Podcasts about second week

Inspired by hunger strikes at California State University campuses, at least 20 students, staff and faculty at Stanford are on an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with Gaza. They're demanding that Stanford disclose and divest from companies they say are profiting from Israel's siege. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kitara Byerly preaches for the Second Week in our Easter series - The Church: For Good

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter. Father Dave notes how we sometimes wear sports jerseys in the workplace on casual Fridays. On today's feast of St. Joseph the Worker, we are called to bring our faith into all aspects of our lives, including our jobs. Preached at St. Paul the Apostle Church, New York City, NY on 5-1-25

POLAND PILGRIMAGE: Mass in the private chapel of the Archbishop of Krakow; site of the priestly ordination of Pope St. John Paul IIHistory was changed because of what transpired on this floor. A young man who knew his identity as a beloved son chose to bet his life on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Karol Wojtyla lived free from fear and concern for what others think. He lived free from the spirit of the world, because he lived the song of the World Youth Day celebration which he himself started: “Jesus Christ, you are my life!”

Feast of Saints Philip and James, apostles Saturday of the Second Week of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/3/25 Gospel: John 14:6-14

Saturday of the Second Week of Easter

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Second Week of Easter by Dr. John Bergsma. Athanasius, Bishop, Doctor Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Acts 5: 34-42 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13-14 Alleluia: Matthew 4: 4b Gospel: John 6: 1-15   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Morning lessons: Psalm 1, 2; Deuteronomy 4:1-40; Luke 3:23-38.  Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the scornful.

Evening lessons: Psalms 3, 4; 149; Job 31; 1 Peter 1:1-21.  Lord, how they are increased who  trouble me; many are those who rise against me.

Evening lessons: Psalms 148, 149; Job 30; James 5.  Praise the Lord.  O sing unto the Lord a new song; let the congregation of the faithful praise him.

Friday of the Second Week of Easter Memorial of St. Athanasius, 296-373; became a theological advisor to the Council of Nicaea while still in his late 20's; an ardent opponent of Arianism and defender of the divinity of the Son of Man; wrote many works on the Incarnation and the Trinity as well as The Life of Anthony, which helped define and foster both monastic living and the writing of saints’ lives Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/2/25 Gospel: John 6:1-15

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Second Week of Easter by Dr. John Bergsma. Athanasius, Bishop, Doctor Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Acts 5: 34-42 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13-14 Alleluia: Matthew 4: 4b Gospel: John 6: 1-15   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Second Week of Easter by Ms. Joan Watson. Easter Weekday/ Joseph the Worker First Reading: Acts 5: 27-33 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20 Alleluia: John 20: 29 Gospel: John 3: 31-36, Proper Gospel for Joseph: Matthew 13: 54-58   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read Online“Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.” John 6:12–13John's Gospel is filled with much symbolic meaning. The passage above concludes the story of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. After feeding the multitude of people with only five barley loaves and two fish, they were able to fill twelve wicker baskets with what remained. What was the reason for the extra?Saint Augustine, in commenting upon this passage, explains that Jesus provided more than the people could eat as a way of symbolically representing spiritual truths that were beyond what the vast crowds could comprehend. Thus, Jesus' teachings spiritually nourished the crowds to the point that they were fully satisfied. But even though the general crowds were satisfied with what Jesus taught them, there was still so much more that He had to teach. These deeper spiritual truths are represented by the extra twelve baskets.The twelve baskets represent the Twelve Disciples. They were the ones specially chosen by Jesus to receive so much more. Recall the times when Jesus taught the crowds in parables and then, later, would explain the meaning to the Twelve in private. He revealed to them certain truths that most people could not understand and accept.It is helpful to consider three different groups of people in this miracle and apply those groupings to us today. The first group of people are those who were not even present for the miracle. Those who did not make the journey to be with Jesus in the wilderness. This is the largest group of people within society who go about their daily lives without even seeking minimal nourishment from our Lord. The second grouping of people is this “large crowd” who followed Jesus to the remote side of the Sea of Galilee to be with Him. These represent those who diligently seek out our Lord every day. These are those who are faithful to the celebration of the Mass, the reading of Scripture, to daily prayer and study. To this grouping of people, our Lord teaches many things, and they are nourished by His holy Word and Sacraments.The third grouping of people, the Twelve Disciples who are represented by the Twelve wicker baskets left over, are those who are exceptionally faithful to our Lord and continue to be nourished by Him in a superabundant way. These are those who seek to understand and embrace the deepest spiritual truths so as to be nourished and transformed on the deepest level.Reflect, today, upon the fact that the spiritual food our Lord wishes to offer you is most often far more than you can immediately accept and consume. But understanding that fact is the first step to disposing yourself to receive even more. As you reflect upon this superabundance of spiritual food from our Lord, recommit yourself especially to seek out that remaining “twelve wicker baskets” of spiritual truths. If you do, you will discover that there is truly no end to the transforming depths of the gifts of grace our Lord wishes to bestow upon you.My most generous Lord, You not only give spiritual nourishment to Your people, You give it in superabundance. As I daily seek You out and am filled with Your mercy, help me to never tire of feasting upon the superabundant gift of Your grace. Please do nourish me, dear Lord, and help me to consume Your holy Word. Jesus, I trust in You.Ambrosius Francken I, 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.

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Full Text of ReadingsThursday of the Second Week of Easter Lectionary: 270The Saint of the day is Saint Joseph the WorkerThe Story of Saint Joseph the Worker To foster deep devotion to Saint Joseph among Catholics, and in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers sponsored by Communists, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker in 1955. This feast extends the long relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers in both Catholic faith and devotion. Beginning in the Book of Genesis, the dignity of human work has long been celebrated as a participation in the creative work of God. By work, humankind both fulfills the command found in Genesis to care for the earth (Gn 2:15) and to be productive in their labors. Saint Joseph, the carpenter and foster father of Jesus, is but one example of the holiness of human labor. Jesus, too, was a carpenter. He learned the trade from Saint Joseph and spent his early adult years working side-by-side in Joseph's carpentry shop before leaving to pursue his ministry as preacher and healer. In his encyclical Laborem Exercens, Pope John Paul II stated: “the Church considers it her task always to call attention to the dignity and rights of those who work, to condemn situations in which that dignity and those rights are violated, and to help to guide [social] changes so as to ensure authentic progress by man and society.” Saint Joseph is held up as a model of such work. Pius XII emphasized this when he said, “The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man, Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work.” Reflection To capture the devotion to Saint Joseph within the Catholic liturgy, in 1870, Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph the patron of the universal Church. In 1955, Pope Pius XII added the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. This silent saint, who was given the noble task of caring and watching over the Virgin Mary and Jesus, now cares for and watches over the Church and models for all the dignity of human work. Enjoy this look at the life of Saint Joseph! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Join Father Kevin Drew as he preaches on this Thursday of the Second Week of Easter. Today's readings First Reading: Acts 5:27-33 Psalm: Psalm 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20 Gospel: John 3:31-36 Catholic Radio Network

Evening lessons: Psalms 147; James 4; John 1:43-51.  Praise the Lord, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God, indeed, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.

Morning lessons: Psalm 148; Deuteronomy 3; Luke 3:1-22.  Praise the Lord.  O praise the Lord of heaven; praise him in the heights.

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker; instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955 to foster devotion to St. Joseph, and in response to the celebrations for workers sponsored by Communists Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/1/25 Gospel: John 3:31-36

ROSARY - LUMINOUS MYSTERIES today.  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Thursday.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Second Week of Easter by Ms. Joan Watson. Easter Weekday/ Joseph the Worker First Reading: Acts 5: 27-33 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20 Alleluia: John 20: 29 Gospel: John 3: 31-36, Proper Gospel for Joseph: Matthew 13: 54-58   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter by Dr. John Bergsma. Easter Weekday/ Pius Virgin, Pope, Religious First Reading: Acts 5: 17-26 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Alleluia: John 3: 16 Gospel: John 3: 16-21   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read OnlineThe Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. John 3:35It's interesting to note that the words of today's Gospel appear to be from Saint John the Baptist, since they come within the context of his testimony to Jesus. Some commentators, however, suggest that they are words that were actually spoken by Jesus and that the Evangelist inserts them here as a continuation of the testimony of the Baptist, attributing them to Saint John. Regardless of who actually spoke these words, the line quoted above gives us much to reflect upon, in that it gives us insight into the very meaning and practice of true love.What is love? Is it a feeling? An emotion? A drive or a desire for something or someone? Of course, the secular understanding of love is much different than a divine understanding of love. Oftentimes the secular view of love is more self-centered. To “love” someone or something is to want to possess that person or object. “Love” from a secular view focuses upon the attraction and desire. But true love, from a divine perspective, is very different.The line quoted above tells us two things: First, we are told that “The Father loves the Son…” But then we are given a definition of that love. We are told that love in this case results in the Father giving “everything over” to the Son. When we consider the word “everything” in this passage, it is clear that this can only refer to the Father giving Himself to the Son in totality. Within the life of the Father, everything means His very essence, His being, His personhood, His whole divine self. The Father does not say, “I want;” rather, the Father says, “I give.” And the Son receives all that the Father is.Though this is deep and mystical language, it becomes very practical for our lives when we understand that divine love is not about wanting, taking, desiring, feeling, etc. Divine love is about giving. It's about the giving of oneself to another. And it's not just about giving some of yourself away, it's about giving “everything” away.If the Father gave everything to the Son, does that mean that the Father has nothing left? Certainly not. The beautiful nature of divine love is that it is never ending. The more one gives themself away, the more they have. Thus, the gift of the life of the Father to the Son is infinite and eternal. The Father never ceases to give, and the Son never ceases to receive. And the more the Father gives Himself to the Son, the more the Father becomes the essence of love itself.The same is true in our lives. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that love should only go so far. But if we are to strive to imitate and participate in the love the Father has for the Son, then we must also understand that love is about giving, not receiving, and that the giving must be a gift of everything, holding nothing back. We must give ourselves away to others without counting the cost and without exception.Reflect, today, upon your view of love. Look at it from a practical perspective as you think about the people whom you are especially called to love with a divine love. Do you understand your duty to give yourself to them completely? Do you realize that giving yourself away will not result in the loss of your life but in the fulfillment of it? Ponder the divine love that the Father has for the Son and make the radical and holy choice today to strive to imitate and participate in that same love.My loving Lord, the Father has given all to You, and You, in turn, have given all to the Father. The love You share is infinite and eternal, overflowing into the lives of all Your creatures. Draw me into that divine love, dear Lord, and help me to imitate and share in Your love by fully giving my life to others. Jesus, I trust in You.Sancta Trinitas by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

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Join Father Kevin Drew as he preaches on this Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter and Memorial of Saint Pius V, Pope, religious. Today's readings First Reading: Acts 5:17-26 Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Gospel: John 3:16-21 Catholic Radio Network

Evening lessons: Psalms 145; Job 29; James 3.  I will magnify you, O God my King, and I will praise your Name forever and ever.

Morning lessons: Psalm 146; Deuteronomy 2; Luke 2:22-52.  Praise the Lord, O my soul; while I live I will praise the Lord.

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Pope St. Pius V, 1504-1572; as pope, he had the task of implementing the reforms of the Council of Trent; he ordered the founding of seminaries, published a new missal. a new breviary, and a new catechism, and established the Confraternity of Christian doctrine classes for the young; he continued to wear his Dominican habit, which led to the custom of the pope wearing a white cassock Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/30/25 Gospel: John 3:16-21

ROSARY - GLORIOUS MYSTERIES today.  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Wednesday.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter by Dr. Shane Owens. Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Acts 4: 32-37 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 93: 1ab, 1cd-2, 5 Alleluia: John 3: 14-15 Gospel: John 3: 7b-15   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read Online“God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John 3:16We continue, today, to read from the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus, the Pharisee who ultimately converted and is venerated as one of the early saints of the Church. Recall that Jesus challenged Nicodemus as a way of helping him to make the difficult decision to reject the malice of the other Pharisees and to become His follower. This passage quoted above comes from Nicodemus' first conversation with Jesus and is often quoted by our evangelical brothers and sisters as a summary of the whole Gospel. And indeed it is.Throughout Chapter 3 of John's Gospel, Jesus teaches about light and darkness, being born from above, wickedness, sin, condemnation, the Spirit and much more. But in many ways, all that Jesus taught in this chapter and throughout His public ministry can be summed up in this short and to-the-point statement: “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” This short teaching could be broken down into five essential truths.First, the Father's love for humanity, and specifically, for you, is a love so deep that there is no way we will ever fully understand the depths of His love. Second, the love the Father has for us compelled Him to give us the greatest gift we could ever receive and the greatest gift the Father could give: His own divine Son. This gift must be prayerfully pondered if we are to come to a deepening understanding of the infinite generosity of the Father. Third, as we prayerfully enter deeper and deeper into our understanding of this incredible gift of the Son, our only appropriate response is faith. We must “believe in Him.” And our belief must deepen just as our understanding deepens.Fourth, we must realize that eternal death is always possible. It is possible that we eternally “perish.” That realization will give even greater insight into the gift of the Son, in that we will realize that the first duty of the Son is to save us from eternal separation from the Father.Lastly, the gift of the Son from the Father is not only to save us but also to draw us to the heights of Heaven. That is, we are given “eternal life.” This gift of eternity is of infinite capacity, value, glory and fulfillment.Reflect, today, upon this summary of the whole Gospel: “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Take it line by line, prayerfully seeking to understand the beautiful and transforming truths revealed to us by our Lord in this holy conversation with Nicodemus. Try to see yourself as Nicodemus, a good person who is trying to understand Jesus and His teachings more clearly. If you can listen to these words with Nicodemus and accept them deeply in faith, then you, too, will share in the eternal glory these words promise. My glorious Lord, You came to us as the greatest Gift ever imagined. You are the gift of the Father in Heaven. You were sent out of love for the purpose of saving us and drawing us into the glory of eternity. Help me to understand and believe all that You are and to receive You as the saving Gift for Eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Matthias Stom, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Second Week of Easter by Dr. Scott Hahn. Easter Weekday/ Peter Chanel, Priest, Religious, Missionary, Martyr/ Louis Mary De Montfort, Priest First Reading: Acts 4: 23-31 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 2: 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 Alleluia: Colossians 3: 1 Gospel: John 3: 1-8   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read OnlineNicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.”  John 3:9–11As we reflected upon yesterday, Nicodemus is one of the only Pharisees who ultimately converted, became a follower of Jesus, and is today considered a saint. The only other Pharisees who were recorded by name as converts to Christianity were Saint Paul and Gamaliel. Acts 15:5 also indicates that some other Pharisees ultimately converted.When the many encounters between Jesus and the Pharisees are considered as a whole, it's clear that there was great resistance among them toward Jesus and His teaching. They were constantly seeking to trap Him and, of course, ultimately were responsible for His death, along with other leading religious leaders from the Sanhedrin. For that reason, it's easy to understand that there must have been great pressure upon all the Pharisees to reject Jesus. Each one of them would have felt the power of peer pressure to act in accord with the general view of Jesus' condemnation. This is the context of this passage above in which Nicodemus questions Jesus. This passage continues yesterday's Gospel conversation in which Jesus says clearly to Nicodemus that the way to Heaven is to be “born from above.” Nicodemus questions how one can “be born again,” and then Jesus issues this apparent criticism of Him quoted above.It's helpful to understand that Jesus' criticism was not a condemnation of Nicodemus. It was not in the tone of His normal “Woe to you…” statements; rather, it was a gentle but very direct challenge to Nicodemus so as to move him from his questions to faith. And that's the key. Nicodemus did not come to Jesus to trap and condemn Him like the other Pharisees did. Nicodemus came because he was confused. And most likely, he was confused because he felt great peer pressure from his fellow Pharisees to condemn Jesus.Understanding this context should help us understand not only the goodness and courage of Nicodemus but also the loving boldness of Jesus. Jesus knew that Nicodemus was open. He knew that Nicodemus could be won over. But Jesus also knew that Nicodemus needed to be challenged in a direct and firm way. He needed a bit of a “holy push” so as to enter into the gift of faith. Of course, Jesus' challenge ultimately won Nicodemus over.Reflect, today, upon any way in which you, too, need a “holy push” from our Lord. What form of worldly pressure do you experience in life? Do friends, neighbors, family members or co-workers impose upon you in some way a peer pressure that is contrary to the life of true holiness? If so, ponder the ultimate courage of Nicodemus, Saint Paul and Gamaliel. Let their witness inspire you and allow our Lord to challenge you where you need it the most so that you, too, will receive the “holy push” that you need to be a more faithful follower of Jesus.My Lord of all strength, You are unwavering in Your determination to challenge me in the area that I need it the most. Help me to receive Your gentle rebukes of love when I am weak so that I will have the courage and strength I need to be a faithful follower of You. Give me clarity and understanding, dear Lord, and help me to overcome the misleading pressures of the world. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: John La Farge, 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.

It is Monday on The Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast. During the Hot Spot. Da Brat spoke about the great second week of Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.” The vampire thriller starring Michael B. Jordan pulled in another $45 million in the box office this weekend. This is after the movie took in $48 million during its first weekend. There has been a lot of speculation about why Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL hall of famer, Deion Sanders, went so low in the NFL draft in the 5th round instead of his projected 1st round. Now that Sanders has been drafted, it was rumored that Deion Sanders and the family need to keep quiet on why he was drafted so low. Also, Kanye West went on his Twitch stream to cause more chaos in his life. West went on to say that he should have had children with Paris Hilton instead of Kim Kardashian. West went on to say that he would have hotels by now if he had children with Paris Hilton. All of this and more on The Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast. Website: https://www.urban1podcasts.com/rickey-smiley-morning-show See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Da Brat spoke about the great second week of Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.” The vampire thriller starring Michael B. Jordan pulled in another $45 million in the box office this weekend. This is after the movie took in $48 million during its first weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Second Week of Easter Lectionary: 267The Saint of the day is Saint Peter ChanelSaint Peter Chanel's Story Anyone who has worked in loneliness, with great adaptation required and with little apparent success, will find a kindred spirit in Peter Chanel. Born in France, Peter's interest in the missions began in school, when he read letters missionaries to America sent back home. As a young priest, Peter revived a parish in a “bad” district by the simple method of showing great devotion to the sick. Wanting to be a missionary, he joined the Society of Mary, the Marists, at 28. Obediently, he taught in the seminary for five years. Then, as superior of seven Marists, he traveled to Western Oceania. The bishop accompanying the missionaries left Peter and a brother on Futuna Island northeast of Fiji, promising to return in six months. He was gone five years. Meanwhile, Peter struggled with this new language and mastered it, making the difficult adjustment to life with whalers, traders, and warring natives. Despite little apparent success and severe want, he maintained a serene and gentle spirit, plus endless patience and courage. A few natives had been baptized, a few more were being instructed. When the chieftain's son asked to be baptized, persecution by the chieftain reached a climax. Father Chanel was clubbed to death. Within two years after his death, the whole island became Catholic and has remained so. He was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1954. Peter Chanel is the first martyr of Oceania and its patron. Reflection Suffering for Christ means suffering because we are like Christ. Very often the opposition we meet is the result of our own selfishness or imprudence. We are not martyrs when we are “persecuted” by those who merely treat us as we treat them. A Christian martyr is one who, like Christ, is simply a witness to God's love, and brings out of human hearts the good or evil that is already there. Saint Peter Chanel is the Patron Saint of: Oceania Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Friends of the Rosary,Today, Monday of the Second Week of Easter, a day after Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrate the memorial of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, a 17th-century French saint revered for his intense devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Virgin Mary, especially through the Rosary.St. Louis-Marie wrote the prayer of entrustment to Our Lady, “Totus Tuus ego sum,” which means, “I am all yours.” The late Pope John Paul II took the phrase “Totus Tuus” as his episcopal motto.The saint manifested a love for the poor while he was at school and joined a society of young men who ministered to the poor and the sick on school holidays. When he was 19, he walked 130 miles to Paris to study theology, giving all he had to the poor he met along the way, and made a vow to live solely on alms.With a gift for preaching, he often drew crowds of thousands to hear his sermons in which he encouraged frequent communion and devotion to Mary.He was poisoned by Jansenists, a heretical movement within the Church that believed in absolute Predestination, in which only a chosen few are saved, and the rest damned.He wrote two masterpieces of Marian piety, “The Secret of the Rosary” and “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin,” which he correctly prophesied would be hidden by the devil for a time. The “True Devotion” was discovered 200 years after his death.One year before his death, St. Louis-Marie founded two congregations: the Daughters of Divine Wisdom, which cared for the sick in hospitals and educated poor girls, and the Company of Mary, a missionary order devoted to preaching and spreading devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!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 York• April 28, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Wherever the spirit of the Lord is, there will be new life

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Join Father Kevin Drew as he preaches on this Monday of the Second Week of Easter and Memorial of Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr. Today's readings First Reading: Acts 4:23-31 Psalm: Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9 Gospel: John 3:1-8 Catholic Radio Network

Read OnlineThere was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” John 3:1–2Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, is mentioned three times in the Gospel of John. The passage above comes from the first time he's mentioned. The second time is when he reminds the Sanhedrin that Jesus should be heard by them before they condemn Him, and the third time is when Nicodemus assists with Jesus' burial after His death. John's Gospel is very symbolic. He especially uses the images of light and dark. For example, when Judas went out to betray Jesus, John's Gospel notes that “it was night.” In the passage above, John's Gospel notes that Nicodemus came to Jesus “at night.”Saint Augustine, in commenting upon this passage, says that Nicodemus came to Jesus “at night” because Nicodemus was not yet fully born again and, therefore, was not yet living fully in the light of faith. But the fact that Nicodemus does come to Jesus and questions Him at length shows that he had a spark of faith and that he wanted to deepen that faith. He clearly hoped that Jesus was the Messiah and professed that Jesus was “a teacher who has come from God.”From early times, prior to the formalization of canonization practices, Nicodemus has been given the title of “saint” within the Catholic Church as well as in the Orthodox Church. He is especially venerated because he stood up against the other religious leaders at the time to defend Jesus and show support for Him. This took courage. He was ridiculed and risked being shunned by the others. But Nicodemus knew there was something special about Jesus, and he persevered in following that inspiration.In many ways, Nicodemus is a great example for us today in our modern world. More and more, in most secular world cultures, being a follower of Jesus is looked down upon. This is especially true if you choose to live your faith openly and believe all that the Gospels teach. Many Christians find that living their faith openly, especially within the workplace, school environments, and other civic circles, is challenging. And like Nicodemus, many find it easier to come to Jesus “at night,” meaning, in a hidden way. And though Nicodemus started this way, he eventually spoke openly in defense of Jesus in the presence of his fellow Pharisees who, according to some traditions, persecuted him and drove him into exile. Reflect, today, upon Saint Nicodemus. He allowed the spark of faith within him to grow as He listened to Jesus, struggled with the pressure from his peers, but ultimately openly professed his faith in Christ. And though this hurt his worldly position of honor within the Sanhedrin and among the earthly rulers, it earned Nicodemus an eternal honor in Heaven. Reflect upon the courage he must have had to go against the pressure of his peers by allowing the faith he found in Christ to grow and fill his life with the light of Truth. Seek to imitate this good man and allow yourself to be inspired by his courage so that you, too, will receive the same eternal glory he now enjoys in Heaven. Lord of light and truth, You reveal Yourself to those who come to You with faith. Help me to follow the example of Nicodemus so that all confusion and darkness will be dispelled by the light of Your truth. Give me courage, dear Lord, to follow You and to set my heart on all that You reveal. Jesus, I trust in You.  Henry Ossawa Tanner, 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.

Thomas, often referred to as ‘doubting Thomas,' often gets a bum rap. He just wanted to have the same experience that everyone else had. He had an intimate relationship with Jesus and all he was asking for was a chance to see it for himself. We, too, have our own personal relationship with Christ and with the Divine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking God for the kind of experience you need in order to strengthen your relationship with the Divine.  Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith as they explore the idea of Divine encounter... especially in times of “darkness.” Download TranscriptThanks for listening to Project Zion Podcast!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. copyright@umcmission.org “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey. NOTE: The series that make up the Project Zion Podcast explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Project Zion Podcast is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ.