Martyrs Podcast

In today's Gospel, Jesus says, "Whoever loves father or mother or son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Fr. Hall explains that Jesus does not want us to love others less but to love God more. Why? Because it's good for us and for others. Fr. Hall unpacks why this is the case. 

Deacon Augustine talks about Jesus' words about fear in today's Gospel. What causes us fear? What fears keep us back from living and proclaiming the Gospel? Once we recognize our fears, we can overcome them, Deacon Augustine explains, with the love which God pours out into our hearts. 

Fr. Wahlmeier says goodbye to North American Martyrs by reflecting on Father's Day, his own priesthood, and today's Gospel. 

After sharing a little about his story, Deacon Reimers reflects on the great gift of the Eucharist. 

Fr. Wahlmeier walks us through each of this Sunday's Mass readings, drawing out not only where we see the Trinity but also the powerful implications of our Trinitarian faith. 

On Pentecost we celebrate the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, many Catholics are unfamiliar with the Spirit. Fr. Hall invites us to pray for a deepened relationship with the Holy Spirit by focusing on three titles or images of the Spirit in Scripture. The Spirit is our "paraclete," our advocate or defender. The Spirit enkindles a fire, a desire for God within us. And, lately, the Spirit is love. 

On this Pentecost Sunday, Fr. Wahlmeier walks us through not only who the Holy Spirit is but also the nature of spiritual struggles and how the Holy Spirit can heal the wounds caused by other spirits. 

In this final session of our Easter Bible Study Series on Hebrews, Fr. Wahlmeier and Mark Heffley walk through the text and pull out some of the big theological themes. 

Reflecting on Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" (John 17), Fr. Hall explains how Jesus models prayer for us. First, we see that Jesus prays for himself that he draw others to the Father. We are to imitate this in our prayer and in the way we live: may we, too, draw others to the Father. Second, we see that Jesus prays for his priests. Though priests have a calling to bring others to the Father in a unique way, they are human and need our prayers and support. 

Fr. Wahlmeier first talks about glory and how it relates to our identity, mission, and destiny. He then connects glory with the Holy Spirit and unpacks the gifts, charisms, and fruits of the Spirit in preparation for Pentecost Sunday.

In this second part of the class, Fr. Wahlmeier takes us on a deep-dive into the theology presented by Hebrews 10.

The bible begins and ends with a temple. In this first part of the class, Mark Heffley helps unpack this theme of the temple and how it sheds light on what Hebrews 9 is teaching.

Fr. Hall helps unpack Jesus' statement, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Fr. Hall first explains how obedience like this can be understood on a natural level in our relationships with others. Then, he explains how the commandments of Jesus help us live more fulfilled lives.

Jesus tells his disciples, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Now, this might make us uncomfortable. After all, if someone were to say this to his or her spouse, we would rightly object. But what about a mom saying this to her child? This sheds a little more light on what Jesus says. As our creator and redeemer, Jesus knows what will bring us happiness, and his commandments are not burdens when properly understood. This is the case even though these commandments will often demand that we change our lives.

Much like at the time of Jesus, the prevailing culture today is marked by confusion. People are seeking happiness amidst a cacophony of voices and opinions. In today's Gospel, Jesus announces that he is the way, truth, and life. Fr. Hall, reflecting on this, invites us to follow Jesus on the way. 

Mark Heffley walks us through these chapters of Hebrews, unpacking the significance of priesthood, the Day of Atonement, Abraham's offering of Isaac, and how all of these things relate to Christ.

Jesus is the patient Good Shepherd who rescues and guards his sheep who repeatedly jump into the ditch. But, do we know him? Or do we only know about him? Fr. Wahlmeier walks us through Psalm 23, inviting us to see how we can come to know Jesus through the Sacraments of the Church.

In this section session of our Bible Study Series on the Letter to the Hebrews, Fr. Wahlmeier walks us through chapters three and four. Along the way, he draws out some of the theological richness contained in Genesis 1, the liturgy, and more.

Two disciples were on their way to Emmaus when Jesus walked up beside them. He unpacked the Old Testament, rekindled their hope, and finally made himself known to them in the "breaking of the bread" (Lk 24:13-35). Reflecting on all of this, Fr. Hall encourages us to turn to Jesus in the Eucharist, to learn more about Jesus, and to foster our love of the Mass.

This is the first class of our Bible Study Series on the Letter to the Hebrews. Mark Heffley introduces the series, gives a quick overview of the Old Testament, and then begins a close reading of the text.