December 20, 2024 • 15 mins
FATHER MIKE TESS POPS ON FOR THE REASON FOR THE SEASON TODAY As he's my favorite Episcopal priest. Follow him on Instagram for 60 second bursts of God by clicking here!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Father Mike is one of our most requested guests on
the show. I don't have them on nearly enough, but
I thought, you know what we're literally coming into.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Like, this is the Jesus season.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Right, this is the season where Christianity shines, And so
I thought it would be a great time to have
Father Mike on to do a couple of things. One
to just kind of remind us for the reason for
the season. And two, you know, as joyful as this
season can be for a lot of people, a lot
of other people are in a much different position. Maybe
(00:34):
they've lost and loved one, maybe they are living in
a new place, maybe they're just having trouble making friends,
and they're feeling very alone this holiday season. So I
kind of want to start there, Father Mike, because I
wanted to know. And this is kind of a nuts
and bolts question about church. Do you see an uptick
of people during this time of year before Christmas Day
(00:56):
or do you just see a big uptick of all
those people who haven't really been going to church on Christmas,
like the Christmas and Eastern Catholics.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Do, Yeah, we call them see any great You know,
there's energy that comes as you get closer to Christmas
and then it kind of wanes off that first week
in January. My philosophy has always been I don't care
when you go to church. I'm just like you going
to church. If it's two times in year, God bless you,
and if it fits more than.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Come, How do how do you as the guy giving
the sermon? How do you do you think about, like, Okay,
I've got all these spaces that I only see twice
a year. What can I do to bring them back
next week? I mean, do you think about that when
you're creating a sermon?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Always? Always? Do I want them fifty two times a year? Absolutely?
But my job is not all Christians, and especially a priest.
My job is not to win, and my job is
not to be successful. But that was a plant seats
and that knowing. So for me, the biggest thing is
what I like them every week, of course, but what
(01:59):
I is the relationship, so that when the snowflies or
the main falls, I have the umbrella. They already know
my name and they can call me when they need me,
or they can call somebody in the church. That's what's
important to me.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Do you feel like people are starting to begin to
search their way back to God because everyone is just
kind of flailing through life, and I think young people,
I feel like they're starting to search and hopefully that
search will lead them back to God.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Are you seeing any evidence of that?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I am. I'm seeing a lot of young energy coming
back to the church. Some of it incredibly conservative, like
they're looking for the nineteen fifties church. But mostly I
think that and part of is our own fault. The
church is not responding to the needs of folks in
(02:52):
their current situations. There's a lot of folks that are
just like you know, my bishop, he was a great metaphor.
He said, the church is like a spider's web, and
the spider builds this beautiful web and it waits for
things to come to it. He said, we build beautiful
churches and we wait for people to come to us.
We have to be lightning bugs going out to them.
And I just think that if you want to build
(03:14):
a faith community, you want people to come, you have
to go to them and show them how that would
been in their lives, and then they will come when
they're ready. And that may be in a week, a month,
a year, a lifetime. It doesn't matter to me because
it's not my time, it's God's.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
So let me ask you a little bit about that
comment that you're seeing younger people that are looking for
a nineteen fifties version of the church.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
First off, what do you mean by that? What are
they looking for?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
So watch the bells of Saint Mary's are going my
way with bing Crosby, And that's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Okay, So they're looking for that traditional love and traditional
relationships and.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
So and the mysticism. You know, the Latin mass right,
you couldn't understand it, but it had that mystery and
that I mean, it was identify and it was kind
of mysterious. And also there was a sense of a
spread of core, a sense of belonging because other people
(04:11):
didn't do it that way. And so I think there's
a huge in our country, a need to belong to
identify yourself with something bigger than yourself. Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I think that is a core part of the human condition.
And when we choose to not fill that space inside
us with God, we're going to fill it with something,
whether it's politics or global warming or animal activism or
something where we feel like we're making a difference that
goes beyond who we are as an individual, you know.
(04:45):
So I think we're hardwired that way, and I mean personally,
I feel like God hardwired us that way.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Other people may see that differently.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
I want to speak to what you just said about
people are looking for a sense of belonging. And we
had a guy email me earlier today, Tom, and he
was asking for you know, his sister passed away. He
doesn't have any remaining family. He's feeling a little bit lonely.
What do you say to people who are feeling that
(05:12):
disconnected or not?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Maybe they're not ready to run into it.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I recommended that he look around for the churches around
him and find out if anybody was doing anything on
Christmas Day that he could participate in. But what do
you say to people who are just sort of feeling
left out of life?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Well, and that's the coolest part about online stuff is
maybe you're not ready to walk into a church, but
you can watch. So I had a guy come in
on a Wednesday and I explained to him that I'm
a little bit different and that my style you either
really like it or you really don't. He goes, oh, yeah,
I know, I've been watching you for a month online,
I'm like, yes, that is the deal.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
So basically like seeking out a group that looks like
it might be something that you want to be a
part of and then perhaps joining that that way and.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Kick the tires a little bit. You know, always blow
in my mind that people use as an excuse they
don't like the priests or they don't like the church.
So if you went into a car lot and you
saw no cars you you didn't like, you would walk
the rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
That's a really great analogy.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I mean we use that. I mean, that's an excuse
if you if it's important to you, you will find
what you're looking for. And if it's not where you went,
oh someplace else or look online. And I mean I
have virtual members. Right, So you're you and Chuck inhabidence
where you know you, you participate, you you engage, and
(06:35):
you can't come through the door. And that's okay, I
would love. I mean, intimacy and relationship is built person
to person. So if you're really looking for friendships and
you're looking for a group of people, then you're gonna
have to show up. But until you're ready to do that,
at least you'll have the loneliness a little bit, just
knowing that they're you know, if you put in the
(06:57):
chat I'm here and I'm watching, somebody's going to check
you back and say, we're glad.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
There you go, there you go.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Let's talk about Christmas for a second, because there's a
lot of kind of misinformation out there. I don't call
it misinformation, conflicting information about whether or not Jesus was
actually born in December. And I have to follow up
that with does it matters?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
That is the ultimate answer. It doesn't matter. But the
answer to the question is absolutely, he was not born
on December twenty fifth. Theres zero percent chance that he
was born on December twenty fifth. Probably best guess is October,
based on the stars and the science that kind of
has people spent their lives looking at this stuff. It
(07:40):
was we took over holidays where people were celebrating Eastern
Christmas in particular and made them Christian. We christianized pagan
holidays and so but it doesn't matter when the fact
is that God gave us God's only son, and that's
(08:00):
we're celebrating whenever we do it, and in December twenty
fifth is as good as any other day.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
And that's kind of my thinking. I mean, in my mind,
it doesn't really matter that it's, you know, historically accurate.
I guess to say it because it's the spirit that
we're celebrating, not the actual event. We're celebrating what it
means that this happened.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
That's exactly right. So go ahead, God with us a manual,
so God breaking into humanity, but with God's self to
become one of us, to walk with us, truly God
and truly man. That's what we're celebrating. And it doesn't
matter when we do that. I like that we have
a ritual every year because I need to be I
(08:44):
need on remedial. I need to repeat it.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
You can't quite get it the first fifty five times.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
I need one more time this year. What is your
favorite What is your favorite part about this time of year?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Oh? So, my churches have graciously let me have midnight
Mass at midnight and so and I have a family
that comes from an hour and a half away to
do the music for it. They bring the whole clan
and my kids come in their pajamas. They go to
church at early service, and then they'll come back to
the pajamas and I just love. I love the candlelight service,
(09:20):
I love the Christmas carols, I love the traditions. I
love all of that. I love selfless giving. And you know,
I was hitting my daughter and I were in a
store and people were grumpy, and we went to Costco
and she dropped one of the dips and like a
dozen people rush to help us. It was just awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
You know it either don't you think it brings out
the best or the worst in people? You know, because
I do think that there's lots of times around the
holidays when we do see the worst of people and
it manifests itself. And you know, fighting over a toaster
on Black Friday. Although I think those days are finally
behind us because they've deluded the sales so much that
it doesn't pay to go out and get into a
(10:04):
fist fight over a toaster. I mean, that's not the
best of us, and unfortunately that is kind of at
the forefront of what Christmas has become on some levels.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
But I mean, again back to my course theology, your
heart finds what it's looking for. So if you're looking
for peace, love, njol, you'll find it.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Father Mike, every time I have you on the show.
I get a text messages or an email from someone
who takes umbrage with the fact that you are a
guy who says very clearly, however you find God is fine, right, Like,
just find God. There are people who say, well, that's
not going to get you into heaven, that's not the
right way, that's not the only way you have to
(10:43):
do X y Z in order to be elevated to
the next realm.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
How do you respond to that?
Speaker 3 (10:50):
So it's my favorite joke about Saint Peter walking us
through heaven and there's two big locked rooms and he
says those are for the people who think they're the
only ones here. And you know, maybe maybe I'm wrong,
and maybe one of the churches that believes that they're
the only one that make it, maybe they're right. But
(11:13):
I just don't believe in a small God.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
I believe.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
I mean, if God really made us, and if there
is this all powerful, all omnisicipant, magnificent God, God is
going to say, you know, if you're not wearing the
shirt right, you're not in. If you don't see my
name right, you're not. I mean, really, I just don't
believe in a small God. I will never ever believe
(11:36):
in a small god me either.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
As a matter of fact, one of my other favorite
guests that I've shared with you, Vinnye. Tolben, said, you
know God made us. We are all God's children. And
if you're a parent, think about which child you would
leave behind And the answer is none.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Well, and if you love your children as much as
you love Q, right, and you would do anything for
that kid. God, who is God, doesn't love us more
than that, doesn't already know our keys and Q's and
doesn't have a way to get us home. I mean,
wouldn't you drive across the country to get your kid?
If they called and said, hey, I'm load, come and
get me, would you do that?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I would fly across the world in a heartbeat?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Right, Yeah, we are in our brokenness. Can love somebody
that much? Imagine how much the God loves you? Imagine.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
I just got a text which I think is super interesting,
Father Mike. We're talking with Father Mike. Tests like the
traditional music, the messages, but dropped out of church due
to ritual too. Culty, I actually like the ritual. Why
does the ritual matter? Because the Episcopal Church, you know,
it's jokingly Catholic light, but they do share a lot
of the same rituals in the service for communion, things
(12:45):
like that, why does that matter?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Well? And what I would say is, and I don't
disagree with that person because some if the ritual, if
you're doing the ritual for ritual sake, it is dry
and it is detached. Like I just went to Saint
John's where I went to college, and because one of
the monks that I worked with passed away, and so
(13:07):
I went to and the benedicting you have probably the
most beautiful ritual around death I've ever been a part of.
And everything is for purpose. When I would love that
person to come to watch me online or come to
my church and see if they feel the same way
about the rituals when they understand what the ritual means
and why we do it, because if you don't know,
(13:29):
it's what was I just experiencing and they and it
was like it didn't make any sense until you start
doing it more and then all of a sudden, Rugby,
oh with Annie with Rugby, very complicated game. But the
more you watch it and the more people tell you
things and the more you understand, the more you get
engrossed in it. Right. I feel the same way about baseball,
(13:52):
and I feel the same way about ritual. That ritual
is only meaningful if you understand why you're doing it.
Just to do it, it makes no sense at all
and probably does feel like you know, it's for no sake. Yeah,
and a little CULTI yeah, I get it.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
All right, Father, Mike Tests, A joy is always Merry
Christmas to you and the fam.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And I understood.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
He just referenced his daughter Anne, who is a super
top notch rugby player. Her college rugby team just came
in second at the national championships. Did I hear she
blew out her a cl during the game?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
He did, and then kept playing Monday. No, she when
she blew it out here or something, but she went.
She knew she had a tear, and she played anyway.
And I asked her in the doctor's office, well, will
you do it again? She said absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
That's our kid, that's your kid, Father, Mike Tests, I
love you, man, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I love you.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
There's somebody, there's somebody else here.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
I got family there.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I got Grant here with me.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Hey Grant he and I heard he called me up. Oh,
It makes my heart sore that you have my form brand.
You don't have to ask. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Of course I have your phone number. How am I
going to call him with all my problems? Well, yes,
he does have my phone number. Yeah, anyway, don't say anything,
all right, Give the family my very.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Big hugs and kiss from all of us. I love
you man. Bye, Mike. That is father.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Mike tests one of the greatest humans ever, greatest humans ever.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
He makes me a better person every time. I guess
you talk with them.
Father Mike is one of our most requested guests on
the show. I don't have them on nearly enough, but
I thought, you know what we're literally coming into.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Like, this is the Jesus season.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Right, this is the season where Christianity shines, And so
I thought it would be a great time to have
Father Mike on to do a couple of things. One
to just kind of remind us for the reason for
the season. And two, you know, as joyful as this
season can be for a lot of people, a lot
of other people are in a much different position. Maybe
(00:34):
they've lost and loved one, maybe they are living in
a new place, maybe they're just having trouble making friends,
and they're feeling very alone this holiday season. So I
kind of want to start there, Father Mike, because I
wanted to know. And this is kind of a nuts
and bolts question about church. Do you see an uptick
of people during this time of year before Christmas Day
(00:56):
or do you just see a big uptick of all
those people who haven't really been going to church on Christmas,
like the Christmas and Eastern Catholics.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Do, Yeah, we call them see any great You know,
there's energy that comes as you get closer to Christmas
and then it kind of wanes off that first week
in January. My philosophy has always been I don't care
when you go to church. I'm just like you going
to church. If it's two times in year, God bless you,
and if it fits more than.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Come, How do how do you as the guy giving
the sermon? How do you do you think about, like, Okay,
I've got all these spaces that I only see twice
a year. What can I do to bring them back
next week? I mean, do you think about that when
you're creating a sermon?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Always? Always? Do I want them fifty two times a year? Absolutely?
But my job is not all Christians, and especially a priest.
My job is not to win, and my job is
not to be successful. But that was a plant seats
and that knowing. So for me, the biggest thing is
what I like them every week, of course, but what
(01:59):
I is the relationship, so that when the snowflies or
the main falls, I have the umbrella. They already know
my name and they can call me when they need me,
or they can call somebody in the church. That's what's
important to me.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Do you feel like people are starting to begin to
search their way back to God because everyone is just
kind of flailing through life, and I think young people,
I feel like they're starting to search and hopefully that
search will lead them back to God.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Are you seeing any evidence of that?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I am. I'm seeing a lot of young energy coming
back to the church. Some of it incredibly conservative, like
they're looking for the nineteen fifties church. But mostly I
think that and part of is our own fault. The
church is not responding to the needs of folks in
(02:52):
their current situations. There's a lot of folks that are
just like you know, my bishop, he was a great metaphor.
He said, the church is like a spider's web, and
the spider builds this beautiful web and it waits for
things to come to it. He said, we build beautiful
churches and we wait for people to come to us.
We have to be lightning bugs going out to them.
And I just think that if you want to build
(03:14):
a faith community, you want people to come, you have
to go to them and show them how that would
been in their lives, and then they will come when
they're ready. And that may be in a week, a month,
a year, a lifetime. It doesn't matter to me because
it's not my time, it's God's.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
So let me ask you a little bit about that
comment that you're seeing younger people that are looking for
a nineteen fifties version of the church.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
First off, what do you mean by that? What are
they looking for?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
So watch the bells of Saint Mary's are going my
way with bing Crosby, And that's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Okay, So they're looking for that traditional love and traditional
relationships and.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
So and the mysticism. You know, the Latin mass right,
you couldn't understand it, but it had that mystery and
that I mean, it was identify and it was kind
of mysterious. And also there was a sense of a
spread of core, a sense of belonging because other people
(04:11):
didn't do it that way. And so I think there's
a huge in our country, a need to belong to
identify yourself with something bigger than yourself. Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I think that is a core part of the human condition.
And when we choose to not fill that space inside
us with God, we're going to fill it with something,
whether it's politics or global warming or animal activism or
something where we feel like we're making a difference that
goes beyond who we are as an individual, you know.
(04:45):
So I think we're hardwired that way, and I mean personally,
I feel like God hardwired us that way.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Other people may see that differently.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
I want to speak to what you just said about
people are looking for a sense of belonging. And we
had a guy email me earlier today, Tom, and he
was asking for you know, his sister passed away. He
doesn't have any remaining family. He's feeling a little bit lonely.
What do you say to people who are feeling that
(05:12):
disconnected or not?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Maybe they're not ready to run into it.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I recommended that he look around for the churches around
him and find out if anybody was doing anything on
Christmas Day that he could participate in. But what do
you say to people who are just sort of feeling
left out of life?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Well, and that's the coolest part about online stuff is
maybe you're not ready to walk into a church, but
you can watch. So I had a guy come in
on a Wednesday and I explained to him that I'm
a little bit different and that my style you either
really like it or you really don't. He goes, oh, yeah,
I know, I've been watching you for a month online,
I'm like, yes, that is the deal.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
So basically like seeking out a group that looks like
it might be something that you want to be a
part of and then perhaps joining that that way and.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Kick the tires a little bit. You know, always blow
in my mind that people use as an excuse they
don't like the priests or they don't like the church.
So if you went into a car lot and you
saw no cars you you didn't like, you would walk
the rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
That's a really great analogy.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I mean we use that. I mean, that's an excuse
if you if it's important to you, you will find
what you're looking for. And if it's not where you went,
oh someplace else or look online. And I mean I
have virtual members. Right, So you're you and Chuck inhabidence
where you know you, you participate, you you engage, and
(06:35):
you can't come through the door. And that's okay, I
would love. I mean, intimacy and relationship is built person
to person. So if you're really looking for friendships and
you're looking for a group of people, then you're gonna
have to show up. But until you're ready to do that,
at least you'll have the loneliness a little bit, just
knowing that they're you know, if you put in the
(06:57):
chat I'm here and I'm watching, somebody's going to check
you back and say, we're glad.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
There you go, there you go.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Let's talk about Christmas for a second, because there's a
lot of kind of misinformation out there. I don't call
it misinformation, conflicting information about whether or not Jesus was
actually born in December. And I have to follow up
that with does it matters?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
That is the ultimate answer. It doesn't matter. But the
answer to the question is absolutely, he was not born
on December twenty fifth. Theres zero percent chance that he
was born on December twenty fifth. Probably best guess is October,
based on the stars and the science that kind of
has people spent their lives looking at this stuff. It
(07:40):
was we took over holidays where people were celebrating Eastern
Christmas in particular and made them Christian. We christianized pagan
holidays and so but it doesn't matter when the fact
is that God gave us God's only son, and that's
(08:00):
we're celebrating whenever we do it, and in December twenty
fifth is as good as any other day.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
And that's kind of my thinking. I mean, in my mind,
it doesn't really matter that it's, you know, historically accurate.
I guess to say it because it's the spirit that
we're celebrating, not the actual event. We're celebrating what it
means that this happened.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
That's exactly right. So go ahead, God with us a manual,
so God breaking into humanity, but with God's self to
become one of us, to walk with us, truly God
and truly man. That's what we're celebrating. And it doesn't
matter when we do that. I like that we have
a ritual every year because I need to be I
(08:44):
need on remedial. I need to repeat it.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
You can't quite get it the first fifty five times.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
I need one more time this year. What is your
favorite What is your favorite part about this time of year?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Oh? So, my churches have graciously let me have midnight
Mass at midnight and so and I have a family
that comes from an hour and a half away to
do the music for it. They bring the whole clan
and my kids come in their pajamas. They go to
church at early service, and then they'll come back to
the pajamas and I just love. I love the candlelight service,
(09:20):
I love the Christmas carols, I love the traditions. I
love all of that. I love selfless giving. And you know,
I was hitting my daughter and I were in a
store and people were grumpy, and we went to Costco
and she dropped one of the dips and like a
dozen people rush to help us. It was just awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
You know it either don't you think it brings out
the best or the worst in people? You know, because
I do think that there's lots of times around the
holidays when we do see the worst of people and
it manifests itself. And you know, fighting over a toaster
on Black Friday. Although I think those days are finally
behind us because they've deluded the sales so much that
it doesn't pay to go out and get into a
(10:04):
fist fight over a toaster. I mean, that's not the
best of us, and unfortunately that is kind of at
the forefront of what Christmas has become on some levels.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
But I mean, again back to my course theology, your
heart finds what it's looking for. So if you're looking
for peace, love, njol, you'll find it.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Father Mike, every time I have you on the show.
I get a text messages or an email from someone
who takes umbrage with the fact that you are a
guy who says very clearly, however you find God is fine, right, Like,
just find God. There are people who say, well, that's
not going to get you into heaven, that's not the
right way, that's not the only way you have to
(10:43):
do X y Z in order to be elevated to
the next realm.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
How do you respond to that?
Speaker 3 (10:50):
So it's my favorite joke about Saint Peter walking us
through heaven and there's two big locked rooms and he
says those are for the people who think they're the
only ones here. And you know, maybe maybe I'm wrong,
and maybe one of the churches that believes that they're
the only one that make it, maybe they're right. But
(11:13):
I just don't believe in a small God.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
I believe.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
I mean, if God really made us, and if there
is this all powerful, all omnisicipant, magnificent God, God is
going to say, you know, if you're not wearing the
shirt right, you're not in. If you don't see my
name right, you're not. I mean, really, I just don't
believe in a small God. I will never ever believe
(11:36):
in a small god me either.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
As a matter of fact, one of my other favorite
guests that I've shared with you, Vinnye. Tolben, said, you
know God made us. We are all God's children. And
if you're a parent, think about which child you would
leave behind And the answer is none.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Well, and if you love your children as much as
you love Q, right, and you would do anything for
that kid. God, who is God, doesn't love us more
than that, doesn't already know our keys and Q's and
doesn't have a way to get us home. I mean,
wouldn't you drive across the country to get your kid?
If they called and said, hey, I'm load, come and
get me, would you do that?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I would fly across the world in a heartbeat?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Right, Yeah, we are in our brokenness. Can love somebody
that much? Imagine how much the God loves you? Imagine.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
I just got a text which I think is super interesting,
Father Mike. We're talking with Father Mike. Tests like the
traditional music, the messages, but dropped out of church due
to ritual too. Culty, I actually like the ritual. Why
does the ritual matter? Because the Episcopal Church, you know,
it's jokingly Catholic light, but they do share a lot
of the same rituals in the service for communion, things
(12:45):
like that, why does that matter?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Well? And what I would say is, and I don't
disagree with that person because some if the ritual, if
you're doing the ritual for ritual sake, it is dry
and it is detached. Like I just went to Saint
John's where I went to college, and because one of
the monks that I worked with passed away, and so
(13:07):
I went to and the benedicting you have probably the
most beautiful ritual around death I've ever been a part of.
And everything is for purpose. When I would love that
person to come to watch me online or come to
my church and see if they feel the same way
about the rituals when they understand what the ritual means
and why we do it, because if you don't know,
(13:29):
it's what was I just experiencing and they and it
was like it didn't make any sense until you start
doing it more and then all of a sudden, Rugby,
oh with Annie with Rugby, very complicated game. But the
more you watch it and the more people tell you
things and the more you understand, the more you get
engrossed in it. Right. I feel the same way about baseball,
(13:52):
and I feel the same way about ritual. That ritual
is only meaningful if you understand why you're doing it.
Just to do it, it makes no sense at all
and probably does feel like you know, it's for no sake. Yeah,
and a little CULTI yeah, I get it.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
All right, Father, Mike Tests, A joy is always Merry
Christmas to you and the fam.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And I understood.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
He just referenced his daughter Anne, who is a super
top notch rugby player. Her college rugby team just came
in second at the national championships. Did I hear she
blew out her a cl during the game?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
He did, and then kept playing Monday. No, she when
she blew it out here or something, but she went.
She knew she had a tear, and she played anyway.
And I asked her in the doctor's office, well, will
you do it again? She said absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
That's our kid, that's your kid, Father, Mike Tests, I
love you, man, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I love you.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
There's somebody, there's somebody else here.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
I got family there.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I got Grant here with me.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Hey Grant he and I heard he called me up. Oh,
It makes my heart sore that you have my form brand.
You don't have to ask. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Of course I have your phone number. How am I
going to call him with all my problems? Well, yes,
he does have my phone number. Yeah, anyway, don't say anything,
all right, Give the family my very.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Big hugs and kiss from all of us. I love
you man. Bye, Mike. That is father.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Mike tests one of the greatest humans ever, greatest humans ever.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
He makes me a better person every time. I guess
you talk with them.
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