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In this week's episode, we reflect on leading with our God-given authority rather than worldly influence. We discuss the importance of remembering our identity in Christ and how true authority is a display of intimacy that has been rooted in a real tangible love. We share the ways we may have been wounded by authority figures in our past, why these wounds can distort our perception of authority, and how to heal from these wounds so that we can lead others into the light of Christ. Heather's One Thing - <a href= "https://mykitchenlittle.com/2023/01/18/chicken-khao-soi-thai-coconut-curry-noodle-soup/"> Chicken Khao Soi (Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)</a> from My Kitchen Little Sister Miriam's On Thing - The book <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Litanies-Heart-Gerry-Ken-Crete/dp/B0CGH3PC7Z"> Litanies of the Heart</a> by Dr Gerry Crete Michelle's One Thing - <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/album/49jzTXVgyGb8pTwKS1nohZ?si=kifIAP49TcS_wL6MulSJkw"> Beatify: Lullabies with the Saints</a> (an album of Catholic lullabies) from Beatify with Josh Blakesley and Kelly Lombardi Other Resources Mentioned: The <a href= "https://www.restoretheglorypodcast.com/">Restore the Glory Podcast</a> series on Parts Work (<a href= "https://www.restoretheglorypodcast.com/episodes/98">Parts Work (Part 1) w/ Gerry Crete; </a><a href= "https://www.restoretheglorypodcast.com/episodes/99">Parts Work (Part 2) w/ Brya Hanan; </a><a href= "https://www.restoretheglorypodcast.com/episodes/100">Parts Work (Part 3) w/ Bishop Andrew Miller)</a> Journal Questions: <ul> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How have I abdicated my God-given authority?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">When do I perceive surrender to be a form of defeat?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How has authority been misused in my life?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How is God inviting me to stay with Him in faithfulness and obedience?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Where do I need to be both honoring and honest?</li> </ul> Discussion Questions: <ul> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How often do you think God is holding out on you?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How do I lose sight of God-given authority by seeking out worldly influence?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">What accountability do I need to choose surrendered, God-given authority over worldly influence?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">When have you felt safe under God's authority?</li> <li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How do you need to grow and mature to better lead and serve others?</li> </ul> Quote to Ponder: "The fourth commandment opens the second table of the Decalogue. It shows us the order of charity. God has willed that, after him, we should honor our parents to whom we owe life and who have handed on to us the knowledge of God. We are obliged to honor and respect all those whom God, for our good, has vested with his authority." (CCC 2197) Scripture for Lectio: "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." (Deuteronomy 4:9) Sponsor - WalletWin: A big thank you to our sponsor WalletWin, Catholic financial formation for the whole family and creators of <a href= "https://walletwin.com/abidingtogether">The Catholic Money Academy</a>. Most of us were never taught how to manage our money 💰from a Catholic perspective. This has left many feeling weighed down 😩about finances and unable to freely pursue God's calling. This is why we're so excited to tell you about Catholic Money Academy from WalletWin. Since 2017, they've helped thousands of Catholics… …eliminate debt 💸 …build their savings 💪 …morally invest 🙌 …give generously ❤️ …and more! With their step-by-step program rooted in Catholic principles, they take the guesswork out of managing money. The Catholic Money Academy contains engaging video content, live coaching calls, and thorough financial formation to help you become the good steward you're called to be. 🕊️💰 If you're ready to feel confident and at peace with your finances, visit <a href= "http://walletwin.com/abidingtogether">WalletWin.com/AbidingTogether</a> to start your extended 30-day free trial. Other Resources and Products You'll Love from WalletWin: 🚑 <a href="https://walletwin.com/binder">The Catholic Family Emergency Binder</a> 🗓️ <a href="https://bigcatholiccalendar.com/">The BIG Catholic Calendar</a> 👦🏻 <a href="https://walletwin.com/kids">WalletWin Kids</a> 🎧 <a href="https://walletwin.com/podcast">The Catholic Money Show Podcast</a>

S14 E13 - Leading with God-Given Authority

Corruption among Church leaders is nothing new, yet the faithful have always endured and renewed the Church. This honest look at history reveals notorious bad shepherds who betrayed Christ’s flock, yet also shows how faithful Catholics outlasted their failures, kept the Faith alive, and inspired needed reform. Be encouraged to stand firm, trust Christ the Good Shepherd, and help renew the Church today, just as generations of believers have done before.

Bad Shepherds | eBook

Episode 185 - Hunger for God Are you HUNGRY for God? One of the foundational struggles that we have is that we're just not hungry for Him. Part of the path, if not the path, is we're going to have to experience this hunger. A "stepping away" from the noise, distractions, and self-reliance and entering into a place of vulnerability and a sort of dependence on God, and being able to live and pray from that place. Today we're going to talk about the change of passions and desires and dive into how we can develop a taste for silence and ultimately grow in hunger and thirst for God. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at pocomerch.com!

Hunger For God

Opening Credits

Dedication

The Longest Crusade

Princess Alone

A Prince Comes

Rally to the Queen

The Queen's Justice

Crusade Resumed

Crusade Triumphant

Columbus Sails

Isabel at the Summit

Isabel on the Cross

Duty Abides - Part One

Duty Abides - Part Two

Achievement and Sanctity

Acknowledgements

About the Author

End Credits

A heroic queen who shaped the course of history. Isabel of Spain led with courage during the Reconquista, reformed her nation through justice, and launched a new era by supporting Columbus’s voyages. Her bold, faith-filled reign eclipses even that of England’s Elizabeth. This is the first major English biography of Isabel in decades — scholarly, detailed, and deeply inspiring.

Isabel of Spain

Episode 107 - Ordinary but Extraordinary It is easy to fall into the temptation and believe that we can't do it, that we can't live a holy life. Although the ordinary life is simple, hidden, and seems kind of normal, there's so much sanctity in our vocations that are being lived faithfully. It might not be flashy or spectacular but it's one of the most real ways we can grow in holiness. We may not be in the chapel or church making a eucharistic holy hour, but no matter what our day-to-day experiences look like or what daily lives we are accustomed to, God is there. There's something extraordinary in our ordinary experiences. It is possible to be in relationship with God, amidst everything that we do. We just need to make the space and time no matter how small and let Him enter into our lives. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Ordinary but Extraordinary

For many people, the Catholic Church’s teaching on in vitro fertilization and contraception is a hard one, but it is in concordance with the nature of things. The nature of a thing, as Fr. MIke puts it, is its “what-it’s-for-ness”. Sex is for procreation and the unity of the couple. Equally important is the fact that sex, not in vitro fertilization, is the natural way to bring forth a new life. Contraception and in vitro fertilization violate the nature of not only sex, but also the nature of the person and life itself.

If you feel that this teaching prohibits you from being truly happy, Fr. Mike offers encouragement. It may not seem fair to us at first, but the deep abiding peace we acquire from living by God’s plan is better than anything we could acquire by doing things our way.<a rel="payment" href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/support-ascension">Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast</a>

Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception Explained

Fr. Mike examines the two senses of Scripture: the literal sense and the spiritual sense. Together, we further unpack the meaning of the literal sense of Scripture and the three subdivisions of the spiritual sense: the allegorical, the moral, and the anagogical senses. Fr. Mike provides us with scriptural examples of each of the four senses for us to fully comprehend the richness of God’s Word. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 115-119.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Day 16: Senses of Scripture (2025)

Foreword

Introduction

Start with the End in Mind

The Origins of the Rosary

The Science of the Rosary

Pray Like the Saints

Spiritual Warfare and the Holy Rosary

The Benefits and Promises of the Rosary

Rosary Success

Testimonies of the Rosary

Closing Credits

This powerful guide unveils the Rosary as a divine weapon for spiritual renewal, tracing its roots through Scripture, the saints, and Marian apparitions while offering practical direction for deeper prayer. Gabriel Castillo combines Carmelite mysticism and Dominican structure to teach the forgotten art of mental prayer, showing how to truly encounter Christ through Mary in the mysteries. With insights from tradition, saints, and lived experience, this book equips readers to overcome spiritual battles, ignite family devotion, and pray with conviction, constancy, and fire.

The Power of the Rosary

The Catechism reveals to us its intended readership, structure, and some practical directions for use. Fr. Mike and the Roman Catechism remind us that—above all—”the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 11-25.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Day 2: How the Catechism Works (2026)

The Catechism reveals to us its intended readership, structure, and some practical directions for use. Fr. Mike and the Roman Catechism remind us that—above all—”the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 11-25.

Unlock the full experience of The Catechism in a Year (with Father Mike Schmitz) with the <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/pages/ascension-app?_branch_match_id=1248288113491054729&amp;utm_source=youtube&amp;utm_medium=marketing&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXz8nMy9ZLLE5OzSvOzM%2FTTSwo0EvOz9X3CKtwCktMDfB1SQIAklUiuCoAAAA%3D" rel="nofollow noopener">Ascension App! </a>Get access to an interactive reading plan, the complete text of the Catechism, episode transcripts, summaries, and more.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Day 2: How the Catechism Works (2024)

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Why Non-Catholics Can’t Receive Communion

Episode 105 - New Light New Life This whole Lenten journey has a been about identity. In this journey, we again receive the gift of who we are as sons and daughters of God and every other identity along the way. But this identity pilgrimage will not make sense without the resurrection. Life will be incomprehensible if it's just suffering and brokenness. Jesus risen from the dead is the truth that changes everything. The gift of the resurrection shows us a new way to love. It gives us a new way to look at things and a new light to have a brighter hope. Ultimately, it helps us to have a new way of living. This episode talks about the transformation that happens in our hearts when we experience the new life of Jesus in us and what it means to live as new men and women. As we finish working through the Born of Fire book and enter into the Easter season, we invite you to look at and receive what the resurrection of Jesus mean to your personal life. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

New Light New Life

Resources: <ul> <li><a href="http://SpiritualDirection.com/shop">Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits</a> - Dan Burke</li> <li><a href= "https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/the-contemplative-rosary"> The Contemplative Rosary</a> - Dan Burke and Connie Rossini</li> <li><a href="http://onelink.to/92tyk4">The Contemplative Rosary App</a> (phones and tablets only)</li> <li><a href="http://SpiritualDirection.com/shop">A Catholic Guide to Mindfulness</a> - Susan Brinkmann OCDS</li> <li><a href= "https://avila-institute.org/events/">Avila-Institute.org/events</a> - website</li> <li><a href="http://avila-institute.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EWTN Religious Catalogue</a> – online</li> <li><a href="https://www.sophiainstitute.com">Sophia Institute Press</a> - online</li> </ul>

Difficulties in Prayer?

This episode is about as real and raw as it gets, I had to record it on my phone because all of our recording equipment is packed in boxes. We are living in someone else's house in Steubenville and I wanted to take a minute to update you all and fill you in on our life, our move, and the transition of Among the Lilies. Thank you all for being here and joining me on this wild ride! God is so good and I am thankful that we can see His provision in this move!

168: Updates on our Transition!

Toward the end of the Lord’s Prayer, we implore God to protect us from temptation and from the evil one. Fr. Mike clarifies what we mean when we ask God not to “lead us into temptation” and emphasizes the importance of discerning between trials and temptations. Lastly, we review the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, known as the final doxology. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2846-2856.

Unlock the full experience of The Catechism in a Year (with Father Mike Schmitz) with the <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/pages/ascension-app?_branch_match_id=1248288113491054729&amp;utm_source=youtube&amp;utm_medium=marketing&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXz8nMy9ZLLE5OzSvOzM%2FTTSwo0EvOz9X3CKtwCktMDfB1SQIAklUiuCoAAAA%3D" rel="nofollow noopener">Ascension App</a>! Get access to an interactive reading plan, the complete text of the Catechism, episode transcripts, summaries, and more.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Day 364: Deliver Us from Evil

Episode 22.  The Core of Catholic Resilience June 29, 2020 Intro: Welcome to the podcast Coronavirus Crisis:  Carpe Diem, where you and I rise up and embrace the possibilities and opportunities for spiritual and psychological growth in this time of crisis, all grounded in a Catholic worldview.   We are going beyond mere resilience, to rising up to the challenges of this pandemic and becoming even healthier in the natural and the spiritual realms than we were before.  I’m clinical psychologist Peter Malinoski your host and guide, with Souls and Hearts at soulsandhearts.com.  Thank you for being here with me.  This is episode 22, and it’s called The Core of Catholic Resilience.  Today we are going to the core of Catholic resilience, we are going to discover what drives resilience in the saints.  We are discussing the one central theme that is absolutely essential for the kind of resilience that transcends this natural world, that incorporates not just our natural gifts, but grace as well.  The saints are the most resilient people who ever walked the face of the earth.  What is the secret of the resilience of the saints?  That’s the question we are focusing on today.  What is the secret of the super resilience of the saints, the secret that allows them to rise up again when they fall under the weight of adversity, of persecution, of their own failings, weakness and sins?  We are getting to that in just a moment.  I am a believer in spiral learning, especially for this podcast and for the online learning at Souls and Hearts.  So what is spiral learning?  Guess what!  It’s definition time with Dr. Peter. [cue sound effect]In a spiral learning approach, the basic facts of a subject are learned, without worrying much about the details.  Just the main, plain concept.  As learning progresses, more and more details are introduced.  These new details are related to the basic concepts which are reemphasized many times to help enter them into long-term memory. Repeat.  That’s spiral learning.  Homeschoolers might recognize that from the way Saxon math works or the way some other programs teach.  Why spiral learning.  I really want you to integrate what you learn in these podcasts into the whole of your being – not just have them go in one ear and out the other, but for you to really grip on to them, really hold them, even when times are tough, even when you are in a dark place, even when emotions run high.  My self-defense instructor James Yeager, in a fighting pistol course I took several years ago taught the class that “The only things you really possess are those things you can carry with you at a dead run.”  He was referring to gear, including weapons mindset – he is really big on mindset, having your head right in crisis situations, and worked with his students to integrate his teachings throughout their whole beings, to have the right responses come up habitually, automatically, reflexively.  I want that for you.  So in these podcasts, we’re nourishing the mind, we’re focusing on the concepts, we’re starting there.  The experiential work will help with the rest of the integration into your heartset, your soulset and your bodyset.  Since we are already on a hard road together in the Christian life.  I want to make the learning about Catholic resilience and growing in resilience as easy as possible for you.  So we will spiral upward, coming back to the main themes in the podcast over and over again with new details, new data points, lots of examples, and of course, stories.  As a psychologist and educator, I want this to be really easy for you to take in.  Another benefit of that approach is that each podcast episode can stand alone – you can just pick this up the middle of this series on resilience can get the background you need for the topic of the episode.  I’m really thinking about you when I put these together.  So let’s briefly review what we’ve learned in this series on Catholic resilience.  In episode 20, two weeks ago, we discussed the 10 factors of resilience offered by the secular experts.  These were the ten essential aspects of resilience as summarized by Southwick and Charney, two writer for a general audience on resilience whom I respect.  In episode 21 last week we got into the three major ways that secular understandings of resilience are lacking from a Catholic perspective, three important mistakes that secular professionals make in understanding resilience, the things that they miss because of their non-Catholic worldviews.  If you have the time, you can check those two episodes out if you haven’t already, they help to put today’s episode into context, but suffice it to say for today, that Catholic resilience is very different than a secular understanding of resilience.In the last episode, I offered a definition of Catholic resilience, comparing secular understandings of resilience to a Catholic understanding of resilience.  So now, just to get us all up to speed, let’s review that definition of Catholic resilience.  It’s definition time with Dr. PeterCatholic resilience  “the process of accepting and embracing adversity, trauma, trials, stresses and suffering as crosses.  Catholic resilience sees these crosses as gifts from our loving, attuned God, gifts to transform us, to make us holy, to help us be better able to love and to be loved than we ever were before, and to ultimately bring us into loving union with Him.   Today we are making a deep dive into the one essential requirement, the one prerequisite, the one necessary quality you have to have to be resilient as a Catholic.  All the other factors of Catholic resilience flow from this core, this central principle.  Now you are asking, Dr. Peter, what is this core of resilience, this central principle of Catholic resilience?  I am glad you asked.  The core of Catholic resilience, the kind of holy resilience of the saint is…Drum RoleA deep and abiding confidence in God, especially in God’s Providence.  What I am saying is that resilience is an effect – it’s a consequence of the deep, abiding confidence in God, especially in God’s Providential care and love for us. .   Resilience flows from that confidence in God – confidence in God’s care and love for me, specifically.  So resilience is an effect of the spiritual life.  OK.  Let’s break this down, to make sure we’re on the same page.  What do I mean by confidence in God?  St. Thomas Aquinas defines it as confidence in God as “a hope, fortified by solid conviction.”  So confidence in God is Hope, but it is a hope fortified, not just an ordinary hope, which could be lost.  It is a higher level of hope, a hope fortified by solid conviction.  The difference between hope and confidence is only a matter of degree – they are the same, but confidence, because it is fortified by solid conviction, is hope supercharged, a super hope, as King David sang in Psalm 119 (118).  “In verba tua supersperavi” read the Latin.  Speravi is I have hoped – Supersperavi – I have hope to the highest level.  Typical translation  “I have hoped in thy word.”Let’s look at solid conviction.  So solid.  What does that mean?  Firm, grounded, immovable, consistent.  Conviction  -- wh...

22 The Core of Catholic Resilience

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Today Fr. Mike encourages all men watching to consider taking the 90 day journey of Exodus 90. Learn more about Exodus 90 at <a href="http://www.Exodus90.com" rel="nofollow noopener">www.Exodus90.com</a> <a rel="payment" href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/support-ascension">Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast</a>

A Message to Catholic Men

&quot;Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you, is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed.&quot;  - Our Lady of Guadalupe When we last left our story, the Bishop was doubtful that Juan Diego&apos;s message from Our Lady was true. He asked for a sign that it was truly the Mother of God who had sent him. Will Juan Diego receive a sign? Will the Bishop believe him? Hear the rest of the incredible story today on our final episode on the life of Saint Juan Diego! Saints Alive is brought to you by the #1 Catholic Prayer App, Hallow! Sign up today with a <a href='http://hallow.com/saintsalive'>30-day free trial!</a>Please rate, review and share with friends and family!Find out more about Saints Alive at our website: <a href='https://www.saintsalivepodcast.com/'>https://www.saintsalivepodcast.com/</a>

Saint Juan Diego Part II

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Just one more thing that could go wrong. To protect one's heart is the safest way to live. But since we are made in God's image and likeness, we are made for love. Without love, we remain safe...but we remain incomprehensible to ourselves. To love is to be vulnerable...it is to risk. To receive the gift means we must be open to grief.Mass Readings from July 2, 2023:2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16aPsalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 Matthew 10:37-42

7/2/23 Gift and Grief

<ol><li>Intro: Welcome to the podcast Coronavirus Crisis: Carpe Diem!, where by God’s grace, you and I rise up and embrace the possibilities and opportunities for spiritual and psychological growth right now, in these days, all grounded in a Catholic worldview.   We are going beyond mere resilience, to rising up to the challenges in our lives and becoming even healthier in the natural and the spiritual realms.  I’m clinical psychologist Peter Malinoski and I am here with you, to be your host and guide.  This podcast is part of Souls and Hearts, our online outreach at soulsandhearts.com, which is all about shoring up our natural foundation for the Catholic spiritual life, all about overcoming psychological obstacles to being loved and to loving God and neighbor -- it short, this podcast is all about relationships -- it's all about becoming much more relational in our lives and in our faith. <ol><li>This is episode 46, released on December 14, 2020</li><li>and it is titled: Shame and Tragedy: Judas Iscariot and You</li><li>it is the tenth episode in our series on shame.  </li><li>Thank you for being here with me. </li><li>Last episode we discussed how shame can lead to idolatry.  <ol><li>Now we are going to look at an example of how shame did lead to idolatry </li><li>the rejection of the true God for a false god</li><li>the story of Judas, whose life ended in tragedy, the tragedy of abandoning and betraying Jesus Christ, true God and true man</li></ol></li><li>Really excited about this episode  <ol><li>Really going to look inside of Judas' mind, heart, body and soul today</li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>Really focus on understanding what happened in his life, why did he act the way he did. <ol><li>Why did he do it?  </li><li>I don't accept the typical explanations for Judas' behavior because they seem too simplistic, they don't resonate at all with me.  </li></ol></li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>In our fallen world, in our fallen human condition, all of us have elements of what Judas struggled with.  <ol><li>I believe that there is the potential in you to repeat what Judas did.  Fallen world, fallen natures.  </li><li>There but for the grace of God go I.  Origin unknown, often attributed to John Bradford, Evangelical preacher of the 16th century.  </li><li>We can learn from Judas' tragic end.  </li></ol></li></ol></li><li> </li><li>We are continuing to really immerse ourselves in the spiritual dimensions of shame.  <ol><li>How shame on the natural level can impact us in spiritual ways <ol><li>Grace builds on nature -- disorder in the natural realm undermines the spiritual life.  </li></ol></li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>I like to teach through familiar stories, weaving stories together.  <ol><li>Especially through Scripture, really getting into the Word of God.</li><li>Deeper understand of the people in the Bible stories, to see them in three dimension, bringing them to life</li><li>Scripture is a gift from God to us -- a precious gift  <ol><li>a way that God reveals himself to us</li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>And a way that God reveals you to you.  If you look carefully, you can see aspects of yourself, parts of yourself in the people of Scripture </li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>You can connect with their experience, and I am here to help you with that. </li></ol></li><li> </li><li>Stories help to illustrate the concepts we are learning and connect with them.  Stories give us tangible examples so that we can really grip on to what we are trying to understand.  </li></ol></li></ol></li><li> </li></ol></li><li>Judas was an important, powerful, evocative and mysterious figure to me growing up from when I was 5  <ol><li>I remember being about 5 years old and insisting to my mother that Good Friday should really be called "Bad Friday" because of how Jesus died.  <ol><li>Deeply impressed by the story of the passion and death of Jesus.  </li><li>5 and 6 year old think in black and white -- clear, simple categories</li><li>And I thought Judas was very, very naughty to betray Jesus and tell Jewish priests how to catch him so they could nail him to the cross.  That was very naughty.  </li><li>And Judas was a thief, too.  He stole things.  That was important to me.  <ol><li>Let me tell you a story about my history as a thief.  </li><li>I was not a very good thief.  But I was a thief at one time.  </li><li>Stealing was not tolerated in my family. </li><li>When I was five we were on our road trip back from the Christmas visit with grandma and grandpa, and we stopped at a gas station.  Inside the store, there was a Christmas tree decorated with striped candy sticks. Not just red and white, this one had all the colors of the rainbow. <ol><li>Oooh, pretty.  Oooh, tasty.  Shiny, too.  Pretty, tasty, shiny.  I took one.  </li><li>I'm not sure I was even really aware I was stealing.  </li></ol></li><li>Sucking on it in the car, making it sharp and pointy.  Where did you get that?  No pretense.  </li><li>Mom and Dad -- that's not right,  Dad makes a U-turn on the two lane highway, and  drove me back about 10 miles to the gas station and I had to go in and tell the manager what I had done.  I surrendered the half-eaten pointed little striped candy stick.  I was mortified.  Manager was very gracious, made it no big deal.  I experienced real shame at the time.  And I vowed to reform and not steal ever again.    </li><li>From my parents' reaction, I learned that stealing was very, very bad.  It was a rule not to steal, even a commandment -- Thou shalt not steal, and that included taking candy canes off of Christmas trees inside gas stations.  </li><li>A part of me really learned that to be good, you have to know the rules and follow the rules <ol><li>and Judas was not following the rules about not killing Jesus and not stealing money.  </li><li>Could Judas be any worse?  Judas was very, very naughty.  </li></ol></li></ol></li></ol></li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>Fast forward two years.  When I was about 7, a man named Tim Rice came into my life.  He told me a riveting story, portraying Judas in a very different way than just being very, very naughty.  He told me about Judas' feelings and thoughts and worries and how distressed Judas had been and how Judas had done some bad things, but Judas was very human.  I listened to the story that Tim Rice told me -- I wanted to hear it over and over again.  Judas was so different than I had thought.  He was more than just a stealer who betrayed Jesus.  <ol><li>Who was Tim Rice? -- wrote the lyrics for the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Superstar.  <ol><li>Andrew Lloyd Weber wrote the lyrics.  </li><li>Blast from the past-- anybody going back to the 1970s with me now?</li></ol></li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>Mom and Dad had the vinyl -- the two volume set and though I didn't have TV growing up, we did have a nice stereo and I was allowed to play records the turntable.  Looking back on that it seemed a little ridiculous to let a seven year old play records on this really, really nice audio equipment, but there it was</li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>And I, at seven years old, eight years, nine years  old -- all the way until my sophomore years of college, I really gripped on to this musical  <ol><li>JC Superstar was so emotionally evocative for me.  Emotions just welled up in me in so many ways that never really happened at Mass or in religion class.  </li></ol></li><li> <ol><li>Tim Rice really was telling me the most compelling story of Jesus and Judas and the Apos...</li></ol></li></ol></li></ol></li></ol>

46 Shame and Tragedy: Judas Iscariot and You

As we reach the conclusion of the article on the opening words of the Our Father, we take a closer look at the phrase, “Who Art in Heaven.” Fr. Mike emphasizes that God is not distant, but is imminently present all around us. He also emphasizes that while sin has exiled us from heaven, conversion of heart allows us to return to the Father in heaven. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2794-2802.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Day 358: Who Art in Heaven

God chose Abraham and made him the “father of a multitude of nations.” Then God formed Israel as his people, freeing them from slavery in Egypt. Fr. Mike explains why God reveals himself in stages, and through the prophets who are honored as saints, he continues to form his people in the hope of salvation. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 59-64.

This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy

Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Day 8: God Forms His People (2026)

So many people walk through life constantly seeking validation. Are you one of them? 

Jeff reminds us that if we feel unaffirmed or unappreciated, we will seek validation somewhere—money, relationships, our work. But it’s only when Christ and our Heavenly Father validate us that we can be confident in our true worth. In today’s episode, Jeff addresses several unhealthy ways we might be seeking validation and shares wisdom to help us find our true identity and worth in Christ.

<h3>SHOWNOTES</h3>

*Quotes from the Show *

Matthew 19:5 - “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.”

Prince: When Doves Cry - “How can you just leave me standing? Alone in a world that's so cold (so cold) Maybe I'm just too demanding. Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold. Maybe you're just like my mother. She's never satisfied (she's never satisfied). Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like, when doves cry.”

John 12:42-43 - “Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

Matthew 20:1-16 - “For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

How Does God Validate Us?

He Made Us In His “Image And Likeness” (Genesis 1:27) 
Zephaniah 3:17 - “The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing”

*He Loves Us Even When We Sin *

John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

He Is Always On Your Side 
Romans 8:31 - “What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?”

He Has Placed Us In His Family The Church 
** 
**God Commends Us, We Don’t Commend Ourselves 
2 Corinthians 10:18 - “For it is not the man who commends himself that is accepted, but the man whom the Lord commends.”

Ultimate Validation Comes From God, Not Others 
Proverbs 25:27 - “It is not good to eat much honey, so be sparing of complimentary words.”

*He Is Eagerly Waiting To Reward Us * 
Matthew 6:16-18 - “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Resources 
Email Jeff: <a href="mailto:thejeffcavinsshow@ascensionpress.com" rel="nofollow noopener">thejeffcavinsshow@ascensionpress.com</a> 
Visit the Museum of the Bible 
Get Jeff’s Shownotes by texting “jeffcavins” to 33-777 
How to Pray Like Mary by Sonja Corbitt 
June Trip: “2020 Vision” Young Adult Pilgrimage <a rel="payment" href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/support-ascension">Support The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast)</a>

When Doves Cry: Seeking Validation

We continue reading today Genesis 43-44, Job 35-36, and Proverbs 4:10-19. Fr. Mike highlights the transformation of Judah's heart and how his change shows us that we too can change regardless of our past. 

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear.

Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.<a rel="payment" href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/support-ascension">Support The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)</a>

Day 23: Judah Changes (2026)

Fr. Mike highlights the people of Israel's flaw in trusting in the strength and power of Egypt, not realizing that although Egypt is like a towering cedar tree, the nation will eventually collapse. Fr. Mike also points out Jeremiah's vehement message to Israel to brace themselves for God's judgment. Today we read Jeremiah 4, Ezekiel 31-32, and Proverbs 14:17-20.

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear.

Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.<a rel="payment" href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/support-ascension">Support The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)</a>

Day 227: The Towering Cedar (2024)

Falling into the same sin again and again? Don't let the devil fool you, there is hope!

Fr. Mike Schmitz warns us of the lies of the devil and encourages us to go immediately to confession when we sin. Don't get discouraged, but have the humility to confess your sins and the hope that Christ can transform you!

If in weakness you sin, in freedom, claim the Lord. <a rel="payment" href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/support-ascension">Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast</a>

The Devil’s Last Weapon Against You (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode 31. -- The One Essential You Must Have to Be Resilient     August 31, 2020. Intro: Welcome to the podcast Coronavirus Crisis: Carpe Diem!, where you and I rise up and embrace the possibilities and opportunities for spiritual and psychological growth in this time of crisis, all grounded in a Catholic worldview.   We are going beyond mere resilience, to rising up to the challenges of this pandemic and becoming even healthier in the natural and the spiritual realms than we were before.  I’m clinical psychologist Peter Malinoski your host and guide, with Souls and Hearts at soulsandhearts.com.  Thank you for being here with me.  This is episode 31, released on August 31, 2020 and it is titled: The One Thing You Must Have to Be Resilient.  The one thing that you need, the one prerequisite.  Absolute childlike trust. Repeat.  Absolute confidence in God’s providence.  But to have that absolute confidence, you have to be like a infant or toddler, a parvulum if you’re a guy or a parvula if you’re a gal.     Jesus told St. Faustina, “The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts”. (Diary 1578)  Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska  Freewheeling1.      Up until the last episode Scripting – more like a formal presentation – some moments when I broke out and riffed.  2.      Now much more natural, more conversationala.       I like this better anyway, to be with youb.      Getting used to not seeing you physically, but I can see you in my mind’s eye3.      I’m learning to trust in this process, that God and our Lady will be present and guide me, I am working on being small with this and having fun with it, much more childlike way.4.      That the episode doesn’t have to be perfect, and that it’s better to leave room for spontaneity and inspiration5.      Saves time – 6-7 hours, a lot of it fretting about wording.  a.       I can put the time back into the community in other ways.6.      Thank you to the RCCD community members for the feedback – Jonathan, Martha, Ann, and John it  helps me with my growing edge to keep trying new things.   Best Spiritual Reading Book Chapter Title ever --  Chapter 2 of Life of Union with Mary – Fr. Emile Neubert Take Only what Applies to You”   Review: spiral back to Episode 30 – Why do we have so much difficulty trusting God – it’s because we are too grown up.  We’re too big.   Eric Erickson 1902-1994 1.      Emphasized social development rather than resolution of sexual issues2.      Developmental Tasks that need to be resolved in each stage3.      Birth to 18 month the main conflict and developmental task is trust vs. mistrust.4.      This is the most important phase of life.  Shapes our view of the world, in addition to our personality.  a.       Can I trust those who care for me, those who are near me?  b.      Task is Hope – if this phase is adequately resolved, the result, Erickson said, is a sense of hope and confidence that relationships are beneficial, they are good.  A sense of personal competence.  c.       If successful in this, the baby develops a sense of trust, which "forms the basis in the child for a sense of identity." Failure to develop this trust will result in a  deep pervasive fear and a sense that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable. Parallel in attachment theory – John Bowlby 1907-1990 psychologist, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst  Infants and toddlers instinctively turn to their parents in distress unless there is disorder – what Bowlby and Ainsworth found.   The formation of early healthy emotional connections to mother and father is central to identity development.  Relationships are crucial, and challenged Freuds ideas about the primacy of psychic energy.  Security is dependent on healthy relational bonds.   Erickson and Bowlby said that the first and greatest challenge, the first and greatest task in the natural human development is to learn to trust, to be able to trust in relationship, it’s the foundation for all other development.  Gotta get that straight.  I argue that the first and greatest task, the first and greatest challenge in the spiritual life is to trust God.   There is one thing that separates those who are resilient from those who are not.   Childlike Trust (particularly in God’s goodness and his Providence for me in particular) separate those who are resilient from those who are not.   We are resilient not because of our own efficacy, our own ability, our own strength, our own intelligence, our own resources, our own knowledge, our own skills, talents, money, possessions, but Catholic resilience depends on connecting to and sharing in the love and power and omniscience of God, sheltering under His wing.  And if we are spiritually small in our relationship with God, when we fall, it’s not that far to the ground. We won’t get hurt.    Effects of the Fall – psychological devastation.   However the infant and the toddler will always be disappointed and wounded by the parents, because mom is not perfect, and dad is not God.   Often this is totally unintentional.   Paraphrased From Nancy McWilliams (2011) Psychoanalytic Diagnosis (second edition).   Men may easily underestimate how intimidating they are to their young daughters; men’s bodies, faces, and voices are harsher than those of either of girls or their mothers, and they take some getting used to.  A father who is angry seems particularly formidable, perhaps especially to a sensitive girl.  If a man engages in tantrums, harsh criticism, erratic behavior, or sexual violation, he may be terrifying.  A doting father who also intimidates his little girl creates a kind of approach-avoidance conflict; he is an exciting but feared object.  If he seems to dominate his wife, as in a patriarchal family, the effect is magnified.  His daughter will learn that girls and women are less valued than boys and men. Oldest daughter Grace, married earlier this month, “the practice child.”  Grace and me.    There are parts of us that think we are going to be annihilated if we are small, if we are vulnerable again.  This is terrifying for us.  Think about the differential  6 foot tall and   1600 lbs, 12 ft. tall.   Able to lift a ton  worse than getting in the wrestling ring with Andrew the Giant.   &lt;...