On The Road To Perfection

Instigated by a question from our oldest son, we dive into the macabre!

Not really, but Kristofer has some issues with the idea of venerating body parts.

Fortunately, Beth has the more reasoned approach that the Church has, and Kristofer winds up understanding, but not on-board.

Relics are hard to understand, and the venerating of them is not a requirement to be Catholic.

It's a practice that is encouraged if it will help an individual focus on Jesus.

The saints are saints in large part because they point us to The Lord, and those relics are meant to help us do the same.

We define relics and explain what veneration is in this episode.

"Because I said so" is never the answer.

We do not typically get into exact parenting practices, but this was an occasion that happened after Mass that Kristofer thought needed addressing.

Raised in an environment where asking "Why" was not allowed when parental direction, guidance, or discipline was being meted out, Kristofer and Beth relate a family story that exemplifies this situation and, in the process, discuss how it has been psychologically shown that Dads have a god-like aura to their children until their late teens.

We dive into taking our cues from our perfect Dad in heaven.

God NEVER says "Because I Said So."

Neither should we.

As it was last week, the Big Ball of Twine Tour 2023 is the backdrop for this episode.

This recent vacation of ours brought us the opportunity to experience God's Beauty in many forms, and we talk about the profound experience and permanent impression it made upon us.

We dig into the incomparable depth of God's Beauty, juxtaposed against Man's Beauty; and we start out doing so by taking on Devil's Tower!

Our discussion answers questions you may not know you had, and it starts a lifelong discussion we hope you have with your selves, your loved ones, and your God.

We will.

The Big Ball of Twine Tour 2023 is the context for this episode.

This recent vacation of ours brought us the opportunity to experience Man's Beauty in many forms, and we explore this phenomenon that we experienced intimately.

After an unintended humorous opening prayer, and refusing to melt into a puddle of goo in the heat, we discuss, in-depth, Man's Beauty, and the beauty he makes with what the Creator has given us - our talents and resources.

This week, Beth drops a surprise topic on Kristofer after his opening prayer.

Beth says that Ordinary Time is not ordinary, and Kristofer does his best to grasp the mathematical meaning behind the word, thanks to his patito, Kora, educating him a few weeks earlier.

With the ice cream van trolling the neighborhood and tempting us at every turn. we discuss how extraordinary ordinary time really is - starting with a parish in Connecticut and the miracles that happen around the world, every single day in thousands of places.

Ordinary time is not ordinary - it cannot be!

So, let's dig in...

Kristofer's sister comes to mind as we begin by talking about pickle juice.

Beginning with the end in mind in our conversation is not a discourse on Stephen Covey, though we do give him credit here and intertwined throughout On The Road To Perfection for bringing Kristofer to the Catholic Faith, and it is a conversation that Covey would appreciate.

As Beth says, the "end" would be our "telos", which Kristofer jumps on for the meaning of "perfected."

This is a conversation of "Eschatology," which is the study of the last things.

Are you ready for a conversation about the end goal of what the road to perfection leads us to?

Well, here it comes!

It's Romper Room time at Holy Owned and Operated!

Who do you see?

After a list of names and a Laurie Anderson reference, Beth hits Kristofer with a topic out of the blue.

Kristofer answers right away, and condemns the rest of us – including him – but of course leaving out Beth.

But wait for the end to be sure.

We see everybody around us - especially at Mass and other Church functions - as good and better than us.

So, it is natural to wonder if we are good enough to be Catholic.

After making sure we aren't having technical difficulties we jump right in: Am I good enough to be Catholic?

Summer Catholicism does not make sense.

The Church is Universal, and Summer happens every year.

Why do we turn into summer Catholics when the kids get out of school?

So many seem to take the summer off, as if a change in schedule justifies a change in celebrating days of holy obligation.

We discuss this fun topic on a 95-degree day, and it is obvious the heat gets to us.

Delirium, goofiness, and straight-up ridonculousness ensue as we unwittingly realize it is our third anniversary for the podcast.

We've been doing this for three straight years, no interruption!

So, enjoy this fun twenty minutes of just craziness while actually giving great suggestions on how to keep our Catholic practices - and Faith! -  during the summer while we are still relaxing.

And then there's the cake.

Are there levels of love in how we love others?

Is how we love God different than how we should love one another?

Are caritas, agape, storge, filial, eros different levels?

In this episode, we talk about that, and how love is a many splendored thing - but does it have levels, or people who are subject to or should receive more or less love than others?

We discuss how our love reflects upon us and our relationship with God, and reveals how much we actually follow the Greatest Commandment.

What level of love do we give Jesus, who is my neighbor, and how do we love our enemies?

Big questions, and we give our meager answers...

Joy in obedience?

How's that?! Come again?

As Beth explains in the beginning, it makes sense that a virtue begets a fruit of the Spirit.

Kristofer picks up the ball and goes big picture, explaining that doing what God says leads to joy.

But what about the suffering that comes about when obeying God?

Still = supreme joy!

From God to the world to the nations to us personally obeying God, we talk about the difference between joy and happiness and where all of this obedience applies.

Parents will find this useful to listen to with children of all ages.