Easter is over, the Easter Bunny has hopped away into the sunset and now it’s back to normal, right? Wrong. This post-Resurrection time is the most exciting time of the year for the Church. It’s like an adventure novel except that it’s true and there’s an important part for you to play in it.
The statistics are staggering. Sunday Mass attendance has been in decline for decades. Now projected numbers indicate that the numbers may further diminish as consequence of the long-term pandemic restrictions. Our bishops and priests can only do so much to bring the faithful back to the sacraments. Now more than ever, the Church needs heroic Catholics who will lead the way back by their faith and example. Will you be one of them?
Have you ever observed a situation absolutely convinced you knew exactly what was going on? And then you find out later that what you thought happened wasn’t at all what actually happened? Marge shares a personal (and embarrassing) time when this happened to her and then shows how easily this can happen to anyone and how it applies to life in general.
How many pairs of shoes do you own? Your answer can tell you a lot about yourself and your relationship with Christ. A lively, thought-provoking episode wherein Marge explains why she once owned three (working) coffee makers at the same time. Letting go of the material world, simplifying our lives and finding life and peace in the Spirit. That’s what seeking simplicity in Christ is all about!
Even in the darkest times, even amidst losing a loved one, we have reason for hope. A personal message of hope amid grief as our family prepares to say our final goodbyes to a cherished aunt. The God of hope will fill us with joy and peace even in our grief. As people of faith, we believe there is a reason for everything and a greater good will come of it according to God’s mercy and perfect will.
Have you ever heard the voice of Jesus? Those who have had that experience are quite fortunate. But some of us, seem never to heart his voice. Whether it be audibly, symbolically, or intuitively, we never seem able to perceive what God is saying to us either through circumstances, “coincidences,” or the still small voice within us. For a period of time, I was convinced that our Lord spoke to everyone else but me. In a moment of discouragement, he proved me wrong and brought me to an amazing realization. In this episode, I share my experience with listeners and show them how they, too, can hear the voice of Jesus even when he seems to be keeping silent.
If someone asked you to describe yourself, what would be on your list of characteristics and attributes? How far down on that list would you mention your Catholic faith? Current events have sparked countless terse discussions in person and on line about what it means to be a Catholic. Can we profess one set of beliefs and then act contrarily in the public sphere? A frank look at the precepts and four marks of the Church and how we’re obligated to follow them in both our private and public lives. Calling ourselves Catholic must be more than a designation; it must be a way of life.
As you move through Lent, there is only one essential question to ask yourself. This single query encompasses all you need for your spiritual striving and should be your main motivation. What is that question? How can it help you through Lent? You’ll find it in Chapter Six of the Gospel of Matthew. In this episode, Marge unpacks Matthew’s chapter and shows you how to apply it to your Lenten striving.
In a vision, Christ told John that he will spit from his mouth those who are lukewarm in their faith (see Rev 3:15-16). Its hard to be on fire for the faith when the Church is under persecution. We fear shame and retaliation from those who oppose our beliefs. Being lukewarm seems like the safer route to take. Take heart! There are more faithful out there than you think and when they see you on fire, their hearts will burn for Christ as well. This message of hope and encouragement will help you do exactly that.
Feeling discouraged? That’s not surprising given the current state of affairs in the world. Discouragement is a form of spiritual desolation and it’s during such times that people tend to back off on spiritual commitments and go easy on themselves. But, that’s exactly the time to step it up and increase your spiritual striving. In this episode, Marge explains why that is and how to effectively face discouragement and spiritual desolation.
Most people focus on the new calendar year as January 1 rolls around. But, there’s so much more to know about New Year’s Day. Here’s what you need to know to make it a holy, happy, celebration.
There’s so much to do during these last few days before Christmas! Your To-Do List is a mile long and you’ve only worked part way through it. But getting ready for Christmas actually has nothing to do with decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking, or anything else on your list. Here are the three most essential things to do before Christmas and how to tell if you’re really ready.
Christmas is under threat by officials seeking to limit our ability to attend Christmas Mass and gather with family and friends. Over social media and news outlets, there’s mention of efforts to “cancel” Christmas. The truth is, Christmas can’t be canceled and in this episode, Marge gives three concrete reasons why that’s true. Then she gives three things you can do to make a joy-filled Christmas happen for you and yours.
If you saw someone walking down the street dressed in camel’s hair and eating grasshoppers and honey. Would you consider that person a credible authority? Most likely not. You’d probably think that person was weird at best or perhaps mentally ill. It was a strange thin to do in Jesus’ time, too, but St. John the Baptist did just that, becoming the voice int eh desert that prepared others for the coming of the Savior. He spoke the truth regardless of the possible consequences. Today we need countless St. John the Baptists who will be the voice in the desert, speaking the truth regardless of the consequences. You can do it, God will help you and St. John the Baptist will intercede for you.
We’re facing more pandemic lockdowns, uncertainty about the future of our country, and the possibility of financial crisis for many. Add to that our Lord’s admonishment in the Gospels that we must be ready for his Second Coming at any moment. All of this can tempt you to give into fear and lose hope when in fact the opposite should and can be true. Here’s how to make fear backfire and Advent 2020 become a blessed time of spiritual growth, hope, and joy.
You may not be able to gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving as you’d hoped, but there’s still much you can do to foster a grateful heart and observe a true Thanks-Giving. Marge outlines seven concrete steps to a grateful heart and a blessed Thanksgiving despite COVID restrictions.
You and your loved one already are divided over Church issues. Now with the upheaval of the 2020 Presidential Election, you’re further divided over political issues. What do you do? How do you approach your loved one amidst these volatile topics? In this episode, Marge gives nine practical steps for re=establishing and affirming your relationship despite your differences.
Are you worried about a loved one who has left the Catholic Church? These days it’s difficult to find someone whose family hasn’t been touched by this sadness in some way. This episode is straight talk about what NOT to do when someone you care about leaves the Church (The Three Don’ts) and how to frame your approach for meaningful dialog (The Three Do’s). Plus, a valuable resource for protection against evil. Parents and grandparents, you’ll want to lock into this powerful way to protect your children and grandchildren against evil influences. A message of hope, joy, and encouragement.
Have you found yourself getting aggravated when dealing with someone of the opposite gender? Perhaps it’s a co-worker, friend, or even your spouse. Most of us experience that from time to time and for good reason. Man and woman aren’t just different physically, but also different in heart, mind and will. Listen as Marge explains the differences between the way males and females think, react, lead, and relate. The differences are God-willed, beautiful, and necessary even though they can be a source of aggravation.
It seems like all we do is talk about freedom these days. Freedom from…freedom for… But did you know that it’s possible to be free on the outside yet bound on the inside? That’s right. Unless you’re interiorly free, exterior freedom doesn’t matter much at all. St. Paul wrote to the Romans, “ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” We all do that from time to time. Why? In this episode Marge looks at Mother Teresa and Amy Coney Barrett as examples of interiorly free individuals who move freely and decisively in the world. Tune in and learn how to become interiorly free and stop doing the things that you hate.
