Living the Catholic Faith

In this final episode of Living the Catholic Faith, we encounter the readings for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time where Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants who do not bear good fruit because of their selfishness and sinfulness. We are called to think about if we are good fruit. In our Topic of the Week we will discuss fruitfulness. What does it mean to be fruitful? Are we fruitful? In o...

In Episode 84 of Living the Catholic Faith, we encounter the readings for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time that challenge us to look are our priorities. What really matters to us? What is of primary importance? Our Topic of the Week is priorities. How do we set our priorities? What does priorities have to do with living our faith? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear the Gospel from St. Matthew abou...

In Episode 83 of Living the Catholic Faith, we look at the readings for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time. We are challenged to contemplate the concept of fairness. Is life fair? Are we treated fairly and do we treat others fairly? Our Topic of the Week is fairness. What is it? Why is it important? In Breaking Open the Word, we will hear from the Gospel of Matthew the parable of the generous landow...

In Episode 82 of Living the Catholic Faith, we hear the readings for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The readings focus on one theme - forgiveness. Are we willing to forgive? Are we forgiven? Our Topic of the Week is of course, forgiveness. What is forgiveness? What isn't forgiveness? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear Peter ask Jesus how often are we to forgive. Jesus answers 77 times which sta...

In Episode 81 of Living the Catholic Faith, we encounter the readings for the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our reading focus us on our responsibility to hold each other accountable as we journey towards God. What does this mean? How do we do it? Our Topic of the Week is Accountability. What does it mean to be accountable? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear from the Gospel of Matthew about the imp...

In Episode 80 of Living the Catholic Faith, we celebrate the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Last week, our readings focused on the rewards of discipleship. Peter, who professes Jesus as Messiah, is given the keys to the kingdom of heaven. This week, this same Peter is rebuked by Jesus for trying to persuade HIm to abandon His mission. Jesus says we must deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and follo...

In Episode 79 of Living the Catholic Faith podcast, we listen to the readings for the 21st Sunday or Ordinary Time. Jesus tells His Apostles and God tells Shebna in our first reading, that God rewards His disciples. How does God reward us? Do we even notice? Our Topic of the Week is God's Gifts. Our Lord gives us gifts out of love for us and as a reward to help us grow deeper in our faith. What do...

In Episode 78 of Living the Catholic Faith, we hear the Gospel and reference the readings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus sees the faith of the Caananite woman, who is a foreigner, and heals her daughter. Do we help those different from us? Do we provide care and concern for the foreigners we encounter? Our Topic of the Week is Welcoming. Do we welcome the strang...

In Episode 77 of LIving the Catholic Faith, we hear the Gospel for the 19 Sunday of Ordinary Time. Jesus comes to His Apostles in the storm. In our first reading from 1st Kings, the Lord comes to Elijah in a tiny whispering sound. God comes to us as well. Our Topic of the Week is Hearing vs. Listening. Do we hear the Lord? If so, are we listening to Him? In Breaking Open the Word, we think about w...

In Episode 76 of Living the Catholic Faith, we hear the reading for the Feast of the Transfiguration. Peter, James and John go up the mountain with Jesus. Jesus is transfigured before them. He is changed and transformed. As followers of Jesus, we are call to change as well. Change is our Topic of the Week. What and how are we called to change? Do we have to change? In Breaking Open the Word, we wi...

In Episode 75 of Living the Catholic Faith, we hear the readings for the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time. We are challenged to think about what is really important in our lives. What do we desire? What rewards do we work for? Our Topic of the Week is Values. What is a value? What do we value? How do values impact our lives as Catholics? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear rom the Gospel Matthew where...

In Episode 74 of Living the Catholic Faith, we encounter the readings for the 12 Sunday of Ordinary Time. Jeremiah, Paul, Jesus and almost all His disciples suffer because of their faith. They traveled a difficult road, a road most of us would rather avoid. In our Topic of the Week, we discuss Martyrs. Did you know there are three types of martyrs? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear the Gospel of...

In Episode 73 of Living the Catholic Faith, we find ourselves back in Ordinary time. As followers of Jesus, there really is no "ordinary time", for being his disciple leads to a life that, by His grace, is extraordinary. Our Topic of the Week is Missionaries. We are all called to be missionaries for Christ. What does this mean and how do we accomplish this? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear from...

In Episode 72 of Living the Catholic Faith podcast, we encounter the reading for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, otherwise known as Corpus Christi. What does it mean that we are celebrating a day that honor the gift of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist? In our Topic of the Week, we will discuss the Real Presence. What does it mean and how do we know it is real? In Breaking Op...

In Episode 71 of Living the Catholic Faith podcast we contemplate this Sunday's Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. What does it mean that there is one God in three persons? How do we make sense of this mystery? Our Topic this week is unity. The Trinity is united as one. Are we as Catholics united as the one body of Christ? Are we united as individuals or in our communities? In Breaking Open the W...

In Episode 70 of the Living the Catholic Faith podcast, we celebrate Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is God, the love between the Father and the Son. It is the sanctifier, that helps us to live a life of holiness. Our Topic this week is fittingly, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. What are they and how do they help us live our Catholic fa...

In Episode 69 of LIving the Catholic Faith, we contemplate this Sunday's readings for the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Where does that leave us? What are we to do? Our Topic this week is accompaniment. We are called to accompany one another as we journey through life. We are to reach out to the marginalized of this world. Do w...

In Episode 68 of Living the Catholic Faith Podcast, we celebrate the 6th Sunday of Easter. The readings challenge us to look at our lives to see if we are truly following the Lord no matter what the cost. Our Topic this week is Redemptive Suffering. What is it and why is it important to us? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear from the Gospel of John Jesus telling His apostles to follow His commandm...

In Episode 67 of Living the Catholic Faith, we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Easter. Yes, the Easter season is still with us. We are called to be an Easter people - a people of joy, who lives in the love and mercy of our risen Lord. This week's Topic is surrender. Surrender is not an easy concept for us. We want to be in charge. We want to win. And yet, as Christians, we are called to surrender our...

In Episode 66 of Living the Catholic Faith, we encounter the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter. We are challenged to recognize the Lord when he is our midst. Our topic this week is Believing is Seeing. For us to see the Lord in our lives, it takes faith - it takes us to believe. In Breaking Open the Word, we hear the Gospel of the Road to Emmaeus. Some of Jesus' followers are heading away fr...

In Episode 65 of LIving the Catholic Faith, we contemplate the readings and meaning of this 2nd Sunday of Easter. It is also Diving Mercy Sunday. God gives us His mercy. What is mercy? What do we do with God's mercy? We will discuss these questions in our Topic of the Week. In Breaking Open the Word, we hear the Gospel from St. John about Jesus' appearance to His disciples and his encounter with T...

Today in the Living the Catholic Faith Podcast, we celebrate Palm Sunday, as we begin the holiest week of the year. Our Topic this week is Holy Week. Are we going to make this week holy? Are we going to attend and participate in the liturgies the Church provides us - Mass of the Lord's Supper, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear a homily about the passion reading....

In Episode 62 of Living the Catholic Faith, we celebrate the 5th Sunday of Lent. Our topic this week is Almsgiving. What is it? What does it have to do with our faith? Why is it so important? In Breaking Open the Word, we hear the Gospel from St. John about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. What does this mean and what is the message for us? Join me, Deacon Steve, as we pray together and contem...

In Episode 61, we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Lent as we first discuss Our Topic of the Week, fasting. Why are we being asked to fast? How do we know what to fast from? In the segment, Breaking Open the Word, we will hear a homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent, as we hear about the healing of the man born blind. What is the message here? Are we blind? Do we see as God sees? Join me, Deacon Steve, as...

In Episode 60 of Living the Catholic Faith, we will first discuss the Topic of the Week which is prayer. What is prayer? What are we called to do during Lent with our prayer lives? In the segment, Break Open the Word, we hear the Gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Lent about Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well. We, who live in the desert, know how important water is. What water do we consume - t...