Wrestling with God Show

Father Len and Irish grapple with the mystery of the three big events that are the foundation of Christianity: God taking on human flesh and living among us, God being tortured and killed by us, and God’s miraculous resurrection from the dead. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len explains why we should view these events as a whole, as one. Father Len identifies three groups of Christians and t...

Father Len explains how a Roman citizen named Patrick became a great saint and hero to Ireland and the real reason we celebrate him and his life. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Patrick was the child of a very religious Roman family, but he had no use for religion until he was captured by pirates on a beach in England and sent to Ireland as a slave to care for sheep and dogs. Patrick discovered and...

Father Len reveals that trees are symbols for God and human beings and trees represent the most important choices we make in life. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Trees are the third most common thing mentioned in the Bible. God loves trees and gives them a ring every year on their birthdays. Trees are places where human beings choose to worship or reject God. There is a tree present at every major...

Father Len reveals the meaning of the salvation God seeks for all of us. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Salvation is about freedom and belonging and being saved from harm. Freedom doesn’t mean doing whatever selfish thing you want to do. That’s merely a form of slavery to the ego. Salvation is freedom to be with and for others. It’s a whole lot of dying to your ego. Salvation is not just about me b...

Father Len explains why humility is the foundation for success in life. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom There is an epidemic of narcissism in our current culture fueled by social media. Humility is the cure for narcissism. Father Len discusses the dangers of ego and self-obsession by comparing the psyche of movie stars to people in prison. Father Len shares the story of three superstars, Lebron Jame...

Father Len explains the Catholic tradition of Lent, an annual 40 day journey of recognizing and facing our flaws and weaknesses in order to become who we are meant to be. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom To illustrate the Lenten journey, Father Len shares the inspiring story of two childhood friends from Idaho who decide to go on a 500 mile pilgrimage in Italy with one pushing the other in a wheelcha...

Father Len reveals the path to a happy, healthy, and holy life involves multiple deaths and funerals. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len shares the story of an alcoholic to illustrate the consequences of denying death in life. The “gospel of prosperity,” which professes that if you’re good God will give you health and stuff throughout your life without sacrifice, is a hoax. To get to happy a...

Father Len reveals three reasons God created us with some illustrative and inspiring stories and a funny Twinkies analogy. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len reviews the two creation stories in the Bible. Everyone is born an Earthling and we only become true human beings when we can love to the point of death. We are meant to evolve into a relationship of unconditional love with God, other p...

It’s not about chocolates and roses. Father Len shares the real story of St. Valentine’s Day and its inspiring purpose. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom All the world’s great feasts have a religious beginning. This story is about a persecuted and jailed priest named Valentine. Miracles happen when Father Valentine is asked by his jailer to educate the jailer’s blind daughter and Father Va...

Father Len responds to Howard’s conflicted thoughts and feelings about faith and religion and his strong desire to figure out what he believes about the existence of God.   Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom “Howard Stern Comes Again” by Howard Stern Exploring the mysteries of life puts us on the road to wisdom. Curiosity is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Humanity tends to pervert most things lik...

Father Len reveals how and why God uses loving trickery to expose truth and help us understand and live our purpose. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len explores the common theme in the religious mythologies presented in Joseph Campbell’s “Power of Myth” that first got him thinking about God as a trickster back when he was in junior high school. The trickster in every religious mythology is a...

Father Len traces the history of woman, her role and influence in the world and the church, from the present back to her creation.

Father Len reveals the obstacles to accurately interpreting and fully understanding the Bible and what it takes to overcome these hurdles. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len shares a fun study about how people rate their driving abilities to illustrate the effect of ego on how we see ourselves and view the world. Human beings believe their opinions and decisions are rational, but studies rev...

Father Len reveals what water symbolizes and why it shows up so often in the Bible. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom The Bible contains many symbols that God repeats over and over again. The symbols help us understand what it means to be a human being. Many symbols in the Bible end up becoming part of the way Christians worship. In the Bible, water always symbolizes change, a change in consciousness...

Father Len refutes the notion that the celebration of Christmas began as a pagan party.

Father Len reveals the origin of The Satan and why The Satan constantly misrepresents the words of God and tempts us to sin. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len Introduces “The Great Chain of Being,” the theory that describes the hierarchy of creation and reveals that heaven is populated by more than human beings. God created human beings to rule the earth and care for creation. When God crea...

Father Len presents the solution to contention and division in our individual lives and in the world around us. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom “Secretaries rule the world. Never tick off a secretary because they control everything.” – Father Len Unity comes through Christ. The word Catholic means universal. Father Len shares the hope for unity found in the two creation stories in the Bible. We are...

Father Len reveals the real “reason for the season” is us. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom “When I look at the world upside down, that’s when it seems right to me.” – Jeret “Speedy” Peterson Father Len tells a story about geese to illustrate why God became a human being. Christmas is a revelation of who we are meant to be. To be good is to become a true human being. Our true humanity is...

Father Len reveals how doubts and questions about how God works in the world lead to wisdom and faith. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len explains the difference between doubt that is healthy and holy and doubt that is not healthy or holy. True faith is believing in a God of love and impossibilities. Doubt can be a blessing or a curse. Doubt about how God is working in your life and why is a...

Father Len explains the relationship between commitment and happiness. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len shares the story of NFL football player Bo Eason and what he learned about commitment from fellow Pro Jerry Rice . “There’s No Plan B for You’re A-Game” by Bo Eason Commitment breeds commitment. Indifference breeds indifference. There are two types of commitment: “even if” and “as long a...

Father Len explains the relationship between science, history and the Bible and why dinosaurs aren’t present in the Bible. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len reveals that some Christians and members of a group known as “young earth creationists” believe that dinosaurs aren’t present in the Bible because they didn’t exist. They fear science is driving God out of the human experience and there...

Father Len reveals what fear of God really means and why it’s awesome. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len uses a story about Avalon the lion from the CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia collection of books to begin to illustrate what fear of God is and isn’t. Fear of the Lord is one of the top seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Father Len explains the difference between terror and Fear of the Lord. F...

Father Len offers perspective and advice to those who feel anger and fear after the recent national election or following any loss or disappointment in life. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Father Len’s concerns about the effects of what he refers to as “post traumatic election syndrome” inspired this episode. Father Len shares a personal experience from a trip to Colombia to put election induced an...

Father Len offers some hope and solutions for ending the anger and divisiveness we’re experiencing in our politics and during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Father Len reveals that Halloween actually began as a Catholic Church holiday celebrating our mystical connection with all those who have died. Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom Most of our holidays have Catholic origins. There are exceptions like Columbus Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving. Halloween is the Catholic feast of All Saints who are in heaven and calling us to join them. Father Len sh...