In this episode, we discuss a saint who is particularly beloved by both of us: St Joseph. Although he is easily forgotten due to his lack of speech in Scripture, we share reasons for having a great devotion to St Joseph, such as his courage in the face of Our Lady's unexpected pregnancy, his dedication to work, his obedience to God, and how fruitful prayers to him are known to be. We also consider how loving St Joseph can help us to in turn love Jesus more.

For additional resources on St Joseph and discussion questions based on this podcast episode, head to our website: ctsbooks.org/beautifullytold

Quote

“The Son of the Almighty came into our world in a state of great vulnerability. He needed to be defended, protected, cared for and raised by Joseph. God trusted Joseph, as did Mary, who found in him someone who would not only save her life, but would always provide for her and her child.”

(Pope Francis – Patris Corde)

Final Thought – CCC 532

Jesus' obedience to his mother and legal father fulfills the fourth commandment perfectly and was the temporal image of his filial obedience to his Father in heaven. The everyday obedience of Jesus to Joseph and Mary both announced and anticipated the obedience of Holy Thursday: "Not my will. . ." The obedience of Christ in the daily routine of his hidden life was already inaugurating his work of restoring what the disobedience of Adam had destroyed.

As Lent approaches and we reflect upon how Jesus died for our sins, it is a perfect time to go to Confession. Many of us are afraid of Confession, however, and we might ask why we even need to go in the first place. In this episode, we share our own experiences with the sacrament, reveal our own fears, and explore the beauty of Confession.

For more answers to questions on Confession, and for helpful guides to Confession including step-by-step instructions and an Examination of Conscience, head to ctsbooks.org/confession

Quote:

“Do not be afraid of confession! When one is in line to go to confession, one feels all these things, even shame, but then when one finishes confession one leaves free, grand, beautiful, forgiven, candid, happy. This is the beauty of confession… Go, the priest will be good. Jesus is there, and Jesus is more benevolent than priests, Jesus receives you, he receives you with so much love. Be courageous and go to confession!” (Pope Francis - The Beauty of Confession With Pope Francis)

Final Thought – Luke 15:20-24:

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

In the final days of Advent, the Church's focus changes to urgent anticipation for the coming of Jesus. As we discuss the temptation to focus on wrapping gifts, preparing Christmas dinner, and last-minute preparations for the day, we look at how to change our focus to the birth of our Saviour, including by praying the O Antiphons each day from 17th December.

Quote:

“The story of the birth of Christ is not only a symbol… It is the Word of God, alive in us to the extent we are alive in Christ. It took place first in history, it was recorded in Scripture, and through the mystery of baptism it becomes embedded in each of our individual lives and circumstances. It plays itself out anew in human life again and again. Once our eyes are opened to it, we will begin to see it everywhere.”

(Katy Carl - Praying the Great O Antiphons)

Final Thought:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God...  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-18, 21)

As we prepare for the coming of the Lord at Christmas, how can reflecting upon Mary help us on our Advent journey? In this episode, we talk about how relating to Mary and trying to imitate her can help us to be ready for Christmas.

For Advent resources and inspiration, and for reflection questions based on this episode, head to our website: https://www.ctsbooks.org/beautifullytold/

Quote:

“Mary is the perfect example of one who is prepared for the coming of God. Young, poor and unassuming, she would become, by her free choice, the Mother of God. Faithful to God’s promise, she embraced the first advent of her Son before it occurred.”

(Carl E. Olson, Prepare the Way of the Lord)

Final Thought:

With Elizabeth we marvel, "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Because she gives us Jesus, her son, Mary is Mother of God and our mother; we can entrust all our cares and petitions to her: she prays for us as she prayed for herself: "Let it be to me according to your word." By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her: "Thy will be done." (CCC 2677)

Have you ever wondered... does prayer really work? In this episode, we talk about the ways in which we search for answers in prayer, how we can tell if God is listening to us, and how to pray when life gets tough. We also discuss how we can all transform our prayer lives from being transactional (where we pray only because we want something) to developing a relationship with God.

For resources on prayer and for help transforming your prayer life, head to our website: https://www.ctsbooks.org/beautifullytold/

QUOTE:

“Sometimes we need to learn that God is beyond us. We can’t put him in a box. There is darkness and mystery and silence. God says in the Bible: My ways are not your ways; my thoughts are not your thoughts. His plans are bigger than we can understand. He is not an Amazon Prime delivery hub with a guarantee that our requests will be processed in twenty-four hours.”

SYCAMORE: The Catholic Faith Explained - Fr Stephen Wang

FINAL THOUGHT

"'If you knew the gift of God!' (John 4:10) The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1560)

If you're scared of death and try to avoid thinking about it, you're not alone! In this episode, we talk about our own feelings about death, how to "remember your death" (Memento Mori) and the benefits of living each day as if it's your last. We also explore why the teaching of the Catholic Church on death and judgement is something that gives each of us hope rather than fear.

Find out more about the Catholic Church, death and judgement, along with questions for reflection, via the Beautifully Told website.

Quote:

“… death is not the end… Christ has already triumphed, and … He is coming back, at some point in the future. He has not forgotten us. The hope of heaven helps us to live through the sufferings of this life, and gives us a reason to stay close to Christ in faith and love.”

Fr Stephen Wang - SYCAMORE: The Catholic Faith Explained

Final thought

Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification or immediately, -- or immediate and everlasting damnation. “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.” (St John of the Cross)

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1022)

Praying the Rosary can seem like a daunting task and people often find it difficult. So how can we pray the Rosary more often and even pray it every day? In this episode, we offer inspiration and advice from our own experiences of praying the Rosary.  For more on praying the Rosary, including how to pray it, visit the Beautifully Told website. 

Quote: “No wonder Our Lady has given us a daily prescription of five decades of the Rosary a day, because if each day is directed towards Christ in this way, then our whole life will be, like Mary’s, surrendered to God’s love.” (Fr Lawrence Lew OP, Mysteries Made Visible) 

Final Thought: “Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church – 2708)⠀⠀⠀⠀