Taste & See

In this powerful episode, we reflect on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, exploring the unshakable foundation of the Catholic Church despite human failings. Drawing from Matthew 16:13-19, we delve into Jesus’ promise to Peter: “The gates of hell will not prevail against it.” The 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury report exposed horrific clergy abuse, shaking many Catholics’ faith. Yet, through Zac's personal story— of a transformative Camino de Santiago pilgrimage—and Jesus’ divine assurance, we see the Church as Christ’s living body, enduring for 2,000 years. Discover how we’re called to run toward the Church with hope, fighting evil with forgiveness and sacrificial love.

Key Takeaways

• Divine Foundation: Jesus, not human leaders, builds the Church, ensuring it withstands even “hellish” evils like clergy abuse (Matthew 16:18).
• Clergy Abuse Context: The 2018 scandal revealed systemic failures, but 98% of priests serve faithfully, embodying sacrificial love as “alter Christus” (another Christ).
• Personal Calling: A priestly vocation, tested by the scandal during a 900km pilgrimage, was purified by trust in Christ’s promise and commitment to heal through fidelity.
• Peter’s Transformation: From Simon to Peter, his confession of Jesus as “the Christ” reveals the Church’s rock-solid foundation, unshaken by human sin.
• Our Role: We’re called to fight evil with good, bringing Christ’s mercy and justice to heal wounds within His Church, our true home.

Journal Questions for Reflection

• How has a Church scandal or personal betrayal challenged your faith? How can Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:18 restore your trust?
• What “fire” in your life or community is God calling you to face with hope and forgiveness, rather than running away?
• How does seeing the Church as your “home” with Jesus as your brother and God as your Father change the way you approach Mass?

Prayer for This Week: Jesus, make me a true brick of your True Church.

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The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

This episode explores the profound connection between the Feeding of the 5,000 and Corpus Christi Sunday, where the Church celebrates the Eucharist. Both miracles—ordinary bread made miraculous and unleavened bread becoming Christ’s body—reveal Jesus’ heart to feed us abundantly. Through the Eucharist, we are blessed, broken, and given to nourish the Church, the Body of Christ.

• Miracles of Abundance: The Feeding of the 5,000 (a sacramental) points to the Eucharist (a sacrament), where Jesus feeds stomachs to inspire faith and hearts to strengthen faith.

• Apostles’ Role: With scarce resources, the apostles trusted Jesus to multiply their offering, feeding thousands with baskets of leftovers. Today, priests distribute the Eucharist, pouring out boundless grace.

• Personal Conviction: A real-life encounter at a gas station reveals the struggle to trust Jesus’ vision when our resources feel limited, urging us to dream bigger with God.

• Jesus’ Heart: From Jesus’ perspective, He longs to draw us close, not send us away, satisfying our deepest hungers with Himself in the Eucharist.

  Journal Questions:

1. What “five loaves and two fish” in your life feels insufficient? How can you offer it to Jesus to multiply?

2. When have you hesitated to help someone because of fear or scarcity? How might Jesus’ vision for that situation be bigger than your own?

3. How does receiving the Eucharist remind you that you are “more than enough” in Christ? What grace do you seek from Him today?

Lord, may Your vision be my vision. Take my little—my fears, my resources, my brokenness—and multiply it for Your glory. Draw me close to Your heart in the Eucharist, and let Your dreams for me become mine. Amen.

The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

John 17:20–26 | Seventh Sunday of Easter

In this week’s episode, we reflect on Jesus’ prayer in John 17: “Father, they are your gift to me.” What does it mean that you are a gift from the Father to the Son?

Through the story of a dear friend's wedding—marked by intentional love and heartfelt vows—we explore the powerful truth that love is more than words. It's a gift of persons. This reflection dives into your God-given dignity, the meaning of freedom, and how the Eucharist reveals your identity as a gift to be given and received in love.

Join us in this meditation on self-gift, the unity of the Trinity, and how Christ helps us rediscover who we are.

What You’ll Hear

• Reflection on John 17: Jesus calls you the Father’s gift

• Wedding story that illustrates the spiritual exchange of love

• The connection between the Eucharist and your identity

• Why true freedom means giving yourself away in love

  Journal & Prayer Questions

1. Where in my life do I struggle to believe that I am a gift?

2. How is God inviting me to make a sincere gift of myself today?

3. When was the last time I simply gazed at the Eucharist without trying to do anything?

   The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

   Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

   Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

John 13:31–35 | Fifth Sunday of Easter

What does it mean to love like Jesus? In this Catholic podcast episode, we reflect on John 13:31–35 through a powerful personal story of selfless love: my grandfather’s care for my Nana as she battled memory loss and physical decline.

His daily acts of service—dressing her, bathing her, teaching her birthday again and again—reveal a deeper meaning of love: willing the good of the other, even when it costs everything. This is the kind of love Jesus commands at the Last Supper. This is the glory of the cross.

Join me as we explore what real love looks like, how it upholds human dignity, and how you and I are invited to glorify God through the way we choose to love this week.

Key Takeaways

• Gospel reflection on John 13: Jesus' command to love one another

• Personal story of caregiving, sacrifice, and enduring love

• Catholic teaching on love as a free act of the will (St. Thomas Aquinas)

• How love reveals human dignity and God’s glory

  Journal & Prayer Questions

1. Where is God inviting me to love when it’s inconvenient or costly?

2. How can I reflect the dignity of those I care for—especially when no one’s watching?

3. Have I lost sight of my identity as one who is loved by God? How can I return to it?

   The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

   Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

   Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

John 10:27–30 | Good Shepherd Sunday

What does it mean that Jesus is the Good Shepherd? In this episode, I share a personal story from my time in Kenya caring for sheep, and how that experience brings fresh meaning to Jesus' words: “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.”

We explore how Christ doesn’t just lead from above—He draws near, enters our mess, and even smells like us. He takes on our history, our pain, our trauma, and our smell… not to shame us, but to redeem us.

Let this be a reminder that you are fully known, fully loved, and never alone in your story.

🧠 Journal Questions

1. Where in your life do you feel most “scattered” or disconnected?
2. What parts of your personal history do you try to hide from God?
3. How does it change your view of Jesus to imagine Him smelling like your story?

The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

3rd Sunday of Easter | John 21: 1-19

In today’s episode, we explore the powerful story of St. Vitalis of Gaza, a 7th-century hermit who risked everything to bring hope to the prostitutes. His hidden sacrifice mirrors how Jesus meets Peter — and us — at the very place of our greatest failures.

At a charcoal fire on the shore, Jesus rewrites Peter’s three denials with three confessions of love. He doesn’t shy away from our darkness. Instead, He steps right into it to restore and renew.

No sin is too great. No failure too final. Jesus is still asking: "Do you love me?"

In this episode:

• The hidden heroism of St. Vitalis of Gaza
• Why Jesus rebuilt Peter’s heart at the charcoal fire
• How love casts out fear and shame

Journal Questions:

1. Where has Jesus met me in my shame?
2. What fears stop me from loving boldly?
3. How do I want to answer Jesus' question: "Do you love me?"

The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

Gospel: John 20:19–31
Theme: Divine Mercy | Trust | Doubt | Redemption

This episode dives into the powerful grace of Divine Mercy Sunday and the surprising faith of the apostle Thomas—often called “Doubting Thomas.”
We explore the stunning promise Jesus gave through St. Faustina:

“The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” (Diary, 699)

That’s not just forgiveness—it’s a total spiritual reset.
No purgatory. No punishment. Just healing and mercy.

We also ask:
Did Thomas really doubt Jesus… or did he trust Him more deeply than anyone else?
Could your doubts be a sign of a deeper longing for truth and intimacy with Christ?

You’ll hear:

• What “temporal punishment” really means
• Why Divine Mercy Sunday is like a second baptism
• How Thomas' so-called "doubt" might actually be the deepest form of devotion
• A personal story of wrestling with faith after people-pleasing led to spiritual compromise

🕊️ Whether you’re full of faith or full of questions, this episode is an invitation to trust the One who shows up—even through locked doors.

💭 Journal Questions

1. Where have I experienced God's mercy in a way that felt undeserved?
2. What doubts or questions have pushed me deeper into seeking the truth?
3. How do I need Jesus to “pass through the locked doors” of my heart this week?

The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

🎧 Listen now and let Divine Mercy Sunday change your life.✨ Share with a friend who needs a fresh start.

📖 John 13:1–15 | Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Before the Cross, Jesus kneels.

In this Holy Thursday reflection, we enter the Upper Room and watch the Son of God wash His disciples’ feet — not just as a ritual, but as an act of love that embraces their full story, dirt and all.

Drawing from personal stories, Jewish tradition, and the raw vulnerability of being known and loved, this episode is a call to let Jesus hold your story… and to go and do the same for others.

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⛪ In this episode:

• Why Jesus washes feet before dying
• The deep meaning behind foot washing
• Letting Christ touch what you hide
• Loving like the Master loves

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📝 Journal Prompts:

1. What parts of your story feel “too dirty” for God?
2. How does it feel to picture Jesus washing your feet?
3. Who in your life is God calling you to love in this way?

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🔍 Tags: Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, foot washing meaning, John 13 reflection, Catholic Lent podcast, Jesus humility, Christian vulnerability

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The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Luke 19:28–40)

This Palm Sunday, Jesus shows us the power of humility—riding into Jerusalem not on a war horse, but on a colt. In this episode, we explore how God often chooses to meet us in the small, ordinary moments of our lives.

I share a powerful story from Kenya about a Marian visionary and how it challenged my discernment journey. We talk about how spiritual detachment and interior freedom are key to hearing God’s voice clearly. I’ll also walk you through a simple but profound method of discernment using what I call a “spiritual scatter plot.”

We close with a prayerful meditation letter from Jesus to carry you through Holy Week.

🎧 Topics Covered:

• How to discern God’s will without needing supernatural signs
• The beauty of Jesus’ humility on Palm Sunday
• A method to reflect on patterns in your spiritual life
• Why God prefers to speak through the ordinary

📝 Journal Questions:

1. Where might God be speaking through the ordinary in my life?
2. Have I overly relied on a past spiritual experience?
3. What trends or patterns is God revealing through time and prayer?

📖 Scripture: Luke 19:28–40
📍 Theme: Inner Wisdom | Ordinary Discernment | Holy Week

The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C

5th Sunday of Lent | John 8:1-11

True discernment requires holy indifference—the freedom to choose what is most aligned with God’s will. Without this interior freedom, our decisions are swayed by attachments, fears, and personal desires rather than love and truth.

In this episode, we explore:

• Ignatian Indifference: Not apathy, but the ability to choose freely without personal bias.

• The Sailboat Analogy: Adjusting our sails to follow God’s wind rather than resisting it.

• The Gospel Reflection: The Pharisees, bound by their judgments, lacked the freedom to truly discern; Jesus, full of love, shows the way.

• Personal Story: A boundary set in a friendship to regain the freedom to discern life’s next steps.

• Love and Sacrifice: True love is marked by holy indifference, seeking the greater good over personal preference.

  Journal Questions:

1. Where in my life am I struggling to be truly free in my discernment?

2. How do my attachments, fears, or desires influence my decisions?

3. What would it look like to adjust my sails and trust God’s wind more fully?

Listen in for insights on how to cultivate the interior freedom necessary for authentic discernment and deeper love.

The World English Bible is in the public domain and was used for all scripture quotations.

Intro music: "My Life (Main)” by Good B Music

Meditation Music: Reawaken Hymns Worship Pads - foundations in the key of C