Jesus is teaching beside the Sea of Galilee when the crush of the crowds prompts him to climb aboard St. Peter’s boat and request the soon-to-be-apostle to shove off from shore. Little does Peter know that this is only Our Lord’s first request. We’ll spend our episode exploring the ins and outs of fishing on the Sea of Galilee and we’ll get our hands dirty in the original Greek so as to immerse ourselves into the full emotion of the exchange. Finally, we’ll round out our discussion by diving into the Old Testament context for Peter’s commissioning as a “fisher of men.” (Mass Reading for Feb 9, 2025) /// Join Katie's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi: https://kptz.io/rome Registration is closing this March!

When Joseph and Mary bring Jesus to the Temple, they fulfill the Law of Moses, yet what unfolds goes far beyond legal obligation. In Simeon’s words, we find echoes of the watchmen of Israel, standing vigil for the Lord’s arrival and Anna, with her years of prayer, embodies widowed Israel longing for redemption. At the heart of the story is the go’el, the kinsman-redeemer tasked by the Book of Leviticus with restoring family and land. Coming suddenly to his Temple as our first reading predicts, Jesus shows himself to be this bridegroom redeemer. (Mass Reading for Feb 2, 2025) /// Join Katie's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi this December: https://kptz.io/rome

In the synagogue of his hometown, Jesus delivers a message that begins with amazement and ends in rejection. Drawing from the full arc of the story, we explore the depth of his proclamation, the Greek Old Testament text, and the broader context of Isaiah’s prophecy. Together, these elements reveal the profound challenge of a mission extending mercy beyond Israel and they also uncover why Our Lord's words ignited such a powerful reaction, one his own neighbors were unwilling to accept. (Mass Readings for Jan 26, 2025) /// Join Katie's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi this December: https://kptz.io/rome

Join Katie on pilgrimage in Rome & Assisi for the Jubilee: kptz.io/rome / / / In this episode, we explore the Wedding Feast at Cana, where Jesus performs His first public miracle—turning water into wine. We’ll uncover the Old Testament echoes in this moment, the significance of Christ as the divine Bridegroom, and Mary’s pivotal role in the unfolding of His mission. How does this event foreshadow the New Covenant, and what does it reveal about God’s abundant grace? Tune in to find out! (Mass Readings for Jan 19, 2025)

Join me this December on a Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi: kptz.io/rome /// Jesus begins his public ministry at a location rich with history for the Jewish people. The site of the famed Promised Land crossing, the Jordan River is a symbol of homecoming and covenant faithfulness. Exploring our Gospel within the context of the lectionary, we see Jesus’ Baptism as not simply the fulfillment of Jewish hopes, but a hope for Gentiles as well. In this one act, Jesus recalls creation, the flood, the Exodus, and the expectation of a new covenant for all peoples, momentous occasions that he will fulfill in his own public ministry. (Mass Readings for Jan 12, 2025)

We journey with the Magi to Bethlehem in our Gospel today, unraveling the ancient prophecy from the Book of Numbers that sent shockwaves through Herod’s court. Who were these mysterious visitors and what does their presence reveal about Salvation History? We’ll also dig into historical and astronomical insights into the Star of Bethlehem and unpack the profound symbolism behind the threefold gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Finally, we’ll explore the subtle allusions to Solomon in our text which firmly plant Jesus as the rightful successor to the Davidic throne. // Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi // Jesus is lost and found in today's Gospel. In it, the evangelist describes Jesus as having "understanding", an Old Testament characteristic of the Davidic kings. Luke also clearly links Our Lord with the prophet Samuel and by this connection we discover Jesus as the firstborn consecrated to God and the prophet who will speak condemnation on the corrupt Jerusalem priests. We end our episode exploring the interior life of Our Lady who was not shielded from spiritual hardship but learned to foster hope in the midst of confusion.

Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi // Exploring the story of the Visitation we discover a text bursting with Old Testament allusions. We see the evangelist subtly comparing Jesus and John the Baptist to Jacob and Esau and Our Lady herself finds parallel in two Old Testament women, Jael and Judith, women who found fame crushing the heads of their enemies. An overarching theme comes to prominence, however, that of the Ark of the Covenant. Just as the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant sojourned for a time in the hill country of Judea, so does the new Ark of the Covenant sojourn there as well. (Mass Readings for Dec 22, 2024) March 1st Event w/ Dr. Scott Hahn: https://stpaulcenter.com/desmoines2025/

We turn our attention once more to our Gospel reading and to the figure of John the Baptist. People from all walks of life are coming to him, repenting, and asking for spiritual advice. John exhorts people not to a life of intense asceticism and separation but rather to lives of holiness in the midst of worldly endeavors, a radical idea for the time period. Exploring further John the Baptist's background we discover a man deeply committed to evangelization and a figure who is arguably the first champion of the lay vocation. (Mass Readings for Dec 15, 2024) --> March 1st Event w/ Dr. Scott Hahn: https://stpaulcenter.com/desmoines2025/ --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi

This week we continue in the spirit of Jeremiah with our first reading from Baruch, the man who served as Jeremiah's scribe. In it we find many parallels with the Old Testament and contemporary prophetic literature, specifically the Book of Isaiah. We explore the three covenant types of Ancient Near Eastern culture and link Baruch to Genesis 22 in which God himself is the covenant guarantor. Lastly, we explore the New Exodus theme implicit in our first reading and its clear link to our Gospel and the figure of John the Baptist. (Mass Readings for Dec 8, 2024) --> Join Katie's Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi: https://bit.ly/rome_assisi