Episode 87: Selfish Ambition Versus Magnanimity

September 18th, 2024  |  7 mins 55 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

We frequently hold up St. Joan of Arc as an example of magnanimity. Her famous words – “I am not afraid. God is with me. I was born for this!” – are not proud, arrogant or boastful words; they’re words that flow from a greatness of soul...

Episode 86: What Does It Mean to Have Faith?

September 11th, 2024  |  6 mins 25 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

What does it mean when Josephus says, “Repent and believe in me”? He’s certainly not telling someone “how to get to heaven.” He’s more or less saying, “Abandon your current way of acting (in this case, by waging war against Rome) and put your trust in me.” Such an exhortation relates to action...

Episode 85: God’s Special Interest

September 4th, 2024  |  6 mins 50 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

Here’s the simple truth: there are no unimportant people. Every. Single. Person. On. The. Face. Of. The. Earth. Is. Made. In. God’s. Image. And. Likeness. Every. Single. Person. On. The. Face. Of. The. Earth. Is. Worth. Dying. For. To. God.

Everyone.

May the Holy Spirit open our eyes today and every day to see others as He does. And to love them, speak to them, and speak of them, accordingly.

(James 2:1-5)

Episode 84: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

August 28th, 2024  |  7 mins 18 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

Even though we’re beginning to open up the letter of James this week, my mind is still lingering with the Gospel from last week (John 6:60-69). In fact, I might suggest there’s a connection between these words from James and all that John recorded in that most momentous passage.

Episode 83: A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing

August 21st, 2024  |  10 mins 11 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

What do I do when I come across such texts? Do I come at the text presuming the Word of God is wrong, or do I approach it humbly, willing to do the work necessary so as to understand what’s being revealed to us by the Holy Spirit?

Episode 82: A Way to Understand the Will of the Lord

August 14th, 2024  |  6 mins 17 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

Over the past five years now, the Lord has been teaching us in ACTS XXIX some simple ways to return to what Cardinal Cantalamessa reminds us was the common modus operandi for the saints.

Episode 81: One Indicator of the Success of the Eucharistic Revival

August 7th, 2024  |  8 mins 26 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

Many in the Church in our country are continuing to bask in the beauty that was the National Eucharistic Revival.

Episode 80: Loving the Lord With All Our Minds

July 31st, 2024  |  7 mins 54 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

Because everything starts in the mind, what we put into our minds, what we feed our thoughts with, is probably far more significant than we realize.

Episode 79: Do We Recognize How Important Unity Is?

July 24th, 2024  |  10 mins 1 sec

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

Diabolos, the Greek word for the devil, is often translated as “the divider.” That’s good, but it doesn’t quite catch the whole meaning of the word, nor of the character and desire of the enemy of our race

Episode 78: What Do They See When They Look At Us?

July 17th, 2024  |  11 mins 25 secs

acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly

I had originally written this last Saturday morning. And then Saturday afternoon happened in Butler, Pa. I would suggest this is an astoundingly timely passage for the Church in our country and for each of us personally.