Be with the Word

Dr. Gerry celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ as he links the Sunday readings and the story of sacrifice in Exodus and Christ's sacrifice to developmental psychology. Dr. Gerry also explores what it means to be a 'good' parent and what it means to allow the truths of the faith to truly register in our hearts (not just our cognitions). 

Dr. Crete continues to explore personality as he discusses the Myers-Briggs personality indicator and the Greek Temperaments. He zooms in on the difference between Judging (J) and Perceiving (P) and how this difference can cause conflict in marriage. Dr. Gerry brings in the Sunday readings and how the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including generosity, self control and patience, can help as couples learn to accept themselves and each other for their differences. 

Dr. Gerry begins a new mini-series "From Ascension to Assumption" where he explores getting to know oneself. Every week he will look at personality tests and models and how to understand our true selves. This week, the 7th Sunday of Easter and the Ascension, Dr. Crete explores the difference between Introversion and Extroversion based on the Myers-Briggs index. He also explores God's call to love one another in order to remain in Him. Dr. Gerry applies St. Paul's words about receiving a Spirit of wisdom and having the eyes of your hearts enlightened to everyday life. Dr. Gerry also discusses the virtue of humility and how this connects with the true self. 

Dr. Gerry explores the difference between love as described in the readings for the 6th Sunday of Easter and Codependency. Gerry explains how true love is connected to self-giving when it is an expression of one's identity. Codependency involves people-pleasing and needing to be affirmed by others in order to find an identity. 

Dr. Gerry reflects on the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter and walks you through a path for stopping scrupulosity and obsessive thinking. He draws on the interplay between the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex as we move from fear and shame to awareness, repentance, and receiving comfort from our great Advocate. 

Dr. Gerry discusses the readings for the Second Sunday of Easter where he discusses what it means that Christ is "begotten in water and blood". He brings in some insight from Bessel Van der Kolk's The Body Keeps the Score and discusses the connection between spirit/mind and body in the healing of trauma. Dr. Crete also suggests that we can allow our own sufferings, challenges, and hardships to be transformed through faith into something that brings meaning and changes lives for good. 

Dr. Gerry discusses the biblical path to overcoming dissociation, surviving suffering, and not being overwhelmed by shame. We are called to name and express emotion and recall our true identity. 

Dr. Gerry discusses the readings from the Third Sunday of Lent and continues his discussion of "dissociation" as he describes the "window of tolerance" and what happens emotionally when we go outside of it. Dr. Gerry discusses the difference between normal feelings such as anger and sinful reactions such as rage, wrath, and vengeance.