St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

As we begin the holy season of Lent, Fr Javier del Castillo invites us in this meditation for Ash Wednesday to reflect on the readings and Gospel of today’s Mass and on the works we are called to fulfill during this time for our conversion: fasting, praying and almsgiving.“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2) Father Javier explains that “now is t...

In this talk, "On Faith and Reason", Very Rev. Peter Armenio stresses the urgency with which today’s burning issues (marriage, children, life, evolution, suffering, death, etc.) require not only an appeal to supernatural authority but also to science and nature. Fr Armenio addresses specific issues and situations confronting everyday life and how lay people in the middle of the world are...

St. Josemaria Escriva pointed out that all of the apostles somehow were called to follow Jesus in and through their work, including Saint Paul. Don't be surprised, therefore, to discover that God is also calling you in and through your work. In this meditation, we will reflect on these questions: What is your Damascus? What have you chosen as that activity through which you serve society and...

In this meditation for the Feast of the Epiphany, Fr Javier del Castillo helps us to learn from the Magi how to live a life of piety that is guided by love and magnanimity. The Magi “teach us a lesson in piety. Their piety is shown by the fact that they are capable of love. They leave the comfort of their home and kingdom. They are willing to go through hardship in order to find the King of the Je...

In this meditation for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Fr Javier del Castillo reflects on the Gospel of the day (Luke 1: 26-38) and invites us to prepare our hearts for Christmas by striving to have a listening heart like Mary. “This Advent we have to adapt the same kind of contemplative listening of Our Lady to be able to listen to the whisper of God that comes to us” and “to prepare a place for Him...

In this meditation for the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, Fr Javier del Castillo reflects on the profound meaning of this passage from St Paul - “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). “We ought to rejoice. This is something really important, absolutely necessary, to rejoice in the Lord always because the Lord is near." "This presence of the Lord is...

In this new podcast from the St. Josemaria Institute, Fr Javier del Castillo reflects on St John the Baptist to show how, like the saint, “we can become active listeners of the Word in our hearts.”In particular, this talk aims “to persuade you to embrace a lifestyle where there is room for reading and meditation on Sacred Scripture or other spiritual reading, like the lives of the saints and other...

As we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th), Fr Javier del Castillo's homily, “Stella Matutina", helps us to reflect on the meaning of this special title of our Lady, "Morning Star", and how Mary “entrusted herself entirely to God, and in this we can hope to imitate her on our way to holiness.” “Stella Matutina” (Morning Star) is a homily by Fr Javier...

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Father Javier del Castillo reminds us in this meditation, as St. Josemaria Escriva also often did, that we ought to thank God always by habitually making frequent acts of thanksgiving, acts of gratitude. “We were never asked by God to come into existence,” Fr Javier explains, “everything we have— our talents, our virtues, even our defects— all...

As we celebrate the Feast of All Saints on November 1, Fr Javier del Castillo helps us in this meditation to reflect on: - What is the Communion of Saints - The variety of saints (each unique in their way of holiness) that make up the Communion of Saints - How we participate in the Communion of Saints through our common union with Jesus Christ - How “Thinking Globally. Acting Locally.” can help us...

In this meditation for October 2, a special anniversary in the life of St Josemaria, Fr Javier del Castillo explains how God showed St Josemaria his vocation to be the founder of Opus Dei and the prayers and circumstances that led up to that moment. Inspired by this anniversary, Fr Javier explains how we too are lead to ask ourselves: "What does God want of me?" "What does He want m...

In this meditation, Father Javier del Castillo contemplates the origin of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the meaning of suffering, and how both the little and big crosses in our lives are opportunities to be united in humility to the cross of Jesus Christ. As Father Javier explains, “God didn’t come to get rid of suffering but to give meaning to suffering with His cross… the meanin...