Bonus Points

I know that it's a cliche to talk about how transformative it is to become a parent, and I know that I'm certainly not an expert as a father. But I also know that being a parent has taught me a lot about prayer, and experiencing my own fatherhood has had an effect on my experience of God's fatherhood. In this episode of Bonus Points, we'll explore some of those lessons, and some ideas about prayer that have developed since I became a dad. 

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

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June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart on the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi. In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're talking about this devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: where it comes from, how it works, and why it's one of my favorite devotions. ❤️‍🔥

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

Bonus Points is back from its spring-semester hiatus, and we're ready for an awesome new season! It's been some time since the last episode, so it seemed fitting to make this episode about, well, time. As Catholics, we have many ways of marking different parts of the day, the week, and the year. We even have some celebrations that only happen a few times each century! On today's episode, we're talking about some of the ways that we mark time as Christians, their Old Testament roots, and why this is so important to begin with. 

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

Each year at the Easter Vigil, we hear the Exultet (or Exsultet), also known as the Easter Proclamation. Not only is it an announcement of Christ's victory, it's also a whirlwind tour through salvation history. Oh, and it talks about bees more than the average song. In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're talking about some interesting parts of one of my favorite prayers of the liturgical year.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

Sometimes when we pray, we have a very tangible experience of God's love and closeness. Prayer is enjoyable, and we feel like we could spend all day in the chapel. Other times...not so much. What causes dryness in prayer? What can we do about it? On today's episode of Bonus Points, we're talking about what to do when you don't want to pray.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

A little over a week ago, I was part of a class trip to Washington, DC. Between the bus ride and the museums, I had a few thoughts in my head throughout the day about what spiritual value we can take from the idea of a field trip. On today's episode of Bonus Points, we'll talk about how field trips remind us of the need to "go out" as a Church, the importance of our incarnational and sacramental worldview, and how field trips remind us that God is in control, not us.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

Everybody knows that food is important for us physically. If you don't eat, you will die. But food is much more than just fuel to sustain our bodies. Food is about tradition, culture, and what it means to be family. In this episode of Bonus Points, we're talking about what food can teach us about the meaning of tradition.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

Last time, we talked about how monastic life is not just for a select few, but is the "reference point for all Christians" according to Pope Saint John Paul II. We focused on the three evangelical counsels and how they apply to all of us, not just monks and nuns. In today's episode, we're looking at what other lessons we can learn from the monastery, from the value of a stable routine to the importance of the Word and the centrality of the Eucharist.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

In the West, we sometimes think of the monastic life as one "option" among many. It's good for those who are called to it, but doesn't have much to offer the rest of us. In the Eastern Catholic world, however, the monastic life is seen as the ideal to which all Christians aspire. John Paul II called it the "reference point for all the baptized" in Orientale Lumen. In today's episode of Bonus Points, we're talking about how to live like a monk no matter what state of life you are in.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦

For most of history, having a good memory was essential for success. Today, most of us are content to "outsource" our memories to our phones and the Internet. But perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to forget the importance of remembering. This episode of Bonus Points will offer some reflections on the spiritual significance of memory, especially its role in the liturgy.

Website: https://www.BonusPointsPodcast.com

Bonus Points is proud to be a #Catholic podcast. 🇻🇦