The Normal Christian Life

Beyond Being Nice: The Christian Difference in Love w/ Michael Nolan


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What does it actually mean to love—not just in theory, but in real life?

In this episode, Fr. Michael Trummer is joined by Fr. Christopher Trummer and Mike Nolan for a deep, honest conversation on love (charity) as the greatest theological virtue. Moving beyond clichés and sentimentality, they explore why love is both a gift of grace and something we must actively cooperate with—and why knowing about love is very different from actually living it.

The conversation touches on:

  • Why love is the only virtue that endures into heaven
  • How love is fulfilled not by doing more, but by delighting in the other
  • The difference between Christian love and merely “being nice”
  • Why loving difficult people is essential for spiritual growth
  • How unhealed wounds and failure to receive love make loving others so hard
  • The relationship between agape (self-giving love) and eros (delight and desire)
  • Why heaven is not a glorified vacation—but perfect communion
  • This episode challenges listeners to examine whether their love is rooted in busyness, duty, and performance—or in real communion, hope, and grace. It’s a practical, demanding, and deeply hopeful vision of love as preparation for heaven and participation in God’s own life.

     

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    00:00 Introduction to Theological Virtues

    00:58 The Paradox of Love and Grace

    02:07 Love in the Context of Faith and Hope

    03:38 The Uniqueness of Christian Love

    08:21 Love as Preparation for Heaven

    12:09 The Role of Emotions in Love

    22:43 The Challenge of Loving Difficult People

    25:55 Integrating Agape and Eros

    41:35 Understanding Self-Agreement and Interior Brokenness

    42:26 The Difficulty of Receiving Love

    42:48 The Trinity and the Nature of Love

    44:05 The Impact of Being Loved

    44:43 The Heart Magnifies What It Receives

    47:36 The Role of Security in Love

    48:41 Experiencing True Friendship and Love

    54:48 The Importance of Hope in Love

    59:19 Patience and the Unveiling of Love

    01:06:36 The Impossible Vocation of Love

    01:11:55 The Necessity of Gentleness in Love

    01:17:04 Closing Thoughts and Prayer

    ...more
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    The Normal Christian LifeBy Frs. Michael and Christopher Trummer, Mary Bielski

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