The Empowered Catholic Podcast

There's a big gap between reconciliation and modern ideas of forgiveness. This gap appears at all levels - between individuals, in local groups, and in nations. Modern forgiveness focuses on releasing anger and hurt so we can move on and be at peace. That's so important! Reconciliation goes even further and seeks a renewal of the relationship after facing the difficulties of acknowledging the harm to the injured persons. Reconciliation is often not possible and that creates a gap. Once you see this gap, you can appreciate what's missing from forgiveness. Understanding this gap helps you come to terms with what's missing, accept it so you can have that release in forgiveness, and perhaps consider reaching further for reconciliation. We are called to reconciliation, that's what's held out to us in scripture as our model to imitate. It hurts when we can't have it. As Kingdom people, we want to have a bias to reconciliation. Reconciliation is more possible than we think because it's God's way and desire.

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Forgiveness doesn't have a simple definition or formula. It's an act of will that also engages with the heart, which can be enlarged, illuminated, and encouraged but not commanded. Forgiveness has huge personal benefits, like releasing toxic emotions. It also extends into the world with social and political impacts. Forgiveness does not overlook wrongs - instead, it puts a spotlight on them so that what needs forgiveness is known to all and can be grieved. It does not cater to wrongdoers but creates new boundaries to be enforced. Forgiveness is not reconciliation although it's a step towards it. Forgiveness is part of writing a new story for you in connection with the person or situation that's being forgiven. Most of all, forgiveness is part of being an active member of the Kingdom of God, which is a kingdom of forgiveness and reconciliation for all.

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Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

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Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

Forgiveness is one of those things you know you should do but nobody tells you how. It's not easy. And it's indispensable to the Christian life. In this episode we start off a podcast season on forgiveness with a theological perspective: Forgiveness is a way of life. Think more in terms of identity to step into than another obligation for you to deal with. Forgiveness is like a door that allows forgiveness to be received and to be given. The question is: how will we allow the door to open a little more?

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Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

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Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

There's an enormous evangelization opportunity for us. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet people with their deepest needs. What is it? It's marriage. People of all ages, even today in 2023, long for great marriages. We, Catholic parishes everywhere, can help. J.P. De Gance helps parishes help others build marriages and, by the way, grow their own parishes. In fact, his organization Communio has a track record of doing exactly that. Learn about the state of marriage, why it has everything to do with the future of the Church, and how we can help others be blessed.

Want to evangelize? Get your parish involved with Communio.

J.P. De Gance co-authored a book with all the details about WHAT and HOW there is a marriage vocations crisis and WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. It's called Endgame, The Church's strategic move to save faith and family in America.

We would love to hear from you! Send a text to us at The Catholic Midlife podcast with your thoughts as you listen: 612-208-9150.

Email us at: [email protected]

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Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

In the interview with J.P. De Gance

A short video about transforming your parish to be a center of marriage evangelization; share with your parish leadership: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8f4PEXT7Hs

Communio website: https://communio.org/

Website to Get the Book ENDGAME (Or go to Amazon): https://communio.org/endgame/

We commit listening violations frequently. It's natural to jump in with our me-centric perspective. Listening, however, is other-centric when it's performed at more than a surface level. We talk about some of the common listening violations and suggest alternatives. We want you to come away from this episode with ideas about how to spot what's missing when your spouse is listening to you and what you might be overlooking as a listener. Listening is directly proportional to giving and receiving intimacy. Most of us are never taught even the most basic listening skills.

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Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicmidlife/

Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

When we are not satisfied with something in our marriage, it's up to us to do something about it. Because that's when things change, when someone is ready to make the effort to figure out what and how to change the patterns in the relationship. Often we have an idea that it's just one "thing" that we are after. "Things" however almost always exist on a continuum. For instance, there's no vision if we don't have enough of both light and darkness because no contrast means there's nothing to see. If we are not growing, we are going backwards, that's the law of nature.

Today's podcast talks about three tensions. Three "things" that are in opposition. But they aren't really in opposition; it's more like they are different ends of the same thing, or part of the same continuum. One of the "things" is Independence versus Intimacy. These are in tension in marriage. There's always at least one area where we want more of one or the other.

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Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

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Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

Join the conversation with Phil and Michelle at Connected Marriage, which has been transferring skills to married couples for more than a decade. Midlife is a time when our past investments and patterns start to yield fruit. You have mixed results. What's going to change? Where is turning toward your spouse (not) happening? Also, why do women tend to give up on an area of relationship at about the time that the men are starting to notice it? Join us!

Get in touch with guests Phil or Michelle at www.connectedmarriage.org

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Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

Facebook: The Catholic Midlife Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicmidlife/

Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

Grow grow grow. Worried about how great your marriage is going to be when it's back to "just the two of us"? You should be! Maybe not worried, exactly, but proactive. What to do? Date nights? Common interests? Karen and Curtis invite you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What's really going to serve this marriage? Think in terms of growth. Think SHARP! S is for Shared Vision. What are things you want to be able to say about your marriage in 10 years? What stories will you tell about your together experience? That's "S". Listen in for the rest!

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Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

Facebook: The Catholic Midlife Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicmidlife/

Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

Everything pertains to love! That's the title of a new Papal letter out on St. Francis de Sales, Totum Amoris Est, published on the 400-yr anniversary of the death of de Sales. It inspired us. St. Francis' description of the love of God uses emotional language instead of dry philosophical arguments. It's striking how de Sales worked hard to make loving God be attractive to his contemporaries. It was also striking how de Sales described the devout life (being holy) in terms of having an interior energy and alertness that's alive to God and the world instead of being a set of rules.

He lived in a time of religious wars, yet stressed that God always used attraction and persuasion to draw people to him. Despite being in the midst of violent religious strife, he did not retreat from the world but chose to engage in it.

Pope Francis, in this reflection on DeSales, leads us to discern our situations: What does love look like here? Where can love be found? de Sales poses these questions not as a theory or a sweet ideal, but as a man that was in full contact with the extreme conflicts of his day and as a spiritual advisor to thousands of men and women.

What great questions! Discerning what we need to do is our job and our challenge.

Join us when you listen to the podcast and be inspired!

Read Totum Amoris Est here.

Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

Facebook: The Catholic Midlife Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicmidlife/

Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/

Life goals are so important! Without goals, momentum starts to take over your life. You live in reaction mode. Your past controls your future. Your day-to-day life blocks your bigger questions about what your life goals are.

What are you going to put on the table? Because God is waiting to help you bring your gifts and talents into play. We often want God to simply tell us what to do. At The Catholic Midlife podcast, we believe He is often waiting for YOU to tell HIM something you want to do. What will you offer?

Here are some signs that you might be letting momentum take over your life: You are not setting goals. Your goals are not stretching and changing you. You are not acting like an apprentice in any areas of life; you are comfortable; you lack resilience dealing with obstacles; or you live by checking off your to-do list versus focusing on your goals.

Contact Info

Email or text us:

Text: The Catholic Midlife podcast: 612-208-9150.

Email us: [email protected]

Facebook: The Catholic Midlife Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicmidlife/

Website: https://thmlcoaching.com/podcast/