Join well-known theologian and author Edward Sri for weekly insights on understanding and living out the Catholic faith. Delve deeper into the Bible, prayer time, virtue, relationships, marriage and family and culture with practical reflections on all things Catholic. Don't just go through the motions. Live as an intentional Catholic, a disciple of Jesus Christ.
St. Mother Teresa's chapel was bare, austere, and simple, yet two simple words were written on the wall where a large crucifix hung: “I thirst.” What do you think these two words meant to Mother Teresa? Is this phrase simply a statement of God’s collective love for mankind, or did Mother Teresa understand it to mean more than that?
Today’s episode begins by reflecting on this simple, yet amazingly profound phrase that reminds us of how much Jesus longs for love from each one of us. It ends with the reminder that the way to quench our Lord's thirst is by making time to encounter him in prayer.
Snippet from the Show
Jesus thirsts for you. He thirsts for your soul, your love, your time, your attention, your surrender. The infinite God begs for your whole-hearted love—how often do you make time to quench his thirst?
If you’ve ever had the chance to visit a chapel of the Missionaries of Charity, you’ll notice that they are marked by three characteristics: simplicity, devotion, and austerity. However, in every chapel the sisters have a large crucifix, with the words “I thirst” painted next to it. These words are among the last words said by Jesus before dying on the cross, and they acted as a constant reminder to St. Mother Teresa about the Lord’s love for each one of us.
The word “thirst” can be found several times throughout the Bible and within the writings of the saints, but Mother Teresa had a special way of understanding this phrase. Often times, when people think of thirst, they think of people’s thirst for God, such as in Psalm 42:
“As a heart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
And in the writings of St. Augustine when he says:
“...our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
However, another way we can look at thirst is through God’s love for each of us, and further, his thirst for souls. St. Mother Teresa takes this even further, explaining that it’s not just God’s thirst of souls in general, but a thirst for her soul, for my soul, and for your soul. She makes this thirst incredibly personal, saying:
“At that most difficult time on the cross, Jesus proclaimed “I thirst.” People thought he was thirsty in an ordinary way and gave him vinegar, but it was not for that thirst, it was for our love, for our affection, that intimate attachment to him. He said “I thirst” instead of “give me your love.” “I thirst.” Let us hear him saying it to me, and saying it to you.”
Mother Teresa would often encourage her sisters to picture themselves as the subject of the Lord’s thirst, and we can do the same. Take some time to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and prayerfully imagine Christ calling out your name and saying, “I thirst.” For example, I’d pray, “Edward, I thirst.”
Mother Teresa gives further advice on this prayer, saying:
“Just put yourself in front of the tabernacle, don’t let anything disturb you, hear your own name, and “I thirst.” I thirst for purity, I thirst for poverty, I thirst for obedience, I thirst for that whole-hearted love, I thirst for that total surrender. Are we living a contemplative life? Jesus I thirst for that total surrender.”
How should we respond to this overwhelming thirst Jesus has for each one of us? Mother Teresa was in awe of this thirst—that the Lord, who’s so great a being, wanted her, little tiny her.
“[How bewildering] that God, who is so big, needs something from me. That he wants my love, he thirsts for my love, he begs for my love. I cannot understand it, I cannot understand it, I cannot understand it."
Have you ever been overwhelmed by God’s love? The saints realized how profound God’s love was and how he craves our love and attention.
If you look at this story under the original Jewish context, Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman becomes much more powerful. Back then, Samaritans were seen as great sinners for their separation from Israel, intermarriage with pagans, and idolatry of pagan gods. Because of this, Jews did not have any relations or contact with the Samaritans. So Jesus spending time with a Samaritan, let alone a Samaritan woman who’s had several impure relationships, was wildly shocking.
Despite her past, however, Jesus seeks to give her a future with him. In John 4 we read that Jesus, for some reason, has a strong urge to go to Samaria, and no doubt to meet this woman. In fact, in John 4:4, Scripture tell us Jesus had to take this route to get to his destination of Galilee, saying:
“He had to pass through Samar′ia.”
John 4:4
Yet, it’s easy to see on a map that there are other routes Jesus could have taken to get to Galilee. In fact, going through Samaria would have been one of the tougher and more rugged paths to take, as he would have had to go through mountains and rocky terrain, not to mention through a city as hostile as Samaria. But Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” not for geographic reasons, but because he was on a mission. Love is what drove him to that well. And what does he say to the woman when he sees her?
“There came a woman of Samar′ia to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
John 4:7
This theme of thirst again! The Lord needs something from this woman, this woman that everyone views as sinful and as someone with nothing good to offer. Yet, Jesus longs for her, he needs something from her, he thirsts for her. The Catechism points out that we become the woman at the well in our prayer. When we pray, the Lord reaches out to us, and expresses his need for us, even though we’re sinners.
Mother Teresa spent most of her ministry serving and aiding the poor and suffering of Calcutta. There were often times when she would encounter a person dying of thirst, and would do anything she could to get them water. Taking this practical example, Mother Teresa challenges us to ask ourselves, “Do I react the same to God’s thirst of me as I would a man dying of thirst?”
How do we react when we feel God is calling us to do something? How do we prioritize our prayer? Do we view it as a chore or do we value our time of encountering God’s thirst? Mother Teresa says this about spending time with God:
“Jesus longs for you. He misses you when you don’t come close. He thirsts for you.”
Don’t think of prayer as an obligation, think of it as a response to the thirst the Lord has for you. Let’s make time to come close to him, to quench his thirst.
Resources
What gives the cross its redemptive value is not the amount of suffering or bloodshed, but the amount of love that was put into Christ’s sacrifice. The cross is less about taking on punishment and more about the total gift of love Jesus offered to the Father on our behalf.
As the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross this week, Dr. Sri takes us into the heart of the cross—which is ultimately the heart of God and his passionate love for his people.
We’re not called to be like the Amish, separating ourselves completely from the world. But we must be careful how much of the world’s influences we allow into our homes and into our hearts. How do we strike the right balance?
Dr. Sri draws on wisdom from Blessed John Henry Newman to help us live a Christians in this world without being of this world.
Do you have family or friends away from the Catholic Faith? St. Monica’s example offers six practical things we can do to help bring our loved ones back to Christ and the Church.
Too often we focus on how to change our son, sister or friend. But the first step in evangelizing our loved ones might involve changing our own heart and approach to evangelization itself. Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach them with the Faith?
Where is Mary’s Queenship in the Bible? Is this just Catholics exaggerating Mary’s role, trying to put Mary on par with Jesus the King, so they make her a Queen?
In this episode Dr. Sri unpacks the rich Biblical foundation for the feast the Church celebrates this week - the feast of Mary’s queenship - and shows clearly that the Bible reveals Mary to be our Queen.
Get a chance to win a free signed book from Dr. Sri by taking the short survey on the podcast at edwardsri.com/podcast
Did Mary experience death before she was assumed into heaven? Or was she preserved from death because she did not have original sin?
You might be surprised about what the Catholic Church actually teaches on Mary's Assumption.
“How can we stay with a Church that has so many problems?” Dr. Sri unpacks key insights from Bishop Barron’s recent book “A Letter to a Suffering Church” - a book that takes a hard look at the clergy abuse scandal and offers hope and some practical ways forward.
If you don't have time to read it, listen to this brief summary of the many gems in this helpful book.
Shownotes:
Learn more about this book by Bishop Barron https://www.sufferingchurchbook.com
Why would Catholics build a whole basilica dedicated the Blessed Virgin Mary? Isn’t this distracting from Jesus? Shouldn’t we be building churches in honor of Jesus, not Mary?
And why would the Catholic Church have a special liturgical feast day celebrating the dedication of this Marian basilica?
In this special edition, we go to the principle church dedicated to Mary all the world, as we prepare to celebrate on August 5 the memorial of the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major’s - one of Dr. Sri’s favorite churches in all of Rome.
Our marriage began with JP2 blessing it in Rome on our honeymoon. So for our 20th wedding anniversary last week, we wanted to do a special marriage pilgrimage to Krakow and walk in the footsteps of this great saint.
In this episode, Beth and Edward Sri discuss the importance of couples getting time away and share from their experiences at the sites of JP2's youth and years a priest and bishop in Krakow where he poured his life into university students, battled the atheistic Communists, and guided young couples in their marriages.
They also share their experiences at Auschwitz and the shrine to Our Lady of Czestochowa as well as inside stories from locals who lived through Communist Poland and saw their country transformed through the interventions of Pope John Paul II.
Every detail of the Gospels is there for a reason: to show Jesus fulfilling all the ancient prophecies from the Old Testament.
More than any other Gospel, Matthew is constantly alluding to Jewish hopes and expectations to demonstrate how God has been preparing humanity for the Savior and how Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah.
Do you know the two main ways Matthew shows prophecies coming to fulfillment in Christ?
Why does the Catholic Church hold up Matthew’s Gospel as so crucial for passing on the Faith--whether as a parent, teacher, catechist or friend?
And why does Matthew stand out in times of evangelization and renewal in the Church?
Matthew’s background as a tax collector gives an important clue into how he gave his Gospel a beautiful structure - a structure that is the key to understanding the story of Jesus as the climax of the history of the world.
When the saints die, they don’t get cut off from the Body of Christ. They’re closer to Jesus and thus even closer to us, able to hear our prayers and intercede powerfully for our needs.
In this episode, Edward Sri answers listeners questions on a range of topics, including Mary, the Saints, Purgatory, and responding to our teen and young adult children’s questions about the Catholic Faith.
You can send your questions to Dr. Sri at edwardsri.com/contact
Mercy is the highest expression of God’s love. But His mercy is not like that of a judge who merely pardons our violations of the law or a demanding boss who one day decides to overlook the mistakes in our work.
This week’s Solemnity of the Sacred Heart invites us to ponder the Biblical truth of God’s mercy - a mercy rooted in God’s amazing unconditional love, a love that remains faithful even when we are unfaithful.
How can Catholics believe the Eucharist is really the Body of Christ? ‘It’s just a piece of bread! It’s just a symbol of Jesus, not his real presence,’ some would say.
But there’s one Biblical passage that offers the richest theology of the Eucharist and most clearly demonstrates how much Jesus wanted to give us his very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the total gift of Himself in every Holy Communion.
This special edition of All Things Catholic was recorded on location in Capernaum in the Holy Land at the remains of the Synagogue where Jesus gave his famous ‘Bread of Life Discourse” in John’s Gospel, chapter 6.
You can learn more about pilgrimages with Dr. Sri to the Holy Land at edwardsri.com/pilgrimages
Do you want your heart to have more space to receive God’s Love in your life? Learn from one of Dr. Sri’s favorite saints in Rome, St. Philip Neri, who is a patron saint for the New Evangelization. This special edition was recorded in Rome outside Chiesa Nova, where St. Philip Neri is buried.
“Holy Spirit, inspire me in all my actions….guide me in all my decisions….”
After Pentecost, the Apostles were transformed men. We can experience that same transformation in the Spirit today - if we grow in deeper relationship with the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
Mary isn’t just open. She actually allows God to act in her life - even when it’s hard and unclear and when all she can do is walk by faith and not by sight. How can we be more like Mary, living trustful surrender as she did?
For more on this topic, see Edward Sri's book "Walking with Mary" (Image Books).
Mary’s "Yes" was not a one-time "Fiat" in Nazareth. She had to renew her trustful surrender to the Father’s plan repeatedly throughout her life. Will we, like Mary, always be on the lookout for the next step God is asking us to take?
“What makes the Bible different from Muslim, Hindu or other sacred texts from the world’s many religions? Can a modern serious thinker really believe that God inspired human beings to write his Scriptures? Doesn’t that sound like fairy tales?”
In this episode, Edward Sri addresses these and other questions about the divine inspiration of Scripture.
Does your mind wander when you pray the Rosary? Discover five keys to help you overcome distraction and encounter Jesus and Mary more in this powerful prayer. May is Mary’s month and a good time to reinvigorate our devotion to Mary.
In this episode, Edward Sri draws on insights from his book "Praying the Rosary Like Never Before"
Why do the Gospels never mention Jesus appearing to Mary on Easter? Does that mean it didn’t happen? Actually, the Risen Jesus probably appeared to Mary first - eagerly rising from the dead as early as possible on Easter morning so he could be reunited with his mother.
Can a serious thinker in the 21st century really believe in the resurrection of Jesus? When people die, they stay dead. How can Christians claim Jesus was different? The resurrection of Christ seems like a fairy tale—a Christian myth, invented by the apostles.
That’s what many people in our secular age might think about Easter. How would you respond? Gain the clarity and confidence to explain our belief in the resurrection to others in this week’s episode.
The Cross is not Christ's defeat. It's his moment of triumph. Discover the Biblical meaning of the last three sayings from the Cross: "I Thirst"...."It is finished"....and "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
For example: "I Thirst." Jesus isn't just thirsting for something to drink. He thirsts for you—for your love, time and attention..for your total surrender to him. Will you make more room for him in your soul this Holy Week?
Was Jesus abandoned by his Father on Good Friday? What is the meaning of his words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
It's far from a cry of despair. It's actually a cry of confident hope amid great darkness. And the Biblical background to Jesus’ words gives us a roadmap for facing our own trials today.
Shortly before he dies, Jesus gives us one last gift: the gift of Mary as our spiritual mother. Indeed, this scene of Mary and the beloved disciple at Calvary is one of the most crucial Biblical passages for demonstrating Mary’s important role in the life of every Christian.
In this episode, Edward Sri walks through the Biblical foundations for Mary's spiritual motherhood as he considers the third of Jesus' last words on the Cross: "Woman, behold your son...Behold, your mother."
Did you know that the Good Thief was blaspheming Jesus at Calvary, joining the others in their mocking of Christ? What made him suddenly have a change of heart and encounter God’s amazing love and mercy?
Edward Sri unearths the Biblical background of this last minute conversion and Jesus' final words to him: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Imagine being at Calvary with Jesus looking you in the eye and speaking these Seven Last Words personally to you.
In this episode, Edward Sri unpacks the Biblical meaning of Christ's Seven Last Words. But don’t think of these merely as words spoken to the world in general.
Jesus was thinking of you on Calvary. He know what you’d be going through this year, this month, this day—and He spoke these Seven Last Words personally to you—to comfort you, challenge you, and encourage you today.
“God loves us with all the passion of a true love,” says Pope Benedict. Discover how the theological background of the word ‘passion” can help us encounter God’s love for us in a deeper way this Lent.
Special give-away in this episode. To enter a drawing for a signed copy of Edward Sri's new book "No Greater Love," email topic ideas for future episodes to: info.edwardsri@gmail.com
Enter the very heart of Lent this year - not just Lent’s devotions and sacrifices. For Lent isn’t about simply giving up something like chocolate. It’s more about creating space in our souls to encounter God at a deeper level.
Does love really exist? Am I worthy of love? We hunger for a deeper love than what the secular world has offered us.
This week, Edward Sri interviews Frances Hopkins of the Culture Project in Sydney, Australia, who shares how God’s amazing love can still penetrate the thickest darkness in our secular age.
“I should be free to decide for myself my own spiritual values and make up my own morality. I don’t need a pope telling me what to do!” How would you respond to these challenges?
This week is the perfect time to ponder these questions as the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, remembering the teaching authority Jesus gave Peter and his successors, the popes. Edward Sri unpacks six Biblical keys for explaining the papacy.
We all sin and fall short. But in those moments of unfaithfulness, will we be faithful at least in repentance? Faithful in admitting our faults, saying sorry and intentionally trying to be better next time?
Though Peter denied Jesus three times, he models true repentance - and the path to new life.
Was Jesus having second thoughts & thinking of backing out when he prayed, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass?"
Jesus goes on to model how to respond when God invites us to do what's difficult - when we face our own Gethsemane moments.
In this episode, Edward Sri shares from his new book, "No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk through Christ's Passion" (Ascension Press)
What was Mary thinking when she heard Simeon say to her, “A sword will pierce your soul also”?
Edward Sri unpacks the Gospel account of Christ's Presentation in the Temple and helps us enter into this feast this week.
“Anyone can say, ‘I love you.’ Some people might sincerely mean it. Few people, however, have the virtue to truly seek what is best for you and be a committed friend.”
This week, Edward Sri unpacks Aristotle’s three kinds of friendship—and why knowing the difference can make or break our friendships, communities, dating relationships and marriages.
For more on this topic, see the free articles on virtue at edwardsri.com
Marriage is hard. But it’s right there in the hard that God wants to bring out something beautiful.
Join Beth and Edward Sri with International TOB speaker Damon Owens for a conversation about the deeper love that can be found in the real struggles of marriage.
Learn more about Damon’s ministry at joytob.org
Learn more about Beth’s ministry at borntodothis.org
“I said to her, ‘What if we stopped having sex?’ It wasn’t a serious proposal. But she started to cry. It tapped into something deep in her heart. I saw in her eyes that she saw me as a man that I wasn’t yet, but a man that I wanted to be.”
International TOB speaker Damon Owens shares how his relationship with his wife was completely transformed when they realized the emptiness of the world’s view of sexuality - and found joy in God’s plan.
Learn more about Damon’s ministry at joytob.org
Mary's world was turned upside down: a Roman census, an unexpected move in her last trimester and giving birth in such poor conditions. How could this be the King? She might have been wondering where was God in the midst of all this suffering?
What was that first Christmas really like? Was Joseph really a carpenter? Was Jesus born in a stable, a house or a cave?
Join Edward Sri on location in Israel as he discusses the Christmas story from an ancient Jewish perspective. He interviews his favorite Jewish guide - a man full of faith and passionate about helping Christians see their own faith through ancient Jewish eyes.
The goal of Advent isn’t checking off boxes: I did this devotion, made this sacrifice, did this activity. The goal is becoming like the child Jesus we await at Christmas, who is the Jesus of the Cross.
Edward Sri explores the many Biblical connections between Christmas and the Cross and how those insights can help us finish our Advent well.
A successful Advent is about becoming more like Christ, even in one small way: more patient with our kids, kinder to our spouse, more generous with our friends, more humble with our coworkers.
Everything Catholics believe about Mary is not meant to focus primarily on her. It’s meant to help us understand and love Jesus more. That’s especially the case with her Immaculate Conception.
Edward Sri unpacks the Biblical foundations for the Immaculate Conception as he shares insights from his newest book on every key New Testament reference to Mary: Rethinking Mary in the New Testament (Ignatius Press)
Beth & Edward Sri share from their successes…and failures in living Advent well.
Personal devotions, family traditions and a spirit of sacrifice are key to keeping a spiritual focus on what matters most in this season.
Do you have the virtue of gratitude? With your spouse? With your friends, family and God? Not just saying “thank you” every once in a while, but the consistent disposition to first recognize the blessings others bestow on you and then express thanks to them.
St. Thomas Aquinas offers three key aspects for living the virtue of gratitude.
Your friend says, “I can make up my own truth…What’s true for you may not be true for me!” How do you respond?
How do you engage people who embrace Pilate’s relativistic philosophy of ‘What is Truth?’
The devil attacks us with voices of discouragement, self-condemnation, and rationalization to keep us from facing the truth about ourselves and experiencing God's mercy and healing power. Learn how to recognize these false voices of the enemy and learn how to rebuke them.
This episode is based on Edward Sri’s recent filming in Jerusalem for his new series, “No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk through Christ’s Passion” filmed on location at the sacred sites from Good Friday. https://shop.ascensionpress.com/pages/no-greater-love-optin
Men and women are different. Discover how that impacts almost everything marriage, including conversation, emotional connection & sexual intimacy.
This special edition is Part 2 of Edward Sri’s presentation featured in last week’s episode.
A young mom once said to me, “No one every told me how hard marriage would be!” But it’s through the challenges and messiness of marriage that God wants to shape us the most.
Engagement. Listening to God’s voice in prayer. Marriage troubles. The PTSD of Cubs fans.
These are some of the topics Beth & Edward Sri address as they answer listeners’ questions in this week’s podcast.
Ever feel you’re just going through the motions at Mass? Distracted? Your heart not in it?
The start of the Eucharistic Liturgy wakes us up with rituals and prayers that inspire us to “lift up our hearts” to God as we approach the sacred mysteries of the Mass.
It’s not enough to be open to God’s will. We must allow him to act in our lives.
A true Christian disciple doesn’t put parameters around God’s will. But when we truly surrender to His plan and give our “Fiat,’ He begins to act in us and through us in amazing ways.
What was Mary’s life like before the annunciation? Before that day when Gabriel announced she would become the mother of the messiah?
The Bible itself doesn't tell us a lot - only two verses about the pre-annunciation Mary. But Edward Sri unpacks them for all their worth to give us a truly Scriptural picture of Mary's early years.
What are the stigmata? Why do some saints receive them? And what difference do they make for my life?
Look beyond the bodily marks and discover something deeper: a soul totally conformed to Christ’s self-giving love.
Do you ever feel your world is turned upside down? “Where is my life going?…Where is God?”
Mary is right there with you. God drew her many times to step into the darkness and encounter Him there. In your darkness, turn to her, Our Lady of Sorrows.
You've heard of her care for the poor. But do know about her extraordinary interior life?
“I have been burning with a longing to love Him as He has never been loved before.” - St. Mother Teresa.
What does one do when the Pope is accused of being associated with covering up abuse in the Church? On one hand, one must avoid rash judgment and jumping to conclusions. At the same time, Cardinal DiNardo (president of the US Bishop’s Conference) calls for a “thorough examination” of the questions surrounding Archbishop McCarrick. DiNarco wrote: “The questions raised deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers, innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the guilty may be left to repeat sins of the past.”
The Church needs heroes who will pursue the truth, wherever it leads. The Church needs heroic saints to guide us through this crisis. Will you do the heroic in your life?
Many Catholics are feeling bewildered in the wake of horrific revelations about clergy abuse. We must, however, go deeper spiritually and theologically to face the present challenges. In times of sorrow and crisis, Scripture and the Catholic Tradition have always pointed to the three crucial acts of penance as a source of healing and hope.
But can my prayer, fasting and almsgiving really make a difference? Can these practices really help the Church through these troubled times and comfort the victims, their families and the wider community of believers and even unbelievers alike who have been effected by these atrocities? Discover a Biblical response to the recent scandal in the Church.
Where do Catholics get the idea that Mary was assumed into heaven? Is there any Scriptural basis for this doctrine? Or is this just a Catholic exaggeration of Mary’s role in the Christian life?
When it comes to romantic relationships, people often question whether they should follow the head or the heart. But what about our friendship with God? Is the head or the heart more important in the spiritual life?
The two, of course, go together. If you want to love Jesus more, it's absolutely crucial that you form your mind with his truth. For every new thing you learn about God is another reason for loving him.
How do you respond when you feel stretched: overwhelmed, in-over-your-head, drowning, not sure you’re up for the task? Jesus reminds us to turn to him. He can make up for our deficiencies, just as he did that day when he fed 5,000 with only five loaves of bread.
Do you know the one verse that gives the framework to the entire Gospel of Mark? Edward Sri unpacks the opening of this Gospel, which the Church is focusing on this liturgical year.
God wants to meet the real you - as you are - with all your weaknesses, wounds and faults. As St. Therese of Lisieux once told her sister Celine, "You want to scale the mountain of sanctity. But God wants to meet you down low, in the fertile valley of humility." Only when we allow God to encounter us as we really are, can we be fully lifted up by his grace and transformed.
How do I experience the transformation God wants to work in my life? How do get my spiritual life from where it is now to where God wants it to be?
It’s not enough to go through the motions of the faith and believe the right things. We must learn to follow Jesus each day as a disciple. Only then will we be "changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another" (2 Cor. 3:18).
This presentation is based on Edward Sri's newest book, Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Disciple of Christ.
You become a Tabernacle when you receive Holy Communion—a holy dwelling place for the presence of God. You also become like Mary: Just as Mary carried Jesus in her womb for nine months, you carry the Body and Blood of Jesus sacramentally within your soul in those moments after receiving the Eucharist.
So when we sit down after Communion, this is not the time to look around and see who is at Mass or to develop your "parking lot exit strategy." This is the most intimate time we have with God. Edward Sri reflects on this mystery and offers three things we can do to make the most of this sacred time with Our Lord.
Love wants to be near the one it loves. That’s why Jesus remains close to us in the Eucharist. He gives us his very Presence in all the Tabernacles throughout the world - And He longs for us to draw near to him.
Do you make it a priority to meet him? To visit him in the chapel? To spend time resting in the presence of the One who loves us so much? Encounter the blessing and power of Christ's presence in the Eucharist for your daily life.
Catholics talk about "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass." But how was the Mass like those Biblical sacrifices of old - violent rituals with animals being cut up, set on fire and their blood being poured out on altars? The Mass I attended each week didn't look like that!
But if we can understand Jesus' words at the Last Supper the way a first century Jew would, we'll come to see that Jesus didn't just give us his Body and Blood when he instituted the Eucharist. He gave us a way to encounter and enter into his sacrificial offering of himself on Calvary. Indeed, his sacrifice on the Cross is made present in every Mass.
If we want to grow in sacrificial love, we want to participate more fully in the sacrifice of the Mass where we encounter sacrificial love Himself transforming our hard hearts a with his perfect love.
"He's a great guy, BUT...." Many Christians have fallen into the sin of gossip with statements like this - statements that begin with a compliment but end with criticism. Yet, sins of speech fall under the 5th Commandment, "Thou shall not kill." For when we gossip, we kill a person's reputation, which lives on long after they have died.
In this week's episode, Edward Sri shows how our speech can be used to build others up or tear them down. Do we talk about others in an edifying way that gives life? Or do we tend to fall into complaining, negative humor and gossip?
The emerging generation brings many gifts and energies. But fear of discipleship may keep many from being the best they can be.
In this episode, Edward Sri traces how the Enlightenment and the 20th century psychology of self-esteem movement have shaped a generation of parents, educators and young people - making it harder for people to receive the tradition of the virtues and the "art of living."
Dream big dreams - for your career, friendships & family. But root those big dreams in the little way of humility.
Do you take the Eucharist for granted? Yes, we know it's the Real Presence and that we "have to go" to Mass each week, but do we long for the Eucharist like the early Christians did?
As we approach the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Edward Sri reflects on three ways we can rise above the routine and deepen our devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. Recorded in Rome, he sums up three reflections based on the early Christian devotion to the Eucharist that he shared with his pilgrims this past week in Rome.
We're in Rome today for the very first celebration of "Mary Mother of the Church" - the new feast instituted by Pope Francis this year. But why do Catholics call Mary "Mother of the Church"? Is there any Biblical basis for this? And what does this mean for us today?
Recorded live in St. Peter's Square with Edward Sri's annual Rome pilgrimage group.
"Heaven is not a place in the universe, but a person: Jesus Christ. And the closer we draw near to Jesus, the more we bring heaven on earth." - from this week's podcast.
As we reach the climax of the Easter Season, Edward Sri takes us through the last chapter of Mark's Gospel as he unpacks the three key events of the last 50 days: the Resurrection, Ascension and Commissioning of the Apostles.
Episode Notes:
Dr. Sri referred in this episode to a prayer attributed to Blessed John Henry Newman called "Radiating Christ." Here's a link to the prayer: https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=1629
Dr. Edward Sri answers listeners' questions about topics such as Mary, marriage and this week's feast of the Ascension of Our Lord.
Edward Sri discusses the real challenges every married couple faces but not many people talk about. And he unpacks three practical ways to experience the beautiful transformation God wants to work in our hearts - not in spite of, but precisely through the real struggles of daily married life.
Let’s unpack the Church’s top 3 ways to grow in virtue.
Episode Notes:
Edward Sri recommended the following books in this episode:
- Donald DeMarco, The Heart of Virtue
- Stephen Jensen, Living the Good Life
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
The real question is not “Do I tolerate others?” but “Do I have the ability to love people?” We tolerate cold weather or a traffic jam. But Jesus calls us to love the people in our lives, not just tolerate them. And that requires virtue.
If we want to have good friendships and dating relationships; if we want to build a strong marriage and family life; if we want to care for the poor and build a civilization of love, there is one thing we need that goes far beyond tolerance and coexistence. And that’s virtue.
This episode is based on Edward Sri's best-selling book, Who Am I to Judge? (Ignatius Press-Augustine Institute)
"Don't impose your views on me! I'm free to do whatever I want with my life!"
There are two views of freedom competing for our attention. Knowing the difference can make or break a marriage. It can start a dating relationship on the right foot or lead you toward another dead-end romance. It can help you to succeed or fail in your parenting.
Will you embrace the modern notion of freedom - the freedom to do whatever you want? Or will you discover true freedom - the freedom to love?
This episode is based on a chapter in Edward Sri's book, "Who Am I to Judge?" (Ignatius Press/Augustine Institute)
There’s great spiritual power for us in the title “Mary, Ark of the Covenant”—much more than anything Harrison Ford and the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark may have imagined. But what does the ancient Ark of the Covenant have to do with the Blessed Virgin Mary?
In this episode, Edward Sri unpacks the Biblical background of this Marian title and how turning to Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant can help us fight the spiritual battles we face each day.
Why is Simon of Cyrene a model of compassion? He didn’t lovingly volunteer to carry Jesus’ Cross. He was forced to do so!
The Gospels, however, give us one small detail that indicates Simon was personally transformed through his encounter with the Cross on Good Friday. And his example reminds us that the crosses bearing the most fruit are often not the ones we seek out, but the unexpected crosses--if we embrace them when they come.
Do you know the Palm Sunday Prophecy? Discover the Biblical background to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Edward Sri unpacks the prophecies fulfilled in this scene and the personal application for our lives today. Finish Lent strong by starting Holy Week well.
"Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass." What did Jesus mean by this prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Was he trying to back out of the cross at the last minute?
This prayer actually offers a window into Jesus' soul, revealing how he gives it all in the garden. Jesus goes on to say, "...not my will, but yours be done." And in so doing, he shows us the model of perfect love.
What did Jesus mean when he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Did Jesus really think he was abandoned by the Father?
Far from a cry of despair, Jesus' words are a prayer of great hope in the midst of great darkness. Jesus quotes Psalm 22, fulfills prophecy and models for us how to turn to the Lord amid the crosses we face.
Episode Notes:
For the YouTube video of Edward Sri's presentation on this topic, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfDD10q6z0
This episode is based on a chapter in Edward Sri's book 'Love Unveiled: The Catholic Faith Explained" (Ignatius Press)
Finding silence in a house with 8 kids and a busy apostolic life is not easy. But Beth and I both felt drawn this Lent to turn off the noise, be more unplugged and more tuned in to God in silent stillness.
In the silence, we encounter our true selves at a deeper level. And we also have the interior space to encounter God and others more. Why do we tend to fill the spaces in our day with so much noise and distraction? Edward and Beth Sri share from their own experiences and offer practical ways to build more silence in the midst of busy lives.
Right now there's a battle going on for your mind - for how you look at reality. What is love? What brings happiness? What is a successful life?
The secular world is doing everything it can to get you to look at these fundamental questions a certain way. But Jesus offers an alternative view. How can you make sure you are not conformed to this world but are transformed by a renewal of your mind?
Episode Notes:
This episode is based on a chapter in Edward Sri's latest book, Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Disciple (Ignatius Press-Augustine Institute)
The words "Lent" and "Romance" typically don't go together. Lent brings to mind drudgery, sacrifice and slogging through the dreary days of February without your favorite treats. What's romantic about that?
At its essence, however, Lent is all about love. It's about creating more space in our hearts to encounter God. Edward Sri offers practical ideas for starting Lent well as he unpacks how the three main devotions of Lent help us love God with all our heart, soul and strength.
Episode Notes:
See Edward Sri's article "The Romance of Lent" at edwardsri.com
A crucial moment in the spiritual life comes when we hit the wall: when we experience our weaknesses and sins and fear that we'll never get better - we'll never change. In those low moments, we might be tempted to give up trying and settle for mediocrity. But when we dare to come to Jesus in our weakness, as we really are, in the valley of humility, God does the most profound work of healing and transformation in our souls.
Episode Notes: Edward Sri, Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Disciple (Ignatius Press-Augustine Institute)
The Feast of the Presentation (Feb 2) commemorates a significant turning point in the history of the world: God's glory returning to the temple. Edward Sri unpacks the prophecies fulfilled in this scene to help prepare our hearts for this great feast. Recorded on location in Jerusalem on the Southern Steps of the Temple.
Episode Notes:
For more on the Biblical background of the Presentation, see Edward Sri's Walking with Mary (Image Books); Dawn of the Messiah (Servant) and Praying the Rosary Like Never Before (Servant). See also his film documentary Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother (Ascension).
We like to pray when we feel we're getting something out of it. But what do we do when the feelings fade, when we're "too busy" or prayer is dry? Will we still show up?
Faithfulness to Jesus in prayer is more important than the feelings we might receive in prayer. And sometimes God withdraws the feelings of His closeness in order to test our hearts - to test whether we'll still come to Him for Him alone - and not what He gives us in prayer.
Episode Notes
References Edward Sri's new book Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Disciple of Christ (Ignatius Press - Augustine Institute)
Nothing can fully prepare you for the real challenges of married life. Edward Sri hosts his first guest, his wife Beth, as they share three things they wish they did before they were married...and they continue to work on today.
Many say, "What I do in my private life doesn't matter - as long as I'm not hurting anyone." But there are many ways we hurt people simply by failing to be the best we can be. In this week's episode, Edward Sri helps us respond to this objection and talk about moral truth, underscoring how what we do in our 'private lives' greatly impacts other people - for better or for worse.
Episode Notes:
References:
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Edward Sri, Who Am I to Judge?
Our choices matter. They lead us either to becoming the kind of person we most deeply desire to be or to falling short of the greatness to which God calls us. In this episode, Edward Sri helps us engage the culture of moral relativism with a Catholic moral worldview.
Episode Notes
References:
Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue
Edward Sri, Who Am I to Judge?
What was Mary thinking and going through on that first Christmas night? Recorded on location in Bethlehem, Edward Sri helps us enter into Mary's experience: The joy of giving birth to her son, the messiah, and the bewilderment and sorrow over watching him enter the world in such poverty, humility and rejection.
What if we had never heard the Christmas story before? What if we were first-century Jews encountering the story of Jesus' birth for the very first time?
In this week's podcast, Edward Sri takes us back into the world of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and unpacks for us the prophecies, historical context and Jewish hopes that come to fulfillment in Luke's account of Christ's birth (Luke 2:1-7).
Episode Notes
Christians are called to rejoice, especially in the Advent season. But can we experience joy even in the midst of difficulties and trials? Edward Sri unpacks what true joy is and how we can radiate it more, even in the face of life's daily challenges.
Don't miss out on Advent this year. Edward Sri helps us stay focused on the special graces that await us in this liturgical season - if we understand its meaning and key practices.
Episode Notes
The Sign of the Cross is not just the way Catholics begin their prayers. It is itself a powerful prayer—one that’s rooted in Scripture and one that the earliest Christians often turned to for strength in spiritual battle and protection from all harm and evil. In fact, Christians in the first centuries of the Church prayed the sign of the cross throughout their days, when the rose in the morning and went to bed at night, when they left the house and when they returned, when they began a project or began a meal. They especially found strength in this prayer when facing times of temptation and suffering.
What did the early Christians see in the Sign of the Cross that we often miss? In this week’s podcast, Edward Sri unpacks the Biblical foundations of this prayer, walking through the Old Testament prophetic foreshadowings of the great sign of the cross to the early Christian practice with this prayer. Discover how the Sign of the Cross can be a source of strength to face the spiritual battles we face each day—battles against discouragement, fear, anger, anxiety, impurity and pride.
If you’re at Thanksgiving dinner and the topic of life after death comes up, how confident would you be in articulating the Catholic position? Is there really a hell? If God is so merciful, would he really send people to hell? And what’s purgatory all about? Does God really bake us for a few hundred years in purgatory before letting us into heaven? Where is that in the Bible? The Church has rich teaching about judgment, heaven, hell, and purgatory. But some Catholics are fuzzy on the details or have never heard about these matters from a truly Catholic perspective. In this episode, Edward Sri clearly and concisely unpacks what you need to know about the Last Things and equips you to answer confidently the question, “What Happens After We Die?"
Why does Jesus sometimes seem to push Mary away? For example: When people inform Jesus that his mother has arrived in Capernaum to see him, he says, “Who is my mother?” (My. 12:48).
What does he mean by that? Far from disrespecting his mother, Jesus is honoring her – for he goes on to say “Whoever does the will of my Father is mother to me?” And Mary is the first to do the will of the Father. Indeed, these passages present Mary as a preeminent member of the supernatural family of disciples Jesus is forming. She is the first and model disciple.
This event originally took place at Capernaum in Israel and this episode was recorded there during Edward Sri’s Holy Land pilgrimage last week.
Imagine waking up along the Sea of Galilee, walking out your door and seeing the place where Jesus calmed the storm, walked on water and called his first disciples. You pinch yourself and ask, “Am I really here?” By seeing the very places where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, healed many people of their illnesses, and taught the parables, suddenly makes the Biblical stories more real. It’s as if you’ve walked right into the middle of the Bible. And they way you encounter the Scriptures will never be the same.
That’s the experience many pilgrims have on their first day on pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
This week’s podcast was recorded in anticipation of Edward Sri’s Holy Land Pilgrimage this week to give you a taste of a day on pilgrimage in the land of Jesus. A pilgrimage is much more than a vacation. It’s a sacred journey. As we walk in the footsteps of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Apostles and many Old Testament heroes, we’re reminded of the choices they made for God
“Why do you Catholics give so much attention to the saints? Shouldn’t we just focus on God?”
Indeed, Catholic devotion to the saints is quite puzzling to some Christians. The whole idea of kneeling before a statue of Mary, doing a nine-day novena to St. Therese or asking St. Anthony to help you find your lost keys seems scandalous. After all, these are just human beings who died a long time ago—they’re not God!
When Catholics honor the saints, however, we are simply recognizing the great things God has done in their lives and celebrating it. This in no way takes away from the attention and praise we should give to God. In fact, we give God more praise when we acknowledge his achievements in the saints.
Indeed, Catholic devotion to the saints is all about Jesus. The greatest work God accomplishes in the universe is taking weak, fallen human beings and transforming them into holy men and women of God. God is the divine artist and the saints are his most magnificent masterpieces. So if you want to love God with all your heart and give God more praise, then take time to recognize his masterpieces and honor the saints.
Show Notes
For more on catholic devotion to the saints, including apologetics arguments and Scriptural support for this, see Edward Sri’s book Love Unveiled--The Catholic Faith Explained (Ignatius Press).
Along the Sea of Galilee some 2,000 years ago, Peter was stunned when the Risen Jesus asked him, “Do you love me?” It was the word for “love” that got to him. Jesus didn’t speak of ordinary human affection. Another Greek word, phileo, describes that kind of love. Jesus instead uses the word agape, which describes a total, self-giving, sacrificial love.
And that is what’s so troubling for Peter. After Peter just denied Christ three times, he painful knows he is incapable of agape love. He is sad that the best he can offer is only the imperfect, human love of phileo.
And we often feel the same.
We know we don’t love as well as we should. Our love falls short. But the good news is God wants to do in us what he did in St. Peter. In a beautiful play on words, John’s Gospel chapter 21 shows how Jesus will lower himself to Peter’s level and accept Peter’s broken, imperfect gift of phileo love and transform it into agape. It doesn’t happen all at once. But from this point forward, Peter is a changed man. He will go on to lead like Christ, serve like Christ, teach like Christ and even suffer like Christ. Like his Master, Peter will be handed over to the Romans and stretched out on a cross as he is crucified upside down in Nero’s circus. At this climactic moment, as Peter gives the heroic witness of his martyrdom, he lives agape love in a most profound way.
The same Jesus who transformed Peter’s phileo love into agape will do the same in our hearts—if we follow him faithfully as a disciple.
Before you say you’re pro-life, you might want to consider themes from JP2’s hard-hitting encyclical “The Gospel of Life.” It’s like an examination of conscience. It not only challenges us to take a deeper look at what’s really happening in “the culture of death.” It also invites us to consider the ways we Christians might be contributing to it through our own individualistic tendencies in our families, work environments and local communities.
Be inspired to combat the culture of death and build a civilization of love—one soul at a time, beginning with the people God has placed in your daily life.
In this week’s podcast, Edward Sri brings together two themes this week: St. John Paul II’s feast day (which normally is celebrated October 22) and Respect Life month.
Show Notes:
Here’s a link to the Encyclical discussed in this podcast: John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (1995).
