The Emmaus Pastorate's Podcast
Episodes
Do you have faith enough to believe the impossible? Peter, James, and John believed Jesus was the Son of God, but even they wondered about rising to new life! The key to raising our level of faith and trust in God - blind as it needs to be - is to listen to him every day in every moment. How strong is your faith? How much stronger could it be?
A few minutes of seasonal music to add to your prayer this week courteous of the Emmaus Pastorate
An audio recording of the Town Hall Meeting held at St. Mark Parish on February 21, 2021
What drives you, and where does it drive you? Jesus was driven by his love for the Father, and it drove him into the desert for 40 days! As we enter the season of Lent - an annual desert-like experience - we should be reminded of all the things that should drive us all year, often things that don't. Where are your priorities these days? Do they need some adjusting?
As we begin Lent in the year 2021, we're reminded - as we are every year - that TODAY is the day and NOW is the acceptable time. How will you challenge yourself this Lent? How will test the devil as he tests you? How will you rend your heart, lend your hands, and mend lives?
Do you have leprosy? Probably not...at least literally. And that's a good thing! But maybe we all suffer from some leprosy today, and maybe we all treat some people as lepers. Do you? Have you? Fr. John explains how this disease might still prevail in the 21st century.
Somedays are just Job days, aren't they? Nothing seems to go right, and it would be so much easier to blame God and cruse him for it! But Job, Christ, and then St. Paul each show us how perseverance, discipline, and faithfulness have their rewards in the end. And what's more - our perseverance, discipline, and faithfulness will affect others in ways we just won't know. Fr. John gives us some tools to get through tho...
There are so many voices to hear these days, and the same was true back in Jesus' time. But back then his was a new voice, a strange one, so very contrary to the times. Perhaps it's just what we need today. Fr. John implores us, as did King David, "If today you hear God's voice, harden not your hearts!"
An audio recording of the annual Town Hall held at Sacred Heart Parish on January 25, 2021
An audio recording of the annual Town Hall at St. Joseph Parish on January 16, 2021
Being a missionary doesn't usually work well if you go into a heathen town and proclaim everyone's going to hell, even if that's true. Building relationships - establishing and maintaining net(work)s - is far more effective. So what's that got to do with Jonah, the whale, and the sons of Zebedee? Fr. John tells us more in his homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
"The harvest of justice is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace." These are the words of St. James. The work of peace requires cultivation. To reap justice and righteousness, we must sow, labor for, and grow peace. Fr. John has this message as we pray for our country on the eve the inauguration of the next president of the United States.
As we begin Ordinary Time and 2021, we start to think about this new year. As we do, let us give God a chance to speak to us as young Samuel did. Let us say quietly, as if waking during the night saying, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."
A divided nation needs a united church. A divided church needs a united Emmaus Pastorate. A united Emmaus Pastorate needs you; it needs all of us. Fr. John has more on the need to be a unified people in this homily from the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
Just like the magi left the little Lord Jesus "by a different way," so we must also come to him and leave by a different route. How can we encounter Christ, and not be changed in some way? Fr. John has all this and more in his homily from the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ!
At the New Year, we're reminded that Mary "pondered all these things in her heart." How are you at pondering things in your heart? Do you rush to judgement and action, or do you reflect, question, and ponder first? What does it mean to ponder? Fr. John leads us through some pondering in his homily from the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1, 2021.
We all know that today's families aren't perfect, and neither was the Holy Family. But just like Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, our imperfection doesn't mean we can't be holy. What's a holy family look like today? Fr. John tells us more in his homily from the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
On Christmas, we encounter a child. Typically, infants, children, even toddlers are silly and playful, really only needing care when hungry, soiled, or desiring attention. But this child, born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit, is a different child. And he wants our attention always. More importantly, WE need to pay him attention always. Fr. John has more in his homily from Christmas morning.
In this podcast, various musicians from the Emmaus Pastorate offer a selection of Christmas music for your enjoyment. We hope this brings you hope, peace, and joy during this unique Christmastide!
God's will is a mighty thing, and it's easy for us to become afraid and intimidated by it! But Gabriel has a message for us: Be Not Afraid! Fr. John has this and more in his Sunday homily.