for the Brown University shooter continued for a fifth day. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who may have encountered the actual shooter. They also gave an update on the hospitalized victims of the attack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy and T.J. Podcast
Police Looking For A Second Person In Brown University Mass Shooting… But He's NOT A Suspect!

Amy and T.J. Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 19:29 Transcription Available


Rhode Island officials held a late day press conference as the manhunt for the Brown University shooter continued for a fifth day. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who may have encountered the actual shooter. They also gave an update on the hospitalized victims of the attack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Men Think with Brooks Laich & Gavin DeGraw
Police Looking For A Second Person In Brown University Mass Shooting… But He's NOT A Suspect!

How Men Think with Brooks Laich & Gavin DeGraw

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 19:29 Transcription Available


Rhode Island officials held a late day press conference as the manhunt for the Brown University shooter continued for a fifth day. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who may have encountered the actual shooter. They also gave an update on the hospitalized victims of the attack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast
RSMS Hour 4 | Police release photo of second person of interest in Brown University shooting

Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 12:37 Transcription Available


Rhode Island police release a photo of a second person of interest connected to the Brown University shooting, with updates on the ongoing investigation and calls for community awareness as authorities continue their search. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast
FULL SHOW | Diddy, Odell Beckham Jr, and Druski sexual assault case dismissed; Rapper Game says you need to spend $5000 a month on your woman; Police release photo of second person of interest in Brown University shooting; and MORE

Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 63:38 Transcription Available


The Rickey Smiley Morning Show kicks off with major legal news as a federal judge dismisses the sexual assault lawsuit involving Sean “Diddy” Combs, Odell Beckham Jr., and Druski, citing procedural failures rather than ruling on the claims themselves. The crew breaks down what the dismissal actually means, how social media reacts when high-profile names are involved, and why due process matters—especially in cases that impact real survivors and public trust. The conversation then shifts to love, money, and modern relationships after rapper The Game sparks debate by claiming men should spend at least $5,000 a month on their woman, igniting strong opinions from the RSMS crew and listeners alike. Meanwhile, TJ Holmes and Amy Robach make it clear they’re enjoying their engagement without rushing to the altar, pushing back against public expectations. The show closes on a serious note as police release a photo of a second person of interest connected to the Brown University shooting, with updates on the ongoing investigation and calls for community awareness as authorities continue their search. Website: https://www.urban1podcasts.com/rickey-smiley-morning-show See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Goes Rogue
Police Looking For A Second Person In Brown University Mass Shooting… But He's NOT A Suspect!

Rachel Goes Rogue

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 19:29 Transcription Available


Rhode Island officials held a late day press conference as the manhunt for the Brown University shooter continued for a fifth day. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who may have encountered the actual shooter. They also gave an update on the hospitalized victims of the attack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radio FreeWrite
136: Creaky Hallway: Second Person POV (and some "Choose Your Own Adventure")

Radio FreeWrite

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2025 69:57


This week you will hear all about second person point of view. You'll enjoy a few choose your own adventure-style (NB- they can't be actual Choose Your Own Adventure stories, as that's trademarked) stories, and you'll hopefully share in the nostalgia the Cru has for those marvelous works of the 80s and 90s. You'll also learn about the immersive narration second person pov provides, including the dangers of using the reader as a character. It's a fun writing challenge, and you're sure to enjoy it.Stories begin around the 16:30 mark and include a tale of murder and woe; a nightmarish exploration of your own house; an acid trip; and a booby-trapped haunted house.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

PBCC Sermons
God in the Second Person

PBCC Sermons

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2025


1 Sam 4:1-11

Net 7: Exceptional Life
The Power of Talking to Yourself in the Second Person

Net 7: Exceptional Life

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 27:02 Transcription Available


In this episode of The Missing Secret Podcast, John and Kelly discuss the idea of talking to yourself in the second person. More specifically using focused self talk to create your identity. There is some amazing new research out of Stanford and Dr. Andrew Huberman where he talks about the scientific discoveries regarding how self talk impacts a person's neurochemistry and autopilot. The connection is pretty simple. Self talk impacts identity, identity effects a person's long-term actions, and actions determine a person's success and achievement in life.So when you talk to yourself in the second person with empowering statements, it literally changes the chemical release of things like dopamine. And the expression of your genes. And it changes how your autopilot is wired. And that's significant because 95% your daily thoughts and actions are unconscious. Meaning that 95% are on autopilot. During this interview it's noted that when you say I, you're more focused on your intentions. Where as when you say you, it's your identity – which is more sticky then intentions.During this podcast John and Kelly discuss the concept of negative thoughts. And Dr. Andrew Huberman suggests that when a negative thought comes in your head, you simply identify it. Identify it as a thought and label it as not true. When you have the presence of mind to do that, it changes how the brain processes that negative thought. This episode is a must listen to for anyone that is doing the think it be it methodology. The end result is you will be changing your life GPS template to say YOU instead of I based on the latest neurophysiology research out of Stanford. In the show notes for providing an important video regarding self talk and its impact on you physically. Here it is as follows:Subject: Talk to Yourself Like This for 3 Days And Rewire Your Mind - Andrew Hubermanhttps://youtu.be/_io1BnTyog4?si=jajOzNOcvirdO8fVBuy John's book, THE MISSING SECRET of the Legendary Book Think and Grow Rich : And a 12-minute-a-day technique to apply it here.About the Hosts:John MitchellJohn's story is pretty amazing. After spending 20 years as an entrepreneur, John was 50 years old but wasn't as successful as he thought he should be. To rectify that, he decided to find the “top book in the world” on SUCCESS and apply that book literally Word for Word to his life. That Book is Think & Grow Rich. The book says there's a SECRET for success, but the author only gives you half the secret. John figured out the full secret and a 12 minute a day technique to apply it.When John applied his 12 minute a day technique to his life, he saw his yearly income go to over $5 million a year, after 20 years of $200k - 300k per year. The 25 times increase happened because John LEVERAGED himself by applying science to his life.His daily technique works because it focuses you ONLY on what moves the needle, triples your discipline, and consistently generates new business ideas every week. This happens because of 3 key aspects of the leveraging process.John's technique was profiled on the cover of Time Magazine. He teaches it at the University of Texas' McCombs School of Business, which is one the TOP 5 business schools in the country. He is also the “mental coach” for the head athletic coaches at the University of Texas as well.Reach out to John at john@thinkitbeit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mitchell-76483654/Kelly HatfieldKelly Hatfield is an entrepreneur at heart. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of the ripple effect and has built several...

Catholic Daily Reflections
Friday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - The Deepest Human Satisfaction

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2025 5:24


Read OnlineOnce when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” Luke 9:18It's interesting that Jesus was both “praying in solitude” and that “the disciples were with him.” Saint Bede explains this apparent contradiction by stating that “the Son alone is able to penetrate the incomprehensible secrets of the Father's will.” Therefore, our Lord was always alone with the Father in the sense that only Jesus knew the Father fully and intimately. This is because He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Eternal Son of the Father.With that fact clearly understood, it's also important to understand that as Jesus prayed to the Father within His human nature, something new took place. Though Jesus was eternally with the Father, His human nature was not eternally with the Father. Therefore, as the Eternal Son of God communed with the Eternal Father while living in human flesh, human nature was suddenly elevated to a height that it had never been before. Not only was the Eternal Son living in perfect union with the Father, but now the Eternal Son, fully human, brought His human nature into this oneness.Though this may seem a bit philosophical to some, it points to a very important reality that affects us all. Through our Lord's human prayer to the Father, we are all invited to join with Jesus and share in this divine oneness. The Son of God, as a human being, made it possible for us as humans to share in the elevation of our very lives to oneness with God the Father. And though the Son of God will always retain a unique union with the Father, we are, nonetheless, by participation, invited to share in their life. So why is this important? One reason is that there is no greater human fulfillment we could ever achieve than to share in the prayer of the Son to the Father. Throughout our lives, we are constantly looking for fulfillment in one form or another. We want to be happy. We want enjoyment in life. We have a natural desire for happiness that we are constantly seeking to fulfill. What's important to understand is that the greatest happiness comes by sharing in the deep human prayer of the Son to the Father. Prayer, true prayer, is the answer to our deepest desire.Reflect, today, upon whether or not you regularly engage in deep prayer. Can you point to times when you, like our Lord, were alone with God, communing with Him in the depths of your human soul, being drawn to Him through prayer? There are many levels of prayer, as is attested to by many saints. Make the choice to deepen your prayer. Go before our Lord today and pour out your heart to Him, asking Him to draw you into the holy solitude of His prayer to the Father. Doing so will bring forth in you the deepest human satisfaction possible in life. My praying Lord, as You spent time alone with the Father, You united Your human nature with Him, thus elevating our nature to a glorious degree. Please draw me to You, dear Lord, so that I may know You and the Father through true, deep and sustaining prayer. May this oneness with You be the cause of my deepest fulfillment in life. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Utah's Noon News
Second Person Arrested in Weber County Shooting

Utah's Noon News

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 32:33


September 4th, 2025

Catholic Answers Live
#12250 Resurrection, Original Sin, and the Trinity: Tough Catholic Questions Answered - Jimmy Akin

Catholic Answers Live

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2025


What do the sermons in Acts reveal about the early Church’s belief in the Resurrection? Where was Tabitha before her resurrection in Acts 9:40? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we explore deep theological questions about Christ's human nature during His death, how to explain Original Sin to students, and what good—if any—can come from eternal suffering in Hell. We also address how to explain the mystery of the Trinity to someone from a Latter-day Saints background. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:06 – Do the sermons in the Book of Acts offer early references to the Resurrection similar to the creedal formulations in Corinthians? 12:26 – In Acts 9:40, where was Tabitha before her resurrection? Could it have been Limbo, Purgatory, or another state? 17:12 – During the time Christ was dead, was His human nature still united to the Second Person of the Trinity? If so, how is that explained? 22:59 – What are effective ways to explain Original Sin to students who struggle to understand the concept? 37:12 – If God allows suffering to bring about some good, what possible good can come from the eternal suffering of souls in Hell? 45:55 – How can the doctrine of the Trinity be explained to someone from the Latter-day Saints tradition who wants to understand it?

Catholic Daily Reflections
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - Wonder and Awe Before the Eucharist

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2025 6:16


Read Onlinehile they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” Mark 14:22–24 (Year B Gospel)At the holy Mass, as soon as the priest pronounces the words of the consecration, transforming the bread and wine into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord, he genuflects, rises, and then says, “The mystery of faith.” What is “the mystery of faith?” Oftentimes, when we say that something is a mystery, we mean that the conclusion is hidden but that there are certain clues to help solve the mystery. And once the mystery is solved, everything is clear and it is no longer a mystery.“The mystery of faith” is much different. Those words are spoken at Mass immediately after the consecration as a way of drawing the faithful into a holy awe and amazement of what just took place. But this mystery can only produce wonder and awe if the reality of what just took place is understood through the gift of faith. Faith is knowing and believing without perceiving the reality before us with our five senses or through logical deduction. In other words, faith produces true knowledge of a spiritual reality that can only be known, understood and believed through spiritual insight. Therefore, if we attend the Mass and have been gifted with the knowledge of faith, then as soon as the consecration of the bread and wine takes place, we will cry out interiorly, “My Lord and my God!” We will know that God the Son is present before us in a veiled way. Our eyes do not perceive, nor do any of our senses reveal to us the great reality before us. We cannot rationally deduce what just took place. Instead, we come to know and believe that the Son of God, the Savior of the World, is now present before us in His fullness, under the veil of mere bread and wine.In addition to the divine presence of our Lord and our God, the entire Mystery of our Redemption is made present. Saint Pope John Paul II tells us that in this moment there is a “oneness in time” that links the Paschal Mystery, that is, the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, to every moment that the Eucharist is celebrated and made present through the words of consecration. And that unity between each Mass and the Paschal Mystery “leads us to profound amazement and gratitude” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, #5). Do you sense and experience this profound amazement and gratitude each time you attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Do you realize as you attend the Mass and as the words of consecration are spoken that the entire Mystery of your redemption is made present before you, hidden from your eyes but visible to your soul by faith? Do you understand that it is God the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity Who descends to us to dwell with us in that moment of time in this glorious Sacrament?Reflect, today, upon the hidden but real Mystery of Faith. Allow yourself to be drawn into a wonder and awe at what you are privileged to attend. Let your faith in the Most Holy Eucharist grow by being open to a deepening of this gift of faith through spiritual insight and belief. Behold this great Gift of the Eucharist with the eyes of faith and you will be drawn into the wonder and awe that God wants to bestow upon you. My ever-glorious Eucharistic Lord, I do believe that You are here, made present in our world under the form of bread and wine, every time the Holy Mass is celebrated. Fill me with a deeper faith in this Holy Gift, dear Lord, so that I may be drawn into wonder and awe every time I witness this holy Consecration. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Philippe de Champaigne, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Gamereactor TV - English
How did The Gang perfect Out of Sight's second-person perspective?

Gamereactor TV - English

Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 0:15


Expositors Collective
The Soft Prosperity Gospel, Justification, and Women in the Church – with Elyse Fitzpatrick

Expositors Collective

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 57:40


What happens when someone who's been teaching the Bible for 50 years sits down to talk about gospel clarity, gender dynamics in preaching, and why justification still needs explaining?In this episode, Mike Neglia is joined by Elyse Fitzpatrick—author, speaker, and theologian—for a deeply honest and theologically rich conversation. They discuss the subtle ways a “soft prosperity gospel” sneaks into evangelical preaching, the heartbreaking lack of gospel clarity among many churchgoers, and how male preachers can better represent the women in Scripture and the women in their churches.Elyse shares stories from decades of ministry, opens up about teaching through pain, and gives a practical challenge to pastors: listen more. Ask for input. Especially from wise women. And never assume you've taught the gospel enough.Whether you're a pastor, teacher, or church leader, this episode will challenge you to preach Christ more clearly, teach more thoughtfully, and love more deeply.Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored more than 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for over 50 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.Resources Mentioned: Unloved: The Rejected Saints God Calls Beloved by Elyse FitzpatrickAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unloved-Rejected-Saints-Calls-Beloved/dp/1683597826Faithlife eBook: https://ebooks.faithlife.com/product/305973/unloved-the-rejected-saints-god-calls-belovedBecause He Loves Me by Elyse FitzpatrickAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Because-He-Loves-Me-Transforms/dp/1433519518Faith Resources (eBook): https://store.faithlafayette.org/bctc-feb-12-19-2022/because-he-loves-me-ebook/Rid of My Disgrace by Justin & Lindsey HolcombAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Disgrace-Healing-Victims-Crossway-Paperback/dp/B00DWYWQYOCrossway: https://www.crossway.org/books/rid-of-my-disgrace-tpb/Ligonier: https://store.ligonier.org/rid-of-my-disgrace-paperbackDr. Pamela MacRae – Professor of Ministry to Women, Moody Bible Institute (future guest on the show, author of "How Women Hear the Sermon." In The Moody Handbook of Preaching, edited by John Koessler. Chicago: Moody, 2008)https://www.moody.edu/academics/faculty/macrae-pamela/Step Outside - Crass  https://open.spotify.com/track/1IA4hjxvmyuZVSqS7stEuw?si=bf6a23810ed14d27 Recommended Episodes: Josh White on if it is possible to be too vulnerable in the pulpit: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/is-it-possible-to-be-too-vulnerable-in-the-pulpit-josh-white Trevor O'Keefe on vulnerablility in leadership and in preaching https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/not-a-crowd-to-be-feared-nor-an-audience-to-be-entertained-but-a-family-to-be-loved-trevor-okeefe Justin Holcomb on ministering to victims of sexual assault: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/preaching-gods-grace-to-the-disgraced-with-justin-holcombFor information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

RNZ: Morning Report
Man ruled 'insane' kills second person

RNZ: Morning Report

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 4:58


A man who was ruled insane after committing a high-profile killing more than two decades ago has gone on to kill another person. National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Catholic Daily Reflections
Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord's Supper (Year C) - Our Model for Holiness

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 5:11


Read Online“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher' and ‘master,'  and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” John 13:12–15Do you want to be holy? Perhaps this question is not one that everyone will immediately answer with a resounding “Yes.” Sadly, holiness, for some, can seem boring and unattractive. The lure of evil is very enticing on a confused and superficial level. So what is your answer to this question? Do you want to be holy?As we begin today the sacred Triduum, we enter into the holiest days of the Church year.  We walk with our Lord through His final glorification today as He celebrates the Passover with His disciples and enters the Garden of Gethsemane to await His arrest. Tomorrow we walk with Him through the stations of His Cross. On Saturday, we sit in silent adoration of His tomb as we await the Resurrection.In the Gospel quoted above, Jesus gives us a model for holiness by the witness of His actions. He Who is the God of the Universe, the Creator of all, the Eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, humbles Himself and takes on the form of a lowly servant by washing the feet of His disciples. He then offers them the Most Holy Eucharist for the first time, before He goes to meet His persecutors.The model Jesus gives us is a prophetic action by which Jesus tells us that true greatness, that is, true holiness, is found in humility. Holiness is realized in our lives when we turn our eyes from ourselves and love others as their servants. None of us are the Savior of the World, but each of us must become instruments of His saving act for others. As we accept Jesus' gift, we must then turn to others and humble ourselves before them. We must help them to see our love and their dignity. We must serve them with humility and put them first. Doing so will then enable us to invite them to imitate us as we imitate Christ. Thus, our humble imitation of Jesus becomes a means by which Jesus invites others to follow Him.Reflect, today, upon the invitation of Jesus: “...as I have done for you, you should also do.” Jesus gave us everything, so we must give everything to others. We must serve without counting the cost. We must love them, putting their needs before ours. We must become a model of the love of Christ for them. Ponder Jesus' service today and throughout the Triduum and commit yourself to live the invitation given you by our Lord.My humble Lord, may Your name be praised and adored above all things. May You be exalted by Your humility and lowly service. I see in Your humble act, dear Lord, the deep love You have for me and for all. May I imitate that humble love in my own life so that my imitation of You will help to share Your saving love with others. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Palma il Giovane, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Today's Catholic Mass Readings
Today's Catholic Mass Readings Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Today's Catholic Mass Readings

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 Transcription Available


Full Text of ReadingsSolemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Lectionary: 545The Saint of the day is Annunciation of the LordThe Story of the Annunciation of the Lord The feast of the Annunciation, now recognized as a solemnity, was first celebrated in the fourth or fifth century. Its central focus is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. From all eternity God had decided that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become human. Now, as Luke 1:26-38 tells us, the decision is being realized. The God-Man embraces all humanity, indeed all creation, to bring it to God in one great act of love. Because human beings have rejected God, Jesus will accept a life of suffering and an agonizing death: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends” (John 15:13). Mary has an important role to play in God's plan. From all eternity, God destined her to be the mother of Jesus and closely related to him in the creation and redemption of the world. We could say that God's decrees of creation and redemption are joined in the decree of Incarnation. Because Mary is God's instrument in the Incarnation, she has a role to play with Jesus in creation and redemption. It is a God-given role. It is God's grace from beginning to end. Mary becomes the eminent figure she is only by God's grace. She is the empty space where God could act. Everything she is she owes to the Trinity. Mary is the virgin-mother who fulfills Isaiah 7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not have imagined. She is united with her son in carrying out the will of God (Psalm 40:8-9; Hebrews 10:7-9; Luke 1:38). Together with Jesus, the privileged and graced Mary is the link between heaven and earth. She is the human being who best, after Jesus, exemplifies the possibilities of human existence. She received into her lowliness the infinite love of God. She shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life. She exemplifies what the Church and every member of the Church is meant to become. She is the ultimate product of the creative and redemptive power of God. She manifests what the Incarnation is meant to accomplish for all of us. Reflection Sometimes spiritual writers are accused of putting Mary on a pedestal and thereby, discouraging ordinary humans from imitating her. Perhaps such an observation is misguided. God did put Mary on a pedestal and has put all human beings on a pedestal. We have scarcely begun to realize the magnificence of divine grace, the wonder of God's freely given love. The marvel of Mary—even in the midst of her very ordinary life—is God's shout to us to wake up to the marvelous creatures that we all are by divine design. Learn more about the Feast of the Annunciation! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Daily Rosary
March 25, 2025, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Holy Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries) | Fifth Anniversary of the Rosary Network

Daily Rosary

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 31:14


Friends of the Rosary,Today, amid the Lent's austerity, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, the most sublime moment in the history of time, when the Second Person of the Holy Trinity assumed human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary.At midnight, when the most holy Virgin was alone and absorbed in prayer, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before her and asked her to consent to become the Mother of God in the name of the blessed Trinity.Saint Irenaeus, a holy bishop and martyr of the second century, showed us that Nazareth was the counterpart of Eden.The angel of darkness, the serpent, tricked Eve, who longed for the forbidden fruit and was impatient to enjoy independence. She ate the fruit, and death took possession of her: death of the soul, for sin extinguishes the light of life; and death of the body, which, being separated from the source of immortality, became an object of shame and horror and finally crumbled into dust.Meanwhile, the spirit of light in Nazareth respectfully bowed before her, speaking heavenly language: “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women!”Mary heard the angel's explanation of the mystery, and the will of heaven was made known to her. She, the humble maid of Nazareth, experienced the ineffable happiness of becoming the Mother of God. Mary told the divine messenger, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.”The obedience of the second Eve repaired the disobedience of the first. The eternal Son of God became present in the chaste womb of Mary, and He began His human life. A Virgin is the Mother of God, and, consenting to the divine will, conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost.The Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception, would become the Queen of all creation.This is Solemnity Day, “Lady Day” or Annunciation, when our Lenten penance obligations are lifted. We should celebrate with some special food or dinner. This feast day forecasts the event of Christmas.The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Dismas, the Good Thief, and St. Margaret Clitherow (1556-1586), wife and mother, one of the English martyrs.March 21, 2025, marked the fifth year since we started praying the Holy Rosary of Mary daily within this community. We are grateful and rejoice in the Holy Virgin as we have found favor in her Rosary — a special grace given to us!-Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York• March 25, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ETEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

AP Audio Stories
Immigration officials arrest second person who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia

AP Audio Stories

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 0:37


AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on another development in pro-Palestinian campus protest arrests

Catholic Daily Reflections
Monday of the First Week of Lent - The Least Deserving

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 5:48


Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:31–32What an image to ponder! Try to imagine this scene. At one definitive moment in the future, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, now also in human form as the “Son of Man,” will return to earth in glory surrounded by all the angels of Heaven and will sit upon His new and glorious throne. In front of that throne, every person of every nation ever to exist will be gathered together, and each person will be judged according to their deeds. Those who served our Lord and treated the least of His brothers and sisters with mercy and compassion will hear Jesus say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Those who did not serve Christ and did not treat the least ones with mercy will be sent off to eternal punishment as Jesus says to them, “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.” On that day, only one thing will matter, because eternity will be determined with permanence. All that will matter is whether you will be placed on our Lord's right so as to inherit eternal life, or on His left and sent into the eternal fires.Sometimes, as we journey through life, we can lose sight of this glorious day. When we think of God and Heaven, it is easy to fall into the presumption that Heaven is guaranteed to us. God is kind and merciful, and He loves us. Therefore, we presume that Heaven is for certain and only the most horrible people will end in hell. But this is not how Jesus depicts the Day of Judgment.Jesus explains that at the time of judgment, the righteous will be astonished by the fact that caring for those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill, or imprisoned was the same as showing love for God. Likewise, those who neglected the same people will be astonished that they failed to love God by failing to love the least of Jesus' brothers and sisters. Do not take this teaching lightly. Jesus does not mince His words. He is abundantly clear and definitive.In your life, who are these “least ones” of which Jesus is speaking? The hungry and thirsty are not only those with physical needs but also those who have spiritual longings that need to be satisfied. They are those lost or confused in life who need to be given direction. The stranger might be anyone who is lonely and easily ignored. The naked might be those who cannot manage to care for their needs. The ill could be those who are elderly or suffering in various ways. And the imprisoned could include those bound by sin who need help to be set free. Do not fail to seek out our Lord as He is present in those all around you. Reflect, today, upon those in your life who seem most lost and most in need of your compassion. Those to whom we do not feel like reaching out are those who most often need our compassion and mercy. The “least ones” are often those we judge, condemn or ignore. Call to mind the person who seems least deserving of your love and know that Jesus is living within them, waiting for you to love Him by loving them. Most merciful Lord, Your compassion is great and Your judgment is real. Help me to always keep my mind upon that final and glorious day on which You will return in all Your splendor and glory to judge the living and the dead. May I truly heed Your words and prepare for that day by loving You in all people, especially in those most in need. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Donatas Dabravolskas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

For Real with Kimberly Stuart
Episode 63 - Giving them Grace with Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson

For Real with Kimberly Stuart

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 51:08


Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson are one of my favorite mother-daughter pairs of all time. Both of these women are writers, speakers, and leaders in their own rights, but they also joined forces to write the book we'll discuss today. If you are a parent or grandparent of kids of any age, an auntie, uncle, nanny or teacher or have any interaction with children you love, this episode is for you. It sure was for me. If you want your home and relationships to be drenched in freedom and grace and joy instead of shame or guilt or holy-catfish-how-will-we-possibly-survive-this-season-with-this-child, this episode is for you. A parenting experience rooted entirely in the scandalous grace of God? SIGN. ME. UP. Jessica Thompson is a pastor at Risen Church in San Diego. She has her Master's in Biblical Studies from Redemption Seminary. She is a mother of three adult children and loves the Padres with her whole heart.Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored more than 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for over 50 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.Follow Elyse: @Elyse_FitzFollow Jessica: @revjesslouVisit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KimberlyStuart.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more from this episode.

Crime Weekly
S3 Ep276: Crime Weekly News: Second Person Found Guilty in Brittanee Drexel Murder

Crime Weekly

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 19:08


We're coming to CrimeCon Denver! Use our code CRIMEWEEKLY for 10% off your tickets! https://www.crimecon.com/CC25 Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod 

Catholic Daily Reflections
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - “You are My Beloved Son”

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 5:25


Read OnlineIt happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  Mark 1:9–11The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord concludes for us the Christmas Season and transitions us into the beginning of Ordinary Time. From a Scriptural point of view, this event in Jesus' life is also a transitional moment from His hidden life in Nazareth to the beginning of His public ministry. As we commemorate this glorious event, it's important to ponder a simple question: Why was Jesus baptized? Recall that John's baptism was one of repentance, an act by which he invited his followers to turn from sin and to turn to God. But Jesus was sinless, so what was the reason for His Baptism?First of all, we see in the quoted passage above that Jesus' true identity was made manifest through His humble act of baptism. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased,” spoke the voice of the Father in Heaven. Furthermore, we are told that the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. Thus, Jesus' baptism is in part a public declaration of Who He is. He is the Son of God, a divine Person Who is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This public testimony is an “epiphany,” a manifestation of His true identity for all to see as He prepares to begin His public ministry.Second, by His baptism, Jesus' incredible humility is made manifest. He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, but He allows Himself to become identified with sinners. By sharing in an act that was focused upon repentance, Jesus speaks volumes through His action of baptism. He came to unite Himself with us sinners, to enter our sin and to enter into our death. By entering the water, He symbolically enters into death itself, which is the result of our sin, and rises triumphantly, allowing us to also rise with Him to new life. For this reason, Jesus' baptism was a way of Him “baptizing” the waters, so to speak, so that water itself, from that moment onward, would be endowed with His divine presence and could be communicated to all who are baptized after Him. Therefore, sinful humanity is now able to meet divinity through baptism.Lastly, when we share in this new baptism, through water that has now been sanctified by our divine Lord, we see in Jesus' baptism a revelation of who we become in Him. Just as the Father spoke and declared Him as His Son, and just as the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, so also in our baptism we become the adopted children of the Father and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, Jesus' baptism gives clarity as to whom we become in Christian baptism. Lord, I thank You for Your humble act of baptism by which You opened the Heavens to all who are sinners. May I open my heart to the unfathomable grace of my own baptism each and every day and more fully live with You as a child of the Father, filled with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Baptism of Christ by Verrocchio & Leonardo, via Wikimedia Commons

The Bob Siegel Show
If Jesus Existed For All of Eternity, Why is He Called The Son of God? -The Bob Siegel Show Ep 993

The Bob Siegel Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 11:10


Christians believe that prior to the Second Person of the Trinity's incarnation, this member of the Godhead nevertheless held the title “God the Son” in eternity past. Would not designations such as “Father” and “Son” suggest that there was a time the Son had not existed? Even if He pre-existed prior to the incarnation, how […]

Today's Catholic Mass Readings
Today's Catholic Mass Readings Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Today's Catholic Mass Readings

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2025 Transcription Available


Full Text of ReadingsSolemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God The Octave Day of Christmas Lectionary: 18The Saint of the day is Mary, Mother of God: Her Role in the IncarnationThe Story of Mary, Mother of God Mary's divine motherhood broadens the Christmas spotlight. Mary has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. She consents to God's invitation conveyed by the angel (Luke 1:26-38). Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43, emphasis added). Mary's role as mother of God places her in a unique position in God's redemptive plan. Without naming Mary, Paul asserts that “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Paul's further statement that “God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out ‘Abba, Father!'” helps us realize that Mary is mother to all the brothers and sisters of Jesus. Some theologians also insist that Mary's motherhood of Jesus is an important element in God's creative plan. God's “first” thought in creating was Jesus. Jesus, the incarnate Word, is the one who could give God perfect love and worship on behalf of all creation. As Jesus was “first” in God's mind, Mary was “second” insofar as she was chosen from all eternity to be his mother. The precise title “Mother of God” goes back at least to the third or fourth century. In the Greek form Theotokos (God-bearer), it became the touchstone of the Church's teaching about the Incarnation. The Council of Ephesus in 431 insisted that the holy Fathers were right in calling the holy virgin Theotokos. At the end of this particular session, crowds of people marched through the street shouting: “Praised be the Theotokos!” The tradition reaches to our own day. In its chapter on Mary's role in the Church, Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church calls Mary “Mother of God” 12 times. To learn more, visit our Seven Days with Mary page. Reflection Other themes come together at today's celebration. It is the Octave of Christmas: Our remembrance of Mary's divine motherhood injects a further note of Christmas joy. It is a day of prayer for world peace: Mary is the mother of the Prince of Peace. It is the first day of a new year: Mary continues to bring new life to her children—who are also God's children. Enjoy this prayer for the New Year! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Catholic Daily Reflections
December 25, The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) - Pondering the Birth of Christ

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 5:54


Read OnlineMerry Christmas! Our Advent preparations have been completed, and we are now invited by our Lord to enter into the glorious celebration of His birth!How well do you understand the awe-inspiring mystery of Christmas? How fully do you comprehend the significance of God becoming a human, born of a virgin? Though many are quite familiar with the beautiful and humble story of the birth of the Savior of the World, that familiarity can have the surprising negative effect of keeping our intellect from deeply probing the depths of the meaning of what we celebrate.Notice the last line of the Gospel passage quoted above: “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” What a beautiful line to ponder this Christmas day. Mother Mary was the one person who would have understood the mystery of the birth of her Son, the Son of God, the Savior of the World, far more deeply than anyone else. It was to her that the Archangel Gabriel appeared, announcing her pregnancy and His birth. It was her who carried her Son, the Son of God, in her Immaculate womb for nine months. It was to her that Elizabeth, her cousin, cried out, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). It was Mary who was the Immaculate Conception, the one who was preserved from all sin throughout her life. And it was her who gave birth to this Child, carried Him in her arms and nursed Him at her breast. Our Blessed Mother, more than any other, understood the incredible event that had taken place in her life. But, again, the Gospel above says that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” One thing this tells us is that even Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of God, needed time to ponder, reflect and savor this most holy mystery. She never doubted, but her faith continually deepened, and her heart pondered the unfathomable and incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation.Another thing this tells us is that there is no end to the depth of the “pondering” to which we must commit ourselves if we want to enter more deeply into the mystery of the birth of the Son of God. Reading the story, setting up a nativity scene, sharing Christmas cards, attending Mass and the like are central to a holy celebration of Christmas. But “pondering” and “reflecting,” especially during prayer and especially at the Christmas Mass, will have the effect of drawing us ever deeper into this Mystery of our Faith. Reflect, today, with our Blessed Mother. Ponder the Incarnation. Place yourself into the scene that first Christmas. Hear the sounds of the town. Smell the smells of the stable. Watch as the shepherds come forth in adoration. And enter the mystery more fully, acknowledging that the more you know about the mystery of Christmas, the more you know how little you actually know and understand. But that humble realization is the first step to a deeper understanding of what we celebrate this day.Lord, I gaze at the wonder of Your birth. You Who are God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, God from God and Light from Light, became one of us, a humble child, born of a virgin and laid in a manger. Help me to ponder this glorious event, to reflect upon the mystery with awe and to more fully grasp the meaning of what You have done for us. I thank You, dear Lord, for this glorious celebration of Your birth into the world. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Shepherds at the Manger, via flickr

Daily Rosary
December 24, 2024, Christmas Eve, Holy Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries)

Daily Rosary

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 31:58


Friends of the Rosary, Merry and Holy Christmas! Today, December 24, is Christmas Eve. We read in the Gospel (Luke 1:57-79) the Prayer of Zechariah at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. This prayer, precious to priests and all those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours, is called the “Canticle of Zechariah” or the “Benedictus.” It sums up the whole history of salvation, with the God of Israel, as Zechariah prays, “has come to his people and set them free.” “This is what God always wants to do. He hates the fact that we've become enslaved by sin and fear, and accordingly, he wants to liberate us. The central event of the Old Testament is an event of liberation from slavery. We are, as sinners, enslaved to our pride, our envy, our anger, our appetites, our greed, our lust—all of which wrap us up and keep us from being the people that we want to be,” Bishop Barron comments. God effects this liberation through the instrumentation of a mighty Savior. Today, the liturgy of Christmas Eve is consecrated to the arrival of the Savior. Throughout Advent, we have seen how the preparation for Jesus' coming. Isaiah, John the Baptist, and the Virgin Mother appeared throughout the season, announcing and foretelling the coming of the King. We learn today that Christ, according to His human nature, was born at Bethlehem of the House of David of the Virgin Mary. According to His divine nature, He is conceived of the Spirit of holiness, the Son of God, and the Second Person of the Trinity. Christmas Eve is an appropriate time for exchanging gifts after the Christ-Child has been placed in the manger, special prayers, Christmas carols, and Midnight Mass. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • December 24, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Catholic Daily Reflections
December 24, Mass in the Morning - Transformation by the Holy Spirit

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 5:23


Read OnlineZechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free…” Luke 1:67–68Our story of the birth of Saint John the Baptist concludes today with the song of praise spoken by Zechariah after his tongue had been loosened on account of his transformation in faith. He had moved from doubting what the Archangel Gabriel had spoken to him to believing and following the command of the Archangel to name his firstborn son “John.” As we saw in yesterday's reflection, Zechariah is a model and example for those who have lacked faith, have suffered the consequences of their lack of faith, and have changed as a result.Today, we see an even fuller illustration of what happens when we change. No matter how deeply we have doubted in the past, no matter how far we have turned from God, when we turn back to Him with all our heart, we can hope to experience the same thing experienced by Zechariah. First, we see that Zechariah is “filled with the Holy Spirit.” And as a result of this gift of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah “prophesied.” These two revelations are very significant.As we prepare for the celebration of the Birth of Christ tomorrow on Christmas Day, we are also called to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” so that we also can act as a prophetic messenger of the Lord. Though Christmas is all about the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Christ Jesus our Lord, the Holy Spirit (the Third Person of the Holy Trinity) plays just as much of a significant role in the glorious event, both at that time and also today. Recall that it was by the Holy Spirit Who overshadowed Mother Mary that she conceived the Christ Child. In today's Gospel, it was the Holy Spirit Who enabled Zechariah to proclaim the greatness of God's act of sending John the Baptist ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Him. Today, it must be the Holy Spirit Who fills our lives so as to enable us to proclaim the Christmas Truth.In our day and age, Christmas has become very secular in many parts of the world. Few people take time on Christmas to truly pray and worship God for all that He has done. Few people continually proclaim that glorious message of the Incarnation to family and friends during this most solemn celebration. How about you? Are you able to be a true “prophet” of the Most High God this Christmas? Has the Holy Spirit overshadowed you and filled you with the grace needed to point others to this glorious reason for our celebration?Reflect, today, upon the role of the Holy Spirit in your life this day. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, inspire you, and strengthen you, and to give to you the wisdom you need to be a mouthpiece of the glorious gift of the birth of the Savior of the World this Christmas. No other gift could be more important to give to others than this message of truth and love.Holy Spirit, I give You my life and invite You to come to me, to overshadow me and to fill me with Your divine presence. As You fill me, give me the wisdom I need to speak of Your greatness and to be an instrument through which others are drawn into the glorious celebration of the birth of the Savior of the World. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me, consume me and use me for Your glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel!, via flickr

Catholic Daily Reflections
December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - Full of God's Grace!

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 5:58


Read OnlineThe angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”  Luke 1:26–28What does it mean to be “full of grace?” This is a question at the heart of our solemn celebration today.Today we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Savior of the World, under the unique title of “The Immaculate Conception.” This title acknowledges that grace filled her soul from the moment of her conception, thus preserving her from the stain of sin. Though this truth had been held for centuries among the Catholic faithful, it was solemnly declared as a dogma of our faith on December 8, 1854, by Pope Pius IX. In his dogmatic declaration he stated:We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.By raising this doctrine of our faith to the level of a dogma, the holy father declared that this truth is to be held as certain by all the faithful. It is a truth that is found in the words of the angel Gabriel, “Hail, full of grace!” To be “full” of grace means just that. Full! 100%. Interestingly, the Holy Father did not say that Mary was born in a state of Original Innocence as were Adam and Eve before they fell into Original Sin. Instead, the Blessed Virgin Mary is declared to be preserved from sin by “a singular grace.” Though she had not yet conceived her Son, the grace that He would win for humanity by His Cross and Resurrection was declared to have transcended time so as to heal our Blessed Mother at the moment of her conception, preserving her of even the stain of Original Sin, by the gift of grace.Why would God do this? Because no stain of sin could be mingled with the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. And if the Blessed Virgin Mary were to become a fitting instrument by which God unites with our human nature, then she needed to be preserved from all sin. Additionally, she remained in grace throughout her life, refusing to ever turn from God by her own free will.As we celebrate this dogma of our faith today, turn your eyes and heart to our Blessed Mother by simply pondering those words spoken by the angel: “Hail, full of grace!” Ponder them, this day, reflecting upon them over and over in your heart. Imagine the beauty of the soul of Mary. Imagine the perfect grace-filled virtue she enjoyed in her humanity. Imagine her perfect faith, perfect hope and perfect charity. Reflect upon every word she spoke, being inspired and directed by God. She truly is The Immaculate Conception. Honor her as such this day and always. My mother and my queen, I love you and honor you this day as The Immaculate Conception! I gaze upon your beauty and perfect virtue. I thank you for always saying “Yes” to the will of God in your life and for allowing God to use you with such power and grace. Pray for me, that as I come to know you more deeply as my own spiritual mother, I may also imitate your life of grace and virtue in all things. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You!Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured images above: The Immaculate Conception By Francisco Rizi, via Wikimedia Commons

Catholic Daily Reflections
Friday of the First Week of Advent - The True Messiah

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 5:17


Read OnlineAnd their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. Matthew 9:30–31Who is Jesus? This question is much more easily answered today than it was at the time Jesus walked the Earth. Today we are blessed with countless saints who have gone before us who have prayerfully and intelligently taught much about the person of Jesus. We know Him to be God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World, the promised Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb and so much more.The Gospel above comes from the conclusion of the miracle in which Jesus healed two blind men. These men were overwhelmed with their cure, and their emotion overtook them. Jesus instructed them to “See that no one knows about this” miraculous healing. But their excitement could not be contained. It's not that they were intentionally disobedient to Jesus; rather, they did not know how else to express their sincere gratitude other than to tell others about what Jesus had done.One reason Jesus told them not to tell others about Him is because Jesus knew they did not fully understand Who He was. He knew that their testimony about Him would fail to present Him in the way that was most truthful. He was the Lamb of God. The Savior. The Messiah. The Sacrificial Lamb. He was the One Who came into this world to redeem us by the shedding of His blood. Many of the people, however, wanted a nationalistic “messiah” or a miracle worker alone. They wanted one who would save them from political oppression and make them a great earthly nation. But this was not Jesus' mission.Oftentimes we can also fall into the trap of misunderstanding Who Jesus is and Who He wants to be in our lives. We can want a “god” who will save us only from our daily struggles, injustices and temporal difficulties. We can want a “god” who acts in accord with our will and not vice versa. We want a “god” who will heal us and free us of every earthly burden. But Jesus taught clearly throughout His life that He would suffer and die. He taught us that we must take up our own crosses and follow Him. And He taught us that we are to die, embrace suffering, offer mercy, turn the other cheek, and find our glory in that which the world will never understand.Reflect, today, upon whether Jesus would caution you about speaking too loudly about your vision of Who He is. Do you struggle with presenting a “god” who is not actually God? Or have you come to know the very Person of Christ our Lord to such an extent that you are able to give witness to Him Who died. Do you boast only in the Cross? Do you proclaim Christ crucified and preach only the deepest wisdom of humility, mercy and sacrifice? Recommit yourself to a true proclamation of Christ, setting aside any and all confused images of our saving God.My true and saving Lord, I commit myself to You and pray that I will come to know and love You as You are. Give me the eyes I need to see You and the mind and heart I need to know and love You. Remove from me any false vision of Who You are and replace within me a true knowledge of You, my Lord. As I come to know You, I offer myself to You so that You may use me to proclaim Your greatness to all. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured images above: Christ Healing the Blind Man, via flickr

Sermons - Lander Evangelical Free Church
Advent week 1 - Matthew 1:1-17

Sermons - Lander Evangelical Free Church

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 43:44


The Season of Advent begins and we turn to Matthew's account of the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity, starting with.... a genealogy. Read Matthew 1:1-17 and see you Sunday.

Catholic Daily Reflections
Friday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - The Deepest Human Satisfaction

Catholic Daily Reflections

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 5:24


Read OnlineOnce when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” Luke 9:18It's interesting that Jesus was both “praying in solitude” and that “the disciples were with him.” Saint Bede explains this apparent contradiction by stating that “the Son alone is able to penetrate the incomprehensible secrets of the Father's will.” Therefore, our Lord was always alone with the Father in the sense that only Jesus knew the Father fully and intimately. This is because He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Eternal Son of the Father.With that fact clearly understood, it's also important to understand that as Jesus prayed to the Father within His human nature, something new took place. Though Jesus was eternally with the Father, His human nature was not eternally with the Father. Therefore, as the Eternal Son of God communed with the Eternal Father while living in human flesh, human nature was suddenly elevated to a height that it had never been before. Not only was the Eternal Son living in perfect union with the Father, but now the Eternal Son, fully human, brought His human nature into this oneness.Though this may seem a bit philosophical to some, it points to a very important reality that affects us all. Through our Lord's human prayer to the Father, we are all invited to join with Jesus and share in this divine oneness. The Son of God, as a human being, made it possible for us as humans to share in the elevation of our very lives to oneness with God the Father. And though the Son of God will always retain a unique union with the Father, we are, nonetheless, by participation, invited to share in their life.So why is this important? One reason is that there is no greater human fulfillment we could ever achieve than to share in the prayer of the Son to the Father. Throughout our lives, we are constantly looking for fulfillment in one form or another. We want to be happy. We want enjoyment in life. We have a natural desire for happiness that we are constantly seeking to fulfill. What's important to understand is that the greatest happiness comes by sharing in the deep human prayer of the Son to the Father. Prayer, true prayer, is the answer to our deepest desire.Reflect, today, upon whether or not you regularly engage in deep prayer. Can you point to times when you, like our Lord, were alone with God, communing with Him in the depths of your human soul, being drawn to Him through prayer? There are many levels of prayer, as is attested to by many saints. Make the choice to deepen your prayer. Go before our Lord today and pour out your heart to Him, asking Him to draw you into the holy solitude of His prayer to the Father. Doing so will bring forth in you the deepest human satisfaction possible in life. My praying Lord, as You spent time alone with the Father, You united Your human nature with Him, thus elevating our nature to a glorious degree. Please draw me to You, dear Lord, so that I may know You and the Father through true, deep and sustaining prayer. May this oneness with You be the cause of my deepest fulfillment in life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Exhortation to the Apostles By James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons

Newshour
German police arrest second person in connection with fatal knife attack

Newshour

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 46:34


Officers made the arrest in a building housing refugees located close to the site of the attack and near where a knife was found. Also in the programme: The French president describes an explosion outside a synagogue in the south of the country as an act of terror - and we hear about how Jews see their future in France; and the astronauts who need to stay in space not for the eight days they were expecting, but for eight months.(Photo: A placard reading 'Why?' among flowers and tributes placed on a sidewalk near the scene after a knife attack, in Solingen, Germany, 24 August 2024. Credit: Volker Hartmann/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)