What God is Not

This week Fr. Michael talks about prayer and being sincere in prayer, both directly with God and also when asking the saints for assistance. He also talks about spiritual fatherhood and some of the ways he's experienced some of the "normal" experiences that biological fathers experience. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Good...

This week Mother Natalia reflects on the Visitation, and how Mary may have felt seen by Elizabeth. She talks about the importance of being seen by others and the importance of us seeing each other. Mother Natalia also talks about the healing that comes from being seen by Christ in confession. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Grou...

This week we have two mini-topics. First we talk about priestly celibacy and married priesthood, the spousal relationship with the church and the spousal relationship with Christ. Then we make a shift and talk about the cycles within the church, daily reception of the Eucharist, and how some of the norms around daily reception of the Eucharist came to be. References: Behold a Great Light: A Daily...

This week Fr. Michael talks about the archangel Gabriel and the meaning of his name. He talks about the manly strength of God and how Gabriel shows us this strength in his actions. Fr. Michael talks about fear of the Lord and how that differs from our fear of people or things that could happen to us. References: Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word by Erasmus Leiva-Merikakis Follow and Contact Us! Fol...

This week we've got a banter only episode. Enjoy! References: Finding God in the World: An Introduction to Josef Pieper's Sacramental Worldview The Good News About Being Human in the Age of AI by Hope Schneir Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Ou...

This week Fr. Michael walks through the phrase "Let us be attentive. Peace be to all. Wisdom, be attentive!" that we hear during Divine Liturgy. He talks about the etymology of some of the words, the purpose of the sentences, and how we're called to be especially attentive after hearing those commands from the priest or deacon. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Faceb...

This week Mother Natalia talks about finding beauty in the midst of suffering. She gives examples of saints lives who were able to find beauty despite their suffering. She also talks about how God draws good out of suffering, despite suffering being an evil. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ...

This week Mother Natalia reflects on her recent retreat in Colorado. She talks about the rest she had during retreat and the moments of rest she has during her busy life. She talks about the importance of purposefully finding rest throughout our day, week, month, and year. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's...

This week Fr. Michael takes inspiration from a prayer said by the Maronite priests at the end of Divine Liturgy. He talks about how important the altar is to a priest and how the priest is "tethered" to the altar. He then expounds further into sacred spaces that are important to the lay people and monastics, and how each person can be reminded of this before or after leaving that space. ...

This week Mother Natalia talks about how we are formed by the community around us. She gives examples of formation within a monastic community, family, and friends. She talks about how our formation can lead us down the wrong paths, but through God's grace how we can turn back to the truth. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads G...

This week Fr. Michael talks to Fr. Nathan Symeon and Fr. Joel Barstad about married priests and celibate priests in the Eastern Catholic Churches. They talk about considerations that need to be taken for each option. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom Monastery Our Website Our...

This week Mother Natalia reflects on the Gospel passage where Peter walks on water and asks Jesus to save him. She talks about realizing that God works to save us in the midst of the storm, but doesn't necessarily have the storm cease. Fr. Michael prepares for the homily for the upcoming Sunday, reflecting on the Epistle and the Gospel as well. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram an...

This week Mother Natalia shares stories of three beautiful things that happened to her recently. She talks about relying on technology vs encountering people. She shares a story of being able to use Photina funds to give to someone in need. She also reminds us that God wants to work for good for us in everything that we're doing, even the super mundane things. References: Into Your Hands, Fat...

This week Fr. Michael reflects on the Gospel from the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. He discovered that the root word means both shame and exalt or lift up, and he compares those in relation to how we live out our lives. He talks about bringing shame to Christ by our actions and inactions, and what it means that Christ will be ashamed of us if we shame Him. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us...

This week Mother Natalia talks about our identity and understanding our identity as God sees us. She talks about recognizing our identity in God as opposed to the circumstances of our life like parenting, work, school status, etc.  Register for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael&apos...

This week Fr. Michael reflects on the recent Gospel passage of the unforgiving servant. He talks about how our forgiveness flows from words, to our minds, to our heart and the differences between those areas. He talks about the need to pursue forgiveness and ask for the grace to forgive from the heart. References: Matt 18:23-35 Register for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Follow and Contact Us! Fol...

This week Mother Natalia talks about a conviction she had while listening to a homily about having a softness of heart and how that helps us when we're encountering someone we don't like. She talks about realizing that she was being overly critical of someone and how that realization was a good wake-up call. She talks about discerning being critical of what someone is saying vs the perso...

This week Fr. Michael continues his topic on Secrets of the Liturgy Revealed, talking about the prayers that are prayed quietly by the priest during Divine Liturgy. He and Mother Natalia talk about some of their favorite prayers and reflect on the beauty of them. References: Secrets of the Liturgy Revealed!!! Register for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram...

This week we’re delighted to welcome Anthony D'Ambrosio and Andrew Holzschuh who wrote, directed, and filmed the movie Triumph of the Heart about St. Maximilian Kolbe. We talk about some of the things that inspired Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia as they watched the film, the beauty found within the movie, and the message of Christian hope that we can take from the movie. References: Triumph o...

This week Fr. Michael walks through some of the prayers that the priest prays during Divine Liturgy that the congregation does not hear. He talks about some of the intention behind the prayers, including when the celebrant is asking his fellow priests to pray for him. Register for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube ! Join...

This week Mother Natalia reflects on some insights she had during a recent Theology of the Body retreat. She talks about the need to stay present in whatever you're doing, whether that's eating an orange, answering emails, texting a friend, etc. She talks about how to be a saint in our time, by exaggerating the things the world doesn't do well to inspire them to do those things well...

Mother Natalia was recently on Catholic Feedback with Keith Nester and we're dropping the episode in your feed today! Mother Natalia talks a bit about how she found the Byzantine Catholic church, hiding beneath masks, sin, beauty, and how she ended up at the monastery. Thanks to Keith and his team for recording our audio and video for this week! Register for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Fol...

This week's episode was recorded live at the Byzantine Assembly in Indiana! This week Mother Natalia reflects on a grace shared by a pilgrim about beauty. She talks about sharing beauty with people and with God. We also have some Q&A at the end of the session. Thanks to WJOB in Indiana for recording the audio and video for this episode. References: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Laurus by...

This week Fr. Michael reflects on the reaction of the shepherds to the driving out of demons from the swine, and how that reaction differs from St. Photina's reaction to encountering Christ. He talks about how Jesus can look at our true poverty and provide true contentment. References: Matt 8:28 - 33 John 4:1-30 Save the Date for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Follow and Contact Us! Follow us...

This week Mother Natalia is joined by Fr. Chris Seith. Mother Natalia uses John 9 and the prayers of the week for the man born blind as her inspiration for today's episode. She talks about our gifts and how they build up our community. She also talks about God's delight in us. References: John 9 Faith, Hope, Love by Joseph Pieper Save the Date for the Bridegroom's Banquet! Follow an...