Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome pastoral counselor Kevin Prendergast to talk about why so many New Year’s resolution plans fail, and how to prevent that from happening. Other guests include Rita Heikenfeld with Bible Foods, and Gary Michuta from Hands On Apologetics. Plus news, weather, sports, and a whole lot more…

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Prayer of Pope Clement XI

Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end,
I praise you as my constant helper,
And call on you as my loving protector.

Guide me by your wisdom,
Correct me with your justice,
Comfort me with your mercy,
Protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
My words: to have you for their theme;
My actions: to reflect my love for you;
My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me:
In the way you ask,
For as long as you ask,
Because you ask it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding,
Strengthen my will,
Purify my heart,
and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
And to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
And to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
And see myself as I really am:
A pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love
All whose lives I touch,
Those under my authority,
My friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
Greed by generosity,
Apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself
And reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning,
Courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
Temperate in food and drink,
Diligent in my work,
Firm in my good intentions.

Let my conscience be clear,
My conduct without fault,
My speech blameless,
My life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me,
Keep your law,
And come at last to your salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
That my true future is the happiness of heaven,
That life on earth is short,
And the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death
With a proper fear of judgment,
But a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death
To the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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RECIPES FROM RITA

CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP WITH PARSLEY LEMON & GARLIC GARNISH
8 cups chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 celery stalks, leaves reserved and stalks thinly sliced
1 small onion, diced fairly fine
3⁄4 cup jasmine rice (unrinsed)
Salt
1⁄2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest plus up to 1⁄2 cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional BUT so good)

Instructions
In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine the broth, chicken, celery, onion and rice. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice starts to break down and lose its shape, 20 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with a little salt.

Meanwhile, finely chop together the parsley leaves, lemon zest and up to 1⁄2 cup celery leaves – if you don’t have any celery leaves, no worries. Transfer to a small bowl, grate the garlic clove into the bowl, season with salt and stir to combine.
Remove the chicken from pot and transfer to bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into pieces, then stir it back into the soup. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and season to taste with salt. Stir in the lemon juice a little at a time until the soup is bright but still tastes like chicken. (You may not use the full 1⁄2 cup juice.)

Divide the soup among bowls and top with the parsley- lemon mixture. (The soup, minus the lemon juice and parsley mixture, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; the rice will absorb liquid as it sits, so add more chicken broth when reheating. Add the lemon juice and fresh herb garnish just before serving.)
Meanwhile, finely chop together the parsley leaves, lemon zest and up to 1⁄2 cup celery leaves. Transfer to a small bowl, grate the garlic clove into the bowl, season with salt and stir to combine.

Divide the soup among bowls and top with the parsley- lemon mixture. (The soup, minus the lemon juice and parsley mixture, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; the rice will absorb liquid as it sits, so add more chicken broth when reheating. Add the lemon juice and fresh herb garnish just before serving.)

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SOUPY LENTIL STEW WITH SPINACH, SMOKED PAPRIKA AND ROASTED RED PEPPER

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for garnish
1 medium regular onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon regular sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
1-1/4 cups brown or green lentils
1 roasted bell pepper, chopped
6 cups broth – I used chicken
Salt and pepper
Fresh spinach — several good handfuls or as much as you like

Instructions
Heat oil over medium heat in soup pot.
Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Add cumin, paprika and bay. Cook and stir until fragrant, a couple of minutes.
Add lentils, bell pepper and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook, again stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and just starting to fall apart. That took 30 minutes on my stove.
Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings, adding more if you like.
Remove bay, stir in spinach until wilted.
Drizzle each serving with a bit of olive oil.

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Rob Judge is online at setonshrine.org.

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